Vent about Nordstrom!

[Disney Doll]

DSisIL & I sent to Nordstroms in NOvember 2009 looking for dresses to wear to DNiece's wedding. Same thing...the help eyeing us with disdain from a distance. No one offering to help. The one very condescending lady who did finally say "Can I help you?" told us that if we were looking for gowns that their better evening wear was upstairs but it could be expensive. I finally looked at her and said "So let me get this straight. You're a sales clerk in a department store who works on commission and you're looking down your nose at me? Perhaps it's time to take my business elsewhere...too bad because the event we are shopping for is taking place at a private club in CT (we were in Nordstroms somewhere in NY) so the outfits would have been seen by all the right people". Then the lady was falling all over herself. And then we left and bought our clothes elsewhere.

I had a similar thing happen to me in a men's store in Westport CT. Westport is another generally snobby town. DH needed a tuxedo shirt, so I went to a place that advertised having formal wear. The first guy I spoke to basically blew me off...I was wearing jeans and a fleece and was looking for an annoying thing like a tuxedo shirt. He sort of passed me off to another guy who was the store manager and this guy treated me like a queen. So much so, that I brought DH back there multiple times over the next few months because, you see, he had just gotten a new position in management in his company and needed the wardrobe....suits, ties, dress slacks,blazers...the whole enchilada. Over the course of about 6 months, we probably spent $5000 in that store. The first guy who waited on me saw us keep coming back and finally said "You know, I was the 1st person who waited on you and now you're giving Jay all your business". I said "Actuall, if you recall, you DIDN'T wait on me, probably because you didn't think I was going to be spending much money, so you passed me off to Jay. I bet you're sorry you did that, huh?".

My "Pretty Woman" moment.

Bottom line, I stay out of Nordstroms and give my money to stores who appreciate my business. And I am sure Nordstroms couldn't care less......

 

[Styx Fan]

It's funny, but I have never had an instance of poor customer service at my Nordstroms that I could in any way attribute to my looking "less than". And trust me, I usually do look "less than".

I live in a middle class suburb near a much wealthier suburb. There is a very, very nice mall there. I have shopped in there many times. It's a nice place to meet a friend, shop and have lunch. Many expensive stores, some more normal mall stores like Bath and Body Works, Hallmark, etc. I do try to change out of my sweats and tennies and do my hair so I don't feel so country come to town, but even then I am not well dressed by money standards. I don't own designer anything. Never shop in any kind of heels. I am short, plump, and have my natural brown hair color most of the time. Despite this, I have always been treated very well at Nordstroms. Never feel any different than a more poshly dressed customer. Now, granted I am usually in the shoes or the kids depts, not in expensive ladies areas. Maybe it helps that I carry myself with confidence and when I speak I am very articulate. Of course, that only helps after I am acknowledged, but I have never had a problem with that. (Not saying anyone else carries themselves or speaks in a lesser way, just stating info on myself). Maybe it is because my area is such a mixed bag of socio-economic groups so they are used to customers who may not look the part, but sure do spend the part

Before anyone wonders or asks, I hit their kids depts looking for their store brand items, which are pretty reasonable and clearance mostly. But on occasion I have also bought special occasion outfits for the kids. DD will only wear those adorable dresses for so long, so I indulge myself And most stores have horrible boys dress clothes and I always liked DS to look good when he dresses up.

It would be terrible to be treated badly by a store clerk based on my appearance. It would probably happen to me if I hit some of the smaller boutique, designer type stores.

 

[Nicolepa]

We don't really have a lot of high end department stores here in the Seattle area. Nordstrom's and Macy's are all we have. So if I want higher end stuff I have to go to Nordstrom's. But honestly I try to wait until I go to Ft. Lauderdale or Dallas and then I go to town. My husband has been known to pack an extra suitcase for our shopping adventures.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Well, I'd certainly use Melinda Gates as my role model before I'd use Ivana Trump.



Yes, this is it. Liking nice things is not high maintenance. Demanding them from others is. There's a difference between being pampered and being spoiled.

Can I ask why? Not sure if you've ever looked into Ivana Trump but she IS the reason Donald has his money. She is quite intelligent.
I don't look at either of them as role models. People need to stop looking at celebrities as role models IMHO.

I don't know where you guys are shopping that sales clerks are looking down at you. I've gone into Tiffany's wearing sweat and have gotten great service. It's all about how you carry yourself. when i go into a store the sales clerk is working for me not the other way around. so you better believe that I expect them to come out with the shoes int he colors requested and footie to try on with them as I sit in a chair. If I'm at a counter you better believe I call the sales girl by her and let her know exactly what i want. I'm not the type to wait around for 20 minutes to get noticed. I'll wait my turn but i'm not letting people go before me, unless it's a mom with a screaming child or a little granny.