What is it with me and luxury goods? First, I got a wonky pair of Louboutins. Then my beloved Louis Vuitton Alma bag was scratched by a guy who wasn’t watching where he was going at a lame event Robert dragged me to against my will. And now, in London, I treated myself to a LV Keepall weekend bag to bring with me on city breaks, and they buggered up the heat stamping!
So, what happens when Louis Vuitton screws up? What can you expect in the Louis Vuitton customer service experience?
An upside down ‘S’… are they kidding me with this?
I love shopping at Louis Vuitton and I love carrying their bags. I grew up shopping at Sears and JC Penney for special occasions, and K-Mart for pretty much everything else. So going into an LV boutique and having the guy on the door say “good morning” rather than eyeing me suspiciously, and being greeted right away by friendly staff before being offered a seat and a beverage is a whole different world.
This time we were at Louis Vuitton’s London flagship store on New Bond Street… my favorite! I was just going in “to look,” as I’d done in Rome, Hamburg, and Athens. In Hamburg, I informed Robert that I needed a small dog so I could justify one of those adorable dog carriers, and in Athens, Robert finally drank the Kool-Aid and got a weekend bag of his own.
Robert sat in a comfy seat drinking coffee while I modeled prospective weekend bags. Is it too big for me? Do I look out of balance? Will I be able to fit everything I need? Will people think it’s fake? I love the brown monogram canvas, but I’d die if anyone thought I was carrying a fake!
Once I’d decided on a bag and we worked out the monogramming for the luggage tag, a big step since I went with my married initials, they whisked away the tag and brought us more drinks. Before long, our SA returned with our boxed up purchases… I’d bought Robert a toiletries bag to match his weekender, and we were on our way.
I was so happy to finally ditch the awful ancient silver wheelie bag I’d gotten as an employee Christmas gift, in favor of something a bit more stylish. So imagine my horror when I unboxed my new Louis Vuitton Keepall and discovered the upside “S”!!!!! Talk about an anticlimax!
So back to New Bond Street we went the next morning! My SA had the day off, so I explained the situation very quietly to someone else who was every bit as mortified as I knew they would be. She offered us a seat and something to drink, then the manager came to speak with us. I love that it was handled quickly and discretely, and kudos to the manager for dealing with the situation personally. So far, the Louis Vuitton customer service experience was in line with my expectations.
The guy doing the new hot stamp was very, very careful, and it looked great, except that when he compared it side by side to the original tag, the leather was about 5 shades darker! I hate being that person but having shelled out over £1,000 the day before for a bag made with leather so beautiful, it’s bought by the centimeter, that just wasn’t acceptable.
Louis Vuitton Vachetta leather is untreated and develops a patina over time. At some point, the shade of the leather trim on the bag would’ve caught up to the tag, but in the meantime, I didn’t want to be carrying around a mismatched bag! The trim on new bags and most counterfeits is a light beige; over the years, the trim on authentic bags darkens to a lovely deep honey color. Some people go to great lengths to try and maintain the light beige, but I’ve been leaving my bag in the sun to speed up the patina process.
The manager came over again, apologizing profusely. He went away, then returned with a selection of luggage tags, doing his best to find one that matched the original, and he did! Now that’s what I call service, and that’s why it’s such a joy to shop at Louis Vuitton… you can’t beat the Louis Vuitton customer service experience!
When we bought Robert’s bag in Athens, the first bag had a scratch on the leather trim. Fortunately we noticed it while still in the boutique, and the whole bag had to be thrown out! Back where I come from that would be grounds for a 20% discount, but Louis Vuitton doesn’t discount, ever. They also offered no compensation for the inconvenience of the mis-stamped luggage tag. But then again if you’re shopping at a place where they don’t bother to put price tags on things, a discount would be insulting.
So now you know what happens when a brand like Louis Vuitton screws up and what to expect from the Louis Vuitton customer service experience. Mistakes happen… and they rescued it.
I can’t fault Louis Vuitton for service, craftsmanship, or anything else, and I’m so very happy with my new bag. I’m looking forward to our many trips together, and I can’t wait for my next Louis Vuitton bag ;-)
Fi Ní Neachtáin says
I can’t believe that designer brands with such a high price tag would mess up like this, it’s not very acceptable is it? I never buy designer goods, apart from my Guess bags, simply because I don’t think they’re worth the money. It’s good that you were able to get some satisfaction from the store manager and get a new tag with correct lettering on it.
Sage says
After my Louboutin debacle, I have to agree with you, but Louis is the exception. Those bags are art!
Theresa says
I like your story! I’m intrigued by your travels to London and all of these other places, you shop at the nicest stores in the world! I look forward to hearing more about your travels, and I’ll have to go see how you ended up with this amazing lifestyle.
Sage says
It’s a lot less glamorous than you probably think, but this post will give you a good overview:
http://www.sageandsimple.com/2015/01/financial-priorities-expat-glamour-on-a-shoestring/
Thanks for stopping by and letting me know you were here :-)
Jennifer says
Kudos to you and your eagle eye for spotting the mistake! I am shocked that they would flip the first initial upside-down. Where is the quality control check? AND they failed to include the final period (full stop) after your last initial. Unacceptable! By the way, had I been you, I would have telephoned the store from my hotel room and insisted that they come fetch the bag at your hotel. That’s the kind of customer service I would expect. Sadly, they didn’t deliver. Also, I was surprised that they didn’t offer you anything for the inconvenience. I realize this isn’t JC Penney, but still, something should have been in order. Meanwhile, I stopped by your fave London jeweller and just as you implied, it’s a fab shop. Thanks for the tip.
Sage says
I definitely wouldn’t have turned down a £250 voucher off my next bag… I should’ve made a scene ;-)
I love Farringdons, glad you were able to stop in. I’ve got my eye on one of those platinum & diamond Art Deco bracelets, it’s fortunate for my bank account that I live in Denmark!
Natalie says
Whoa! I knew the LV bags were expensive, but I didn’t know they were THAT expensive! (I could easily make my house payment with that bag!) While I don’t buy designer stuff (generally because of the sticker shock I get from it), that is reassuring that the brand will work with you to make things right when they’ve messed up. In so many areas, customer service is a lost art, so it’s good to hear when companies are still willing to help out their customers.
Sage says
And that’s a cheap one ;-)
I can only afford it because I don’t have a family to support, and we’ll have paid off our mortgage next month. I’ve finally reached financial cruising altitude and can loosen up on the purse strings once in awhile, which is nice.
tammileetips says
I have never bought a bag like this before!! I had to look twice to catch the upside down s that’s so crazy!! I am glad they took care of you sounds like amazing customer service!
leirapagaspas says
Wow a Louis Vuitton!!! Its my dream bag that I know I can never afford. I always believe that you get what you pay for.
Sage says
:)
You do get what you pay for. I have no doubt that my LV bags will not only last me a lifetime, but be able to be handed down to future family fashionistas.
Joanne T Ferguson says
Wow! I have never owned a handbag and don’t really get the excitement of designer bags! But my friends more than share the excitement for me!
Sage says
It’s really only LV that does it for me. I’ve never wanted a bag from Coach, Prada, Fendi, Kate Spade, etc., but once I held my first Alma bag, there was no turning back!
The only other bags I feel this way about are the Hermes Birkin and Kelly, and I’m not willing to jump through the hoops necessary to be deemed worthy of owning one.
Krystal says
What a crazy mistake. You know what, I wouldn’t have even noticed that error! But, once you pointed it out, I couldn’t stop staring. I love their quality products and owning a Speedy is actually on my bucket list. ;) Glad their service was impeccable and that you are spreading the word!
Sage says
I’m so glad I noticed it before we left London! You will love your Speedy :)
Cara (@StylishGeek) says
I didn’t doubt for a minute that you would receive impeccable service. That is part of why LV bags are luxury items. They really have exemplary customer service!
Since you love LVs, have you looked into Goyard? Absolutely fabulous line! They are my favorite! :)
Sage says
Good call! I’ve been to the Goyard store in Paris and was smitten with their beautiful hard sided luggage and trunks. I took a lovely photo outside their shop… if I can find it, I’ll post it for Travel Tuesday :)
Michelle Hwee says
Wow what a great story! I am so glad they made it right for you! I would of never thought of what would happen but now I do. My mom loves LV so now I can reassure her that if ever anything went wrong, they would make it right! What a great CS from a luxury brand!!
beautybymissl says
A nice LV bag is in my wishlist. It has been there for the last three years and probably will be there for some more, but one day I’ll buy it :P
Victoria says
I cannot believe that they would have made that mistake at the prices they charge. I have three designer clutches and I would be very disappointed if there were an error after spending big bucks on the item. This is a great post though.