I totally agree it's all marketing on the part of Coach. I'm in the marketing biz and usually recognize "spin" when I see it, but I have to say I'm really disappointed to hear that these bags that you've all been told are exclusive are being replenished - it takes time to manufacture and ship these bags from China and I don't believe they have had time to order more, I think they are just releasing a few for sale and hyping it to get people to buy quickly and when they go well, they then replenish the supply in the system (the bags were all available all along, but they didn't enter the entire supply in the system to start with - make sense?) I also would be surprised to see Coach not do a Sept PCE based on the incentives -- in the mail coupons, email coupons and phone calls that I'm receiving from all the other retailers I do business with. I'm being bombarded with coupons - Bloomies, Macy's, B&N, Borders, Gap, BR, ON, Max Studio, White House/Black Market - you name it, I've gotten some special incentive recently! I've gone over much more to more exclusive brands because I don't want to carry the same bag everyone else is and because I want quality. Regarding being told that Hamptons Vintage Hobo was "almost sold out" - that's such a crock! That bag is available at Coach, Coach.com, Macy's, Nordstroms and Bloomies!!!!! I also completely agree that their "limited edition" system of not numbering each bag individually like they used to is purely to allow them to produce more of hot selling bags and I do not like this practice either - it's deceptive and takes advantage of some of their best customers - the ones willing to spend serious $$ for a special bag!
Anyone else feel a bit "cheated" by Coach???
- Thread starter baglady39
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Thanks for bringing this up. I was getting so PO'd yesterday when they kept saying how limited this item was and there are only two in the store blah blah blah.... It really turned me off to buying anything.
These were my exact thoughts Suzzeee, but I'm glad to hear it from a marketing biz expert! Thanks for sharing!!
On Friday evening I was going to possibly exchange a bag.
I told them I'd rather come back when I had more time (and my coupon!).
They acted like I had better "do it tonight" while the bag is stll there.
I was looking at a pouch, nothing THAT special.
I highly doubt they'll be sold out of a silly little Sig pouch...by next week!
It was odd, though.
It's like a new underlying feeling on all sales...
I told them I'd rather come back when I had more time (and my coupon!).
They acted like I had better "do it tonight" while the bag is stll there.
I was looking at a pouch, nothing THAT special.
I highly doubt they'll be sold out of a silly little Sig pouch...by next week!
It was odd, though.
It's like a new underlying feeling on all sales...
The whole 'boutique vs. outlet' thing is very frustrating to a lot of people, and I understand why you're upset re: the limited edition bags. I do think that Coach is trying to be all things to all people--trendy for the young ladies and more upscale for the professional women, etc--but this strategy can really alienate regular, loyal customers, especially when they start doing the 'limited edition' hard sell when you walk in the door.
I don't buy from the boutique anymore because I live close to an amazing outlet and I'd see all these boutique bags a couple of months after hitting stores. It was nuts! I think that the hard sell in boutiques will start turning people off, and i don't know how they're going to increase boutique sales if they keep excluding regular customers from PCE and sending bags to the outlets.
Now, I love my outlet but I've kind of drifted away from Coach lately, and that says a lot since it has been my primary brand for the last 15 years. Part of it has to do with the styles coming out and part of it has to do with the 'always wondering if you're getting the best deal' when they come out with something. I just skip PCE now. I absolutely LOVE my pleated satchel (with PCE) but that's the only bag in I-don't-know-how long I've purchased at the boutique.
I do think there's a huge trust issue with Coach customers and they need to be very mindful of it. There are too many other alternatives out there for handbag lovers.
I don't buy from the boutique anymore because I live close to an amazing outlet and I'd see all these boutique bags a couple of months after hitting stores. It was nuts! I think that the hard sell in boutiques will start turning people off, and i don't know how they're going to increase boutique sales if they keep excluding regular customers from PCE and sending bags to the outlets.
Now, I love my outlet but I've kind of drifted away from Coach lately, and that says a lot since it has been my primary brand for the last 15 years. Part of it has to do with the styles coming out and part of it has to do with the 'always wondering if you're getting the best deal' when they come out with something. I just skip PCE now. I absolutely LOVE my pleated satchel (with PCE) but that's the only bag in I-don't-know-how long I've purchased at the boutique.
I do think there's a huge trust issue with Coach customers and they need to be very mindful of it. There are too many other alternatives out there for handbag lovers.
I'm not sure if this is Coach's stragety as of late. I haven't purchased any Coach items recently and haven't been really keeping up. But I do remember back in 2006, I fell in love with their gallery tote that year. I was a poor college student and didn't have the $300 for the bag. So I was sad and left the store. Then, all the boutiques sold out really fast. That gallery tote was really popular that year I guess. I was sad and couldn't find it anywhere else. It didn't even hit the outlets and wasn't on ebay. (I sort of forgot about it and got distracted with college. But 2 years later, I found a NWT 2006 gallery tote on ebay, and snatched her right up.) 
So at least back then, Coach only make a limited amount of handbags. 
So at least back then, Coach only make a limited amount of handbags. 
Since not receiving any of the last 3 - 4 PCE discount cards, I've had to resort to begging/pleading with the store managers at my local Coach boutiques for the 25% discount. It's so discouraging to then see that a few of the supposedly limited edition items that I had purchased were shipped out to the outlets a few months later. Also, it's no fun seeing some of the other items that I purchased, directly from a boutique, are now on clearance (30% - 40%) at a local dept. store. Lesson learned, I now just wait it out in the hopes that the bag that I want will eventually either go on sale at a dept. store or will be sent out to the outlet within the next 2 - 3 months.
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I wonder if they are pushing the whole "limited" on us because sales are lackluster because of the economy being so bad. I know I haven't bought anything from the boutique since Septemeber of last year (at PCE) and I only bought some stuff at the outle tin March because I had a gift certificate. Nothing is really catching my eye and with gas prices close to $5.00/gal I had to make other choices.
One thing I found strange is that I called one store looking for the Hamptons Berry Carryall, and she said they were totally sold out and the system is not letting them order more. She said it was wildly popular and impossible to find at this point, but they had many other wonderful bags.
I then went to another Coach Store less than 10 miles from that one, and they had it.
Then, I went back to the first store later in the day to do a return, and asked again about it---and she said "everyone is so heartbroken when I tell them it is all sold out...". I told her the Sunvalley store has it--I was just there, and she looked sort of strange. She said maybe it was a return, and I said that they had 3 in the back.
Now, if this were Nordstrom--they would just call the surrounding stores to help me find the bag I wanted. Why was this SA asking like it was impossible to find this bag that is still "new" and on the front page of their website? I am not looking for that bag---but it just seems like a strange way to do business.
I then went to another Coach Store less than 10 miles from that one, and they had it.
Then, I went back to the first store later in the day to do a return, and asked again about it---and she said "everyone is so heartbroken when I tell them it is all sold out...". I told her the Sunvalley store has it--I was just there, and she looked sort of strange. She said maybe it was a return, and I said that they had 3 in the back.
Now, if this were Nordstrom--they would just call the surrounding stores to help me find the bag I wanted. Why was this SA asking like it was impossible to find this bag that is still "new" and on the front page of their website? I am not looking for that bag---but it just seems like a strange way to do business.
I had this happen to me with my teal Gigi. I paid full price because a SA came up to me in a panic saying if I liked it I better buy it because there were a VERY limited number made-only available a handful of stores-and they were being pulled off the floors in a day or two. The bag hit the outlet before I even got my full price bag in the mail.
I think that coach has changed. I just read an interview with Lew Frankfort and the gist of it was that he is all about good current numbers for stockholders. Those SA's and store managers can get those numbers however they need to, but they better meet projections. I personally see this as a sign of desperation and incredibly short-sighted. You have to wonder if anyone from corporate ever reads this forum.
I am sorry you have been such a phenomenal customer and have been screwed like that. It makes me sad. As a 17+ year loyal customer, I feel like I am losing my brand.
I think that coach has changed. I just read an interview with Lew Frankfort and the gist of it was that he is all about good current numbers for stockholders. Those SA's and store managers can get those numbers however they need to, but they better meet projections. I personally see this as a sign of desperation and incredibly short-sighted. You have to wonder if anyone from corporate ever reads this forum.
I am sorry you have been such a phenomenal customer and have been screwed like that. It makes me sad. As a 17+ year loyal customer, I feel like I am losing my brand.
It's that particular store you were at I think (Broadway Plaza right) - I go in there frequently and look around because I'm at that mall anyway plus the new store is larger, but I rarely shop there as they are very pushy and some SA's can be really snooty. I prefer my fave SA at the Sunvalley store - she's nice, smart, not pushy and willing to be helpful. You'd think someone from Coach would be reading this - I've certainly told SA's about it and we know there are SA's posting here - they are not smart marketers at all if they are not, because this is a perfect place for them to find out what their loyal customers think! If I were in Coach's product development and/or CS division, I'd be all over these types of forums - it's invaluable unsolicited marketing data that's not that easy to obtain.
My thoughts exactly! My background is in marketing and I can't imagine why they wouldn't be checking this forum to get a better pulse on their loyal customers. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
I find that the info that people get from Coach is often not true. I kept checking on my Ali bag and was told at one point that they had a few left. Sometime later like a long time later they had hundreds at the outlet so that is when I bought mine. I am branching out to other brands for now but I am not so much a collector as I just buy what I like and what I "need" so I don't really care about the limited stuff. I would be upset if I were a collector though and thinking I am getting something limited and paying that high price and then they make more. I think Coach should offer refunds based on this mis-information or have more things in writing then. I would be pissed too !
i don't feel cheated by Coach because i've never jumped on the bandwagon like you did, but after reading this post, i agree with your feelings, i do feel like you've been a little "cheated" by Coach.
Ultimately, this story reminds me of the "boy who cried wolf". It's kind of shameful that this situation is looking a little like that. If they keep that up, their Coach patrons will probably be giving them a deaf ear.
Ultimately, this story reminds me of the "boy who cried wolf". It's kind of shameful that this situation is looking a little like that. If they keep that up, their Coach patrons will probably be giving them a deaf ear.
This is one reason I decided to post this! I'm actually hoping that corporate will read and absorb some of the issues that at least some of us have had with the company!
I totally agree about losing customer base, and in a way, they have already started doing that with me. It's not just PCE issues either. I've actually purchased more brands as of late rather than Coach...partly because I don't want to make purchases on bags that I fear will go to the outlets in just a few short weeks...or ones I can't buy on PCE discount. I would rather just wait and get it on discount, or not get it at all. I feel much better about my other purchases than my current Coach purchases! That's one reason why I started going more toward the more limited edition end, and initially I was really excited about the Peyton when I first saw it on the website! I figured that it's not a bag that would show up in mass quantity later on at the outlet because there were so few made (or so I thought!).
I've been round and round with SAs/stores over this limited edition issue, and my complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I really just wanted a total count from the company, and best I've been given is a current system count including JAX and store inventory. That would not, of course, include all purchases prior to me asking either! And the stock seems to change every few days for at least some of the colors. I also asked multiple SAs to give me the name of a specific corporate person that I can write to or call...and they won't even give me that info. I just get the response "call JAX" for the stock count...right!!
Honestly, once they get the sale, they really don't give a rat's *ss. I guess if I cared more about it, I would just return the bags and tell them to shove it. Fortunately, though, I like the bags well enough (actually a LOT)... and on PCE discount, I feel much better with the $600 price tag than $800. I probably won't pursue it any further, but be sure I will ***** about it again when I go to the Bleecker Street store!
Also... I can't even begin to comment on some of the other issues I see posted on this forum! There's just WAY too much inconsistency with this company, and while I do know that in many regards I have been SO blessed since I shop with a wonderful SA, I know there are way too many bad customer service experiences out there! That's inexcusable for what these bags cost!! I'm really sorry to read about the bad experiences that some you have had, and I'm sorry for all of us that we pay so much for "limited" items or even regular retail items that are then sold for so much less just a few short weeks later! Not that I haven't capitalized on the outlets myself, and LOVE the steal deal (I'm definitely a bargain shopper at heart)... but I know exactly how it feels to pay retail while someone else gets it for a fraction of that price!! I did that too many times back earlier in the year, and now I'm totally over it. That's why I haven't purchased a Zoe or Hamptons vintage hobo yet. It's also another reason I didn't purchase a Sophie, even at PCE price... I feel this is a bag that will go real quick to the outlet, and sell for way less than PCE probably (the Bleecker duffles sure did!!).