Customer service | Imamother

amother

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 1:35 pm

Why is it so terrible in so many places in the frum world? Not all, but most places where something comes up, it’s handled terribly. I shop in Jewish stores when I must because I’ve only had really good experiences with the non Jewish ones.
Just curious, why?

amother

Copper

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 1:44 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Because no one demands better, why do frum companies have terrible return policies? Because they can...
I wish I could support my local frum businesses but they make it so hard!!

I'm the op of a recent thread with more details about my experience and I'm still upset about it.

amother

Navy

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 1:48 pm

There are plenty of frum stores with good customer service. In my husband's store the motto is the customer is alway right (unless the customer curses the employee. Some customers are obnoxious!)

I don't shop in the stores with bad customer service. I stick with the stores with good customer service.

amother

Jade

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 1:48 pm

amother [ Copper ] wrote:

Most frum business have very good customer service. You can only get as good customer service as good as the customer is. If you don't treat them right, don't expect them to go out of the way for you. The costumer isn't always right. I've seen frum women behave so horribly in stores.
They have strict return policies not because they can, but because they MUST. They're not huge department stores that can order lot's of stock. They can't afford better return policies.

amother

Jade

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 1:53 pm

amother [ Amethyst ] wrote:

The no return policy (except for a credit) makes me think twice and three times before I buy anything.

The stores that do this it's because they have no choice. I've seen people trying to return dirty clothing. Or people buy multiple sizes and return most of the things, the store could've sold it in the meantime. It makes people think twice before buying. Most if not all stores have a 1 day money back policy and no returns on sales items or tights & underwear.

amother

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 2:17 pm

I’m not only referring to returns, although that is a huge part. (I do understand that they can’t order huge stock, but it is a little crazy.) Just the whole shopping experience in all areas-clothing, services, even in bigger things! Like cars and houses!
Seriously makes me so confused, don’t you want my business? I do feel a little guilty, but I have no problem going to places where I’m treated nicely, and for the same price or sometimes even less.

amother

Orange

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 2:29 pm

While I totally agree with op, op you do understand that some of us are so mean, rude and obnoxious. I was on line in a store waiting to pay in family hose center in bp. When the lady in front of me tried returning a used pair of tights. They used to take back unused unopened tights. For some reason the cashier decided to open the tights. She was like "you are the reason we are changing our policy now. Aren't you embarrassed?!". Some ppl simply take advantage.
Don't get me wrong, I never shopped in hi baby just because of their policies (whoever remembers them). My boys stuff are mostly from regency because of their policy. But still some ppl are so disgusting. It's mind boggling.
Anon because so many ppl heard the story from me irl.

amother

Amethyst

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 2:53 pm

Just to counter - I shopped at a store in Boro Park that sells bathroom vanities and other plumbing supplies. The lady I worked with couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. She showed me several options, and put together different color ideas and printed out the specs with pricing. I was not pushed into buying anything. I don't know if you were only talking about clothing stores, or in general.

amother

Beige

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 5:01 pm

I think you're generalizing.
I try to support local businesses when I can, and some of them just have such good service. The electronic store, the judaica store and the local fish store all give me such good service.
Tell me which non frum store would deliver one slice of fish for free, and still tell you thank you for shopping.

PearlyGee

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 5:20 pm

I live in BP and I know what you are trying to say but haven't had any issues last 3 years and I always shop local even dh always says get it online from the comfort of your bed I do want to support the local stores and I think they realized and they really changed their game and it's keeps on getting better at least where I shop.
Returns are a bit harder than online but definitely because ppl abused the system and it works for me I take my child try it on in store.
I recently bought a dress in a store with an easier return policy and didn't realize until I got home is had alterations to make it narrower and smaller and they sewed the zipper opening closed.

yksraya

Mon, Apr 12 2021, 6:02 pm

This is a very tricky topic. On one hand, it's important to support a fellow jew and shop local, on the other hand, some customer service are really bad, and prices are way more than it should be. I've seen multiple times stores sell little baby loafers etc I saw on ali express for a few dollars, they price it for $150. Had it been some brand or quality, I would understand, but to sell china junk they bought for $10 or less, and price it at over $100 is not fair and is why I don't enjoy shopping local.

Sesame

Tue, Apr 13 2021, 7:22 am

yksraya wrote:

I was made aware that many Jewish or other companies design things and then have designs manufactured in China. Once the designs have been released, it’s possible for ppl in China to use them, produce more and sell on etc. So I have kept an eye on this on aliexpress and this makes sense.
So could be their designs were copied and sold on aliexpress, not that they bought off aliexpress and then sold to you.

amother

Coffee

Tue, Apr 13 2021, 12:00 pm

I've dealt with nice and not-so-nice customer service in all arenas of life. People are people.

As far as returns, the reason that Jewish stores have bad return policies boils down to a couple of things:

1. Jewish stores aren't like the huge department stores that can afford to give lengthy return windows. If someone buys an item and returns it out-of-season, they're taking a loss they can't afford. So you might think you'd like to take a bunch of things home and try them with various other items, but the store can be losing a lot while that happens.

2. Unfortunately, there is a tendency (not exclusive to frum circles) to abuse long return policies, such as to buy a dress, wear it to a wedding, and return it, or use an item in the summer and then return it at the end. This happens a lot with things from Amazon, Costco, and the like. Small businesses cannot afford those losses.

3. Most small businesses don't have great return policies for the reasons mentioned above. Not a Jewish problem at all. (FYI, before the pandemic, Fox's in Flatbush had a 3-day return policy! Not a Jewish store, and one frequented by frum people.)

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Apr 13 2021, 1:15 pm

I hate shopping in frum stores. 9/10 times they make me feel like they are doing me a favor taking my money. I hate it. I grew up in a family business with excellent customer service where it was drilled into every employees head that the customer is always right. So I go into these frum stores where I'm often ignored or spoken to rudely and I cannot believe it. I get that it isn't easy to deal with frum customers all the time. Some can be so, so challenging. So entitled. So rude themselves. I get that. But it's still a customer service industry and you are taking our money so just be nice!!! You chose the business, you chose the job - deal with it! Nicely!

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Apr 13 2021, 5:16 pm

amother [ Coffee ] wrote:

Just to clarify - they don't have any return policy at all, for cash. You can return it the same day and you won't get your money back.