Lamenting quality (or lack of)

Yes, these are my brand new Aquatalia booties that I love to death and have already worn multiple times in the 6 weeks or so that I've owned them. They are COMFORTABLE (no small feat for a 3.5 inch heel), weatherproof and just all around fab. Except that the buckle detail on one of the boots broke. Now I know Nordstrom will take care of this and repair or replace (taking them in today if time permits) but I'm disappointed that a pair of boots at this price point would already have issues. Not to mention my son's loafers that I had to take back after they were only worn four times because they looked TERRIBLE - like they had been worn at least non-stop for six months (as my kid is known to do and I've had Target brands at half the price hold up better for him) and a North Face jacket with a broken zipper after only a couple months of wear and my Vince Camuto houndstooth blouse with a shredded sleeve after being worn twice. All bought at Nordstrom in the last 6 months.

One of the reasons I'm such a loyal Nordstrom client is because they stand by their products and have never so much as batted an eye when I've brought something back with issues. I don't blame Nordstrom because none of these (except the boy's loafers) are their brand or exclusive to Nordstrom. But come on...have I just had a string of bad luck or is this indicative of overall quality now? Grrrr! And yes, I know that these are minor annoyances in the greater scheme of life but still!!!

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13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

SO FRUSTRATING.

At least you know that Nordies will take care of it chop-chop.

Lisa

Veteran

Sorry to hear about your quality issues. I do find a lot of brands don't have the same quality they used to with their clothes. Sometimes I think I spend more time shopping for quality items at a fair price than I do for items I like. It's a massive quality hunt these days.

Suz

Oh, Christy - that is so frustrating. I know what you mean. It hurts to buy "quality" and then find it seriously lacking. I lovd those booties and I would be very disappointed about that, too.

cinnamon fern

I sympathize. It's super frustrating. Shopping takes time! I don't want to have to re-shop for the same thing!

Thistle

I understand! It is super frustrating, especially when you have tried to buy quality. I suppose the only consolation is at least Nordies will take care of it for you. Still, it is a pain to have to deal with, and one you shouldn't have to.

Tina

I had a similar thing happen to my boots (I have these exact ones). Luckily, I caught it in time and I tightened the screw, if I hadn't I would have lost a piece and been unable to repair it. I am in Canada so that would have been a big deal. I then checked the other boot and it was loose as well so I tightened them both. I now know to check them regularly.
I am finding the inside sole is starting to show it's wear and am wondering how long before it wears through. I have worn mine a fair amount but am wondering if this isn't a bit premature aging? How is your inside sole?
I hope everything gets fixed without too much hassle, I know returns in themselves are a pain:-(

Kristin Apaz

Member

That totally sucks. It's not just you. It is hard to find great quality stuff. Designer brands nowadays think that you can just slap a logo on an item and people will think it is high-quality. Even brands like Gucci, Dior, LV are starting to slip on quality.

Gaylene

Automatically making an association between price and quality, or brand and quality, really seems to be risky these days. It astonishes me how, even in a single garment, quality can vary so widely. I'm thinking of a four-figure jacket that attracted my attention recently. Gorgeous fabric, clever cutting, and a pure silk lining caught my eye, but on closer inspection, the buttons were cheap and poorly sewn on (no thread shank), the inner pocket was faked, the lapels were fused, and the lining lacked a back pleat and hem folds at the bottom and sleeves (more likely to tear when putting the jacket on and off). The manufacturer (and the designer, I suppose) had opted to cut corners on areas that perhaps they thought wouldn't be noticed? I can see making those decisions for a lower-price point, but at four figures, the extra $100 worth of expense should have been a no-brainer.

DonnaF

Wow! I never would have expected that from that brand at that price point. Hmmm; even if footwear and the like takes longer to arrive from Nordies, maybe I should order from them rather than the two-day gratification I get from Zappos and Amazon Prime.

Tina.b

They are lovely boots and I hope that they are repaired or replaced quickly. It is strange because I also have challenges with booties as opposed to shoes. I think it must be something to do with the pressure my ankle places on a certain point that causes things to give. I recently had to get a snap replaced on one pair and the zipper on another.

Christy, I just looked at your pics again, you can probably fix that yourself. It looks like the screw came loose, same as mine. You can screw them back together and then check your other boot as well. They are moving parts so I guess they need maintenance:-)

christy

Thanks for the sympathy! It's just frustrating. I know I need to be more diligent about inspecting each piece before buying but this one caught me off guard.

Gaylene, wow for that price why on earth wouldn't they pay attention to those extra details? Well, I guess I can answer that. There are probably enough people like me who don't pay attention to those types of details and they can get away with it...

Tina, the trouble seems to be with the screw itself - it won't tighten. Thanks though! And my insole is fine so far but I've only had them for about 6 weeks so they haven't had that much wear yet.

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