It has surely happened to everyone.
You see an item; you fall in love; you try item on; you look fantastic; you buy item. You take item home; you wear item once, maybe twice and feel fantastic in item. Item breaks, rips, you find a hole in item. Irritated, you take item back to shop and attempt to exchange. Shop has no more of item. Immensely irritated, you accept refund and leave.
For Christmas 2010 I requested earmuffs and after trying many pairs in the presence of one’s boyfriend I was sure he knew which kind I liked i.e. not pink in any way, shape or form.
On the big day I was delighted to receive a pair of UGG tan earmuffs; they were beautiful and expensive as far as earmuffs should go – £70 a pop. However, after a wear of twice the fold mechanism (which I can only assume was so that they fit in the nice circular box) broke on one side, leaving the earmuffs lopsided and the appearance on one’s head faintly ridiculous. Of course, Schuh, where they were bought had none left – “well it’s after Christmas.” The earmuffs were posted off to Schuh’s headquarters where I was refunded as they were out of stock. Fab. (The shorts, cardigan and jumper I bought in Topshop with the refund money softens the blow slightly – but that’s not the point.)
For my birthday last year my parents bought me a pair of sandals from expensive high street store Reiss. I completely adored them and since they were pale suede wore them exclusively for the most special of occasions. Low and behold, following their first outing – the zip at the back fell off.
They were £130. They were replaced. On to my second pair; which were lucky enough to travel to Turkey for a week’s holiday – on which many of the tassels adorning the shoe simply fell off, and once again – the zip broke. Unwearable; I received a refund.
The worst culprit of all these ‘upmarket’ high street stores has got to be All Saints, I think nearly everything I’ve ever bought I have subsequently returned as faulty. It’s ridiculous, especially when the items are certainly not cheap – for students anyway.
Mary Portas’, (named ‘high street superheroine’ by The Observer) latest television show ‘Secret Shopper’ aims to change attitudes in shops on the high street from sole profit making to improving customer welfare while they spend cash in their stores.
It is my belief that the show should branch into quality of clothing. Whilst cheaper stores can get away with poor quality items, those aiming to price their garments higher need to ensure that their product is worth that increase. When splashing what is a lot of cash to the student, I expect quality that lasts more than a couple of outings. The customer needs to feel that they are getting their money’s worth and I for one, on many occasions, have not.