Wild Fern Boutique — Local services in Vancouver

I’ve found cute stuff in here several times, and I like the aesthetic, the ability to shop at local shops and try stuff on (unlike online shopping), and the curated selection. But, I’m super sad because I have been left with an odd taste in my mouth by the customer service. When I brought a sweatshirt up front to buy it, the sales associate rang it up at $2 more than the price tag said. $2 is a super small difference and was not a big deal to me for this particular item, but when I asked about the different price because I was genuinely confused and had never run into this at a boutique before, I felt like the sales associate was somewhat condescending in explaining that it has been the store’s mistake not to cover up the brand’s price tag with their own, but the other sweatshirts in the stack on the table were marked at the correct price $2 more than the brand’s price and it’s a bummer to see the other price on the tag but this is how all boutiques operate. Obviously I hadn’t unfolded other sweatshirts on the table to check each one’s price — who would do that? I had been SO excited about the soft, cute sweatshirt, but by the end of the long, confusing conversation I left feeling like since it was the store’s mistake, maybe they could have just rung it up at the price on the tag that was $2 less, or done something tiny like that to make it a happy transaction rather than a confusing, off-putting one? I totally totally understand that by buying local I got to try it on and not pay the brand’s shipping cost so I don’t have an issue with the $2 at all; it was more just feeling talked down to and like there was no flexibility or tiny gesture to say “hey sorry, our bad!” even though it was the store’s mistake that a totally official legit-looking price tag wasn’t actually the price tag. Just an odd, unpleasant experience that I don’t usually have at the other shops I...

Update: The business owner’s response contains personal information and false accusations, which violates Google’s policy. It has been reported to Google for review.

“We filed a police report… told him if he didn’t stop, we’d file a harassment order and civil court action.”

That’s a direct admission of escalating a situation through threats of law enforcement and litigation in response to my legitimate review and prior presence as a customer.

Posting my full legal name is both a privacy invasion and platform violation, done in a retaliatory context. Her threats of police and civil action in response to a legitimate review constitute defamation per se and intimidation.

The owner’s claim that I “forcefully tried to sell homemade goods” is false. On a previous visit, I shared a small parcel of gemstones as a friendly gesture. The cashier actually selected and kept one of mine without permission. I chose to be polite and not make an issue of it at the time. Misrepresenting that act of kindness as harassment or coercion is defamatory.

A couple of years ago, I was ready to make a significant purchase—around $500 for a full outfit change—but the experience was unacceptable. The staff’s behavior was erratic, and the owner wasn’t any better. It quickly became clear that nearby businesses were also affected by the same toxic atmosphere.

What should have been a straightforward browsing experience leading to high-value purchases instead became a lesson in how not to treat customers. My money was better spent elsewhere. Every brand Wild Fern carries deserves better representation, and I intend to share my professional experience with...

I needed Christmas gifts for some family members and wanted to shop and support a local business or two this year. I saw this boutique in an online list of local shops in Vancouver to shop at for the holidays and decided to give it a try. The shop is beautiful! It’s corner location with big windows and tall ceilings really makes it feel open and airy. Everything was neat and tidy and it felt comfortable in the space. I brought my son with me and the incredibly kind woman working the store was so great with him! She chatted with him about different crystals and stones and made the shopping experience very calm and welcoming (and less stressful for me!). The selection of goods is impressive; there are clothes for men and women as well purses and backpacks, and hats and jewelry. There were various gift-able items such as crystals, books, oils, lotions, blankets, and lots of different knick knacks. I love that most items are from small companies or have a unique story to them. I found a few items to gift for Christmas and want to come back to shop for myself...