Plato's Closet — Local services in La Crosse

If I could share a review without giving any stars I would! Unfortunately, Google requires atleast 1 star. Let me start by saying I have sold and shopped at numerous locations, from Texas to Oklahoma to New Jersey and now Onalaska Wisconsin. By no means am I saying that all of my "clothes/shoes/purses" etc are in perfect condition and/or top notch name brand items. This review has NOTHING to do with what they accepted or rejected. It is strictly about the level of customer service received during my 2 hour long visit. I have worked in the customer service industry for over 30 years. My review is based on the level of professionalism I would expected from my employees.

There were 3 maybe 4 employees working, all of who were maybe 17 or 18. I was greeted promptly and asked if I shopping or selling. I responded "both". I was directed to place my container to the left and asked if I had sold to Plato's Closet before, to which I responded "yes". She took my tote and asked if i was going to hang out and wait or come back. I asked how long the was and she responded "there's only 1 person before you so maybe 20-30mins". I responded, "perfect, I'll just shop while I wait. " I knew I had an appointment at 5 so I had 2 hours of wiggle room. After shopping for over an hour and watching/listening to the 3 people working behind the counter talk about a customer who had been in the store a few days before, I decided to ask how much longer it would be. She responded "whats your name again" I answered, and she said "oh, we're just waiting for the other girl to get back from break to make you an offer." I'm sure I had a confused look since I had watched them go thru my totes 35mins ago and it had been sitting on the completed shelf for atleast 20mins now. (The girl they were waiting for had only been on break for maybe 10mins) I pointed out that my tote had been sitting on the shelf for atleast 20mins, which meant it was finished 10mins before she went on break. Plus i had checked on the status 5mins before she clocked out. She responded with a snarky attitude and said "oh sorry, there's only 3 people working and in case you haven't noticed you are NOT the only customer." I'm sure my facial expression said everything my mouth couldn't get out, but I responded "lol my bad. I saw her put the lid of my tote and move it to the completed shelf so I assumed it was finished since that seems to be where everything goes once it has been inspected." To which she said "well it's not, I will let you know when its done." I said ok and sat down in the chair by the waiting room (where I remained for over an hour). Finally after watching them mess around and watch tiktok videos for awhile I asked again if my stuff was ready, and said if it wasn't I'll just bring it back another time bc I needed to get to my appointment. Mind you, i was told "20-30mins" and it's now been almost 2 hours. I guess that kicked things into gear and she responded, "oh it's ready, do you want to trade or get cash" i asked what the amount was for both options and wanted whichever was the quickest. I thanked her and started walking towards the door as she said "well someone's in a bitchy mood". I wanted to snap back but silence is a...

As someone who was a store manager for a Plato’s Closet, my experience here was very disappointing and frustrating. I walked in to pick up my buy and there were about 3-5 employees behind the cash wrap. It was not busy when I walked in, yet no employee greeted my partner and I nor asked if we needed help. We stood closer to the checkout counter hoping an employee would help us. Mind you, there were no customers near the checkout line and it was just my partner and I upfront, yet we waited for 10+ mins before an employee told us they could help us. Within that 10+ mins of waiting, another customer walked in to pick up their buy and was helped before us. After the employees helped this customer (again, who came in after us), the employees looked at us and proceeded to go back to tag/organize clothes instead of helping us. It wasn’t until an employee who left the counter when we walked in, came back and told us they could help us. What also frustrated me was when I was finally helped, the employee asked to see my ID. The employees did not ask to see the previous customer’s ID (customer was white) when they came to pick up their buy nor have I ever seen them (while I was getting checked out) ask for others’ ID who also were white. This was my first experience selling with them but I have shopped here before, and even then my experience was frustrating as well. I was never asked if I was a part of their loyalty program (which was a phone number), yet I could overhear them ask every white customer who was checked out before me if they were a loyalty member. Similar to earlier, there also have been times where I was ready to check out, made eye contact with employees who were standing behind the checkout, but I still had to wait minutes and minutes before anyone asked if I was ready to check out. What’s also disappointing and unacceptable is that my friends who are POC that have shopped here before experienced very similar service.

I understand there are policies and procedures in place but when the employees are picking and choosing who they enforce these policies on, it is unfair and unacceptable. So when the staff are not consistent with these policies and I notice I am being treated half-heartedly and differently, I am 100% going to believe it is because of my skin color and because of the way I look. If the staff is going to check my ID, they better be checking every buyers’ ID as well. And if they are asking customers about loyalty/rewards memberships, they should be asking me and EVERY customer. As for the customer service, coming from a former store manager, I know damn well that customers should be greeted, and should not have to wait 10+ minutes to be ACKNOWLEDGED, and should not have to ask for help, especially when they are standing in front of the checkout area. It is YOUR JOB as staff to make me ,a customer, feel welcome and I have never felt welcomed in any of my visits and do not plan on...

I usually rave about this place. I’ve always had great service. Today however, they were telling customers that they couldn’t try on 90% off clearance items. Mind you, I’ve been going to this store for several years and have been to several 70% +90% off sales this year already, and never have I been told this. I usually spend $100 each time, plus I bring friends/family and sometimes these people are driving from 40 mins away. No one has told me that you can’t try on clearance before. This means that either associates are not enforcing this new rule, or they’re doing it in a discriminatory way, and that is NOT ok. I did ask to speak to the manager and asked when this new policy was put into affect, and she said this year. I recommended they put up a sign to be transparent with their customers, especially people who are driving from far away to come for that specific sale. This is not right. After shopping for an hour and having a cart of items and then being told you can’t try on half that are clearance items? That’s not right. I advise you guys to think about changing this “new policy” or making it clear in writing, on signs in front of the clearance, along with including it on your media posts and text alerts that announce about sales. I understand this probably wasn’t the manager’s idea and she was actually very nice when I brought up that it’s a transparency issue, and she allowed me to try on my clearance items, but I felt bad for several people that had been turned away before me and were visibly upset and voiced that they probably wouldn’t come back. right is right and wrong is wrong.Do better Platos Closet, it is time to be...