My amazing SA in London got in a $6k dress for me and has been holding it for months now because their online payment system/my cc weren’t cooperating. Now that I’m finally back in the area, I went to the store to buy it, but thought it looked smaller than expected in person and discovered it doesn’t fit! Is it terrible etiquette to not purchase the dress after all the trouble my SA went through to get it shipped to the store and then hold it forever? Or is it not a big deal? It was a super limited item so I have no idea what’s right. Thank you so much for any advice!!
Help! Etiquette for returning a remote/special order
- Thread starter dazzlythings
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No big deal. This is your SAs job. It doesn’t fit which is a legitimate reason for not purchasing. If you would like to decline politely, simply say that you appreciate her efforts, and sadly it doesn’t fit or the style doesn’t work. This is her job, and people decline things all the time. If it is a super limited time, she will have other clients who may be interested. She will appreciate your honesty
@880, thank you so much!!! I’ve been so worried about this and your comment makes me feel so much betterNo big deal. This is your SAs job. It doesn’t fit which is a legitimate reason for not purchasing. If you would like to decline politely, simply say that you appreciate her efforts, and sadly it doesn’t fit or the style doesn’t work. This is her job, and people decline things all the time. If it is a super limited time, she will have other clients who may be interested. She will appreciate your honesty
I truly appreciate it!
This is retail, not anything else. My question is, would you really spend $6K to avoid hurting an SA's feelings? The answer has to be: no. (Any other answer = my brain is broken.)
Sadly it’s sold out everywhere in the next size up
but 880 was totally right - my SA was wonderful about it and said the most important thing is that I leave with something I absolutely love and that fits - which I did!
Oh that’s awesome!Sadly it’s sold out everywhere in the next size up
If it was only a matter of hurting her feelings, then of course no. But I’ve never special ordered before, so I had no idea if I was locked into a situation, which is why I reached out here. Before 880’s reply, I was making myself crazy wondering why I’d ever special order anything ever again! But 880 was totally right, it was no big deal
A client of the house is expected to show both taste and discernment, and even if it fit, but you hated it, for example felt fat in it or it reminded you of an unfortunate dress from the 1980s, it’s perfectly okay to refuse politely. The reasons you give will help your SA figure out items that may interest you in the futureIf it was only a matter of hurting her feelings, then of course no. But I’ve never special ordered before, so I had no idea if I was locked into a situation, which is why I reached out here. Before 880’s reply, I was making myself crazy wondering why I’d ever special order anything ever again! But 880 was totally right, it was no big deal
At the opposite end of the decision spectrum, and not the case here would be the following scenario. If the dress were something you absolutely could not live without, and if there are no other sizes, you could always ask for a consult with the in house tailor. Chanel, for example, has multiple seams with two inches of fabric on each side, and can often be let out or taken in. Dior usually has no seam allowance, so no joy. But, at times, both chanel and dior head tailors can authorize additional fabric to be added. Hermes, on the other hand, may have structural issues that preclude even a shorten sleeve; and Brunello can alter most garments except the lower legs of pants. . . My point is if one wanted to make something work, there is no harm in asking. (A tailor will always distinguish between what can be done and what should not be done)
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Thank you so much, this is so helpful!!A client of the house is expected to show both taste and discernment, and even if it fit, but you hated it, for example felt fat in it or it reminded you of an unfortunate dress from the 1980s, it’s perfectly okay to refuse politely. The reasons you give will help your SA figure out items that may interest you in the future
At the opposite end of the decision spectrum, and not the case here would be the following scenario. If the dress were something you absolutely could not live without, and if there are no other sizes, you could always ask for a consult with the in house tailor. Chanel, for example, has multiple seams with two inches of fabric on each side, and can often be let out or taken in. Dior usually has no seam allowance, so no joy. But, at times, both chanel and dior head tailors can authorize additional fabric to be added. Hermes, on the other hand, may have structural issues that preclude even a shorten sleeve; and Brunello can alter most garments except the lower legs of pants. . . My point is if one wanted to make something work, there is no harm in asking. (A tailor will always distinguish between what can be done and what should not be done)