Debenhams

[seriouslynotserious]

Today I went to buy a coat in Debenhams and I was stopped by a sales staff saying I can't try it on and I must buy it first and try it ON at home and then return it within 28 days if I don't like it. You've probably come across loads of threads like this but I was taken aback by this. I said to the sales staff that I'll take my £100 elsewhere and spend it there and no wonder your store is always on the news about Debenhams is on a brink of collapse. So I went to a different high st store and asked if I could try on their coats first this time round and the sales staff there said of course I could, it's just their changing rooms are closed which I understand. Wearing a coat is different to trying on some tight jeans as the coat is less contaminated to ones skin than a pair of jeans which sticks to ones skin and rubs against people's genitals etc or trying shoes without socks. I spent my £100 there and got a much better coat in the end. My argument here is that, why the hell is a company that is doing so badly before covid (financially) making it worse by putting off customers with policies like this? Me wearing that coat isn't going to spread coronavirus more than me picking it up and taking it to the till paying for it and brining it back a couple of days later after it being exposed to all sorts in my home. There's studies suggesting that it could live for 28 days or more. I sanitised my hands, had my mask on and I'm fully clothed when I wanted to try that coat on. I just wanted to a little rant as I found it a bit ridiculous. I've been to many stores and they would tell me upfront I'm not allowed to this and that but could try on costs only or try on shoes but must have my socks on and wear extra socks the staff provides. I just found Debenhams doing anything they could to put customers off from coming in. The whole mask situation is annoying enough as well as all of these arrows and one way systems but to shout at customers in the middle store that they can't try on coats takes the piss. Rant over sorry :)

For trying on a coat, that should say.

@Redolent, what bit don't you get?
Here, I'll spell it out.

The sales assistants don't make the rules. We are following company policy. No one here is defending or slating the rules, as the company make the rules.

It doesn't matter what you or I or anyone thinks.

@Redolent er, no.....i'd simply wear last years coat or something. no need for all this

[quote ssd]@Redolent, what bit don't you get?
Here, I'll spell it out.

The sales assistants don't make the rules. We are following company policy. No one here is defending or slating the rules, as the company make the rules.

It doesn't matter what you or I or anyone thinks.[/quote]
Actually, plenty of people in this thread are defending the rules for demonstrating ‘covid secure’ shopping.

Interesting. You never offer your opinion on any matter that you have no power to change.

YANBU
So presumably you can’t even touch the coat or carry it to the till? Because I don’t see so much difference between trying it on and simply touching it in order to check the quality. So very odd. I tried a few coats in UNIQLO, no one said anything

I never offer my opinion on something I can't change?
Why would I waste my time?

I feel bad about retail (and Debenhams as that's where my first saturday job was) but a few weeks ago Debenhams announced a huge amount of redundancies citing covid 19... when the writing was on the wall for Debenhams a long time ago. I'm pretty sure they called in the administrators last year.

Retail is awful just now due to these rules no one understands, but we do have some lovely customers too who just want a chat for a few minutes, about these weird times where nothing is normal anymore.

@ssd

I never offer my opinion on something I can't change? Why would I waste my time?

Global affairs, world politics, this current coronavirus situation we’re in...you neither discuss nor have any thoughts about anything beyond your actionable day to day existence? I mean that’s your prerogative but I can’t say it’s not an unusual stance.

People can discuss this issue and whether or not it appears unreasonable. If you have no thoughts about the matter other than ‘we should have no thoughts about the matter’, I don’t know why you’re on this thread...

And its so important in retail to remember everyone is scared, staff and customers alike, and we all need to show respect and kindness to each other.

Retail managers are not fond of returns - it skewers their sales figures and ruins their targets meaning the store’s overall performance drops. Therefore you would think they would brief their staff to allow customers to try a coat on to prevent an unnecessary return.

For me, I am short and slim and find most coats naturally look oversized on me. Unless I pull out my credit card, I do not have the free funds to effectively rent several £100 coats at once by taking them home, trying on and then returning. It’s very unlikely I will find the perfect fit first time - what if it’s too snug with a jumper on etc. Coats require more thought than say, a t shirt, so it would be wise to make a special exception.

Therefore you would think they would brief their staff to allow customers to try a coat on to prevent an unnecessary return

Im not sure what people aren’t getting

The government guidelines are what the shops are trying to work to

They dont want returns, they don’t want customers abusing their staff (and no i am not suggesting at all that anyone on this thread has abused anyone...but staff are being abused) they dont want queues at the door, they don’t want hand sanitizer

But they are mainly trying to follow the guidelines, And no, I’m not defending the government guidelines nor how individual shops are choosing to interpret them

@Redolent, now you're being obtuse. This thread is about being able to try on coats in Debenhams and other retailers. And I've made my opinion clear.

at rubbing your genitals on jeans. I’ve never really thought about it like that but now I’ll never get that out of my head.

I thought all stores had a policy where you are not allowed to try the clothes on, as items being returned to the store had to go into. Quarantine before it goes back out in the store. I suppose it's all about helping not spread germs in a pandemic as annoying as it seems

Actually, plenty of people in this thread are defending the rules for demonstrating ‘covid secure’ shopping

I don’t think they are, the majority seem to be saying they are stupid rules

@misskick

I thought all stores had a policy where you are not allowed to try the clothes on, as items being returned to the store had to go into. Quarantine before it goes back out in the store. I suppose it's all about helping not spread germs in a pandemic as annoying as it seems

Yes I thought so too...but it sounds like some of the stores are ignoring the guidelines (like some of the public to be fair 😀) so they can still make money

I visited John Lewis recently - absolutely pointless because I couldn’t try anything on and couldn’t buy then return as my nearest 3 stores are all approximately 50 miles away
Went outlet shopping with DS a few weeks ago and he just tried it all on in the car park - took selfies and returned most of it!

Sorry if I've come across as being shitty towards the sales assistant, however there's a style in communication. If you confront me as if you're telling me off in front of other customers I will snap back at you

Oh god you’re one of those customers

I was in a shop with dd it wasn't local so going to refund would be a faff.
It was a jumper I'd seen. No signs saying can't try on that I could see
Out on top of her jumper. Then as I did a woman shouted. No trying on if you don't buy that we have to quarantine it don't you know! Really aggressive. I get that it's stressful. I did many years In retail for a large busy high street group.
But to be so rude
I said oh I'm sorry I didn't see any signs I did look. But thankfully it fits so I'll buy it. (and another as now know what size she'd wear in that shop)
She said there's a sign on door! And that's lucky for you you're buying it.
I'm sorry pardon?
With that she walked off.

Normally I'd say sod it and not buy but thet were lovely and great quality.

On exit. I looked for the sign it was an a5 size hand written note easily missed

Honestly I know it's hard for everyone but that wound me up.

I know maybe I have been unfair to the sales assistant but you won't have a job to go to soon if you pick on customers who simply want to try on a coat. If I was working there I would just ignore it instead of confronting customers with that 'telling off attitude'.

Of course they can't ignore head office guidance 🙄 You think that no other sales assistant or manager will see her breaking the rules? She'd get into trouble.

The other day I bought two sizes of top in next, went next door to M&S and tried them on in the loo before taking one back. If shops can have their toilets open I don't see why changing rooms can't be open too.

I wonder if they've considered the disproportionately negative effect that this policy has on disabled people who may struggle to make it into town twice in 30 days

I'm a non-standard shape (due to disability!), so I always need to try clothes on as otherwise I'll find that (for instance) the length of straps on a dress leave my nipples hanging out.

I just found a quiet corner of primark with a mirror and tried stuff on over my clothes.

Honestly I know it's hard for everyone but that wound me up

Don’t blame you

You can try coats on in M&S as long as you sanitise your hands first. I asked an assistant but notice they now have signs up on some if the rails in the coat section.

My local branch of Mountain Warehouse took the jackets off me afterwards for quarantining.