Samaritaine — Local services in Paris

I was genuinely very excited to explore this store and they certainly have a lot of options. However, the experience I had with the store salespeople felt very aggressive.

I originally wanted to try on three Sandro pieces that I gravitated towards while shopping. I am intentional with my outfit purchases and only want to purchase items I know I will wear — especially when in a foreign country.

I was assisted by one salesperson who brought my try-ons into a fitting room. After my first try-on, I was quickly bombarded by another salesperson who wanted to suggest some options. I was open to this but, after a couple suggestions, it was clear that they weren’t in-tune with my fashion preferences (like, wildly off). I enjoy quiet luxury pieces and was brought louder “glam” items. (I prefer classic buttons to rhinestone buttons, for instance.) This particular salesperson told me to “just try it, you will like it” — and, after doing this once (trying to be polite), I had to tell her a firm no. She treated me like I was missing out and, to me, this made it an extremely uncomfortable fitting experience.

And then, came a third salesperson! This person was more understanding of my style but not 100%.

Truly, I wish I had taken a photo. The salespeople altogether brought me fifteen (so many!) additional items to try on from my original three. The hooks in the fitting room were so full that clothes they handed me were falling off the hooks, onto the floor. There was also no mirror inside of the individual fitting room, so that forced me to step out into a public mirror within the fitting area. I suppose this is so they can interact with their customers, but this made me feel incredibly awkward and pressured.

I still ended up purchasing something (because I loved the items I ended up with), but this experience left me feeling sour. The way they interacted makes me assume they earn commission on purchases. Perhaps I am incorrect, but it felt that way. I don’t have an issue with this when suggestions are on-point. But they generally were not (especially with that second salesperson).

My hope is this feedback is expressed to the salespeople working there. I considered not even purchasing (due to the discomfort), but was traveling to Paris and did love the items I ended up with. I may return for another browse and will update my review, if the second experience is improved.

My partner’s father was visiting with us and seemed to have a good experience. But he was assisted in a completely different area and knew in-advance the exact items he was looking...

RETURN MY MONEY PLEASE!!!!!!! Really disappointed with their customer service. Popped along on 19th August to purchase some Chanel cologne. Was charged 185 euros. Whilst there I signed up for the Chanel Profile, where I complete my email details etc (handy for future purchases).

Not long after leaving, I received an email from the woman who served me that I was over charged by 40 euros. If I would come back to the store, they will refund me and then put the purchase through again. I was going to pop back the same afternoon anyway with passport for tax back etc, so went back in the afternoon.

Handed over my credit card that was used to purchase the cologne for refund. Was initiated (or so I thought), and then the used the same card for the new purchase at the correct price of 145 euros.

It is now 7th September and the refund has STILL NOT hit my credit card. I am down 185 euros (not including the currency exchange fee) and my appeals by customer service appear to be going ignored. They last emailed me on the 3rd Sep to inform me that they have contacted the relevant service for verification and will come back to me at the soonest. When will this be?

The service is beyond ridiculous and as of this morning I have requested the email contact details for the store manger and someone who is likely to be able to assist in LVMH in order for me to escalate the situation.

Yes, I lost the refund receipt (I was on a weekend break), but I have supplied the store email asking me to return and also the receipt for the new purchase of 145 euros and a screenshot of my credit card to show the refund has not yet hit it.

I wonder how many others are being over charged for perfume here? They wouldn't have been able to contact me, had I declined to complete the Chanel profile and inform me that I was over charged!

I feel I'm being ripped off as I live abroad and I want this to be taken seriously. I just want my money back!!!

Visited in March 2022...

Almost for as long as I can remember on our visits to Paris we've walked past a derelict and run-down old department store with drab old signs that simply read Samaritaine; the only indication of its' past and former glories. But now that has all changed; gone are the boarded up windows and covered doors, it is now a beautiful, revitalised and refurbished Samaritaine, a fine department store set on numerous floors close to the banks of River Seine. No expense has been spared in returning the store to its former glory, and then some. In the current economic climate (2024) when so many stores are closing it's great to see investment on this scale and confidence in the retail sector. Refreshing to see and makes such a change from seeing closures after closures.

Samaritaine is full of designer brands & concessions from all over the world; some well-known and some not so well-known. It's not cheap for sure but it is an experience.

We spent a short while exploring several floors of the beautifully decorated and furnished store. It was quickly apparent to us that we needed a wallet and purse that was as deep and as wide as the Seine in order to shop at Samaritaine, nevertheless I'm finally glad to have been able to wander the palatial floors and corridors of Samaritaine, and for now at least I know that when I win the lottery there is a department store where I can head to to enjoy my hard earned winnings & buy a little luxury 😃.

If you're visiting Paris it's worthy of a visit, it epitomises everything about the city; style, fashion, chic, debonair...put quite simply it is 'Paris'.

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