Tory Burch Huge Changes Coming to Tory Burch...

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#16
lettuceshop said:
I think that there are people who will buy anything to have a Tory bag, most people don't realize that they are now making TB bags just for the outlets. Remember years ago when Coach was big and many, many people where carrying outlet bags around and they didn't know or didn't care. All TB is doing is catering to the masses, does Coach stand behind repairs on there bags? I frankly have a lot of TB bags and I haven't had an issue with mine. I have looked at Kate Spade bags and Michael Kors bags, they just don't appeal to me. I don't know I'm on a lot of the FB pages and lots of those people don't even care if they are buying fake stuff.
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I haven't needed repairs on any TB bags either but my issue isn't with pricing, it is with strategy. Designer handbags of any kind are a "want" purchase and never a need. Although TB isn't considered a "luxury" brand it is definitely a premium brand and as such, if I spend money on a premium or luxury brand from any designer I expect a quality product and the customer service to match it. If they are not going to stand by repairs for their retail items then I can easily find another designer at that price point that will. Customer service is the cornerstone of keeping customers loyal, quality is second. Nordstrom is going to stop carrying the lower priced MK line because of the sheer volume of customer complaints and returns. Coach guarantees the bags bought at a retail. Many of the larger Coach boutiques now have in-house leather repair services. I fell in love with the line again after they revamped under Vevers. Their Nomad Hobos are very well made and practical.

As far as discounting, that's just the nature of the retail market. LV, Hermes and Chanel are the only lines I can think of that you will not find discounted bags at retail outlets. I know Chanel has handbag markdowns but those are usually runway bags that are still very expensive even after markdown. Outlet only bags don't bother me as long as the designer makes it easy to understand that this bag was an outlet only bag and the quality differs from retail. TB is only now saying that there are outlet only bags when many of us knew that about two seasons ago. I think as long as TB fans are aware there are differences in not only price but quality of retail vs. outlet bags then they can be informed and happy shoppers.

Now that my essay is out of the way, what's on your Fall wishlist:p?
 
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#17
harlem_cutie said:
I haven't needed repairs on any TB bags either but my issue isn't with pricing, it is with strategy. Designer handbags of any kind are a "want" purchase and never a need. Although TB isn't considered a "luxury" brand it is definitely a premium brand and as such, if I spend money on a premium or luxury brand from any designer I expect a quality product and the customer service to match it. If they are not going to stand by repairs for their retail items then I can easily find another designer at that price point that will. Customer service is the cornerstone of keeping customers loyal, quality is second. Nordstrom is going to stop carrying the lower priced MK line because of the sheer volume of customer complaints and returns. Coach guarantees the bags bought at a retail. Many of the larger Coach boutiques now have in-house leather repair services. I fell in love with the line again after they revamped under Vevers. Their Nomad Hobos are very well made and practical.

As far as discounting, that's just the nature of the retail market. LV, Hermes and Chanel are the only lines I can think of that you will not find discounted bags at retail outlets. I know Chanel has handbag markdowns but those are usually runway bags that are still very expensive even after markdown. Outlet only bags don't bother me as long as the designer makes it easy to understand that this bag was an outlet only bag and the quality differs from retail. TB is only now saying that there are outlet only bags when many of us knew that about two seasons ago. I think as long as TB fans are aware there are differences in not only price but quality of retail vs. outlet bags then they can be informed and happy shoppers.

Now that my essay is out of the way, what's on your Fall wishlist:p?
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I agree about moving on to other designers, I've been feeling that way lately, especially having faced so many quality issues lately - knowing that they're no longer offering repairs I'd rather spend more elsewhere. For contemporary designers, my go-to is definitely Kate Spade but I hate seeing their outlet pieces everywhere and that's a rant for another time on another sub-forum. I haven't shopped at Coach in forever but their Disney collection is so cute, I just wish there were pieces with GHW.

As for my fall wishlist - I really like the TB Harper Messenger, it's a decent size crossbody but I'll probably try and find something at KS. I've also pulled out some of my older MBMJ Natasha's which I find hold all my essentials with room to spare. I'm also loving the camera bags which I was never a fan of until I bought a Mulberry pochette this past winter. How about you, any bags on your wishlist?
 
#19
altigirl88 said:
Very well put, lettuceshop! I feel like this i s what all the companies are doing, nowadays.
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Agreed, it can be seen with a lot of contemporary designers such as Coach, MK and Kate Spade. Not a lot of people outside tPF understand the way things are priced and discounted because they're made for outlets. Lots of customers assume it's the same quality and identical to what they'd buy at retail which is unfortunate especially since it dilutes the brand's image.
 
#20
It's certainly going to be interesting to see the future of this line. Let's start a new topic with wish list for fall, whose first? I'll give you mine after I visit the boutique tomorrow.
 
#21
Thanks for all the info! I've never had to send anything in for repairs. I did once purchase a bag online from TB site that arrived with a tarnished buckle and was able to send it back for a new one.

I like having the outlet option so that if I miss something from a previous season I can hope to catch it at the outlet for a discount. (I've purchased a few pineapple items at the outlets this year which I wanted last year!) I'm wondering what's going to happen to all the merchandise that doesn't move from the boutique. If it doesn't go to the outlet will there be more sales or "private sales"?
 
#22
Even Chanel doesn't do universal repairs anymore! You need to have proof of purchase AND it has to be purchased within the last 5 years. I think that's ridiculous for that price! If TB stops repairing, I won't stop purchasing, but I will purchase ONLY exclusively from Nordstrom. I know if it breaks, I can take it back to Nordstrom and they will exchange it for me and handle the repairs. I used to work there (left in 2011) and though I sold Burberry, I know we had a contact at Burberry that we could send back items for repair. I assume Nordstrom will have something similar in place with Tory Burch.
 
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#25
Here's the intel from the manager at the Tory Burch boutique. Yes of course they will still stand behind their products, repairing or replacing if necessary! Nothing is going to change regarding customer service. She confirmed that outlets would be moving to carrying the "made for outlet" bags, but didn't think that you wouldn't occasionally find boutique bags in the outlets once in a while.
 
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#27
This is so sad, TB is going the same path that Coach and MK did, and all it was a big damage to their brands. It cheapen the brand,
I was a Coachie for a long time in the 1990, but moved away from it, since they came out with the C logo. MK was never in my taste.
Sadly TB is doing it this way. hic hic
 
#29
Purselvr75 said:
Was just at the Vegas outlet and was very disappointed with the selection. Mostly made for outlet except for a tote that was in Nordstrom's anniversary sale in 2015. Went there last year and found a bunch of things. This year I walked out empty handed.
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This is what's going to become the norm for the outlets, many people don't know what their looking at anyway, they just say the name above the door and what to walk around with something with the TB label. We are going to see more private sales with back stock appearing, TB can keep those prices on the original line at a higher price. Those online sales may become a treasure chest for us.
 
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