My subscription edition to Harpers arrived in the March. Of course I checked online, the flagship Oxford St store and there was no jacket. I kept trying, asking staff, showing them the magazine. Then the mid season sales happened so I reasoned it would be an April drop in to store. Leaving nothing to chance (I had saved up my pennies for this item) I decided to call Gap for further information. The number in Harpers was only the store locator number. On Gap's UK website the customer services number is incorrect but I finally managed to get it by calling the Oxford St flagship store.
image: Harpers Bazaar April 2011
I spoke to customer services, I explained the item, the reference to it in Harpers and the page number. I gave my email address and mobile number. I was also given the press office number. I phoned them and left them my email address - as I appreciate how busy it all can be and not having to phone someone back is often a relief.
Guess what NO ONE has come back to me. NOTHING. The capital express my fury. It makes me cross that a store which is struggling with its profits and failing to attract a customer base due to competition cannot be bothered to get back to one person. Every encounter required effort from me. I have had to persevere. I even looked in the ruddy Oxford St flagship store yesterday and no jacket. I officially give up.
What I would say is that The Gap has no one but itself to blame for losses. Next time I see an item from Gap in a magazine that piques my interest, I'll nip it in the bud straight away. The knock on effect is I can't even be bothered to go into the kids section for petit garcon's clothes as I'm really put off Gap forever it seems. This is not the first poor customer relations encounter I've had with them and it took me quite some time to get over the last one. I think it really is time to knock Gap on the head after all if they couldn't give a stuff about the individual why should the individual give a stuff about them.
I have had the problem in the past when spying something in a magazine and it hasn't always made it to the store.. or it was sold out long ago.. but no excuse for Gap and bad service xx
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem a few years ago with a suede jacket from M&S. It was in a magazine and I immediately got on the phone to find out which of the Glasgow stores stocked it.
ReplyDeleteAll they could tell me was that it wasn't in stock. In Scotland. No-one got back to me to tell me where I could actually get it.
Eventually when I did manage to get a hold of someone who Knew These Things, the jacket had been out of stock for weeks before the magazine article ran.
Well that was jolly helpful to have it included in the mag then, wasn't it?
Good luck with your search!
Ali x
Oh Kate, how immensely frustrating! It really is shocking that no-one has got back to you at all.
ReplyDeleteI'm personally cross with Gap for closing the store in the retail park by my work. Not that I ever shopped for full price stuff in there but I loved their sales - there was always so much good stuff in there.
In contrast, when Vogue showed an H&M dress that my friend was interested in, she called the number and they told her immediately exactly what date it was due to arrive in stores, with no fuss. Stores with bad customer service can go jump xx
ReplyDeleteTerrible. It's the arrogance that gets me. Sometimes the cheapest shops have better customer service than mid-range ones (like Gap and M&S) who assume we'll ALWAYS go there for ever and ever to get our basics. Taking the customer for granted loses the customer! I, too have had bad experiences with Gap and M&S. Leading to a one-customer walk out towards other stores (Uniqlo, for example) for my GAP-style basics.
ReplyDeleteI have had the same problem seeing stuff in mags with Gap, H&M and M&S the staff dont care and cant be bothered helping and I have better things to do than chase around people on the phone all day. I just stopped shopping there. Topshop on the other hand were brilliant they checked when the jacket I wanted was coming in and reserved it for me along with the same jacket in a different colour way just incase I wanted to see both!
ReplyDeleteSomeone's getting paid to respond to your customer query. Obviously paid too much!
ReplyDeletexx
Sadly, I can't say I'm surprised. It's possible that the jacket wasn't mass produced in the end and, instead of explaining how you'll never be able to get your hands on it, they just aren't responding.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep an eye open to see if it's in TO...
Oh, that's too frustrating, especially with such a gorgeous jacket. There's NO EXCUSE for bad customer service ever in retail, but especially these days. Our Herald Sq Gap has sales staff that is really on it, but the manager is excellent. They should have that kind of service in all their stores and in their customer service worldwide.
ReplyDeleteHi there-such shoddy and poor service, they certainly don't deserve future custom-I hope they get to see your post too and realise the potential sales they've missed out on xx
ReplyDeleteThis is totally unacceptable. As I've said before, Customer Service is EVERYTHING!
ReplyDeleteOnce I've had bad service from a store, I won't shop there anymore.
What a pain and what terrible customer relations from Gap - and I love that jacket, I would like one just like that too..what about writing to their CEO - there is a website where you can find out their email addresses, I did it with BT recently..
ReplyDeleteIt is frustrating. For me it was a pair of Next shoes, with a fantastic wooden heel that came out horizontally from the sole of the shoe. They were everywhere: ELLE, InStyle, Look, Company...but no-one instore ever knew what I was talking about. They just shrugged it off, and made no offer to help. It puts you right off.
ReplyDeleteThis has happened to me so many times with items I have seen in Magazines. It would really help if Magazines were more in touch with what was available in store rather than preparing them for publication months in advance. Sure do all the other stuff but leave the fashion to the last minute!
ReplyDeleteDid Gap say that this item was actually theirs? Perhaps (very small chance, but maybe) it could be a miss credit? In which case maybe email Harper's and see if they know. Hope you find it eventually!
ReplyDelete