Trendy, but efficient and professional
Written: Mar 03 '02
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I've ordered clothing and accessories from A&F's website four or five times. Each order was delivered quickly -- sometimes faster than promised -- with excellent packaging and 100% accuracy. I have used the site as a resource only when I was unable to find a particular item in a preferred color or size at one of their retail stores, or when I saw it significantly cheaper on-line.
I won't get into the issue of Abercrombie's "trendiness" or its desirability as a name brand. What I look for in clothing is quality and a sense that I got a fair price.
This means that when purchasing from any retailer, the things I am most concerned about are value, selection, customer service, and any extra benefits I might enjoy. I summarize my experiences with Abercrombie's website below.
VALUE
In terms of what you get for your money, the merchandise at the A&F website is identical to what you find at their retail outlets. (Selection does vary, however -- see below.) Prices are generally the same as well, although occasionally you will find some items for a different price (either cheaper or more expensive), especially toward the end of each season when the company starts to roll out the discounts. The website doesn't always apply the discounts at the same time as the retail stores -- sometimes they come sooner, sometimes later. That can be a bit aggravating when the website has something in stock that your local store doesn't, but the local store is charging $10.00 less.
For me, value also includes quality, and here the A&F line of goods has started to waver a bit lately. Stores like A&F generally outsource the manufacturing of their clothes, and a couple of years ago a rumor was afoot that A&F had switched vendors, opting for a manufacturer who used less expensive materials and processes. I personally believed the rumor to be confirmed when I compared Abercrombie clothes that I'd bought before that time to the ones currently available. It started with the men's boxer shorts (I noticed a different grade of fabric and a less meticulous construction of the waistband) and continued with the men's t-shirts and buttondowns. With the shirts, the feel and density of the cotton fabric seemed to have decreased and the detailed tailoring that I'd come to expect from Abercrombie seemed a little "off."
So, although the merchandise at the A&F website is the same as what you'd find in their stores, that's not saying as much these days as it once did. The relatively high price-point of some A&F clothing makes this more of an issue now than before this rumored lessening in their quality.
SELECTION
Given the array of clothing and accessories that Abercrombie features during any given season, it would probably present a logistical nightmare to the company if it tried to make absolutely everything available on the website. As a result, I get the sense that what it features is more like the "greatest hits" of the current collection. At the same time it is important to note that certain Abercrombie stores around the nation are considered "test markets" by the company and carry merchandise that you won't find, say, in their store at another mall in the same area. These items don't appear on the website either. And, as I mentioned earlier, once discounts start to set in you can't be sure that an item will be discounted on the website in the same manner it is at the store.
In general, too, at the same time that A&F appeared to switch the vendors who make their clothing for them, they also appeared to scale back on the number and variety of items they offered. Perhaps this is simply a by-product of the current economic climate, but I do miss some of the styles that I think have helped A&F to make its reputation, such as the men's paratroop pants. Soon after these appeared at A&F you could find all sorts of imitations at other stores. Somehow, though, A&F made them better. It just seems lately that Abercrombie isn't creating fashion trends the way they used to.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
As I mentioned above, the fulfillment of my orders with A&F was top-notch, absolutely accurate and packaged securely. Each order arrived on time or before I expected it. I have not had to experience returning anything yet, so I cannot comment on that aspect of their service. I suspect, however, that you can return any item directly to one of their retail stores for a refund -- just have your invoice from your on-line purchase.
BONUS BENEFITS
One unexpected benefit of shopping at the A&F website is that I'm on the mailing list for what I call a "mini catalog." This mini catalog is an abridged version of the famous (or infamous) A&F Quarterly, Abercrombie's combination catalog-magazine. The mini version includes only the G-rated photos and includes a sampling of the clothes from the larger version, without any of the Quarterly's feature articles, but it usually arrives a couple of weeks before the Quarterly appears in the stores and is otherwise unavailable.
Conclusion
A&F's website is an excellent resource, provided you can find what you want and are willing to pay whatever price they feature. I recommend you check out a local A&F store before ordering from the site, however -- you might find your item there, and you might even find it cheaper.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me: An engineering manager and music fan -- everything from classical to rock and hip-hop
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