Ann Taylor

Terrible store/​location– very small. Snooty-​Ville. In a world of over-​greeting, the sales lady, who saw me, was in her own world, nose stuck in the air, as she was putting away clothing on the racks (she looked like she didn’t want to be there, kinda pissy). I was checking out the sweaters. I would’ve appreciated some acknowledgement but nada. It’s not like the place was grand central station. There was one other customer at checkout who was being assisted by another sales lady who was very nice, smiling, and was by far, the fairest of the two employees. It’s ok, I like Ann Taylor Loft better anyway. I won’t be coming back.

I had just purchased a cardigan for myself and a top for my mother last week. The items were still in the shopping bag with receipt when I learned of Ann Taylor’s Black Friday promotion of 50% off the entire store. Having worked in a similar retail environment, I know to carefully read company policies on returns/​exchanges and price adjustments. They’re typically the same; prices will be adjusted on full-​priced merchandise only and within seven days of purchase. It was ten days since my purchase and one of the items were on sale, so I knew they wouldn’t do the price adjustment. Obviously it’s within the 30-​day return period, so I decided to return the two items and repurchase them with the promotion.
Me: I bought this last week and that I know I can’t get a price adjustment since it’s been more than seven days, so I’d like to return them and repurchase them with the promotion.
Associate #1: Do you have your receipt?
Me: Yes.
Associate #1: This item is on sale, so we can’t adjust the price.
Me: I know, that’s why I want to return it.
Associate #1: Well, the merchandise needs to be off the floor for 24 hours before it can be purchased again.
Me: Ummmm, okay??? Couldn’t I just grab the same item and be able to buy it?
Associate #1: Well, yeah, if we have it. It’s just company policy.
After a quick browse, I found the same cardigan along with a couple new items I wanted to purchase. Unfortunately, the top was sold out. Another associate approached the cash wrap, so I wanted to see what she’d say about the situation.
Me: Hi. I have these two items to return, but I’d like to buy the top again.
Associate #2: You want to return the top and cardigan?
Me: Yes, but I’d like to repurchase the top.
Associate #2: To give the merchandise a fair chance, it needs to be off the floor for 24 hours.
Me: Okay. I’ll return the cardigan, since I grabbed another one, but I’ll keep the top.
Well, Associate #2 didn’t hear me say that I want the top and she ended up processing it for the return. After I tell her that I still wanted the top, she says, «Oh, I’ll put it back on.» She couldn’t just put something «back on» since the transaction was completed, so she initiated another transaction and just like that, I was purchasing merchandise that had not spent 24 hours off the sales floor. Plus, she manually adjusted the price to match my original purchase, so the receipt did not reflect the current price tag and discount. She literally went out of her way to NOT give me the promotion.
REALLY? Company policy? Merchandise needs to be off the sales floor for 24 hours before it can be purchased again? BLATANT LIES and really terrible ones! It’s obscene that their associates think clients are so stupid to believe these fabricated policies. It’s insulting!
I called their customer care line that evening to give Corporate feedback about my experience. The associate on the phone (let’s dub her Associate #3) was empathetic and agreed that she would be just as frustrated. Following that day, I received an e-​mail as promised to follow up with my call. After three exchanges with a Coordinator of Corporate Client Contact (let’s call her Associate #4), I am more frustrated than I was that day. The first e-​mail was to send their Price Adjustment Policy at my «convenience» and emphasized that a price adjustment was not possible. I mentioned that the most important piece of my feedback was to emphasize the way the situation was handled by the two store associates, NOT about the merchandise or prices!
I know why they lied. It was most likely fabricated by their management team to prevent clients from returning their purchases and being able to buy the merchandise again at a discounted price. They know it’s not a company policy, but they want to discourage it without actually telling clients that they just don’t want to do it. Why? Sales goals? At what cost? Is a few dollars worth losing a client and future sales? At this point, I want to return everything and I’m certainly not planning on any future visits. Would you, as a client, be okay with the treatment received and knowing how many retail choices you have, continue to patronize this brand?
Update: Associate #4 sent me another e-​mail stating that although I wasn’t asking for a price adjustment, what I wanted to do is still held to those policies. «…Returned product is not immediately available to repurchase. All returns must be inspected, at times retagged, potentially steamed, and processed back onto the sales floor.» How long does this take exactly? 24 hours? «As mentioned in your response we would not support a return and repurchase in order to obtain a greater discount if outside our price adjustment guidelines as that would circumvent our policy.» Might as well just tell clients that we can’t return items to buy them back because you don’t like it.