The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsEver had a dry cleaner lose something and then blame it on you? (or some such thing)
I've used dry cleaners off and on for years and years, and I've never had this happen before. Whenever I've heard or read about it happening to someone else, it hasn't seemed to end well for the customer, so I'm not expecting much remedy here. But...maybe?
Anyway, I went through my closet mostly to see what business suits I can still wear and are still stylish. Because suits are usually a classic type style and cut, a few of them were fine, but they needed hemming or some other alteration after I lost weight, and then of course a cleaning. I vowed to only put back things in my closet that I would and could wear easily -- anything else was given away or discarded. What that meant is that my closet was pretty empty as I was going through this process. The alteration place was a part of the dry cleaner where I went.
After picking up all my items, I put the suits back together to hang in the closet, and I found I was missing a suit jacket (the skirt was altered, so it was a separate item). After speaking with the dry cleaners, they said to bring the skirt I picked up back in so they could see the color and try and look for the missing jacket. As things have progressed, they are saying that I must be mistaken and I must have lost the jacket. Gee, I've managed to not lose the jacket for the 5 years I've had it.
I've gotten really worked up about this now, but they say they've looked and can't find it, and of course, they would never lose it or maybe put it in another customer's items, so I must have misplaced it. As I'm going through the receipts, I see there is a brief description of each item, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about traipsing back there with the car full of stuff I brought in to continue this argument with them if it's useless anyway. They are now acting put upon about offering me even any kind of credit for 1) the alteration of the skirt and 2) the cleaning of the jacket (we're talking maybe about $20.00 for that -- the suit coast about $140 about 5 years ago...).
Do you think this is even worth my time?
Kali
(55,025 posts)if you are somebody that just can't handle confrontation or firm negotiation.
There is a principle involved and you could be helping other customers too. letting them get away without some kind of compensation and at least acknowledgement of error only encourages the same bad behavior in the future.
you don't have to get angry, but if you are sure and even have some written evidence, I would sure as hell stand my ground until some kind of satisfactory settlement was offered.
R B Garr
(16,985 posts)You did kind of nail me as far as what I've been hesitating about -- the whole confrontation bit. I know I tried each complete suit on there with the alteration person, so I know that whole suit was there at the cleaner. That piece just didn't make it home with me. I waited a couple days to take things off their hangers and put them on my suit hangers, and I think they're going to say I should have told them in the store, as they were hinting at that.
Thanks again, I'm going to get my receipts out and get ready for the hassle with them (they seem like they've been through this before...). I haven't.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)R B Garr
(16,985 posts)I've gone back and forth with being upset about it, but I keep getting more angry about it the more they get dismissive with me.
I hate to let a whole suit go like that (the skirt is really nothing without the blazer top).
Thanks for the reply. I've been weighing this.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)that's ridiculous. Who loses a suit jacket?
Kali
(55,025 posts)R B Garr
(16,985 posts)She was there when I brought my orders in, and after the jacket incident, she started saying she remembered I was going through my closet and maybe I misplaced things. I kind of saw where this was all going after that comment. I'm still waiting for the manager to call me back, but he's taking his time over several days now.
Sigh.