I've been meaning to write a review about TAGS for a while now. First the good: TAGS has some hip clothes--pricey but good selection. Right across courtyard to Equinox gym [to which I belong] & convenient when in need of a nice outfit. Now the bad: Customer service.
Here's where the trouble started: This past Nov 2013, I went to TAGS to see if they had any casual jackets I could gift my husband for xmas. I was just intending to look. I did find a jacket I liked & told the salesgirl that I was gonna wait & think about it b/c this lightweight jacket was pricey at $320 [pricier than I would normally probably consider for such an insubstantial jacket]. Salesgirl: "we just got these in & we only have 2 left--they won't last!" Me: "well, I am thinking of waiting b/c you will probably have pre-xmas/black friday sale." Salesgirl: "oh no, this jacket is DEFINITELY not going on sale b/f christmas." Me: "ok, i guess I will get it now. I am not sure it will fit or that he will like it. Is there any problem with returns?" Salesgirl: "no problem, he can exchange after christmas if he does not like it or it does not fit well."
Of course, 3 weeks later, blackfriday, huge sign in TAGS' window "30% entire store." I immediately bring the jacket back to the store, with receipt & ask for the 30% discount, particularly given the assurances given me by salesgirl earlier in Nov! The salesman working that day says "nope, I can't give you the 30% discount" so I say I want to return the jacket so I can buy a jacket in the store that is 30% off. Salesman: "nope, you can't return the jacket b/c it's been longer than 2 weeks since you purchased it." WHAT THE WHAT? So, not only had I purchased a jacket I had been told would definitely NOT be going on sale prior to xmas & it did, but now I'm being told that the return policy I had specifically asked/been told about ["no problem exchanging jacket after christmas"] was also incorrect? I was very vexed, particularly since I could have saved approx $100 had I waited, as my instincts told me to do, until later.
I ask to speak to the manager bc I'm sure, given what a good customer Ive been [I am the IDEAL customer-- I had already spent a lot of money at TAGS over 2 years & intended to spend more] & the unfairness of the whole situation, immed apologies/remedy would soon follow. Not so much. The manager [whose email I was given b/c she was not available to speak & I was assured email was the speediest way to reach her] never answered either of my emails. Eventually she called--long after sale was over and after I had called the store several times--and was unhelpful/vague about the whole problem. She did not seem to have any authority to offer a solution. Eventually, I spoke to the owner of the store, who was ungracious and defensive about what had happened. She took no responsibility for what her salesgirl had told me & seemed kind of mad at me for expecting the store to stand behind its employee's words. I told her: "if your salesgirl told me incorrect information then it is incumbent on you to honor it--it not my fault she answered incorrectly. It is the store's responsibility particularly since I conditioned my purchase on the answer to these 2 questions & trusted the response." The owner was adamant that there was only a 2 week window to return merchandise. I asked her how anyone could be expected to buy holiday gifts at her store given this very restrictive return policy. Eventually she said my husband would be allowed to exchange the jacket after xmas but that there was no way she would give me the 30% discount. Then she offered to send me a $50 gift certificate as recompense. While this is only half of what I felt was fair, I appreciated that she relented & was allowing only my husband this one time window to exchange after xmas [so be warned: don't buy your gifts at TAGS more than two weeks prior to gifting!!], but she was also offering some $$. But, def a bad taste in my mouth b/c my only crime was an attempt to spend more $$ in her store & she was so grudging & bad humored.
Eventually I receive the $50 gift certificate, which is in fact 2x$25 gift certs. I go in the store some time after & want to purchase 3 items, for approx $150 dollars. I hand over the 2 gift certificates. Salesgirl: "you are only allowed to use one $25 gift certificate." Again, WHAT THE WHAT? I point out it does not say that anywhere on the gift cert. She shrugs & says "sorry." So, I say: "Ok, I will buy one item with one gift cert & leave other stuff on hold & then walk out/walk back in & buy other 2 items & use other gift cert." Absurdly, I do this & she says "sorry, I can't do it." I am thinking, this makes no sense whatsoever. I just leave the stuff there & walk out. I vowed that no matter how cute TAGS merch is, it's DEFINITELY not worth the weird, belligerent, defensive, expensive hassle of dealing with the owner & her inconsistent returns & customer service policies. read more