Disappointment. Great disappointment. I submitted my brand analysis on Topshop just last week. And now I feel so disappointed with the brand. I know the brand is a franchise in SG as it is in many other countries but the clothings all have to passed through UK before reaching the rest of the world. Is there no QC just becos it's mass production?
Went to Topshop the other day. I spent a whole hour browsing around at almost every shelf, every rack and tried on several pairs of heels in the shop (except for the maternity and petite sections) and I nearly went out of the shop empty handed, which is pretty rare cos I do like the brand very much and the items there really appeal to me. After walking out of the changing room twice with nothing I like, I was at the verge of giving up finding something and was close to buying the skater dress which I oredi have in a different colour.
Last option, I went to the 'Last Chance to Buy' rack and finally I found something. Not too much like me but decent enough to fit on me. I was too exhausted to try it again and since it was my size I just picked it, paid for it and left, happy that I have purchased something. Shopping itch cured.
First thing I did when I got home was to try on the top to see how it looked on me and to my greatest disappointment, the blouse is torn!! Ok, I am not expecting premium quality buying a torn item is simply ridiculous! Come on, I paid close to 100bucks for the blouse, surely I deserve better than that isn't it? I have to make yet another trip down to Topshop just to exchange for something else. Swapped for a dress eventually. I didn't fancy the dress that much but got it still under a 'no other choice' circumstance or unless I really get the skater dress instead. This time I checked it thoroughly just to make sure it's not torn.
Again, I went home to try it on. No there's no tear. But the material in the first place oredi turns me off. It's the cheap kinda cotton. Upon close examination, I realised that the dress is not even properly sewn and the hem is so haphazardly cut!! What is this? I have heard that the quality of Topshop clothings is getting bad but I didn't expect it to be THIS inferior. I mean I dun expect it to last me a lifetime but I don't expect an item at such price to be incomparable to stuff that can be easily gotten at any marketplace at a much lower price.
This really isn't the first time. The skater dress that I mentioned earlier, there was slight furring after the first wash. I blamed it on my washing machine. My floral pansy dress which I love so much has a tear after a few wash and no I didn't wear it very often.
Really, I am ultra disappointed. This is what consumer's brand experience is all about. Seriously, which party is responsible? In my opinion, all. First, Topshop should take proper charge of the quality of their garment since everything have to pass through UK before reaching the franchisees. But obviously there isn't any quality check. No, I am not talking about the torn blouse but the bad stitch up. And yes, how did a torn blouse ended up on the rack? Do they think that by providing fairly acceptable customer service is going to make a consumer forget such an experience? Out of more than 10 staff in the store and no one realise it? Or was it left on the rack deliberately to be bought by someone as silly as me? For clarification purposes, there were more than one item I spotted on the rack that have defects. If I as a consumer who spent less than 15mins at the rack can spot those tears and defects I cannot comprehend why the staff there weren't able to.
I enquired with the STORE MANAGER when would those bleach washed skinnies on Topshop website be arriving in SG? Her answer is yet another insult to the brand. She said, "I am not sure. We don't get all the items here. They are coming from UK." Der!! I know the products are coming from UK but that didn't answer my question! What do you mean you don't know? Is there no proper communication between the franchisor and franchisee? Or between the franchisee and its employees? Surely they are briefed on the items right? Already it's bad enough that items take eight weeks to reach all international retail stores and people on the receiving end don't even know what they are getting??
I have ranted enough. To sum up, it was a terrrible brand experience for me and sad to say it happened with my favourite apparel brand. Will I desert the brand after this? Hard to say but I am more inclined to say it's likely though. Pull & Bear has awesome skinnies too and lower priced. River Island can substitute for the bold and loudness. And I can always shop online with asos.com for pretty dresses. Honestly, if the brand is not going to make any improvement or change, be it on the franchisor or franchisee's part, I cannot find a reason good enough for me to stay faithful.
