Buyer beware

I just wanted to share a little story with you all about my recent experience with the J crew website.

While browsing the web, as I have been known to do, I came across some cute flamenco bikinis clearance out on jcrew.com. I usually like to buy at least one swimsuit at the end of the season to take advantage of the end of season prices. All of the colors were so cute, I couldn't decide which to get. I let the availability choose for me. The first color choice that I found both the top and the bottom in my size was the "rich aqua". I purchased the set right away.

A week later, a package from J Crew was on my doorstep. When I opened it, the only thing I could find was the top. Confused, I checked the packaging again. No bottom. I pulled out the invoice/packing slip. No mention of the bottom. I started to doubt myself, maybe I hadn't actually purchased the set. I went online to check my purchase. I wasn't crazy, I had indeed ordered both items. Knowing shopping online can get a little nuts sometimes, I just assumed that they shipped the items separately for some reason. I let the matter go.

Two days later, I get an email telling me that my order had been "inventory cancelled". Are you kidding me?! Any moron should be able to realize that sending me a top without the matching bottoms makes the top useless to me. Seriously, why not at least contact me to see if I still wanted the top before they charged me and shipped it to me? I would've even taken another color just to get the matching set. These items are "final sale", I was stuck with the top and no bottom. I quickly went online to find an alternative bottom to order. However, when I got there, I realized that the item I had ordered was still available on the website.

Confused, I called jcrew's customer service line. The rep kindly explained to me that their website has had problems updating the stock of merchandise, especially when it's clearanced merchandise. She was very helpful and was able to order an alternative size for me. She then told me that should my order get cancelled again, she had made a note on my order that I should be allowed to return the "final sale" item. She was also kind enough to waive the shipping fee. However, I was absolutely stunned that even a real live person working for the company couldn't tell me whether or not the item was actually in inventory. How does a business operate like that? I fail to understand. However I was hopeful that this order would work out in my favor so I thanked the helpful woman and went about my day.

The next morning, sure enough, another email showed up telling me that my order had been cancelled.
At that point, I was just fed up with the whole matter.

I love the top, so I'm keeping it. Therefore, I'm now on a mission to find cute bottoms to wear with it. However, I will not be scoping out jcrew.com for these bottoms.

Keep your eyes open for me. I'm not counting on finding any plain bottoms in that exact blue color so I'm guess that I'll have to go with something in white. If you see anything that might work for me, send it my way!

Two things I hope you take away from my experience are that J Crew has very helpful customer service reps that tried to make things right for me, but their inventory tracking system needs some work so be aware that "item in stock" isn't always what it seems when shopping online.