My very first experience shopping with Modcloth.
This is a store where I have looked at, signed up and then because I live on a budget, I never bought a thing. But it was my favorite place to window shop, browse, create wishlists and get inspiration.
How seriously cute are these?!
After an entire summer involving driving up and down the coast line, involving creeks, beaches, bays, fishing, waterfalls, water parks, lazy rivers and pools *whew!* I realized my 2nd hand and bathing suits weren’t cutting it anymore. I had one sort of nice one that had no support but the rest were all bought on massive sale at the end of the season or given to me by family members. Even when not in the water, there were plenty of times this summer I would wear them beneath my clothing and I really wanted a couple that I could wear in confidence.
Like this chick here, amirite?
I began with Victoria’s Secret due to their sale and at the urging of friends. also bought three (yes three) separate bikinis from Victoria’s Secret and had to return all three of the bikinis due to a medium being too small, a large being too large and strange issues involving cup sizes in the tops as well. Very disappointing. My body shape didn’t lend well to any I tried on.
Maybe I should have stood like this in every picture?
So when I saw that Modcloth had a sale going on their swimwear I decided to bite the bullet and buy one of their fabulous Esther Williams one pieces as well as a high waisted bikini bottom.
I only looked at the sale section, and read through the comments to determine my correct sizing. Modcloth boasts an “easy” return policy. I made my first purchase with them, one bathing suit being a ten and another being a twelve. One was velvet. I’m not sure what I was thinking. It looked great in pictures and was rated well, but once I got it on, it looked terrible on me. So I hopped onto the website to start the return process. The bikini bottoms were ever so slightly too tight and allowed me to choose a different size. The bathing suit however, did not have an option to choose a non velvet style although the website states that it can be exchanged for the same item in a different color or pattern? I hopped onto the Customer Care link to talk to a representative. She put a note in that I could exchange the velvet suit for a more practical one, I choose the blue with red plaid as it was on sale and available in my size. The representative stated she put a note in the system to make the exchange. This was on July 19 and I finished up the return form, typed in the note concerning the Customer Care representative and sent that out the very next day.
This was me, excited, happy, not a care in the world.
In the meantime, the blue plaid swimsuit went on sale for 70% off and it was still available in my size. For under $30 I debated just buying it, but since I could see that my return was received on July 28, and there was a note in the system I was not worried. Nevertheless, I kept the website up, and checked the availability. Imagine my surprise that I get an email that they cannot fill the requirement for the suit on July 31. Wait? The return policy clearly states that it can be returned for the same item in a different size, color or pattern. Never mind that I was unable to choose another color or pattern on the website and had to follow up with a someone but that person’s note obviously did not make it to whomever holds merchandise aside for returns. I also, could have bought this myself had I known that there was such a lack of communication within the departments.
Okay, not that dire, but still, annoying when trying to get a banging swimsuit.
Since this was not only my first purchase from them but my first return, I’m not sure if I want to have further dealings with them. The products I have received from them have been top quality but I found the return policy to be a bit of a headache. I had to start online, start a conversation with a representative, finish the return online afterwards, print off a label, find a container to ship it in, send it off and my return item still wasn’t available? Now all the suits are either back to full price or no longer available in my size. Compare this to Victoria’s Secret where the return label is already printed, I just fill out the form and can even use the same bag it arrived in.
Have any of you ever had a bad return experience? If so, how did that affect your thoughts on the company?
what to do?
toonerdygirls 
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