Should have listened to my mother... (Vent!)

JulieWa

Mid December I was looking for a new coat. I'm petite (a smidge over 5') and really wanted a well fitted coat, and although lots of high street stores cater for us shorties now, my choices were limited. Plus when buying an item like this that I'd hoped would last, I wanted to be fussy and get the perfect one.

Eventually, as we were passing through Marks and Spencer one day, my boyfriend picked out a cream (almost white) moleskin coat in their petite section. I never would have picked it out in a million years as I've always had it drilled into me by my mother that anything white will attract the dirt and should be avoided.

It looked great though and swayed by my bf's compliments I decided to take the plunge and risk it. After all, they wouldn't sell a coat that couldn't be cleaned, right? It cost £60. For a coat that I hoped would last at least two winters, I didn't mind this much, particularly from a shop with such a good reputation as M&S for quality. I realised it was dry-clean only but thought I'd only need to get it done once or twice a year...

One month on and the stitching on the buttons began unravelling and one of the inside buttons fell off (it's double breasted and this holds the coat's shape). Plus, I'd been clumsy and spilled a drink on one of the sleeves. It was also starting to look grubby on the hem and the pockets simply from daily wear.

So I took it to a professional cleaners and paid £10 to have it dry-cleaned and the buttons repaired. When it came back, I had to ask them to send it off again as I could still see how dirty it was without examining it closely (thankfully as the lady had used an unsuitable button on the repair job, they sent it off again without quibbling).

After a second time, it looks better, but it's still grey round the edges.

Perhaps I should have expected this from buying a cream/white coat but I'm very disappointed that despite being dry-cleaned twice, it still doesn't look like new. I went to a professional cleaners, not a supermarket concession, so I believe it's been done right. On top of that, the shoddy stitching within a month of buying it was beyond acceptable.

I'm too weary of this whole thing to complain to M&S and my experience of complaining to them in the past has put me off; the attitude I got from their customer services when I tried to return some trousers was appaling - I complained and their apology letter read like it was written by a child.

Fingers crossed if I can lose the weight I put on over the last year hopefully next winter I can go back to wearing my old River Island coat that has lasted beautifully (and only cost me £20 in a sale!).

I just wanted somewhere to rant, and here seemed like a good place! M&S don't deserve their reputation for good quality.

Horace

M&S have gone down hill lately - I tried on some shorts in there the other day - I am not fat by any stretch of the imagination and I couldnt do the zip up on the size 12, size 14 or the size 16 because the crotch was too low - I am tall and these shorts weren't petite they were just an odd shape. One of the assistants told me that the manufacturers cut corners and make things cheap (well, these shorts weren't cheap:mad:). Had a problem with some trousers last year - wore them once and the material went bobbly the answer from the customer services assistant "you've worn them" yes said I, I wore them once and didnt expect them to go bobbly the reason I didnt bring them back the next day was because I was at a wedding and I could hardly be expected to go naked. I managed to ger a credit note out of them for that.

Melaniep101

M & S are usually pretty good if you take it back. They will more than likely offer you vouchers if you don't have the receipt any more.

I've heard of people taking back stuff from years ago and they'll still exchange or refund in vouchers! Dunno whether that is still the case.

sarahg1969

Melaniep101 wrote: »

M & S are usually pretty good if you take it back.

They are good if you take stuff back when you've changed your mind. However, my experience is that if you take a faulty item back, the SAs seem to take it as a personal slur on their character, and start making all kinds of excuses.

CarJacker

sarahg1969 wrote: »

They are good if you take stuff back when you've changed your mind. However, my experience is that if you take a faulty item back, the SAs seem to take it as a personal slur on their character, and start making all kinds of excuses.

Perhaps it is straightforward if you change your mind - only work required is to put it back on the shelf!

but if it is faulty - I guess that becomes more long winded process of sending back to manufacturers or something.......

thistledome

I stopped buying in M&S years ago. When they chucked UK workers on the scrap heap and got their bras made in Sri Lanka or wherever, they didn't fit me anymore. I didn't notice much of a drop in prices either. They haven't deserved their "quality" image for a while.

I used to work in the rag trade many years ago and our jobs (for Top Shop amongst others) were moved to Portugal. Nothing wrong with our quality, retailers just wanted everything on the cheap.

I wish we were more like Germany, where people are paid good wages and can spend them on quality German goods.

OP, you're right to wish you'd listened to your Mother. I bought a light beige hall carpet 2 years ago and it's was one of the stupidest decisions I've ever made. Mum's know best!

Errata

Try taking it back to Marks and explain the dry cleaners have done their best, but the dirt just won't budge. Do you still have the receipt, or your cc or bank statement which shows the purchase ? Can you ask the dry cleaners for a copy of your bills? All good evidence to support your case.
And your mum was right. They always are

Tiddlywinks

Errata wrote: »

Try taking it back to Marks and explain the dry cleaners have done their best, but the dirt just won't budge. Do you still have the receipt, or your cc or bank statement which shows the purchase ? Can you ask the dry cleaners for a copy of your bills? All good evidence to support your case.
And your mum was right. They always are

The faulty fixing of the buttons appears to be a flaw but I'd say that the stains from use (even if dry cleaning has failed) are down to the OP - it's a cream coat and will show marks and if those marks are of a substance which is hard to remove that is not really down to M&S.

peachyprice

I have to agree with Tiddlywinks, I can't see how it's M&S's fault that you wore a cream coloured coat on a daily basis and spilt a drink on it. TBH, I would class that coloured coat as an occasional wear item.

Hopefully they'll take it back due to the buttons falling off/coming loose, otherwise sew them back on.