Re-Think Your Next Online Purchase

I just watched and listened to a TedTalk that motivated this post: Where do your online returns go?

You may already know that I am not an online shopper. My history goes back, from the time I was born to about five, to being a child growing up in a small town and my parents the proprietors of a general store. I sat on the counter with my mom behind the till and was cute. I'm sure I was not part of my mom's marketing plan but I did spend a lot of time with her in the store and provided some entertainment for those who came in to buy their groceries or sundries. I have always had an allegiance to independent retailers and I am now much older than my mother was when she was running the store.

The idea, or at least my parents' idea, of returning items to a store was always based on the premise that the customer was always right. In the case of online shopping and returns, this has changed. In fact Aparna Mehta who gives the TedTalk, Where do our online returns go?, reveals that her online buying habits contributed to this problem. The customer in this case is most definitely wrong.

I don't know how many people think like me, but I cannot imagine doing what she admitted to. She would buy the same item in different sizes and different colours and then return all that she would not use because, after all, the companies offered "free shipping" and "free returns". There is no such thing as a "free lunch". The free return policies of online marketers has contributed to billions of kilograms of clothing filling our landfills. But my first thoughts consider how this wasteful process escalates the cost of things and continues to exploit people because of the need for low production costs.

Tomorrow is Black Friday. Make it your Don't Buy Anything Day or at the very least, Buy Only What I Really NEED Because it is a Good Deal Day.

Have a look of some of the posts I have written in the past about related subjects:
Buy Nothing Day Re-Commitment
Buy Nothing Day - November 28, 2014
Buy Nothing Day 2015 Resolution
Sale Induced Overbuying
It Just Doesn't Stop
Buy Nothing Saturdays During December

Garage Sale for Clothing - Good, Bad & Funny

With garage sale season in full force in Canada I thought to share some of the commentary I have encountered while trying to get rid of some of my closet content. 

I decided to try and get rid of the loads of clothes in my extra closets that I haven't worn in years. My life changed after leaving an administrative style job where I was teaching and consulting. It is going on now seven years since I no longer do that or want to do that. I dabbled in those seven years and that was reason enough to hang on to my "professional wardrobe". I did a couple of stints at a Polytechnic and a university and then decided I don't want to jump those hoops anymore. I reintroduced myself to freelancing as a writer and am called upon by a local lifestyle print magazine which suits me just fine. I can work in my pyjamas and I am happy.

I thought that a garage sale would be the quickest way to get rid of many things without any hassle. Here are some of the comments and questions that I encountered . . . for the most part they are amusing at best and slightly annoying at worst.

"Do you have this in a larger size?" This is a garage sale not a boutique. What you see is what there is. I suppose if I had the same item through several periods of weight loss, perhaps it could be a valid question.

"This is not my style. Do you have anything more "bohemian"? Again, the person selling has a particular style and that is what you will see for the most part.

"I saw you have a sewing machine for sale. Can you alter this for me?" Excuse me . . . You can buy the sewing machine and alter it yourself.

"I never find anything I want at garage sales." Ok then why are you wasting your time going to garage sales?

"This sweater has a button missing." It's a wool sweater in the 50¢ bin, you may have to buy a button.

I shall donate the rest of the clothing.

The Economics of Dressing Well: 5 Rules to Consider when Shopping

How many designer handbags does someone need?

How many pairs of shoes will you wear in the next 3 years?

How many bracelets, pairs of earrings, dresses, blue jeans, t-shirts . . .you fill in the blank . . . will be enough?

When it comes to creating a useful wardrobe most of us take a down-to-earth attitude. It really does not matter what your price point entry happens to be. There are those who will spend $10,000.00 on a new spring wardrobe and those who will spend less than $200.00 to round out what they might already own. To be well dressed requires detailed planning, culling and replacing with thought. You do not have to spend a huge amount, you just have to spend wisely.

5 Shopping Rules for Dressing Well:

Cobalt Smythe "Duchess" blazer
Photo Source: ShopSmythe

1. Select new clothing that will have a long shelf life. Imagine yourself wearing your chosen item in 5 years. Will you be able to do it? The last piece of clothing I purchased was a Smythe blazer in cobalt. I like shades of blue, I love blazers and Smythe is a great brand. Will I be wearing it in five years? As long as I don't gain 20 pounds I believe I will.

2. Judiciously splurge! Smart choices are not the cheapest choices. A "Duchess" Smythe blazer will cost you $600.00 (Cdn) at full price retail. If you wear it three times a month for the next 5 years, it will have cost you $3.33 per wear. When you first buy it, you will be wearing it more often and the older it gets, the less you will wear it so three times a month is an estimated average over five years. 

3. Watch for sales and be prepared to buy the classics. I bought my "Duchess" Smythe blazer on sale and with taxes it cost me $320.00. Essentially my cost per wear just went down to about $1.76 per wear at 3 times a month for the next 5 years. A designer dress that seems to be a "steal" for $200.00 is not a bargain if you only wear it once over the next five years.

"Flirt" Lancel Handbag purchased June, 2011
Photo by JoyD.

4. Set limits. Be a wardrobe strategist and set limits on your buying. You know what you can afford. Spend the most you can afford on the best in that price range. When I am in Europe, I have a 250 Euro limit on handbags. The last time I paid full price for a designer Lancel bag was when I bought my Lancel flirt and that was in 2011. Over the past six years that bag has cost me 16.60 Euro per month. Now I have two more Lancel bags that I intersperse with the "flirt" but they both were purchased at the Lancel outlet store in Romans-sur-Isere, France on sale to lessen even the original discounted price, The cost per wear index is considerably better now that I have set a limit to how much I spend and I am still carrying Lancel bags.

Blue Lancel Handbag purchased Summer 2016.
Photo by JoyD.

5. Know your style and what role an item of clothing will play in your lifestyle. Knowing your style is the key to smart clothing economics. If you have a clear sense of what works for you and you know that you will wear an item often, you will make savvy clothing investments.

And remember what Vivienne Westwood said, "Buy less, choose well."

Marketing Clothing Sales Alternatives

NO THANKS: If I know that a company is Multi-level marketing, I seldom buy. Prices have to be inflated to compensate for the tiered payout system in place. Recently a friend was invited to a CAbi home sales party and she asked my opinion. Just knowing that it is MLM was enough for me to say, NO THANKS. She went online to do some research and came to the conclusion that perhaps when the company was first started by Carol Anderson, the quality was there but now the company has been sold and the new management is milking the old model with new cutbacks, which essentially means the quality is jeopardized. How many Tupperware purchases have been made just so that you don't offend the hostess? Whenever one feels coerced there is a problem and that can be the greatest reason not to go to a "party".

NOTE-WORTHY: Online buying can be likened to the "olden days" of catalogue buying. Two important differences are choice and speed of response. In Canada, the old Eaton's and Simpon's Sears companies offered catalogue shopping as a convenience in much the same way as online shopping offers that type of convenience now. Catalogues are still produced albeit more as promotional "lookbooks" to help make purchase choices. Both methods are plagued with difficulties in "return policies" and no matter how "easy" the ability to return is, a return is still a pain.

Online buying is perfect if you know your product, your size and your style preferences. How do you know all those things? Probably by having purchased the brand before. You know the sizing peculiarities, you love the style and you're satisfied with the quality of the product. The other way, of course, is by visiting a storefront and doing your shopping there and your buying online. This seems very unfair to the storefront which had to put money on the line for stock, rent and sales associates to cater to your whims. 

Radius dress by Judith and Charles.
Photo Source: Judith and Charles

The best case scenario is when you buy from the designer online store after you have seen it at the storefront. Joelle Aidan did that after she visited the Judith and Charles store in Calgary and then found a great dress for sale at their online store. Click here to see the sales section for some classic pieces that will be in your closet for a good while.

NICE: Storefront shopping requires the most effort on the parts of both the vendor and the buyer. Yet it can be the most rewarding for the consumer. Brian, the ballet flats guy known on this blog, has developed satisfying relationships with sales associates at Tory Burch; and Joelle Aidan is recognized by several at Holt Renfrew in Calgary. They both have purchased online but always return to the storefront. 

Five Best Approaches to Sale Shopping for Clothing

NOTE-WORTHY

Winter wear has been "on sale" since Boxing Day and in February and March many storefronts will be trying to get rid of their stock. In brand stores here in the west, they have to pack leftover seasonal merchandise up and send it to the outlet or discount brand store, usually in large city locations. Most everything from the west goes to eastern Canada. 

This is the perfect time to pick up cashmere or wool sweaters, pants and blazers in dark colours and formal wear. At the end of January, the Bay, after having reduced clothing stock by 50%, added another reduction of 25, 30, or 40 per cent after the 50% and then gave "seniors" another 15% off. This is a perfect time to suggest taking your mother or grandmother shopping with you. I bought an $80.00 Olsen t-shirt for $16.00. When I asked about the "seniors' discount", the sales associate responded that she doesn't question anyone who asks.  

Here are the five best approaches to successful sale shopping:

1. Set aside a block of time of two hours or more. It is possible to spend 2 hours in one department store looking through sales racks. If you feel rushed for time, you will not do a thorough job of your search. 

2. Take a list of basics that you need or will be in need of soon. Stay focused on the list but keep your eyes opened and do not disregard unlisted items. You need to also be open to items that have been marked down beyond reasonable. Jeans were not on my list but when I saw that the Calvin Klein's would be under $10.00 I could not resist. 

3. Select and take the items that interest you as you search. I used to like to peruse the department first and then go back and collect what I felt I wanted and needed to try on. During a sale, that is self-sabotage. As well, don't rely on a sales associate's help - very often they don't seem as enthusiastic when they are selling sale merchandise.

4. Be willing to try pieces that are not labelled with your "normal" size. If you call yourself a "medium", there are brands that size at "small" that will fit you and in some brands, you may have to go to "large". If you see it and you like it, but it's not in your size, take what looks reasonable with you to the fitting room. You won't know for sure unless you try it on. 

5. Set a budget. If you go sale shopping and say, I will spend $???.00 and not a penny more, you will feel better when you get home. If you spend with only the thought that, "I got such a good deal" and come home knowing that you spent way more than you could afford, the only thing you will feel is remorse. Better to come home with one $16.00 t-shirt and say, I saved $64.00 than spend $100.00 you don't have, no matter what the savings.

Carolina Herrera was talking about trends and style when she said this, but it applies to buying things on sale . . . 

Don't do it! If it doesn't look good on you, don't worry about it. 

- Carolina Herrera

A Clothing Analysis Frustration Point

NO THANKS

You know that little itty bitty tag; that itty bitty tag made out of polyester and sewn on with plastic thread that factories put on your angora or cashmere or wool or cotton clothing . . . a tag that is perhaps 1/1000th the size of the entire garment creating a most bothersome situation. What's with that? 

I bought a lovely pair of pyjamas, made out of a soft silk and cashmere blend; the kind of pyjamas that you dream about; the kind of pyjamas that one says, "I am blessed to have such lovely pyjamas." I washed them by hand, gently pushing the organic laundry suds through them and then rinsing them in lavender water. I hung them to dry and even ironed them. I imagined the feel of the fabric next to my skin. I was happy. I put on my beautiful pyjamas and fell asleep.

I think it was 2:00 A.M. or maybe a few minutes after when a bothersome itch woke me. The point of annoyance was at the nape of my neck. An annoying scratchy feeling returned each time I tried to push it aside. I finally removed my pyjama top and found the culprit: the manufacturer's tag all golden polyester sewn on with plastic thread. It is difficult to find the right tools at two in the morning to remove a tag that has been diligently sewn on with more thread than the entire garment. I decided to wait until morning and finished the night sleeping in a mismatched cotton flannel top. 

So what is with that? I began looking at all the tops that I had removed the labels from. This has been a recurring hindrance in my life. Never mind, if you have hopes of taking gently used items to a consignment store. 

I remember a woman who related to me that she removed all the tags from her children's clothing because of the bothersome itchiness. It's hard to concentrate at math when the tag is annoying you. I can relate. 

There are several ways this can be avoided. Manufacturers need to use a fabric that is softer so that you don't feel it. And plastic thread should be banned. Why would they use plastic thread on the tag when the entire garment was made out of natural fabric and the other thread was at least unobtrusive if not also natural? Or they could place the tag on another side seam that may not come into constant direct contact with the skin. But I am preaching to the converted or at least to an audience that may have the same frustration. The likelihood of a manufacturer making their way to this blog is remote and so I will stop here and simply continue cutting out the labels on any of the tops I buy.

Traxx: Amazing Shoe Store in Saskatoon Saskatchewan

Closet Content Analysis: Unexpected Find #1

NEW and NICE

I've driven and walked by the Traxx shoe store many times and have never ventured in. I had the impression that all they carried were hiking boots and "comfortable" shoes. It was conversation at a dinner party last weekend that inspired me to visit the store. Yesterday for the first time, I walked into Traxx and left with a pair of "comfortable" Semler sneakers but found much more. I believe the family run business's original goal was to provide hardy and comfortable footwear for all reasons and seasons but it has certainly evolved. Now they carry it all, from very fashionable funky $400.00 stilettos to $400.00 hiking boots. Who knows, perhaps those stilettos are more comfortable than over the top designer brands. I recognized some of the brand names but not of the stilettos.

The Traxx online presence is as successful as their storefront. The left hand sidebar on the website's home page lists the brand names of the shoes they carry. This is most convenient when you have fallen in love with a particular shoe and know what you want.

I am still a face-to-face shopper and I don't believe that I would have ever bought the Semler sneakers from the pictures I saw online. I had no idea about the German-made Semlers and only bought them because they were 60% off from the original $305.00 - all leather, including lining, and obviously excellent craftsmanship.

Photo Source: Traxx, Saskatoon, SK Canada

Photo Source: Traxx, Saskatoon, SK Canada

Loving my new Semlers!

How do the Rich Shop?

Closet Content Analysis: In Response to a Television Documentary

I suppose when your income is 50 billion per year, spending 15 million on a shopping trip to Paris is considered a tad overboard but nothing that couldn't be handled. But maybe not, because King Abdullah (deceased since this occurrence) would not pay Maha Al-Sudairi's bills, and so she has developed quite a reputation for "flamber sans payer" - "a blaze without paying", particularly in Paris. Considering that King Abdullah had 30 children from approximately a dozen wives, I imagine his daily budget would be more than what I make or have made in an entire year - probably in an entire career. But that's strictly speculation. Keeping track of all those children, in-laws and wives could have been a tad annoying especially if they were partial to shopping trips.

So how do the rich shop? Apparently Maha Al-Sudairi walks into her favourite designer boutique, orders one in each colour (another speculation) and then hands the sales associate a lovely engraved card reading, "payment to follow" with her benefactor's contact information. Nice. But then she has to arrange for (or rather a staff member arranges for) a storage unit to keep everything organized until she has the inclination to use it. Hmmm?

I can't even wrap my head around daydreaming about such a predicament.

As it is I am thinking I have too much and I am being wasteful. Everything is relative I suppose. So after watching the documentary and reflecting on how the rich shop, here are some of those ideas: 

One woman, who is both rich and famous, doesn't like to spend her own money and expects designers to give her freebies. After all, if she is seen wearing something, others will want to buy the exact same thing and so this is considered helpful to the designer and her commission is haute couture. The rich get richer.

Others, like the Saudi princess, go on elaborate shopping trips to exotic places, dodging in and out of luxury brand store fronts taking great pleasure in the hunt and buying everything that appeals. Some hide the sums from their benefactors or set a budget, although budget may not be the most appropriate word, if shopping on their own dime.

Others, buy one in every colour or 30 of the same thing because the fit is perfect or they only wear a t-shirt once and then it is done. OK, next.

Some never look at the price tag but then will take their clothing to consignment shops after two or three wears. Even the rich recognize re-sale value. If something goes on sale, and they have that item, it's time to send it off to the consignment store or give it away. Heaven forbid someone might think they bought something on sale. 

And then there are those who, like the two cowboy brother ranchers in Alberta, Canada, were worth more dead than alive. They came into town once a year to buy a new shirt and a new pair of jeans.

So what constitutes rich? And how do the rich shop? How do the very rich shop? Relatively speaking . . . as many different ways as everyone else, except that there are more digits behind the dollar sign.

You Can Get an App for That: Technology Assisted Shopping

We already experience targeted advertising every time we log in or surf in what would now be considered "old fashioned" access. No matter what website I visit or what I write about in this blog, there is a technologically assisted response regarding the potential products that I might purchase. However, if online advertising had to depend on the likes of me, they would not be as successful.

Don't get me wrong, I do respond to advertising. The Bay told me that they would give me 25% off on all sleepwear. I wanted a new pair of pyjamas and so I went to the store because I wanted them immediately, not in 3 shipping days. However the fine print further informed me . . . but not on particular brand names, and not on any price ending in .99. Well . . . of course, whatever I wanted came under the exempted articles listed in their print flyer. Nonetheless, they got me there and I did buy something and it wasn't 25% off. They succeeded; I was duped. And it doesn't matter that I feel duped, the money is in their cash register.

Technology's purpose is to make life easier and those who create and spin, have outdone themselves in the shopping genre.

Shopping . . . there's an app for that. Your favourite retail storefront probably has an app that will give you the scoop on sale items or even offer you special savings just because you are using their app. In most cases, these are free. I can't imagine a retail outlet charging the consumer. Mind you, credit card companies do it all the time - charge you, that is, for using their card.

You can get an app that allows you to load and use your loyalty cards in a more organized way. No more aggravation with trying to find them in your wallet. How convenient . . . 

You can get an app for your email promotions so that they can all go into one folder but they may already be organized well enough in your junk folder.

Looking for something special? You can get an app to red flag particular deals. 

It is Twitter and Facebook where stores put their newest deals and wait for appropriate responses, that is to further their advertising scope by having you tell your friends. Eventually someone will buy.

Then there's Ebates - a portal that allows you to shop the different registered retailers and then get rebates. You get a quarterly cheque for shopping through the portal. What is something really worth when the investors along with everyone in the middle and their employees are making their share of the profit margin and the buyers are also getting rebates?

I fear I could be moving toward being an "electronic device" hermit if I continue these thoughts . . .  I wonder, can I get an app for that?

Would Price Maintenance Keep it Real?

Closet Analysis: Real or fake?

I know it sounds downright undemocratic and perhaps by some, even immoral; but sometimes I think, especially with high-end luxury items, that there should be stricter control for price maintenance. That essentially means that all retailers must sell at a producer-determined minimum resale price so that a "designer name item" would be the same price no matter where you bought it - in Paris or in Vancouver or in Singapore or in Las Vegas. This already holds true with most registered/authorized retailers. In fact, many luxury manufacturers will tell you that their products are only available at authorized dealers and at their "name brand" boutiques. The only way you would get a better deal would be determined by the value of the Canadian dollar, the Euro, the American dollar and whatever other currency value. Presently, if a Canadian thinks there are better deals in Europe for designer products, you are wrong, since to buy a Euro will cost you more in exchange.

With price maintenance, there would be no discount vendors selling designer products. Never mind, I lost my head for a moment . . . however, this brings us to a discussion of knock-offs. Do you know exactly what you are buying? If you bought your Louis Vuitton bag online at a discount price, can you be sure it is a Louis Vuitton bag? Deborah L. Jacobs, lawyer and journalist, has written some great articles for Forbes to help you out.

Fake Gucci Handbag purchased in China. Photo by JoyD.

 A friend recently came from China with two Gucci purses, both with trademark markings. They appeared well made with full lining and real leather. 

Two features on this bag tell me it is fake, albeit a well-made fake. Both deal with the finishing. Wayward threads on the handles would never be found on a genuine bag and very often, zippers would have trademarked hardware whereas this one has leather end straps.

Wayward threads on fake Gucci handbag handles. Photo by JoyD.

Leather zipper ends and pulls on fake Gucci handbag. Photo by JoyD.

When I asked where exactly he bought them, he was evasive - "from a reputable dealer", he said. If you don't buy luxury products in registered/authorized retail outlets, whether online or storefront, you are probably not getting what you think you are getting. Know this: even the fakes differ in quality and higher end fakes will cost you dearly, maybe not what a designer controlled bag would cost but still more than a leather and canvas bag is worth. It is one thing to buy a knock-off from a street vendor for 20 Euros, knowing full well it is a knock-off, and quite another, buying what you believe is a true luxury product from a reputable vendor. The vendor may be "reputable" but not "registered/authorized". I believe the old adage, if it's too good to be true, it probably is. Another Forbes article tells you How to Spot a Fake Designer Handbag. I don't know if price maintenance would make a difference in the whole knock-off industry. It might just give the scammers more of a profit margin. 

Тhe business of luxury goods, short of registered/authorized retailers, is open for questionable tactics. This is definitely a case of buyer beware.

I've written about luxury brand products before .  .  . take a look . . . 
Unsatisfied with Luxury Brand Merchandise?
Fashion Design Copies
Designer Trademarks

Buyer's Remorse

Remorse, the fatal egg that pleasure laid. 

- William Cowper

There is quite a bit written about "buyer's remorse", which is post-purchase regret, as described by a variety of contributors to Wikipedia. Regret comes from guilt and fear and it is no different when it comes to purchases. 

Relative to clothing, we may feel guilty that we bought a cashmere sweater when the money may have been better spent elsewhere; or we admonish ourselves for buying a more luxurious item when a fleece functions similarly; or we may question our own rationale or a sales associate's determination when reflecting on the purchase as it hangs unworn in our closets.

I have seen the consequences of both guilt and fear. Both emotions render the persons incapable of functioning "normally" and inspire self-fulfilling prophecy. It's not as simple as "think it and it will materialize"; yet the roots of remorse seem to bring on more of the same.

In what ways can you overcome buyer's remorse and not be threatened by it again:

1. Know what is in your closet and know what you need or want. Analyze it for what you truly need or for what will update your look without buying more than you really need. Buyer's remorse is reduced when you buy something that meets several criteria/goals that you believe are necessary to fulfill.

2. Stop buying online. Funny that I am suggesting that, considering I would like you to contact me if any of my jewellery appeals to you. But truly, there is greater opportunity to buy what you do not need and therefore to feel greater remorse when buying online. If you have to dress, drive, park and pay, and search through several stores, your decisions will be more rational than simply sitting in the comfort of your home and waiting for the article to arrive.

2. One more time - ask yourself if you really need it. If you feel remorseful at any time, you are probably the type that will always come up with better ways to spend your money. Give yourself a good reason or two why you need the item and sabotage the remorse.

3. Analyze your remorse. If at any point you feel any remorse at all, put the item on and decide whether you really love it (will it bring you pleasure despite your guilt) or do you need to return the item. The point about the guilt is that you need to "get over it" in a functional way. Wear it; don't let it sit and stare at you from between the other items in your closet. If you still are overwhelmed with any guilt, whether purchased online or at a storefront, make the effort to return it. If you are not wearing it, the guilt increases; you then feel guilty for not wearing it, in addition to the original guilt you felt after you bought it. Good grief!

There is no person so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to the whip of their own remorse. 

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Others have also read:
"Sale" Induced Over-Buying, December, 2014

Remove those Security Tags

Situation #1: A young woman and her friends were shopping and upon leaving the store, the security alarm sounded - the subsequent interaction was embarrassing for all concerned. After many questions posed to her by the store manager, the answers to the following two questions revealed the problem: 

"Are you wearing anything that you bought recently?" Her look was blank at first followed by a red-faced positive response (she was wearing a new bra she had recently purchased at LaSenza in Canada). She was in another store at the time the alarm went off. "Did you remove the security tag from the article of clothing?" 

"What security tag?" she asked.

"There is a security tag sewn into a seam somewhere on something you are wearing and it must be removed because you may set off alarms as you did today."

Situation #2: My husband was wearing a new cashmere sweater and he visited the same shop wearing his sweater a day later. He set off the alarm. He was questioned but not searched and the security guard let him leave without too many questions since they recognized him from the day before. My husband related the experience and of course, I told him about the "bra" story. One happened in Canada; the other in France. Obviously there was no mention of security tags to either one of these people when they made their purchases.

Security Clothing Tag. Photo by JoyD.

Many people are setting off security alarms owing to the crime of not removing a security tag now being sewn into the seams of clothing. Of course the tag reads, "Please remove before wearing"; however, it is easy to not bother if you have never been in the habit of removing tags. You would think that these tags, when being de-magnetized as you are buying would stay de-magnetized. I don't know much about the intricacies of this technology but knowing human nature there will be many security alarms being set off until we become accustomed to removing these tags.

There are some sales personnel and clerks who are telling their customers about this and others of course who have not. Now you know!

So if you find yourself setting off security alarms when you go shopping, think about whether any article of clothing you are wearing and bought recently might have a security tag.

I Left the Shop

Have you ever left a shop when you wanted to buy? What motivated you to leave the shop and leave the purchase behind? Here's my story . . .

Today, I was in Brantome (Dordogne, France) and saw a luxe three-quarter length cape/jacket. I would have purchased it immediately; however this is what happened.

I walked into the shop and there were two people, one man and one woman, sitting in comfortable armchairs. I said, "Bonjour" and the man responded. I told him the store was "magnifique"; he acknowledged. The woman sat there without any acknowledgement. There was a "fall" jacket/cape that I wanted to try on but it was in an awkward position. I struggled for a moment or two, trying to retrieve the jacket to try it on. The man advised me that he could send the piece by post if needed (he obviously deduced that I was a foreigner and made an assumption), the woman talked about accessories that would go well with the piece. Neither person acknowledged my struggle or anticipated that I wanted to try it on before I would buy. I left without trying it on and hence, without buying.

How many sales are jeopardized by what sales associates say or do? In the case described, these were probably the owners, all that had to be done was for one of them to take the jacket off the rack from their angle and once I had it on, I know I would have purchased it. Neither had the foresight to do that.

In another situation, this time in Canada, I loved the dress. I knew it looked it good. What's not to look good, it was a sheath dress in a size 4 (I now wear a larger size). The sales associate said, "I don't like blue". OK, I thought . . . it doesn't matter what you like. After I changed to try on something else, she took the dress away, out of my sight - mistake #1. I tried on the second dress, a print. She then began telling me how great the print looked on me and how awful the blue was - mistake #2. I liked the blue. I did not like the print. I left without buying the one I liked or the one I didn't like.

I have been a sales associate in a high end women's apparel shop. We were trained to mimic the shoppers' responses to whatever they tried on without talking too much. It worked. As a sales person I stood in the mirror with the customer; she touched the neckline, I touched my neckline; she motioned toward the hem and made a comment, I motioned toward my hem; she shrugged and then affirmed with a nod, I shrugged and then nodded. Voila. A sale was made. I probably did not say more than 10 words through the whole process and none opposed what the customer said herself. But then again, none were over the top compliments. I recognize the strategy when sales associates use it on me and I am impressed if they use it at all. It smacks of neuro-linguistic programming. Whether it is or not, I do not know, but it is a strategy of some sort and it worked for the most part.

Have you ever left a shop without buying? It would be interesting to read about your positive and negative sales experiences . . .

2014 Style Resolutions Review

Now that it is the end of September, I thought it a good idea to review my 2014 style resolutions. I did in fact do one post demonstrating one particular resolution that was essentially only partially filled and that was my #2 wear a smaller handbag resolution. My objective then is to analyze my resolution status in this post.

Stacked cuff, bracelet, bangle, watch and medic alert bracelet -

my signature. Photo by JoyD.

Number 1 was to wear more statement jewellery. I wore statement necklaces for awhile, and that "while" was during the time I was working at the Polytechnic in Canada. It was easier to do then, than it is now, when I am not employed outside the home. As well, here in France, my jewellery cache is not as extensive as the one in Canada. Therefore, because I have less to choose from, I am wearing fewer items. That pretty much goes for my entire wardrobe. However, I am wearing my stacked cuffs, bangles and bracelets and it is here where I may have developed this fashion signature.

My number 2 resolution has already been recorded and so I shall let you read about it by clicking here for the post.

Number 3 was to dress up more. This takes more analysis than I care to give it at this moment because there are so many factors to consider. First, "dress up more" has to be defined and described. Essentially I was dressing up more, until the end of May, because I was working in a professional environment. Now "dressing up" could mean wearing long pants instead of shorts, putting on a blazer over a t-shirt and jeans, wearing loafers instead of sandals . . . so you see, this resolution too can be considered only partially fulfilled. But then again, even my casual summer clothing here is more "dressed up" than when I am in Canada, so this resolution may have been fulfilled "relatively speaking".

Resolution 4 was to review my clothing and see what could be re-created and updated. I wrote of a loose mermaid-style skirt that hits below the knees that I thought I would have re-made into a pencil skirt. The more I think about it, the more I think not. So far I haven't attacked the skirt because I am considering that it was made in a particular style so let it be. Re-making it could cost more than I want to pay and it might not turn out well. This resolution is pretty much on hold because most of the clothing this resolution applies to is in Canada.

My fifth and last style resolution was to create a clothing budget. Now why would I have even entertained that thought? I am not an out-of-control shopper nor do I have the motivation (work) to shop often. I do tend to spend a tad more on clothing because of my "trademark" preferences but . . . here I go rationalizing, which is probably the reason I made a budget resolution in the first place. As of September 27th, I haven't made a budget and so I anticipate that this resolution probably will not be fulfilled.

I'll keep making resolutions since they keep me on track, whether I actually keep them or not.

Nothing to Wear

Closet Choices: Nothing

Closet Content Analysis: Everything

UN-NECESSARY      NO NEED

"I have nothing to wear" - how many times have I said that as I stare into my overflowing closets? 

More than I care to admit. I now have two closets, one in France and one in Canada and I still have nothing to wear. This is proven by the fact that I only wear five or six things repeatedly but have loads more in the closets.

Technically most of us have more than one closet for clothing - there's the storage closets for winter clothing and perhaps yet another storage space for that which we don't wear often. How many closets does any one person need?

You know you have too much in your closets when:

1. You are truly surprised when you re-discover something you had forgotten you had. 

2. You can't remember the last time you wore a particular piece. 

3. You remember that you had something but can't find it when you want it. 

4. You find items you have only worn once and don't ever want to wear again. 

5. You are layering on your hangers.  

6. You have multiple pairs of black pants, blue jeans, coloured jeans, white pants, beige, navy and you only ever wear one of the pairs in any one colour category. 

7. You don't want to take the time to look through your clothing, because it will take to long, to find what you thought you had.  

8. You can't find something you know you "just" wore.  

9. You have an overflow area for things you wear often and can't fit into your regular closet.  

10. You're sure you don't have something and go out and buy it, only to discover one month later that you already have two or even three.

With that, perhaps when we feel like going shopping we should adopt what Sara Blakely, founder, owner and president of Spanx, has described as her shopping karma . . .

I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it's a very painful system, but shopping is even better when you know that someone else who needs it will be getting. Keep the clothing karma going, I say.

Stylish on a Budget

Double, double, toil and trouble, 

Fire burn, and caldron bubble.  

- the witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth

With apologies to Shakespeare . . . I have adapted the phrase to suit those of us who need to watch what we are spending on clothing.

Thoil, thoil, mark-up double 

Designers spurned; avoiding trouble.

- adapted by JoyD from Shakespeare's Macbeth 

 

"Thoil" is my latest new word. Wiktionary tells us that thoil means to be able to justify the expense of a purchase. 

"I loved those Manolo Blahnik's but I couldn't thoil them in addition to my new Theory pants and blazer." 

We probably need to say "I can't thoil that!" more often than we do! I had set a clothing budget and of course, I have overspent my assigned February clothing allowance owing to a friend's recommendation and visit to Holt Renfrew and Tory Burch. We can always blame our friends if we can't take responsibility for our own selves.

New

Tory Burch Riding Boots. Photo by JoyD.

Tory Burch brown leather riding boots - regular $545.00 (Cdn) on sale (taxes in) $251.00 (Cdn.) purchased at the Tory Burch boutique (Chinook Centre) in Calgary, Alberta on February 17th. Good deal!

The witches of Macbeth inspire me to continue . . . 
Stilletto of Jimmy Choo,
In the shopping bag, first of queue 
Theory pants and Armani top
Burberry trench, do not stop
Tory Burch boots, Minkoff bags
Caroline Herrara dress so nags
Chanel suit, and shoes to match
Earrings, cuffs, add to the batch
For the charm of economic trouble
Like a hell-broth thoil then rubble.

- Adapted by JoyD with apologies to the witches, MacBeth & Shakespeare

Unsatisfied with Luxury Brand Merchandise?

When we are unsatisfied with merchandise we take it back in the case of face to face transactions, or we send it back if it was an online purchase. The big department stores and independently owned boutiques have become better at returns and faulted merchandise whereas online shopping is the most precarious insofar as questionable quality and more difficult contact, more so when an item has to be returned.

Most often when returning an item of clothing or shoes, there are factors that the company has to consider that lead to determining whether it is their problem or perhaps yours. It is your problem when you buy a luxury item online from an "unregistered source" or receive it as a gift and don't have a "gift receipt".

I am still amazed at the number of intelligent men and women who order a "luxury" name online at a "discounted price" and are disappointed when a fake is delivered. First off, the only way anyone can be guaranteed that they have purchased the "real deal" is to purchase luxury brands in the retail storefront, registered boutiques, high end department stores or at second best, in a designated outlet store. Online, anything other than the official website is a precarious undertaking. Louis Vuitton has an official website; any other website attempting to sell the product needs to be researched because "fly by night" websites can propose to sell Louis Vuitton but in fact, how can you be sure? In fact it is illegal to sell and to buy "fake" luxury brand products in Canada. And Louis Vuitton (or any other luxury designer) designates specific vendors so I would question the source when you find something online, especially if it is "bargain basement pricing".

I read about a person who claimed to have received a "luxury brand" (in this case, Tory Burch) product as a gift but the gift was defective. When she tried to get "service" from the official website she encountered all kinds of problems. She was asked for a receipt and of course did not have one. Here's your first clue - luxury brand stores will always give a "gift receipt" so that the receiver has a reference point. No "gift receipt", you have to question where the giver of the gift bought the article. I once was given a Gucci bag as a gift. Of course, I know what these bags are worth and I asked as diplomatically as possible where the person bought the purse. I was told and I knew immediately that it was "fake". I accepted the gift with appreciation but I am still surprised that people believe that they can buy "Gucci" or any other luxury name in an Asian country at a quarter of the price and believe that they are buying the "real thing". Now if I had a problem with the purse and tried to take it back or complain to the "official" luxury brand company, I can only imagine what they might say to me.

As far as luxury brands go, irrespective of how they were purchased or how we came to acquire them, we expect exemplary service while we are in the process of purchasing and particularly if something goes wrong. There are customers who take their issues online and I have read of many who are disappointed and frustrated with the customer service of luxury brands.

We expect more simply because of the price. If I pay €5. or $5. for a pair of shoes and they fall apart after the second or third wear, I shrug my shoulders and lament that I got what I paid for. Finished. They go in the garbage. However when I pay $600. for a pair of shoes, two years later, after limited wear and tear and something goes wrong, I still hold the company accountable. On the continuum there are hundreds of price points and hundreds of conditions that determine how we react to a product. I have a problem with a Jimmy Choo pair of shoes I own. Granted they are two years old but I still believe the heel should not have disintegrated to the point it did. I'll make a request about where and how I can get the heel fixed and propose that they fix it.  Problem is, I took it to a shoemaker and it was fixed by someone who was non-sanctioned and it is worse than before. I suppose, the worst that can happen is that they say "no". For me, the problem is: 2 years and $600.00 (Cdn) later, along with someone else trying to fix it, I don't have a beige pair of heels to wear.

I need a game plan. I bought them at Holt Renfrew in Calgary and so I may have to wait till I am there again which won't be until the end of November, beginning of December. Now if Holts won't give me any satisfaction, after all it is 2 years and they were attended to by an "unauthorized" shoemaker, I will have to research the Jimmy Choo company via the internet. If I find someone to actually share my story with, I need to tell the customer service agent exactly what I want and expect from the company. Very often we call or email customer service with our problem and expect them to give us a solution when we usually have an idea of what we want from them. I now believe if we have an issue we should start at what we want because "this" happened and not "this" happened so you tell me what the company will do. If you expect a new pair of boots because the zipper broke after the first try, say so. In fact, I don't believe the customer service agent really cares what happened at all, I now believe they are thinking - "you are calling because you want something resolved . . . what do you want?"

That being said, the agent must work within the parameters of the company's policies. And that usually means a sales receipt. The habit of keeping sales receipts is a good one.

We, as customers, need our "disappointments" and "annoyances" to be resolved. My most recent issue with being unsatisfied and with the relative customer service is with Renault, which of course has nothing to do with clothing. But I shall share my story anyway. My husband and I have had two phone conversations with Renault customer service for our leased vehicle in France, and the first was respectful, polite and very helpful. When my husband called the Renault customer service center the second time he was told that perhaps it is his problem and not the car's. Yikes! I was listening to my husband's side of the conversation and he was mild mannered albeit a tad frustrated as the conversation progressed. The customer service agent hung up on him! Now that is the epitome of poor customer service and I must work very hard at not letting that experience override the first we had with Renault. The second customer service agent should have simply said to my husband, "when the problem recurs I can only suggest that you take it to a Renault dealership and Renault will look after any of the expenses incurred." That is essentially what we wanted to hear. Perhaps we should have started with what we want from Renault instead of telling him our negative experiences with the vehicle. It is not over . . .

In conclusion, when dealing with customer service, tell them what you want and be prepared to fulfill their requirements. 

Good luck, for that is what you need, in addition to the receipt, when you are unsatisfied with a product.

Fabulous Customer Service

Are we expecting more than we should when it comes to customer service? Because we can buy most anything we want electronically and often with the promise of discounted prices, consumerism has shifted. Department stores and independent boutiques are much more service oriented than they have been in the past twenty years owing to this popular shift to purchase goods online. Historically luxury storefronts have always had relatively good reputations for customer service.

NICE: Brian Davis, who owns more Tory Burch flats, than anyone I know, has nothing but good things to say about the service he has received at Tory Burch boutiques in Calgary, Alberta and Scottsdale, Arizona. Brian has taken the time to develop a relationship with the sales associates at these stores and that is why he is successful and happy with the service. He related a recent request he made:

I emailed my contact sales girl at the Calgary TB boutique asking her if she had them (a pair of bright coloured Revas - see the former post on the bright yellow ballet flats) in my size. The reply was: sorry there are none your size in Canada.  Oh well, I snooze I lose. The next day I received an email from her again: was I going to Arizona soon because they have my size and she knows I shop at the TB in Scottsdale. No trips planned anytime soon. Again, no big deal. I could have them shipped here but that would cost approx $50. A short time later another email. The manager of the Calgary TB store was going to Scottsdale for a meeting and if I would pre-pay, she would bring them back. Now I called Seleen and we talked. I said, "that is way beyond the level of service I expect and that is too much to ask to have Stephanie, the manager, bring them back"  She said "Stephanie doesn't mind, she's standing right beside me and she insists on bringing them back for you." 

Now, obviously Brian is a good customer and that is the incentive for Seleen and Stephanie when making this particular proposal. A sale is a sale and they both look good. Really I'm not undermining their motivation. In fact, I imagine that if I was in the store at that moment, even if I was a first time customer, they might have done exactly the same for me, all things considered. Circumstances and timing can as easily determine a similar scenario for a "stranger".

It's because Seleen and Stephanie have the personality types and not because of TB customer service protocol. Policies are written, protocol is allegedly enforced but sales staff may or may not carry them out. However, they both sound like nice people who are considerate in all they do, not just because a particular protocol is required. Brian acknowledges that, although he loves the shoe, it is the sales personnel who keep him going back.

Brian too is a nice guy and he sent a thank-you note and a coffee card in appreciation for their efforts. Seleen responded in the following way, even though she didn't have to say thank-you for the thank-you . . . 

Thank you so much . . . that was really nice of you . . . There's no need to thank us on our end, that's just what we like to do for our clients . . . Can't wait to see you again in our store!

Salut to Seleen and Stephanie at the TB boutique in Calgary, Alberta, Canada! May we all have the opportunity to have similar customer service experiences.

Coming soon: I have much more to write about customer service, particularly when returning a substandard product . . . 

But of course, one more thing, here's Brian wearing his new Tory Burch bright yellow flats at the West Edmonton Mall - nice backdrop!

Brian Davis wearing the bright yellow TB flats at the West Edmonton Mall.
Photo source: Brian Davis, Calgary, Alberta, August, 2013.