When you stray from LV, do you have a different experience?

[Love_N_Lune]

I purchased the Eden belt bag and a lip balm from Gucci online. It was not available at my local store and Gucci does not offer ship to store so I bought something without seeing it first (first time - never doing that again). Both items arrived with complete packaging to my delight...even a silky dust bag for the lip balm. I tried on the bag different ways to first decide if I liked the style. Check. Then I started inspecting the bag, and to my horror the seam of the leather piping was exposed and the canvas was nicked.

I posted to the Gucci group and no one responded (not as active as LV). I reached out to customer service with pics and an associate quickly put together a return label for me but informed me that claims takes up to 14 days. I was like “Claims?” I asked if I could return to store, and was advised there was a chance the return could be declined. I was like “Return by mail it is.”

I think if this was LV it would have been a different situation. I always pick up my bag in store so the CA can open the item and we inspect together. I have never visited Gucci so I don’t have a CA there. The fact the store could decline the exchange versus online is completely inconsistent and discouraging.

I don’t think I would order online if I can’t pick up from the store...Assuming, this issue is resolved and receive a fresh belt bag...I don’t know if I would buy another Gucci bag...Which other designers allow you to order and pick up the store? Am I over reacting?

 

[daisy913]

In the US, you have 14 days to return Gucci online to any freestanding Gucci boutique i.e. not in a department store. Not sure why they told you can't return it to the store, unless your Gucci is leased in a dept store. Most luxury brands have a similar policy -you cant order from the "official" design house and return it to a dept store boutique, and vice versa.

At your Gucci store, did the SA give you the option to order through them? That should have allowed a ship-to-store to occur, I would think. I've never purchased from Gucci, so I'm not really familiar with how they handle things.

Not sure if this applies to freestanding Chanel boutiques, but I've been given the option to have bags shipped to either my home or Saks/Chanel.

I don't think you're over reacting, just not used to other brands and their policies. In terms of after-purchase care LV is fantastic. I've heard Hermes is better though, but either way, after-purchase care exists. Chanel, on the other hand, you buy it and you're on your own. I had to return my new bag just to have a free repair evaluation it came to me with a small bit of leather peeling. It's not a guarantee that Chanel will even fix it. They may just damage it out. It's not enough to make me stop buying from Chanel, but it does make me upset that I might miss out on my unicorn again.

 

[Love_N_Lune]

@daisy913

I did not call the local store to see if I could order because I did not have an existing relationship. I thought it went hand in hand. I did ask via online chat if it was possible to ship to store, and they said no. I figured I checked all the boxes. I ordered the bag from Gucci online, not a department store. I am not sure why the online SA insinuated the store may not take the bag but that was a turn off.

I can’t believe Chanel after purchase services is less than LV. I hope you can be reunited with your unicorn.