Neiman Marcus has the WORST customer service
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awww i have to say i'm really saddened to hear about all the bad experiences people have had with Neiman Marcus!! (/(oo)\) piggy LOVES Neiman Marcus!!
Perhaps the SF store is an outlier . . . I've encountered nothing but top-quality customer service there. The SA's I've worked with (Lee-On for beauty & premier designer apparel, Tim in Precious Jewelry, Todd in the Shoe Salon, Chantal in the Fur Salon, Chris in the Furniture Showroom, Alex for social stationery) have all bent over backwards to accommodate me, and they're so thoughtful! I swear Lee-On knows I'm about to run out of my products before I do!
I used to detest department store shopping because I thought it was too impersonal, but now I'm a total convert . . . I strongly encourage those who had bad experiences with NM.com not to write off the company altogether! (^(oo)^)v
that's so terrible!! i've ordered 2 chairs (last month) and a cabinet (1.5 years ago) from horchow and didn't have any problems at all . . . why don't you try giving the SF Neiman's a call? ask for Chris in the furniture showroom, she's *really* nice, I'm sure if you explain the situation she'll be able to help you out! tell her piggy, lee-on's customer who bought the peacock chairs, sent you along (^(oo)^)v
that's so odd, i've frequently experienced that issue at saks (especially in the shoe salon!!) but not neiman's
Perhaps the SF store is an outlier . . . I've encountered nothing but top-quality customer service there. The SA's I've worked with (Lee-On for beauty & premier designer apparel, Tim in Precious Jewelry, Todd in the Shoe Salon, Chantal in the Fur Salon, Chris in the Furniture Showroom, Alex for social stationery) have all bent over backwards to accommodate me, and they're so thoughtful! I swear Lee-On knows I'm about to run out of my products before I do!
I used to detest department store shopping because I thought it was too impersonal, but now I'm a total convert . . . I strongly encourage those who had bad experiences with NM.com not to write off the company altogether! (^(oo)^)v
This happened to me today...NM also owns Horchow. Late (as in VERY late) last summer I ordered a garden statue. It cracked in a hard to see place immediately, and I kept it. A couple of weeks ago the entire friggin' ARM cracked off and the paint was flaking.
This is ridiculous...it was meant to be outside. So I went on their chat and after looking up the account she said, "You will not be able to return this." I argued it was defective. She said, "You will not be able to return this statue." No credit, nothing.
I said, "I will not be shopping here or NM anymore...and I expected this."
Sad that NM used to be my absolute favorite place to shop...
that's so terrible!! i've ordered 2 chairs (last month) and a cabinet (1.5 years ago) from horchow and didn't have any problems at all . . . why don't you try giving the SF Neiman's a call? ask for Chris in the furniture showroom, she's *really* nice, I'm sure if you explain the situation she'll be able to help you out! tell her piggy, lee-on's customer who bought the peacock chairs, sent you along (^(oo)^)v
that's so odd, i've frequently experienced that issue at saks (especially in the shoe salon!!) but not neiman's
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Thanks, piggy, but I don't want to take advantage of your SAs...maybe if I have something I really want from NM but don't want to buy here, like a bag or shoes....I might ask you then. Thanks for the offer, though.
They don't now, but my mom had the vintage all leather Dooney's with the swans (goodness, I think I'm aging her a bit) back then, so I think they sold them before D&B tried breaking into the teen market.
She also had a Neiman's card, which she happily cut up!
I read an article in Vogue that answers this well. Unless, you have bank and I mean BANK, NM SA's don't really have too much time for you. They want to deal with customers who come in where the SA has already put whole wardrobes on display for them to choose from with the CL's included.Hahahahaha. I loved this post.
Seriously, I find that a lot of the higher end boutiques and department stores have the crappiest customer service. I've never understood this... If I come into your store and want to spend a large amount of money, why would you treat me poorly or act as if you are better than me? How does that make me want to continue to be a loyal customer? I've had nothing but great experiences at Barneys, and less than positive ones at Saks and NM... Guess where I purchase all my CLs now.....
Sad, but true. The law of business. Some of the higher end stores are not really geared toward all customers, but to specific customers. Marketing y'know.
Now saying all that, I shop at Neiman's very little, but when I have I have found them to be helpful to me with no crazy comments about not accepting a form of currency. Just a question if I had the type they honor. One salesperson was very sweet letting me know about an upcoming promotional in terms of pricing when I was looking at some handbags. BUT I had a friend go to look at CL's at NM and the salesman was breathtakingly rude to her.
I'm pretty ambivalent about them. Though my aunt enjoys them.
I just had the worst experience with Niemans. I received a very rudely worded letter from NM regarding my "rate of returns." They basically suggested that I return too often and that it is unacceptable. They stated that my account would be monitored for any future returns and our "business relationship" would end if my rate of returns didn't decrease. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this letter.
I promptly called the phone number on the letter which went to someone's voicemail. I left a message and never heard back. I called and called and called and never received an answer nor a return phone call. So I called all over the place today to be connected to a "supervisor" after fifteen minutes on hold. I explained to him that I purchase Balenciaga handbags quite often and because I have to buy them sight unseen (NM doesn't carry Bal in Illinois), I return them. Well this wasn't an acceptable reason for him and he basically implied that it would be best if the "business relationship" ended.
I was so appauled that I closed my NM card right there and then. He obligingly did so without hesitation. I will never purchase anything from NM again. I cannot believe that my utilizing THEIR return policy is cause for our "business relationship" to end. Despite paying my credit card on time and in full, I am cast aside as though I am doing something wrong. Its all just so sick. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!
I promptly called the phone number on the letter which went to someone's voicemail. I left a message and never heard back. I called and called and called and never received an answer nor a return phone call. So I called all over the place today to be connected to a "supervisor" after fifteen minutes on hold. I explained to him that I purchase Balenciaga handbags quite often and because I have to buy them sight unseen (NM doesn't carry Bal in Illinois), I return them. Well this wasn't an acceptable reason for him and he basically implied that it would be best if the "business relationship" ended.
I was so appauled that I closed my NM card right there and then. He obligingly did so without hesitation. I will never purchase anything from NM again. I cannot believe that my utilizing THEIR return policy is cause for our "business relationship" to end. Despite paying my credit card on time and in full, I am cast aside as though I am doing something wrong. Its all just so sick. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!
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^^ saira, that's really odd to me, and so disappointing. I've read of this happening with other posters here as well.
It's strange, though, since I return probably half of what I buy online from them, and I never ever run into a problem. Maybe it's different for online stuff because they know that it may not fit? Or because it's not handbags?
I also agree with Piggy, it's all about the personal relationship. I have someone at my local store for shoes, and someone at the San Fran store for fine apparel, and if I call for either of them, even if they aren't available, whomever I talk with is always super-accommodating. And I definitely don't come in to buy entire wardrobes or tons of stuff at a time.
It's strange, though, since I return probably half of what I buy online from them, and I never ever run into a problem. Maybe it's different for online stuff because they know that it may not fit? Or because it's not handbags?
I also agree with Piggy, it's all about the personal relationship. I have someone at my local store for shoes, and someone at the San Fran store for fine apparel, and if I call for either of them, even if they aren't available, whomever I talk with is always super-accommodating. And I definitely don't come in to buy entire wardrobes or tons of stuff at a time.
I have also heard about this from other posters, but for some reason I couldn't find a thread. Its just so disturbing. Why have a return policy if it can be used against you for utilizing it? I know they have to be on the look out for fraud, etc., but seriously, I am not coming in there buying a bulk load of clothing and returning it all. I am simply buying a handbag here and there, receiving it, and deciding against it. Since I can't see the bag IRL before purchasing, I can't imagine why this is a cause for concern. Just so frustrating.
I hope they Darwin themselves out of existence with this junk. Really, you don't even have to buy at NM for high end stuff. There's Net-A-Porter, or the specific designer you like.
I just dropped in there a couple of weeks ago to get my NARS eye makeup remover. It appears that they changed the formula so it's oil based instead of water-based. I told the salesperson they had changed their formula and I didn't want it. She started lecturing me on how I was mistaken. I just wasn't paying attention, they changed the bottle color, etc. Everything but the possible idea that MAYBE they changed their formula.
No, I'm not "mistaken." Nice try, though.
I just dropped in there a couple of weeks ago to get my NARS eye makeup remover. It appears that they changed the formula so it's oil based instead of water-based. I told the salesperson they had changed their formula and I didn't want it. She started lecturing me on how I was mistaken. I just wasn't paying attention, they changed the bottle color, etc. Everything but the possible idea that MAYBE they changed their formula.
No, I'm not "mistaken." Nice try, though.
Yikes. I return stuff too -- shoes usually, usually when they've been shipped from another store and don't fit. It's my "go to" shoe place when I am not in NY (Barneys is better).
Stores have return policies to sometimes help make a sale, and then they hope that the person who was sold on an item only because they had X amount of days to bring it back will forget about it and be forced to keep it, will like it and decide to keep it, or for that off chance that you're buying something as a gift and it might need to be returned/exchanged, and even then a business is hoping that you might forget about it and have to re-purchase it. Not saying that you were doing this, but it's not supposed to be utilized for a trail and error period at home with an item, to see if you really will like it, kwim? But nowadays, that's what people use return policies for. Most people figure that they have at least 15-30 days to take an item home, and see if it will fit into their wardrobe, go with other items, be comfortable to use, etc etc, and if it's not, they return it later. Even if the merchandise is being returned and has never been used and can be resold, it's a "waste" for the company. More than likely an SA spent their time helping a customer, giving them knowledge and checking them out. Time (and money) is also spent taking the item back, re-shelving it, etc. If the purchase was made online, then the company paid someone to find the item, package it up, and put it on a truck to be sent out, plus both in a warehouse and in the B&M store, employees must be paid, and there is always overhead to think of. So, basically, even if a person buys something and returns it, and it's in perfect condition and can be sold again, a company wasted money on a customer for no sale. Even if said customer buys a lot, a frequent returner can end up costing a company more money than what they actually spend on merchandise in the first place.
I don't think what they did was right, but just trying to give a different perspective. IMHO, if a store has a return policy, they need to adhere to it, even if it's costing them money. I think that only in extreme cases should customers be banned from buying & returning merchandise.
I've always had pretty good experiences when I go to my nearby NM. When I showed up to the Chanel counter recently saying I want a red lip color that doesn't make me look grannyish (I usually wear pink glosses or lipstick or chapstick), they were sooooo helpful trying different colors on me and it was a lot of fun. When I pulled out my Visa because I always forget about their taking only AmEx, the associate was sympathetic and said she thought it was silly, too, that they only take AmEx (I ended up paying in cash).
I also was looking at sterling silver flatware so I can begin building a collection (a nice slow process since the pattern I like is $1,000 a place setting ) and the associate there was INCREDIBLY helpful, telling me about the different brands, quality, styles, in detail. That said, the first time I popped in to look at the sterling, the male associate TOTALLY ignored me. I really don't think the level of service I get should be less just because I came in sans makeup, in jeans, a sweater, and puma sneakers carrying my big puma bag.
I also buy on the website and have had good experiences thus far, but haven't had to return anything.
I also was looking at sterling silver flatware so I can begin building a collection (a nice slow process since the pattern I like is $1,000 a place setting
) and the associate there was INCREDIBLY helpful, telling me about the different brands, quality, styles, in detail. That said, the first time I popped in to look at the sterling, the male associate TOTALLY ignored me. I really don't think the level of service I get should be less just because I came in sans makeup, in jeans, a sweater, and puma sneakers carrying my big puma bag.I also buy on the website and have had good experiences thus far, but haven't had to return anything.
I believe it's saks that was the other giant dept store that issued a letter and also had numerous customer compliants here
balenciaga should think about colour swatch books--for the die hard fan they can have one but they'd have to order say five or ten within a year or two and maybe also think about giving/selling them to dept stores like neiman so they can place it in stores that do not carry those bal colours--
makes everything easier all around
no more ordering on colour sight unseen
and less unnecessary returns (I mean a square patch can only take you so far)
balenciaga should think about colour swatch books--for the die hard fan they can have one but they'd have to order say five or ten within a year or two and maybe also think about giving/selling them to dept stores like neiman so they can place it in stores that do not carry those bal colours--
makes everything easier all around
no more ordering on colour sight unseen
and less unnecessary returns (I mean a square patch can only take you so far)
I was discussing these issues w/ my SA and her POV was pretty interesting. . .
She said there has to be a very high return rate to even have the system flag the customer - like 70% return rate.
She said there has to be a very high return rate to even have the system flag the customer - like 70% return rate.