CHANEL — Local services in Miami

I popped in here to try to find a new pair of sunglasses and it was the worst “high end” shopping experience I’ve ever had. Was not greeted or asked if I needed help by a single associate - literally ever. While I was standing in front of the sunglasses display, trying on different pairs, a sales associate was snatching pairs of sunglasses from over my shoulder that I was actively looking at to give to another customer that was actually receiving service. Like SO rude. And then, when I decided on a pair that I wanted, there was still nobody to be found. I saw a woman checking out with another sales associate, so I went and stood behind her so that I could check out as well. Once the sales associate was finished helping the woman in front of me, the associate literally just walked away and didn’t even acknowledge that I was standing there with an item in hand and my credit card out. We stood there for several more minutes just looking around perplexed making eye contact with a manager trying to decide if we should just leave without the glasses (mind you we are standing right near the front in plain sight of the security guards and the manager standing on the steps helping no one). My husband walked around the store, trying to find somebody to help us. An associate just happened to walk by completely ignoring me and I asked if I could pay for the glasses and they said yes hold on and walked away. Finally a manager came and took the glasses and said someone was “trying to find” a new pair from the back for me and it would be a few more minutes. I finally paid for the glasses and left and it was just such a negative experience I will never go back there. It took me about 4 min to choose the glasses, and we stood around awkwardly waiting to be helped for at least 20 minutes. It felt intentional honestly. Like how could they be THAT bad on accident?? I’ll go to another location if I want Chanel in the future, but it’s such a turn off for the brand too. I had been looking for a specific style that I hadn’t had luck finding, so I didn’t want to pass on getting them after actually finding them but overall I wish I would have just left without giving them my business. Don’t bother with this location unless being made to feel like crap because you’re “only” buying a $600 pair of sunglasses...

WARNING POTENTIAL SCAM

This is a truly stunning potential scam because it has plausible deniability at every step. I went with my wife to get her a special end of year present (we went near closing on Dec 31). The sales associate (Joy Beauchamp, rep 5618) spent 30 min showing us bags near the front of the store and we all decided on a distinct bag with a turn key clasp. My wife stepped outside while I paid and as soon as she left, it looked like a light bulb went on in the woman’s eyes. She briefly glanced at her iPad and immediately exclaimed “we have a new one in the back that you can use instead of this display one!” She went back and brought out an elaborately bagged and wrapped box. She glanced up at me as she scanned the tag and I paid and left. When we got back home, my wife unwrapped the layers and it was the wrong purse! It was a similar size, black color, and price, but was this horrific item with a putrid-colored emblem and no turn key clasp. I suspect she sneakily swapped it, perhaps because she got a better commission from an item that looked impossible to sell! My wife ran back and the security and work staff acted liked they had never met her before. The woman she had sold the bag hid quietly behind. She had to show photographic evidence (she had taken photos of the purse she wanted) for them to allow her to swap it out. They didn’t even let her in the store while the correct exchange was made. My wife asked a few prying questions and the manager’s memory (Schalanda, rep 5004) was magically restored when she responded, “You shouldn’t have left the store when your husband paid.” No one apologized, supporting that this was no accident. There is a no return policy for these, which is news to most guys— myself included, until this event. I suspect it would have been impossible to exchange (and memories would have been permanently ‘lost’) the next business day. A stunning move and BUYER BEWARE for the...

Gorgeous store with awful service.

I popped by yesterday after visiting Porcelanosa for a client. Security at the door asked whether I had an appointment. Apparently they don’t want the masses just walking around the store ? so I waited alone, outside behind a rope for 3 minutes while they located an employee to assist me.

Once inside, I am introduced to a very tall, dark-haired man in his 40-50s (?) but I’m unsure if he’s going to escort me to a sales person or if he IS the sales person. He doesn’t explain. He only says hi. Barely. I ask if he’s there to assist me and he is.

I tell him the specific bag I’m interested in and he proceeds to barely “help” me, still barely talking. Apparently the bags sell themselves?

At no point did I feel welcome. He did answer my questions, but he did not go one word beyond that. I could best describe his vibe as chilly. Aka borderline rude. It certainly did not make me want to stay or open my LV bag and my Hermes wallet and purchase said bag.

I toyed with the thought of dragging him to multiple areas to examine other bags and baubles for the next half hour but nah, I had other things to do, so off I went, wondering … who gets a proper service experience at this Chanel store?

PS I’ve since purchased a lovely Chanel tote, resale, from a local and lovely...