REVEAL

[blessedXYZ]

CONGRATS! Your mini is gorgeous!

Now to the attitude problem, here is my standpoint:
When I am on holiday I usually like to shop as an "EXTRA" as you get that extra kick when you travel to spoil yourself even more with some fun purchases.
By no means do I accept snooty attitudes and I do NOT shop from these incompetent SAs if I am buying out of pleasure (which is mainly what we all do, right?)
I am lucky enough to have an excellent SA where I live and a whole team who love me dearly (and I love them back). They literally (almost) bend over backwards to find me ANYTHING I am looking for and with the utmost smile, respect, and service.
So, if and when I travel to London and happen to pop in over at Harrods or Selfridges Chanel and again "happen" (I say "happen" because you sometimes have to make a real effort to get any kind of attention and service) to want something specific and ask them... and they reply with a "what seems to be THE most difficult question of the day face" I get so annoyed and challenge them to their stupid response!
I am sorry to say, they often just come up with the most ridiculous replies.... then obviously I end up tutting in disbelief not at them but their actual non credible responses and leave! Often I do give them a phone number as I "make" them take my details to make them call me back.

All the above is if I have the time of course and I am still very courteous and polite and smiley!

I must add that I am used to training professional luxury individuals and cannot stress IMPECCABLE service in such stores... so when I do not get it, I fret!

WOW! Thank you dearly for taking the time and effort to share!
My sentiments exactly about wanting the whole great experience when it comes to shopping luxury on a holiday, hence you understand what i mean when it had been disappointing.
I am of a service background, and so I do have my expectations.
Thank you for understanding =)

 

[blessedXYZ]

Sadly I've experienced much the same with the UK Chanel stores and I'm a local (so please don't take it personally). I've spent a lot of money with them recently and it just seems to be getting worse. I do find it appalling. I see people in other countries who get treated with respect and courtesy and even receive gifts from Chanel for being regular customers. Here you get treated so badly. I don't understand it because surely their only purpose as a brand is to sell things but when you ask for something you're treated with disdain and like a criminal and they're so secretive and won't help with anything - it's so bizarre. I have a couple of pieces I would love to buy at the moment but I just don't know where to go because I don't like being treated like that when spending lots of money and I don't like having bad experiences being associated with what are meant to be special (and expensive) purchases. I would love to work with an SA and use the same one but no one seems interested.

I don't have any helpful answers but I just wanted to let you know you're not alone and I'm sorry you experienced it too.

On a positive note your mini is gorgeous. I have the rectangular version try and forget your horrible experience and enjoy using your beautiful bag [emoji4]

Sorry to hear this! Thank you for taking the effort to share. It is really a pity Chanel London allows their level of service to go that way! Respect the way you hold up because you know you deserve better. =) Really hope a good SA drops your way! Lemme know if you get your pieces =) With all that money to be spent I really think you should receive reasonably!

 

[DinkyCam]

Gorgeous mini, congratulations on the new acquisition, enjoy it in good health!

I'm terribly sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I have one very lovely and responsive SA in Harrods on the upper level, and an another on New Bond Street. If you want their info, feel free to PM me. I'm a firm believer in feedback, as I feel it promotes progress and improvement.

If you are still in town - With regards to the VAT tax form, even if you don't have it on the day of purchase, you can always return to the boutique and they can issue you one within 3 months. I believe in Harrods, their concierge counter on level 2 takes care of that. Hope this helps!

 

[blessedXYZ]

Gorgeous mini, congratulations on the new acquisition, enjoy it in good health!

I'm terribly sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I have one very lovely and responsive SA in Harrods on the upper level, and an another on New Bond Street. If you want their info, feel free to PM me. I'm a firm believer in feedback, as I feel it promotes progress and improvement.

If you are still in town - With regards to the VAT tax form, even if you don't have it on the day of purchase, you can always return to the boutique and they can issue you one within 3 months. I believe in Harrods, their concierge counter on level 2 takes care of that. Hope this helps!

THANK YOU A million for sharing! It is heartwarming, your offer of help =) Really appreciate!
Unfortunately I have left the country. Had a small window of an hour after discovering I do not have eat tax form and before Harrods shut, day before i was due for early morning flight. But my family had rather I stayed in safe, in the light of Berlin lorry crash and criminal at large in the EU. I still feel it was a waste of that few hundred dollars, and wish some justice was served...
but yet to find some direct means of feedback to Chanel London and to Harrods. If anyone has intel to that, it will be much appreciated =)

Would be honest that I am not quite recovered to bring the bag out for use, hopefully soon =/

 

[lilazn00]

Love the pink!! It's beautiful

 

[Buttercup118]

This sounds awful! Does Chanel Canada just hire the best SAs in the world? So weird. Come shop here! Part of the reason I spent the equivalent of a small luxury vehicle on Chanel this year is that the service is that damn good! I've shopped at 5 Chanel stores in 3 different cities. So yes, come here!

 

[buttonmushroom]

Oh dear, must have been an unpleasant experience....like the others said, should really give your feedback, believe there should be contact details on the Chanel/Harrods websites? And think you can go to the embassy in your country to get the customs stamp if you manage to get them to send you the tax form. Good luck and enjoy your bag regardless...

 

[blessedXYZ]

Oh dear, must have been an unpleasant experience....like the others said, should really give your feedback, believe there should be contact details on the Chanel/Harrods websites? And think you can go to the embassy in your country to get the customs stamp if you manage to get them to send you the tax form. Good luck and enjoy your bag regardless...

Oh! Thank you for this! Do you mind elaborating? It does not have to be done within U.K.? If Chanel do send me the tax form I can get the claim done in my own country?

 

[buttonmushroom]

Oh! Thank you for this! Do you mind elaborating? It does not have to be done within U.K.? If Chanel do send me the tax form I can get the claim done in my own country?

I recalled a friend saying that she got her forms stamped at the embassy back home (as proof of export) as she couldn't do it in time before leaving EU and mailed them back to get her refund via credit card. That was some years back though so I'm not sure if it's still allowed, perhaps you could try to call/email your country's British embassy to check?

 

[Vinnie42]

So sorry to hear of your experience, we had one nice SA in Harrods and two who were rather snooty. Go to Manchester next time if you can, they are lovely in the Chanel boutique in Selfridges. I just feel sorry for people like that, it can't be nice to be in their heads.
Your bag is just beautiful and that is what will be there long term. Well that and your friends on TPF.

 

[GH68]

WOW! Thank you dearly for taking the time and effort to share!
My sentiments exactly about wanting the whole great experience when it comes to shopping luxury on a holiday, hence you understand what i mean when it had been disappointing.
I am of a service background, and so I do have my expectations.
Thank you for understanding =)

I shop in London and Dubai stores. In the past 6 months I have had the most appalling service in Chanel, London, particularly in Chanel at Harrods. The sales assistants all look bored and annoyed that they have a customer and they lie about checking stocks on the computer. Shopping at Chanel is an unpleasant and stressful experience. I noticed now when you pay the item is brought back packaged up by another person - not your assistant. As she/ he must be lying down after such an ordeal! Very dismissive attitude!! The same seems to apply now in the Dubai stores. The sales assistants all act like you are taking up their time and also lie about checking for items you want. The other day the sales lady even said at one stage that she had 'actually checked this time' for a particular bag!!. Presumably she just lied about checking for other items for me!!
On the other hand, I have had the most impeccable service from Dior in London & Dubai. Such politeness, attention, friendliness, patience, offers of coffee etc. They even carry your purchase to the door to see you out. Incomparable! Shopping at Dior makes me feel happy and content with my purchase. Shopping at Chanel makes me feel stressed and unsure about what I bought. It is a pity that Chanel are being trained to be so very unpleasant.