Complaint: Zara Clothing Store Tyger Valley, Bellville

Item: Zara
Rating: 1
Author: User U

I sent the email below to ********** which email address is apparently for "any comments, queries or complaints" according to the Zara Store Card that was handed to me by the manager of Zara, Tyger Valley, Bellville. I do not intend to re-write the email as I believe it already sets out the events that transpired. It follows that the annexures referred to in the email will not be included to this review. What I find even more dissatisfactory is that despite confirmation from my email server that the email was delivered safely to the above email address, I have received no read receipt, again just confirming that a complaint at Zara is not regarded as urgent. I forthwith copy the email below: Dear Sirs, I am a regular customer of the ZARA Store (“ZARA”) situated in Tyger Valley Shopping Centre (“Tyger Valley”), Bellville. This is a letter of complaint and in short I will address certain aspects during my past two visits to the relevant store to highlight the lack of proper customer service, the lack of competence of the manager of the store as well as the lack of professionalism of the persons in the employ of the store. In order to do so, I set out a short history of the events that transpired during my past two visits to ZARA. I also copy Ms Ilse Mans on my email who is a co-complainant in this matter. On Saturday, 11 June 2016, I attended ZARA during which I fitted (emphasis added) and bought a black so-called bodysuit top (“bodysuit”) which resembles the shape of a one piece swimming suit. A photo of the relevant bodysuit is included herewith for ease of reference. The price of the bodysuit amounts to about R450.00 which in my view is an expensive item of clothing. When I made payment of the bodysuit at the cashier of ZARA she enquired whether I was sure about the size of the bodysuit as the item is non-returnable (emphasis added). I in turn confirmed to the cashier that I am sure about the size as I have fitted it (emphasis added) whereupon she proceeded to scan the item for payment. One week after I bought the bodysuit, on Friday, 17 June 2016, my friend, Ms Ilse Mans (“Ms Mans”) invited me to join her on a shopping trip to Tyger Valley and informed me that she was specifically looking for a bodysuit. I in turn advised that I recently bought a bodysuit (the same one as referred to in my paragraph 2 above) at ZARA and suggested that we attend to ZARA for her to try on the same bodysuit, only in a different colour. As expected there was still a whole rail of the same bodysuits available in store and she took a white medium sized bodysuit from the rail to fit and we made our way to the ladies fitting room situated in the right back corner of the woman section of ZARA. Upon our arrival at the ladies fitting room, we were assisted by a tall adult male (“assistant”) in the employ of the store. I find it necessary to point out at this stage that I find it totally unacceptable that a male employee is appointed and allowed to assist in a female fitting room and I suggest that this be addressed as part of my complaint. We only had the 1 (one) item to fit (bodysuit) and accordingly waited for the assistant to provide us with an item number in order to proceed to the fitting stall. At this stage the assistant informed us that we are not allowed to fit a bodysuit and that we need to proceed to the cashier for payment thereof. I in turn informed the assistant that I attended that ZARA store a week before and fitted the exact same bodysuit without any enquiries or complaints from the instore assistant who attended to me then. He in turn rep**** that ZARA now has a “new policy” which entails that nobody is allowed to fit bodysuits as it is regarded as underwear. Ms Mans then indicated to the assistant that she understands that the policy might require of you to fit the bodysuit over your clothes or underwear, but it simply cannot be that ZARA’s policy requires a customer to buy an item, costing over R450.00, without being able to fit same. She then enquired from the assistant whether she can stand in the entrance of the ladies fitting room, in view of him and everyone else that might enter the ladies fitting room section, and fit the top over her clothes as she just wanted to establish whether the top fits her body. I point out that Ms Mans was wearing a long sleeved shirt, jeans and boots i.e. no part of her skin could come in contact with the bodysuit if fitting over her clothing. The assistant in turn advised Ms Mans that he is only acting upon ZARA’s policy and instructions and that there is nothing further he can do for us. He also refused her request to fit the bodysuit over her clothes under his supervision. He then in a very dismissive tone advised that we are welcome to call the manager of the store should we find his response dissatisfying. Outraged by the aforesaid and the attitude adopted by the assistant, in particular since I fitted the same bodysuit during the previous week at the same store and found it very strange that this so-called “new policy” of ZARA came into operation during that time and the following week as well as the suggestion by the assistant that you are now required to buy an item, costing over R450.00, without being able to fit or return the item. We forthwith insisted that the assistant call the store manager (“manager”) in order to obtain some clarity on the matter. It took about 10-15 minutes before the manager decided to attend to us. The amount of time that past before the manager decided to pitch was so substantial that we already left the fitting room area and we were making our way into the store as we have decided that it is no longer worth the waste of our time. I do not believe that there can be any other explanation for the long delay, i.e. the time that past since the assistant reported to the manager that her assistance is required in the ladies fitting room and her time arrival, other than she had no interest to assist us and did not regard the issue at hand as one that required her urgent attention or one that falls under her duty to rectify situations with dissatisfied customers in her capacity as the manager of the store. I find the laid back attitude adopted by the manager, who is of course supposed to fulfil the duties of manager, completely unacceptable and dissatisfying, especially in a store with an international reputation, capacity and customer base. Upon the manager’s arrival we rehashed the whole conversation we had with the fitting room assistant and politely enquired whether we can now fit the bodysuit. Ms Mans again pointed out to the manager that she is willing to fit the bodysuit in the entrance of the fitting room, over her clothes and under supervision of the manager, in view of all the other ZARA customers using the ladies fitting room, as she just wanted to establish whether the bodysuit will fit her body. The manager in a very arrogant and offensive tone informed us that Ms Mans will not be allowed to fit the bodysuit at all and that it is ZARA’s policy that no customer is allowed to fit a bodysuit as it is regarded as underwear and she went further to address Ms Mans by stating: “If you know your top and bra size then you will know whether the bodysuit fits or not”. I do not even need to address the absurdity of comment by the manager as the clothes in ZARA range from numerous different service providers and/or clothing labels from all parts of the world which occasions the size “medium” to vary from clothing label to clothing label. Furthermore, body shapes differ and it is not a given that both the “top” part and “bottom” part of a bodysuit will fit your specific body shape and it may well be that even if you normally wear a size medium that you now require a size small or large i.e. the necessity to be able to fit clothes in store before you buy it, especially in light thereof that it is non-returnable. It is standard that a person’s top size and pants or panty size may differ. The aforesaid was also conveyed to the manager, who in turn got even more arrogant and offensive in her address to us and just ended the conversation with “that is our policy” and started to walk away. At that stage Ms Mans informed me that she will just leave the bodysuit as it is not worth her time, effort or money. I in turn, who recognised the manager from my previous visit to ZARA, pointed out to the manager that I was in that store the previous week, fitted and bought the exact same top and that she (manager) attended to the cashier’s desk at the time that I paid for the bodysuit and that I find it extremely strange that no “policy” app**** to me then. The manager very arrogantly rep**** by stating: “I am not a cashier and I have never attended to a cashier’s desk and the policy came into operation this week” and she continued walking in the direction of the ladies fitting room. I must point out that I find her defensive answer extremely alarming. She will most certainly be the first manager of a store that have never attended to the cashier’s desk as one would expect that a manager’s duties include authorising and/or overseeing certain purchases or personnel at the cashier’s desk or attending to customer enquiries. Both Ms Mans and I stood in shock for a several minutes only to find that the manager has made it her “little afternoon entertainment” to go and discuss the incident regarding myself and Ms Mans with her fitting room assistant and a female security officer, who is also in the employ of ZARA and who appeared to have left her duties at the entrance of the store to come and enjoy the little banter regarding ZARA’s customers in the ladies fitting room. The conversation between the manager, fitting room assistant and security officer included loud laughing, vexatious and defamatory remarks all within earshot of all ZARA’s customers, including ourselves. I find it necessary to point out that a security officer, in the normal course, has a duty to ensure the safety of ZARA customers and also ZARA itself by ensuring that no goods are ****** from the store. I therefore request an explanation as to why a security officer of ZARA is allowed to abandon her duties at the entrance of the store to hang around the fitting room clearly having purpose or security issue to address in that section of the store. I further require comment on the “policy” of ZARA with regards to professionalism and confidentiality, which in my view falls within the duties of a manager of a store, not to discuss customer complaints with co-employees, which discussion included vexatious and defamatory remarks with regards to the relevant customers. At that stage we have decided that we have had it with the situation and I made my way to the fitting room. Upon my entrance the conversation immediately died down, followed by the security officer side stepping me to make her way out of the fitting room, but disappointingly none of the employees, including the manager, showed any embarrassment or remorse for their repulsing behaviour. I immediately requesting the manager to provide me with her details as I intend to report her and to make a complaint to someone higher up. She stormed out of the fitting room and made her way to the cashier’s desk, the same desk she on her own version never before attended to, where she grabbed a ZARA store card and handed it to me by stating: “Everything you need is on there.” I in turn requested her to write down her name and surname on the card as a reporting and/or complaint will serve no purpose without her details. She grabbed the card from me and wrote the word “Musa” on the relevant card, which she confirmed to be her first name. I include a copy of the relevant store card hereto evidencing the name and handwriting of the relevant manager. I then requested the manager to provide her surname as a first name will not suffice, upon which she responded: “No, I will not” followed by a smug smile. I confronted her in a very agitated tone by asking whether she is now refusing to provide her surname as she is now afraid that her position at ZARA might be in danger as it was made known that I intend to report her and file a complaint as I find her behaviour unacceptable. She then rolled her eyes at me and arrogantly answered by stating: “No, I am not.” I point out that it appeared to me that the manager was very confident that even if a complaint followed, that nothing will happen and her behaviour will have no repercussions whatsoever and she is in no danger of suffering any loss by threat that a complaint that might follow. I therefore require a response with regards to the basis whereupon a manager can refuse to supply a customer with her name and surname in order to make an complaint and as to what disciplinary action will be followed to have the manager removed from her job title. I in turn informed her that I do not have time for her nonsense and that a complaint will follow. This whole incident took place in front of several ZARA customers waiting to pay for their clothes at the cashier’s desk. Ms Mans and I left the ZARA store in absolute disgust. As a further turn of events we decided to go to the Forever New store, just round the corner from ZARA, as they are also known to have bodysuits. How wonderful it was to find that in Forever New, also a well proclaimed store that thrives on their high standards of clothing and by keeping their customers satisfied by providing outstanding customer service, had no complaints as to us wanting to fit several of their bodysuits. Of course, they also abide by a policy that you are to keep your underwear on at all relevant times, but other than that there was not even a blink of an eye as to our request to fit any of their bodysuits. Ms Mans has since made a complaint to ZARA, however this has not resulted in any satisfying response whatsoever and I have therefore decided to make my own further complaint in the hopes that someone will attend thereto and that it might elicit some response. In light thereof that we received no satisfying response to that complaint, I intend to publish this complaint on “hallopeter” as well as all social media pages run by ZARA. I again state that we found the manner in which we were addressed by the manager and the fitting room assistant very unprofessional, totally unacceptable and an embarrassment for a store with an international reputation and client base. We forthwith require an urgent written response with regards to the following: 1. Does the so-called policy with regards to the fitting of a bodysuit in a ZARA store exist; and, if so; 2. How ZARA intends to implement a policy in terms whereof they require a customer to buy an expensive item of clothing from their store, without being able to fit or return same; and 3. What is ZARA’s policy with regards to male employees/assistants in a female fitting room; and 4. What is ZARA’s policy with regards to security personal and abandonment of their duties; and 5. What is ZARA’s policy with regards to a manager refusing to provide her details when a customer intends to make a complaint with regards to the manager’s behaviour and her co-employees; 6. What is ZARA’s policy with regards to the duty of a manager and the manner in which the manager must address ZARA customers; and 7. What steps will be taken against the relevant manager of the store, who clearly is not fit to attend to her job and who clearly fails to understand the importance of what her job description entails; and 8. What apology does ZARA intend to offer myself and Ms Mans with regards to the incident at in the ZARA store and how do they intend to rebuilt the relationship with us in order to keep our support as customers of their store. Lastly, it is required that all correspondence be addressed by way of email as we do not intend to discuss anything telephonically and require all communication regarding the complaint to be recorded in writing.

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