What retail merchants can you think of...

... Where you could purchase a product (the "All Eyes iPhone case, pictured), break it (dropping it a few times-oops!) go to the store to buy a replacement, and have the sales associate insist on giving you an exchange instead?

That was my day at Nordstrom. It must be excellent customer service week! (I also had a friend years ago who got a lovely handbag as a gift and accidentally smashed a lipstick into the fabric. She was just sick about it! Nordstrom said they could clean it but the cleaning process was hard on the bag and left it with little loose threads... They gave her a brand new replacement.)

REI and Costco come pretty close with their return and exchange policies, but I'd be hard pressed to think of others. (Though maybe you can name some!) This is why I am so fiercely loyal to certain stores that prioritize customer service and stand behind their product, rather than treating me as invisible, or acting like it's my duty as a human being to sign up for the store credit card.

Um... I also poked my head in the Kate Spade store to window shop. The bright colors were drawing me like a moth to a flame. Due to a special discount-on-sale-items promo, I picked up this large square scarf for around $50. The colors made me drool. What do you think?

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13 years ago

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Nobody can beat Nordstrom customer service, that's for sure!
Our Canadian Danier store is pretty good too - even though not in the Nordstrom league. They have 1 year warranty on their products which they honor pretty well.
This scarf is so beautiful, Kari! I am sure you will enjoy wearing it.

Kari

Sveta, next time I'm in Canada I'm determined to visit a Danier store. I love every piece you've purchased there. (I'm overdue for a visit to Vancouver!)

annagybe

Lately, I've been gravitating towards small businesses. I like the personal touch. Unfortunately they can't compete with a big corporations generous return policy. Though I have gotten random discounts for being a loyal customer.

Yes, definitely. But many small businesses make up for it with excellent customer service in other ways; as you mentioned, the personal touch, especially when you have sales associates that know your style well, standing behind the quality of the products they sell, and making you feel very valued as a customer. Not to mention the unique garments you can pick up from independent boutiques!

I mostly get irked by large corporate retailers that have shoddy customer service and stingy returns. I've been spoiled.

Transcona Shannon

Fantastic customer service that's for sure. And I'm drooling over your scarf with you Kari - delicious colours!

Victoria

I love Nordstroms, and I think they are pretty awesome. And I think the colors in this scarf are very "you" !

Nadya

I hear you! Just about two weeks ago, I had a similar experience. I took a sweater to Nordstrom to see if they could fix a horrible snag I got the first time I wore it. They couldn't fix it, and I really loved it so I asked they could find another one. The saleslady found one at Nordstrom Rack and then asked me if I wanted to return the
ruined one! "Can I?" I said. "Sure," she replied.

The sweater that I'd bought on sale was further marked down now that it was at The Rack and I actually made $9.

The only other retailer that comes to mind is Apple - I get amazing service there and have had them replace small parts that were out of warrantee. One time the third party video card on my husband's Mac died when it was well out of warrantee. It turned out there'd been a spate of issue and Apple had already negotiated a deal with the manufacturer to replace the card even though it was two years old.

marianna

Yay for Nordstrom CS! I can't think of ANY other retailer that does the things Nordstrom will do... (I see it first-hand!)

I received a bridal shower gift from Neiman Marcus without the gift receipt. I was really nervous about returning it (it was serving bowl that I didn't need) but Neiman's CS didn't even blink an eye and give me store credit for the return. The ease of the transaction felt great! I don't usually shop at Neiman's though, so I don't know how their CS is otherwise, but I was pleased with this interaction.

Fantastic! I live hearing about other retailers who go above and beyond.

Despite my iPhone, I am not a Mac convert yet (this is my only Apple product.) but if their service is truly that good, maybe someday I could justify the higher cost of a computer.

jayne

Lovely story. I see the Andie pick blouse also looks fab on you!

biscuitsmom

Great stories! Love hearing about fabulous CS We were in a T Mobile store the other day,considering buying 2 new cell phones (DH's freezes up and my voice mail comes in up to a week later) and we were telling the salesperson about the trouble and he offered to put new Sim cards in our old, lame devices to see if that would fix the problem instead of trying to sell us brand new phones- and he was on commision! Luckily, it seems to be working But you bet we hung onto his card so he'll get the credit when we do get new ones!

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