Ann Taylor — Local services in Chicago

This was a serious disappointment, because I truly loved the styles at this store. I understand that when I walked through the door, I didn't look like a typical Ann Taylor customer. I guess I should have worn a big sign that said "Hi! I am over 40 and have never worn business clothes in my life, but I suddenly find myself needing to buy an entire wardrobe and I'm a bit anxious that I don't even know where to start. I really need help discovering my new look so I don't feel like an imposter on my first day of work. I am likely to buy everything you tell me looks good on me!" That might have helped. Maybe. When I walked in I was promptly greeted by two salespeople. Neither of them met my eye when I returned the greeting. Neither of them asked me if I needed/wanted assistance. I wandered around for at least 10 minutes, during which two more customers entered the store and were immediately assisted. During that time there was also always at least one salesperson in my view who was not assisting a different customer. So I kept looking for items in my size to try on. And then, since I saw the extensive petite section, I started looking around hopefully for a small plus-size section (I'm currently around size 16, depending on the cut and brand so I had looked up their size range before going shopping and was happy to find that Ann Taylor makes some items up to 2XL.) Finally, when there was nobody else in the store, a salesperson came to ask what I was looking for. I told them I needed a new wardrobe, but even after a few questions they didn't seem to understand that I was looking for more than one outfit. I then confessed that I wasn't sure if anything was my size and was informed that they didn't stock anything above size 14 in-store, but I could buy larger sizes online. (As if it's a great idea to buy a whole wardrobe online without knowing if it'll fit me at all? When I don't even know what styles look good on me yet?) I already feel shamed enough about my weight, which I've put on after injuring my back. I don't understand why a company would create clothing for larger-sized people but not have it available for fitting in their stores - not even one sample piece. (I can only surmise that, while they want us to buy their clothes, they'd prefer if other people didn't see someone like me walking around with their branding on the shopping bag.) However, even if it is company policy to stock only up to 14 in-store, why would all of the salespeople ignore me? Why not assist me and then ask me for my size and make it immediately clear that things weren't going to work out the way I'd hoped today? Then you could get this frumpy fat lady out of the store so other customers wouldn't have to be bothered by me. Why let me keep searching around (and touching the merchandise)? If they'd made things clear immediately, I might have been a bit disappointed, but would not have felt so darn awkward. As it was, I left feeling really dejected - as if I wasn't worthy to step foot in this store where I was planning to spend thousands of dollars today. Ann Taylor - you did not only lose the sale today. You lost a customer for life - even when I work my way back to my usual size 8. It's really disappointing, because I truly love...

Cute clothes but customer service here is god awful. Came here to exchange an item because the original store that the item was bought from did not have the size that I was looking for. This was supposed to be an easy even exchange but the unnecessary attitude received made it almost not worth it.

Long story short, I tried to exchange a blouse that was purchased in petite for a regular sized one. When I brought it up to the register, the associate there told me to not do it because it would shrink. So I asked her if the Petite size that I had was any different in fabric when it came to shrinkage. She said no and that they all shrink. So I told her that I definitely would want to exchange it for the regular sized one based on what she was saying which made absolutely no sense. Why on the earth would I want to keep my Petite one if it would shrink even more when the length was an issue in the first place. Red flag. Whatever, I moved on.

I politely her that despite her reason, I'd still like to go ahead and proceed with the exchange anyway since I know my sizing best. That was when all hell broke loose and the associate was visibly unhappy and kept on taking a sigh. I had a gift receipt and pulled it up for her. She took one look and said that the item was from an Ann Taylor Factory store which it was not (it was from Old Orchard which is far from Factory store). I was baffled and confused so I called Old Orchard to confirm that it wasn't the case. The associate at Old Orchard was kind and patient and instructed me to tell this associate to put in the SKU number, and it would show that the item in fact is not from a Factory store. When I told her to enter the SKU, that was when her attitude escalated. Clearly, she knew the information all along and was either too lazy or was being difficult.

Because the item was purchased as a part of a promotion literally the day before, the associate proceeded to tell me that I would have to pay the difference unless I had the original receipt. What?!? Since this was a gift receipt, I asked her why she couldn't look up the original receipt in the system since it had the transaction number. I think that was when she realized that I had worked in retail in my younger years and realized that I was not going to have her cheat me like that. Eventually, after much agony on both ends, she said "fine, I'll honor it" when she wasn't really honoring anything. All she had to do was perform her job.

I will not be shopping...

I love Ann Taylor and their clothing selection. However my first experience in this store was not pleasant. I came to return some items I bought ONLINE (not at their store). 4 out of the 9 times I had taken the tags off and decided against it because the fit was not well, hence why I returned the other items. The leggings were thinner than expected and the leather pants had a weird fit and the other pants the material was way too thick.

First I had to wait for the associate to finish her conversation with her coworker. Later she told me she could only give me store credit for the items that didn’t have a tag and her reasoning was because she had to print a tag and re-ticket them and that’s why I couldn’t get my money back in the form of payment. Oh I am sorry for the trouble but I’m pretty sure that’s part of the job description.

I had to call customer service again and they had to send me a return label so I can send the items back and I can get my money back in the form of payment. What an inconvenience just because the employee didn’t want to go through the trouble of re-ticketing the items.

Too bad they closed the Oak Brook location. They had great customer service! Was hoping to have a good experience here since it’s closer...