LOFT pricing whiplash - YouLookFab Forum

Tina

So frustrating. I think this has also increased prices and lowered quality. I'm to the point where I just don't ever pay full price at these types of retailers.

11 years ago

abc

Veteran

Feeling a knot in my stomach as I bought an item there full price last week.

11 years ago

trix

Active Member

Tina: YES. I'm having trouble remembering the last time I paid full price for something at one of the big market retailers.

abc: Oh no! Didn't mean to make you worry. I think there probably *are* some items that don't go on sale/promo as quickly -- I probably just have strange tastes and inevitably like the least popular things. :-/ That said, FWIW, they do have a 60-day return policy, I think...

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

If it's within seven days and the price dropped on an in store item, you might still be able to get a price adjustment: http://www.loft.com/returns

But they seem to put a lot of restrictions on this, more than many retailers I've seen :(.

11 years ago

Gracie

Veteran

I just bought three pairs or slacks at LOFT today and though I was going to be able to use a 25% off coupon, but found out coupon starts on March 24 So I applied for a credit card upgrade and got 15% off, still something but not as good. I left two tops behind, so, overall, I spent less that what I intended. I live in a city one hour away from this mall, so I made peace with the prices I paid. Sometimes I'm afraid that if I wait, my sizes will be gone. So hopefully I won't come across a 40% off everything at LOFT anytime soon!

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

I try not to get upset about it. The truth is, your size may very well be gone by the time something goes on sale, so if you see something you *really* want, you may have to spend full price. Especially if you are petite! They don't often make enough of the petite sizes.

I believe Angie has said in several places that you are worth full price. If you insist on sale prices for everything you wear, you are likely not going to have the wardrobe you really want, at least if you are somewhat hard to fit. If I find something that I "kind of" like, and that won't crush me if I miss out, I wait for it to go on sale. But if I see something that really grabs me, I will pay full price. And sometimes I continue to check the website to see if my size sells out before sale time, and sometimes it does indeed sell out!

11 years ago

MRL

Veteran

I don't shop Loft as much anymore, but I do buy a lot at BR. I almost never pay full price, but scout out what I like, then wait until it's 30-40% off. Very rarely I find an item that is so perfect and likely to sell out, that's when I pay full price.
Whatever price I do pay, I have a policy of not looking back. It is just frustrating to see an item that I could have gotten for less if I had waited.

11 years ago

trix

Active Member

Gracie, I agree 100% that if you're having to deal with distance, it probably does save you money in the long run to buy when you're there -- the cost of gas plus time and inconvenience may far outweigh any savings you would have gotten by waiting. Not to mention that you can get a better fit by shoping in person than by going through the endless order-wait-try on-return-rebuy cycle.

Gigi: True enough about the petite sizing! I've noticed at Anthro in particular that petite sizes sell out extremely quickly. In fact, you made me remember that the last time I bought something at full price, it was an Anthro knit blazer in a petite size (and it did indeed sell out while I was still thinking about it, so I had to stalk the site for ages to wait for it to reappear in my size). That said, I'm not sure that I could ever stomach buying a $500 blazer at full price, at least not until I win the lottery or jump, oh, about twelve levels up on the workplace ladder.

Gigi/MRL re buying full price: So on one hand, I do agree that if you love it beyond all reason, then you should buy it for full price. I think the issue for me is stuff at the larger mass-market retailers where you can almost count upon a weekly promotion, sometimes as much as 40% off full-price items. So maybe I should make my personal shopping rules more specific: No buying at full prices at LOFT unless it's instant Cupid-and-arrows adoration. At J. Crew and BR, where the quality could be a bit higher, buy at full-price if it's unique and I love it, wait for a promo if you can find similar basics elsewhere. OK to buy full-price at Anthro for petite sizing (since their stuff only rarely gets any discounts before sale time, and then only 15%).

Funny about the not looking back. I do that with airfares; if I look later and the price has gone down, it makes me unhappy, so I just don't do it.

11 years ago

Jewell

Veteran

Yes, tracking promos and sale prices is worthy of a category in the Shopping Olympics. I've been "conditioned" to not pay full price for anything at most retailers. I will stalk items I don't have to have right away, but have missed out on things waiting for them to go on sale so I'm willing to pounce for something I love. For stores that don't do price, or promo adjustments I'll sometimes buy another of the item at the lower price then return with the first item's receipt. I was tickled to learn that MaryK does the same thing! But it has to be deeply discounted for me to go to that much trouble. I said this would be the year that I paid full price for something , and though I've been willing, so far it hasn't happened.

11 years ago

carter

Veteran

I've gotten price adjustments at Loft with no problem within a couple weeks. It's absurd to not give price adjustments within a reasonable amount of time. Ican't remember which store it was, but I actually had to return the item (with tags) and re-purchase. If I had worn it, I would have had to buy another one during the sale, then go back the next day to return the new one with the old receipt. Ridiculous.

11 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Yeah, so many retailers in that general price range seem to do these price manipulations. It can give you a headache. I guess they want us on their email lists and even tracking prices, because it keeps that store and item in our heads constantly. But they can still get the casual, impulsive or don't-care-about-price shopper to spend the inflated initial price.
It's one thing I like about fast fashion places, other than the occasional promotion, the initial price is what you get until end-of-season Clearance. And I know my size and items are very unlikely to last that long, plus the season will be half over at least, so I never second-guess my purchase in terms of price. And I feel less manipulated overall.

11 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

All of the discounting drives me crazy if I let it. I am not good at stalking, and my sizes sell out. Particularly shoes-- sometimes I've seen the perfect shoe but the price makes me balk and then it's on sale and only a few sizes left.

I've tried to get better about basics vs. HEWI'S and " outfit - makers". A cashmere sweater might be lovely, even a great color, but if its pretty basic and i have something similar, I'll try to see that as just wardrobe-expanding or the luxury of backup and that sometime something similar will go on saw for at least half off ( and this year Talbots 75% off) and I'll say, let it be if meant to be. OTOH I have learned to recognize that certain shoes , if they feel heavenly AND look modern or appropriately classic AND really complete several outfits, and I may need to just do it. Or for tops, certain silhouettes have proved way more versatile than just a random one, so they're shopping list goals.

Along with all of that is the constant weighing of choices and quantity of things to add. I'm not a true minimalist, but I can do math--I could get the
shoes if I don't get 4 new sweaters. if the new shoes invigorate and extend the life of my basics, then I will do better to remix existing items.
Knowing your fashion Achilles' heel, so to speak, helps a lot.

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

I ALWAYS ask for a price adjustment. The worst that can happen is they say no. And as with others I see MSRP as a starting point, and until it is 30 to 40% off I don't bite. Agreed that a rare delight may be worth it, but I hate feeling taken advantage of more than I hate missing out.

Coldwater Creek tends to raise their prices at the same time they offer big sales. Manipulative(!) but at least it is a wash.

11 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I think Jewell's remark about retailers "conditioning" us to not pay full by price by having constant promotions and coupons is right on the money. But there is another way to look at this. I've found that when I pay full price for something, I usually spend some time seriously thinking how the item will work with what is currently in my closet and if it really is worth the full price on the tag. If I have any doubts, I'll ask to have the item put on hold for an hour or so before making a final decision. I'd say that 80-90%% of the items I originally think I might want don't make it through this filter.

Promotions and sales, though, make it easier to put on my sales goggles. Everything looks more enticing at 40% off and I can easily convince myself to "experiment", or buy duplicates, or settle for a less than perfect fit, or, most important, quiet down that small voice that asks me if I really want another XXX or if the item is really worth its original price. Simply put, sales make me much less discerning because the money I'm "saving" by buying at the discounted price looms so large in my mind.

I've noticed, too, that many of my "bargains" seem to end up in the donation pile after only a few wearings, while almost all of my full price items usually end up as workhorses. It seems contrary, but I think, if I only paid full price, I'd actually end up spending much less on my wardrobe. And I suspect retailers know that.

11 years ago

Nebraskim

Veteran

Agree with Gigi. If I find something I love and fits well, I'll buy at full price because often, my size sells out quickly or I get entranced with the "sale goggles." Far too many of my closet orphans were sale purchases and the full-priced items end up being worn to death. If I find something on deep discount that I love, it's just a bonus. If you get too caught up in the price drop carousel, it will make you crazy. But it is frustrating when retailers have endless price variations. That is one reason I HATE Kohl's (that plus their horrible styles) but even on staples like underwear it's a crap shoot on their pricing.

11 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I've noticed that as well! For me, Loft is a store I typically only shop at when I can get what I want on a sale. Most of their things aren't worth full price for me, except for their relaxed skinny jeans. I do love those.

11 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

Many stores have a 14 day price adjustment period for sales. You could call and ask if they will do it. It used to drive me insane, now I just tell myself that I got something that I loved at a good price without risking the chance of it selling out.

11 years ago

Peri

Veteran

I have asked Loft for a price adjustment and they wouldn't do it...and it was within two weeks, maybe just one week. They told me they didn't because I could always return and reorder. I think that is their game because they are hoping you won't go to the trouble.

I will still buy something there if I really like it, because they are a good source for summer tops that are Tshirts but one step more dressy. But I don't shop a lot there because of general low quality and all these games..

11 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

At this point I rarely buy something at stores like BR, Gap, J Crew, AT (I do not shop at LOFT) at full price. Sooner or later they will have a 40% off full or sale price and I am on a tight budget. I save my full price purchases for premium denim, shoes that are both trendy and comfy ( I have fussy feet) and bras. Those three categories are what is important to me, I can always find cute sweaters/tops etc. on sale.

11 years ago

Tina

Veteran

This is so interesting. This ties in with what type of shoppers we are. I agree totally with what Tanya said. I'm in Canada so for me it's really only the Gap and Banana Republic, that I shop from, that do this. They have various promotions almost daily and thanks to online shopping my remote location no longer forces me to buy when I'm on the city.

11 years ago

trix

Active Member

Jewell: "Shopping Olympics" -- love it! That's exactly what it feels like sometimes. I was doing a lot of returning/rebuying with one retailer for a while but realized it was taking so much time that I stopped buying from them for a while. I wonder what will finally be the item that you'll decide is indeed worth full price this year?

Carter. that's so close to what happened -- the jacket got discounted more deeply on the day after I wore the jacket for the first time. So annoying!

Jules: I think you're right, it's to their advantage if we're reading all of their sale e-mails. Isn't one of the first pieces of advice given to people trying to curb their shopping to unsubscribe from promotional e-mails? They're just temptation to spend and spend.

Unfrumped: I'm going to try to adopt your mindset. Shoes are indeed one area where I'll spend more because I'm pretty demanding of my footwear. Gotta think about what my Achilles heel is...

Laurinda: So frustrating about Coldwater Creek! Old Navy does that too a lot, no? I guess it's a matter of knowing retailers well enough to know when MSRP is real and when it's artificially inflated.

Gaylene: Very wise thoughts -- I'm going to have to ponder them for a while. I was always conditioned to be such a sale shopper from childhood that I'm not sure I'm able to tell what's worth full price. And I'm also fickle (or indecisive)...for me, it's actually not true that it's only the bargains that wind up on the reject pile.

Nebraskim: Yes, the price drop carousel is mostly a quick road to insanity.

K: Definitely the exception: If it's a staple and you know you'll wear it out and rebuy, then 100% worth full price, whatever the retailer!

Isabel: I'll have to keep an eye on this more. I don't generally buy at full price enough to have the opportunity ask for price adjustments :-), but it would definitely make it psychologically easier.

Peri: Interesting, good to know about their policies. I hadn't really shopped at Loft until just recently, both because of the reasons you gave and because I didn't think they fit me that well. But this year, I found myself looking at some of their offerings as a low-cost way to try trends or things I thought might not stay in style too long.

Tanya: Absolutely. I'm not on an unlimited budget either, and I need to follow your example and do a better job of saving for the cornerstones (like shoes and bras).

Tina: Yes, it probably does have a lot to do with what type of shopper you are. I suppose that the lower prevalence of "pricing games" in Canada should be considered a consolation for the high shipping costs?

11 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

A few weeks ago I almost posted about a dilemma I had with JC Penney. I replicated a couple of the knit blazers I love, but then there was a sale the next day or so where I could have reordered the same thing online and returned my original order to save some money. Ultimately I decided not to bother because the trip down to the store, which is a county away, would have cost time and money as well. Usually if its not a big time commitment, I will wait for sales or try to time my purchases when I can. But I agree with others that looking back is only an exercise in frustration. I don't buy full price that often at BR, gap, loft, AT, only because I have their credit cards so they're always emailing me deals etc. but if its something that I really need, or that is rarely found on sale, I will pay full price happily.

Wasn't it JC Penney, actually, that tried an approach with no sales, just 'everyday low prices', and consumers didn't like it? W are so used to the psychological thrill of getting a deal that retailers almost have to play those games.

11 years ago

Anonymous

agree, fixating on this too much will drive one slowly insane!

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

Just as a different perspective, I think the hard part is if you are toggling between full price and sales price. That's where 'sales goggles' can come into play. But if your whole frame of reference is different than it doesn't work the same way necessarily. I've almost never paid full price for clothes throughout my life, neither have any of the women in my immediate family (and this includes underwear and socks). This has advantages and disadvantages of course.

I assume all retail prices have at minimum a 50% markup of the value of the item built in. So for me if it's 90-95% off? Or a 35 cent for everything thrift sale? Then I need to really consider whether it needs to come home with me or is just the shine of a bargain and doesn't perfectly fit my style, or doesn't hold it's own in terms of quality/contemporary looks. But everything else goes through the same filter, I just never consider the retail price as 'real'. I have a baseline price for every item of clothing that is my 'real value' metric, and then I'll pay a little more or a little less depending on how unique or perfect for a wardrobe hole the item is. (Basically my baseline prices are what I could buy something for at Goodwill). I'll agonize over keeping or returning a 13$ sweater as much as if it still cost the retail price.

I understand that on the time vs. money seesaw, time is often infinitely more valuable, and that it makes a lot of sense to buy minimally at retail if this works better in the overall equation for you. And there are disadvantages to artificial barriers (sometimes a pair of shoes is 15$ more than my 'baseline' and I avoid them even if they are otherwise perfect to fill a wardrobe hole.) I also understand that if my style and wardrobe was much more minimalist and unchanging I might up my baseline prices a bit. But the thing is, I haven't needed to yet.

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, I give up. Couponing is an extreme sport. I set my price ahead of time, what a thing is worth to me, and if things fall within that range, good. If not, whatever. My brain is too small.

11 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, I give up too. I'm not patient enough for sale stalking and I have seen my size sell out quickly too. I don't shop much at the retailers mentioned so far, but I did order that Club Monaco Faith jacket and a sale started the very next day. I'm away from home and haven't had a chance to call them about a price adjustment, and who knows, the sale might be done by now? I hate the sale game.

11 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I realized I forgot one thing. The only reason I tried those jeans on was because of the sale. Now that I think about it, that's how I've found a lot of my workhorses. Hmmm....

11 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

(Sorry in advance for a very long post)

I have two opinions on this topic, and they are polar opposites...

In general, I tend to view retail pricing as bs - and also as a challenging game of patience and wits. I can't recall having ever paid full price for anything - for the simple reason that if I am patient, and stalk something long enough online, it turns up somewhere for cheaper than full retail, or the game of mark-up-and-discount that some of these stores like to play.

Case in point: I have been searching for a high(er)-end pair of black leather pumps since December, and set myself a budget/goal of around $115. Last week, I got a brand new pair of black leather Schutz Gilberta pumps on eBay for $45, including shipping. They are $170 at Neiman Marcus right now.

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Sc.....MCIGoogleP

BUT. If there is something that is truly unique, one of a kind, is a HEWI , then if I can afford it, AND it can be used for multiple purposes - it is worth the price. My example here would be my Danier leather jacket. I bought it on sale, but, at over $250, it was still a major chunk of my clothing budget, and more than I almost ever spend on anything in my closet. But I wear this jacket at least four times a week since late October, and it looks great with everything. Could I have gotten that jacket cheaper, with an online discount code somewhere along the line? I'm pretty sure I could have. But I LOVE this jacket, and to me, it has been well-worth foregoing any additional discount to take it home.

I have to admit, I almost never shop B&M retail, and when I do, it's usually at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, vintage consignment, or Loehmann's (which has sadly closed). I do a lot of my shopping via eBay, because often, a favorite seller has combed through the maze of discounts, gotten the BR or Ann Taylor stuff on super-sale, and listed it online.

I was at Dillard's or Macy's or some such place awhile back, and I chuckled to see BCBG dresses for $250+, knowing that I could get the same or similar dress, brand new, in colors from previous seasons, for under $50.

The downside of the patience-and-wits game is that often, you come up empty-handed, when your size is out of stock, or you're outbid in the last five seconds of the eBay auction. But I find there is always another pair of even better shoes or jacket, or skirt waiting out there. It is a waiting game. I have a favorite, absolutely adored pair of black Cole Haan heeled oxfords that I waited nearly two years for, before they popped up online in my size and budget.

I guess my point is this: don't look back. If you got something you LOVE, in your size, and it looks great on you, then it was worth what you spent.

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

La Belle, I'm nodding my head at everything in your post Who are some of your favorite ebay sellers? I've not had luck there yet, although I look a lot and I need to search to see if there is an old thread here that shows how to win auctions and how/when you can do inexpensive returns (that's been my major sticking point so far at jumping in more).

11 years ago

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