Bad Experience in Mulberry store

Aug 28, 2010
129
46
Yesterday I took my black regular Alexa to my local Mulberry store to send her off for repair because she has multiple defects. Which for a bag that is just under a year old was really disappointing.

I went into the store my usual cheery self expecting the same high level of service when purchasing something from there but in the end left with a bad taste in my mouth and pretty hacked off.

The SA I dealt with was very nice until I explained that I had to send an item for repair, then the shutters came down and SA was very abrupt and snappy. Now, I am a bit of an anal sort so wrote up a wee list of the issues with my bag, all in all there are 6. But my main concerns were that the inking around the handle braid (~ 4cm) has came off, the inking on the left top edge of the bag has done the same and the front plate has tarnished dramatically.

I point out all of my issues and explain that I am really disappointed considering the cost of the bag and how well I have mothered it. My wee Alexa has never been placed on the floor, stored in her dust bag and colloniled regularly. SA then says that this is normal and that its just "wear & tear". At this point I am devastated that someone would think that issues like these are normal for a bag that now retails at £785.

SA then proceeds to ignore us while filling in repair form, not consulting me about the content. After form filling is complete, 10 mins later the SA informs me that they will call when the repair guys have informed them if the bag is to be repaired but they don't think it will come to that as its "normal wear" *screams in head*. My receipt is then flung across the counter at me and my sorry little self leaves the store. I need a coffee after my ordeal, whilst in there my boyfriend then reads the yellow repair slip which ends with "customer not happy" with "happy" underlined. Am I being overly sensitive reading this remark? I would assume most customers sending a year old bag for repair won't be too chuffed and that is doesn't need to be stated and then underlined.

Arrrggh! I really expected more from Mulberry with its repairs. I was made to feel as if coming in was an overreaction and that my concerns were nonsense. Perhaps I have been spoiled with the service I got in Chanel when I needed a repair, they were excellent. Should I really expect the same level of customer care in Mulberry?

Have you ladies had issues like this?
How have your repairs went?

Apologies for my rant but I am really gutted. Someones just popped by Mulberry balloon :sad:
 
Well, I can see that they may class it as normal wear and tear. A friend of mine had a dillon messenger bag for 10 months, which she used daily and the piping had exposed. They wouldn't repair that under their guarantee as they said she had used it too much! Best just wait and see what the repairs department say when they contact you, and if you are not 'happy', then contact customer service and complain. Repairs are very slow at the moment. I sent an item to them on 1st Sept, and they have not even given me a quote yet. Apparently, it is still awaiting assessment.
 
I can't stand rude sales assistants myself but given the price Chanel charged for their bags these days, isn't that mandatory that they provide excellent customer service for anything?
 
I assumed that considering how frequently Mulberry are increasing their prices, they would subscribe to that theory as well. Its just really disappointing. I work for a high end retail store and would be dragged through the coals for behaving like that to a customer :sad:
 
I am sad to hear that! :sad:
I' ve sent my Greta to the repairs as well and it took 4 weeks for them to answer, but I'll get my new bag next week - at least that's what they promised ;)
 
I hope they sort it out for you, I'd wait for the verdict from HQ as they may well still fix it. I sent off my Alexa for a repair and it came back without anything being done to it and no explanation. I then emailed the customer services manager, she took it very seriously and I got a replacement, I think you just need to be persistant. Even used every day I really would expect the bag to last at least a year...

I would also seriously think about writing to make a complaint about the employee, you should have their name on the yellow slip. I really can't abide this attitude from anyone working in customer services whether you're buying or have a problem, it's not their judgment to make and at the end of the day they are there to meet the customers needs.
 
Wow, I fel so sorry for you. I know how I irate I would have felt in that situation.
I really do think that these bags should last for much longer than a year before they start to fall apart. It's absolutely disgusting that they should charge so much and then just say wear and tear........
Seriously, I am starting to consider my allegiances to this brand
I wish you the best of luck in getting your bag sorted - hopefully you will receive either a repaired bag or a replacement.
 
Thats such a long time to live without your Greta. Are they replacing your bag entirely?

No
They offered me an exact replacement - but I was not too sure I want the same style. Would always be scared it will fall apart again!
But they offered me to choose a bag up to an certain value (which was much higher than what I payed for Greta) and I asked them if I could get a bag thats more expensive and just pay the difference. They said I would be okay.
So I hope I'll get my new bag next week :smile:
 
Surely they should last a lifetime within reason. I have vintage bags that are 50-60 years old that are still in fab condition. Normal wear and tear should be a few marks here and there and leather darkening maybe. Outrageous. Quote sale of goods act which states item should last a reasobale amount of time.
 
No
They offered me an exact replacement - but I was not too sure I want the same style. Would always be scared it will fall apart again!
But they offered me to choose a bag up to an certain value

Which bag did you pick? Or are you saving that little secret for a nice wee reveal? :smile: I'm really excited for you. It's sad that your greta had to go to bag heaven but at least you got a happy ending :smile:
 
Oh dear - no matter what the circumstances, there's no excuse for the SA's attitude - afterall, you could've been paying for a repair - would they have treated you differently if you were?
It never ceases to amaze me as to the attitudes of staff in so called 'customer facing' roles - what happened to the old adage 'the customer is always right'?
Hopefully this will get resolved for you soon & I hope the snooty SA is reading this, and feeling somewhat guilty!!
 
Hi Sakura , i see you are based in Glasgow but I won't automatically assume it's the Glasgow store, it could be HOF or another city.

If it is Glasgow I have to say my experiences have been mainly extremely positive. A similar one to yours was with Ink Print Bays. It wasn't the staff but the "experts" at Shepton who said that a year's wear and tear was responsible for the pattern lifting! Well I have M&S knickers that have kept the same pattern for years and I certainly expect a £700 bag to do so as well. I refused to accept this and they went away and performed tests on the leather which proved it was a fault. It did feel like a long haul though.

Perhaps the underlining of your receipt was to emphasise how unhappy you were? However I can't take away from you how you were left feeling after your visit and you should have been left with no doubt that everything would be done to help you. Instead it was obviously upsetting.

As for your repair question, I took a bag in for repair from another tpfer . It was out of warranty and she lives abroad. It was repaired and mailed to her free of charge. Last month I was offered a repair replacement or refund on my Black Suede Alexa when stitches came undone.

The faults you describe are absolutely not acceptable in an expensive bag. I hope you stick to your guns until you get a repair, replacement, refund or vouchers.