Hi,
I am currently on holiday in Sydney and was on the hunt for a black coco handle bag as a present for my birthday. When I check out both the Sydney Chanel stores at Westfield & Castlereagh last Tuesday, the bag was not available and they said since it is very popular as soon as they have stock, it will be gone straight away.
So, I came back on Thursday to the Westfield store, I saw a blue coco handle on display and when I asked the SA, she said that they don’t have the black one. Lo and behold, another SA put it a black mini in front of me. I was so excited that I could get a hard to find/coveted bag that I bought it in the fear of never to find it again as the SA suggested to me that if I don’t take it somebody else will take it. And I asked her about the exchange policy as I am scared that I will change my mind due to the impulse buy, she said I could exchange it within 14 days. I thought I had inspected the bag properly until when I went home and unboxed it, I noticed some creases on the leather at the front under the flap and at the back under the pockets.
On Saturday, when I had an appointment at Bondi with a friend, I thought I’d bring the bag with just the dust bag to the store after my appointment to see if they have the same bag without the crease. I asked for the bag and they have a good one. They treated me nicely at thr beginning but then when I said I wanted to exchange it with the bag I bought, their faces started to show. They said my bag is not in a resaleable condition so they can’t exchange it and I should go back to the store I bought it from. They even make a call and said that the Westfield store still has a few stock and I should be able to exchange it there.
After unsuccessful arguing with the manager, I decided to go back to Westfield. The store was busy so I just asked if they have the bag and they said they don’t. I asked if they could checked if Castlereagh store has it and they have a few. Off I went to the Castlereagh store and they said I couldn’t exchange it because I didn’t have the original packaging ie the box with me. Now the box was heavy and big. The place that I was staying was 1.5 hours from Sydney. I couldn’t just go back and forth using public transport carrying the bag with the box. The manager still said no, so the SA suggested that I go back to Westfield and asked the staff to get the bag from Castlereagh store as they might allow me to exchange it without the box there. I tried to argue why did they make life so difficult for me. This is not a good customer service. But they won’t budge.
I went back to Westfield, told the story, the SA made a phone call to Castlereagh for a long time, came back and said “They told me you’ve been to Bondi and Castlereagh and both managers said no, so the answer is no”. I told them the reason they said no is because they told me to come back to where I purchase it which is at Westfield. I asked to see the SA that sold me the bag and they said “Oh she is not here” and I said “But I saw her before”. She has gone for the day, her shift finished at five. Within minutes I saw her and I said oh there she is and they’re like oh I thought you went home. Then she spoke to me that after a while the bag will have creases as it is squishy and just be happy that i got it because it is a very high demand bag and it will be gone in minutes.
By this time, I had already spent the whole day moving from store to store and I have another appointment soon. So, I left the store due to the time and feeling so unhappy and disappointed with Chanel’s customer service. I am on holiday and wasted one precious day that I could spend sightseeing and time with my friends to deal with them and left so unsatisfied that I felt sick when I see any luxury bags pictures on instagram. I feel cheated, scammed and lied to. At this point it’s not about the bag anymore, it becomes a bad experience that tainted my memory. I know that I could complain to Fair Trading and sit at the store arguing all day but I ain’t got the time as I will fly off in a few days.
I am currently on holiday in Sydney and was on the hunt for a black coco handle bag as a present for my birthday. When I check out both the Sydney Chanel stores at Westfield & Castlereagh last Tuesday, the bag was not available and they said since it is very popular as soon as they have stock, it will be gone straight away.
So, I came back on Thursday to the Westfield store, I saw a blue coco handle on display and when I asked the SA, she said that they don’t have the black one. Lo and behold, another SA put it a black mini in front of me. I was so excited that I could get a hard to find/coveted bag that I bought it in the fear of never to find it again as the SA suggested to me that if I don’t take it somebody else will take it. And I asked her about the exchange policy as I am scared that I will change my mind due to the impulse buy, she said I could exchange it within 14 days. I thought I had inspected the bag properly until when I went home and unboxed it, I noticed some creases on the leather at the front under the flap and at the back under the pockets.
On Saturday, when I had an appointment at Bondi with a friend, I thought I’d bring the bag with just the dust bag to the store after my appointment to see if they have the same bag without the crease. I asked for the bag and they have a good one. They treated me nicely at thr beginning but then when I said I wanted to exchange it with the bag I bought, their faces started to show. They said my bag is not in a resaleable condition so they can’t exchange it and I should go back to the store I bought it from. They even make a call and said that the Westfield store still has a few stock and I should be able to exchange it there.
After unsuccessful arguing with the manager, I decided to go back to Westfield. The store was busy so I just asked if they have the bag and they said they don’t. I asked if they could checked if Castlereagh store has it and they have a few. Off I went to the Castlereagh store and they said I couldn’t exchange it because I didn’t have the original packaging ie the box with me. Now the box was heavy and big. The place that I was staying was 1.5 hours from Sydney. I couldn’t just go back and forth using public transport carrying the bag with the box. The manager still said no, so the SA suggested that I go back to Westfield and asked the staff to get the bag from Castlereagh store as they might allow me to exchange it without the box there. I tried to argue why did they make life so difficult for me. This is not a good customer service. But they won’t budge.
I went back to Westfield, told the story, the SA made a phone call to Castlereagh for a long time, came back and said “They told me you’ve been to Bondi and Castlereagh and both managers said no, so the answer is no”. I told them the reason they said no is because they told me to come back to where I purchase it which is at Westfield. I asked to see the SA that sold me the bag and they said “Oh she is not here” and I said “But I saw her before”. She has gone for the day, her shift finished at five. Within minutes I saw her and I said oh there she is and they’re like oh I thought you went home. Then she spoke to me that after a while the bag will have creases as it is squishy and just be happy that i got it because it is a very high demand bag and it will be gone in minutes.
By this time, I had already spent the whole day moving from store to store and I have another appointment soon. So, I left the store due to the time and feeling so unhappy and disappointed with Chanel’s customer service. I am on holiday and wasted one precious day that I could spend sightseeing and time with my friends to deal with them and left so unsatisfied that I felt sick when I see any luxury bags pictures on instagram. I feel cheated, scammed and lied to. At this point it’s not about the bag anymore, it becomes a bad experience that tainted my memory. I know that I could complain to Fair Trading and sit at the store arguing all day but I ain’t got the time as I will fly off in a few days.
