To think this is dreadful customer service?

[janegrey]

I'm making a dress for dd1's prom. She wants to put a large zip on the outside, copying a fashion she's seen elsewhere - like this.

The fabric shop owner recommended a zip, which, after cutting out the fabric, has turned out to be too long.

So today I took it back and asked to exchange for a shorter one - the zip is unopened and still in its packaging.

The shop owner refused - said they never exchanged zips.

I'd been on the point of buying some more bits and bobs which I'd put on the counter - and was about to look at more fabric for a skirt for myself.

I calmly pointed out I'd spent almost £100 there in the last six months and thought it was short-sighted of them to lose a customer (plus potentially my sewing friends who I'll tell about it) for the sake of refusing to exchange a zip - John Lewis is due to open up in the city in the autumn, so they'll have a lot more competition then.

Her attitude left me flabbergasted: "I don't care, go and shop somewhere else then".

The cost of the zip is irrelevant - it was only a few pounds - but aibu to think any business is bonkers to have this attitude to customers? Dh laughed when I told him and said he liked her style .

The shop is Butterfly on City Road in Cardiff btw.

Silly cow, with an attitude like that she deserves to be out of business.

She should have been politer, perhaps she was having a bad day.

YANBU - you'd link in the recent 'credit crunch' independent store owners would be bending over backwards to keep custom.

She must be a right miserable old cow! I hope you take your business elsewhere?

I went to a shop a few doors down to buy a zip and told them there what had happened.

They weren't at all surprised - apparently the owners at Butterfly have a reputation for being rude to customers.

It's always busy in there, so perhaps they don't need to worry about hacking people off.

I do think the opening of John Lewis will hit them though, and would've preferred to keep patronising the independents.

JL may make them change their ways then.

I know that shop and I have to say the service in there is generally quite rude.

Am pleased to hear John Lewis Might have a fabric dept though

depends.
i they have a policy that they want to stick to then that is their perogative.
although you describe yourself as "calmly pointing out" this could easily have appeared to her as being dictated to, which could have prompted her response.
i know from working in shops hw some customers present themselves when denied something they think is their right when it isn't such as a free carrier bag etc and start saying "this is ridiculous, i spend xx amount of money in here..." and i'd want to tel them where to go.

Her response came when I asked if she could exchange the zip - it is their policy and their prerogative of course.

It wasn't my right to have it exchanged but I would've thought it would be good customer relations for them to agree to do so.

It's also my prerogative to shop elsewhere and tell everyone what I think of their customer service.

Butterfly's are evil! I've had so many run in's with them over the last 15 years their attitude really does stink. I only go there now if I absolutely have to and have gone to every other fabric shop on City Road first and it's a life or death situation (like sewing often is right?)

Have you tired the market for future reference?

Forgot to say, don't take it personally, they are known around Cardiff for being very rude, always have been.

YANBU she should have exchanged the zip.
Hope you get sorted and good luck with the dress!

Thanks - I bought the zip I needed from Terry's fabrics 2 doors away.

Unfortunately Butterfly seems to have the best range of fabrics in the city at the moment, but JL probably will change that - I'm assuming there will be a fabric dept there, although I don't know for certain.

For anyone else who sews, this website is a good source of patterns, many of them free.

I would have been furious. You were returning an unopened item, and asking for an exchange, not even a refund. I wouldn't go back there either.

I would have been furious. You were returning an unopened item, and asking for an exchange, not even a refund. I wouldn't go back there either.