Eddie Bauer Online Store– Maintaining the Commitment to 100% Customer Satisfaction
Written: Nov 06 '01 (Updated Nov 09 '01)
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
| On-Time Delivery: |
|
|
| Selection: |
|
|
The Bottom Line
Eddie Bauer.com has done their best to make online shopping as painless as possible. If you like their clothes, give them a try.
|
| Full Review |
One thing about being a music lover is that sometimes the hobby sometimes takes over necessities. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat with my last $15 trying to decide if I should buy a new album or eat lunch (food is overrated anyway). My obsession with music definitely affects my wardrobe as well. Recently I looked into my closet and, from the severe lack of wearable clothing contained within, decided that it was time to hit up my friends at Eddie Bauer. If you’re not familiar with the Eddie Bauer brand, it consists of business casual (perfect for work) and casual Men’s, Women’s, and Children’s apparel. They also carry activewear for outdoor sports and activities.
During my college days, I actually used to work at one of the Eddie Bauer brick-and-mortar stores. It was there that I learned of Eddie Bauer’s commitment to providing their customers with excellent customer service and 100% satisfaction. While other companies claim “the customer is always right”, then thumb their noses at you when you have a problem, associates Eddie Bauer truly bends over backwards (I’ve got the creases to prove it) to make sure that the customer is pleased. To quote the Eddie Bauer creed, “To give you such outstanding quality, value, service and guarantee that we may be worthy of your high esteem.”
Now being the average, everyday testament to XY chromosomes that I am, there’s nothing more that I hate than shopping. So, when it’s time to get new clothes, instead of wandering dazed and confused through suburban malls looking for clothes, I simply replenish my wardrobe at home, using trusted vendors’ convenient catalogs and websites. Naturally, one of my favorite sites is the Eddie Bauer Online Store.
- The Site -
The Eddie Bauer site is highly intuitive and easy to use. The front page is divided into categories for users to select from, such as Men, Women, Boys, Girls, and Sale. Once the user selects the category, they can search menus for individual items, like sweaters, shirts, pants, etc. When you find a specific item you’re interested in, you can see a picture of the item and view its different colors and styles. If it’s one of their featured pieces, you have the option of even viewing it on a model to see how it looks and hangs; a very useful feature.
When you’re set to order, you just add items to your cart, like with any other retail site. You do have a few other options though, such as checking for the availability of items. Even though the company usually has an excellent stock of merchandise, this feature is great during busy shopping seasons.
If you do have any difficulty navigating or using the site, in the customer service section they have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, the email address and toll-free phone number for support. They even have an option to chat live with a customer service rep. I haven’t used this feature yet, but it’s extremely reassuring to know that the reps are so accessible.
Since Eddie Bauer first started in 1920 as a mail-order catalog business (yes, they make Sales Associates learn the history of the company), they naturally have integrated the catalog with the site. If you find an item in the catalog that you want to order from the site, you have the option of typing in the catalog number, and it will take you to the specific item.
- Prices -
One of the great things about Eddie Bauer merchandise is that it’s more than reasonably priced. For example, one of the things I try to make sure my wardrobe contains is an assortment of khaki pants. I’ve got a pair of Tommy Hilfiger khakis that cost $55 and some Dockers khakis at $44 each. The pair of Eddie Bauer khakis I bought cost $38. And this price has not changed in years; the wrinkle-free khakis were 38 bucks back when I worked there. Not too bad.
Also, they don’t punish big & tall guys or petite and …(uh oh! Mad searches for a euphemism)… full-size women for being a little larger or smaller than the average. Prices for larger sizes and lengths are the same as those for regular items 100% of the time. And to be honest, I don’t even believe that the average male height is 5’11”. It’s probably a conspiracy to get more cash out of guys by classifying them as “tall”. Anyway, I love this aspect about the company because I hate being charged upwards of $5 for another few inches of fabric. I can buy a few extra CDs with that money!
- Shipping -
I’ve never ever ever ever had any trouble with EB shipping me anything. Clothes are wrapped individually and neatly, and shipped in a very timely manner (usually 3-4 days). Like the majority of online vendors, they do offer a wide array of shipping options as well like express, overnight, and such. Those services do cost a little bit more, but are invaluable for people prone to forget family member’s birthdays. *Ahem*
- Customer Service -
You just don’t know what good customer service is until you’ve shopped at Eddie Bauer. If you’re unsatisfied with something, don’t hesitate to return it at any time for any reason. The online customer can send it back through the mail, or return it to one of the many Eddie Bauer stores nationwide. When I worked there, I had seen customers return balled-up, nasty pieces of clothing that they’ve worn for months, and we accepted it. The same works for items ordered online. As a customer, my experiences have been hassle-free. But please, be courteous to your Eddie Bauer associates. If you’ve given the clothes so much funk that Bootsie Collins is jealous, just wash it before you take it back.
So, if you’re looking for a great online shopping experience, you can do much worse than Eddie Bauer Online Store at eddiebauer.com. With great prices, nice merchandise, and outstanding customer service, you can’t go wrong. Also, for home furnishings and sale items, check out Eddie Bauer Home and Eddie Bauer Outlet, respectively.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
madtheory
|
 - Top 100 |
|
Location: Dallas,TX
Reviews written: 487
Trusted by: 592 members
About Me:
DON'T CALL IT A COMEB... wait. I guess you actually can call it a comeback.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.