Clearly, Twin Cities shoppers have strong opinions about Macy’s. So now that you’ve had a few days to process the news that Macy’s North – the division based here in Minneapolis – is being eliminated, what do you think? Can shopping at the department store get any worse? Hard to see how this move is going to help with the kinds of gripes we frequently chat about here – lack of adequate (and informed) staffing, lack of interesting merchandise and so on. So what do you think? The message local execs had been pushing in the face of constant complaints was that they were like us – they lived here, they remembered the glory days of Dayton’s and they were trying to give us what we wanted – despite the corporate culture. With that no longer possible, will you continue to shop there? If not, where will you go instead? I really do want to know – your thoughts could be part of a column I’m working on for the Pioneer Press.
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Allison, I stopped shopping at Macy’s a long time ago. Macy’s has really lagged behind in a world of online retailing where us fashion and price conscious consumers can really pick and choose. Macy’s has not extended any incentive for customer loyalty or, for that matter, my patronage. It just has nothing special to offer. The merchandise is, in a word, tired. There is nothing unique or interesting. I can purchase everything I could possibly want that Macy’s may carry from another retailer. What is left of the Oval Room is an embarrassment. The women’s shoe department does not stock any mid or high end shoes of any worth. The sales staff is not helpful. Oftentimes it is impossible to find sales help on the floor. And even when I am able to locate someone, they usually have no knowledge of the merchandise, or are beyond snotty. The dressing rooms are either locked or heaped full of merchandise that has not been returned to the racks. The stores in general are a MESS. Nothing is organized. There are stains on clothing. Even the stores are dirty. And finally, Macy’s is way, WAY behind when it comes to marking down and moving out older merchandise. Do you remember the days when at the end of the season, you could go to the Oval Room and score several amazing designer pieces at a significant discount? No more. Even the day to day “sales” are terrible. The coupon system is infuriating because almost all merchandise is excluded. I just find the overall Macy’s experience to be insulting to a savvy customer, and I choose to spend my money elsewhere.
My friends call it Messys and I agree. I suppose the fact I was an avid Daytons and Marshall Fields shopper doesn’t help but I just can’t feel the love and I have tried. Before Macys bought Marshall Fields I didn’t care for them for many reasons. They have the most awful customer service, it would have been easier to get in touch with the Pope. Talking to someone at the store was almost impossible, you were transferred to someone out of state. Their phone system is still just as awful, just transferred to another group of stores. Where is Eileen Fisher, Fieldgear, a department like the Oval Room, the furniture warehouse to name a few. Their displays are difficult to look at, nothing is unique or stands out. I have always liked Nordstroms and will take more of my shopping there and continue to shop on line
I find myself shopping there less and less over the past year. The store is “tired” looking and the fitting rooms are a disaster most of the time- locks not working on doors, clothes piled high and the carpet smells like dirty socks! You asked your readers where we are shopping now and I love shopping at Van Maur in Eden Prairie Center. The salespeople are very friendly and knowledgable, the fitting rooms are always clean with great soft lighting and the merchandise is quality.
My husband, who does not like to shop as a rule, always comments on how helpful they are in the mens department, even putting that extra touch in the wrapping of his purchase. Kudos to Van Maur!
I actually worked at Macy’s in the MOA several years ago. I worked in the Liz Petites & took great pride in the way my dept looked & the high stanards both Liz Clairborne & Macys set for me to follow. I can’t even go there anymore. The racks are always a mess! Three different times I have had clothes in my hand ready to purchase at the Burnsville stove & could not find anyone to take my money!! I asked for a box in December & they told me they might have some in the Men;s dept downstairs!! I sent several nicely worded concern to the store & received a form reply with no apologies or solutions. If they would pay a decent wage to english speaking people who have a work ethic (why I left) you might get repeat, loyal customers. Daytons – boohoo!
Allison,
It’s me again – well it has now been 2 1/2 months and I’m still waiting for the telephone call from the manager of the Maplewood Macy’s store. Remember my story about the star rewards lingerie on your blog? The department manager I spoke to back in early December assured me her store manager would want to know about my series of unfortunate experiences. As I mentioned in my old blog, I think they have cut expenses to the point of taking telephones away from managment.
Will I miss Macy’s – NOT! I needed a box of Frango Mints the other day – what a sad mess to walk in on. How can a store in the middle of the afternoon look unkept but overcrowded at the same time with merchandise? There were clusters of employees here and there at different registers, but I had to seek someone out to actually wait on me. And, have you noticed the newest strategy? When you are given your receipt the employee writes their name at the bottom and asks that you call the number and give feedback on their service.
I have to say Herberger’s is very receptive to input from the customer. Several years ago they brought in higher end lingerie shortly after I gave them feedback. I know these decisions are not made by input from one customer, but what amazed me is that they not only brought in better quality lingerie, but offered those items on sale. Something that Macy’s never did until Herberger’s started.
The thing I feel most sad about is not only the job loss for Minnesota’s economy, but the employees who will all be affected in Minnesota. I sincerely have not found there management to ever be receptive. Maybe the kick in the butt that they will all feel is deserving. They have allowed a legacy to fall because of their own selfishness and inattentiveness to the customer.
I’m still sitting on a Reward Certificate but just can’t find anything in the store worth spending it on. And, as Jennifer pointed out in an earlier posting the coupons and constant mailings that are send to credit card holders are a joke – most of the merchandise is excluded.
One closing thought Allison. Remember when you shared in an email back to me that you forwarded on my experiences with the Lingerie Rewards program to someone in their management area? Wouldn’t you think, a reporter from the Pioneer Press sends such a note along knowing the exposure that could occur and not one person from Macy’s cared to follow-up. Shows they don’t truly care about the customer.
Long overdue – good riddens Macy’s. It’s time to close your doors.
As a male customer of Macy’s, I have to agree with everything your previous posters have to say with a couple of additional things. 1) Why did Macy’s decide that men’s clothing could only come in three colors: black, grey and brown? Not only is it frustrating to find well made clothing in Macy’s, but there is no incentive, if all I’m going to find is dull or already in my wardrobe colorwise. 2)Macy’s seems to have moved away from more expensive or natural fabrics in its men’s offerings. I don’t mind some manmade fabric blends, but there is no substitute for wool, when it comes to wearability and professional look. Which brings me to 3) Why isn’t Macy’s offering realistic WINTER clothing in a fall and winter environment with extremes? ( A problem which Marshall Field’s addressed poorly as well.)I hunted through several Macy’s attempting to find just one pair of wool flannel dress pants. I never found them. All I could find was tropical weight blend wool or poorly fitting cotton khaki material pants, which seem to now be the only weight/fabrics Macy’s wishes to carry year-round. For the first time in a lifetime of living in Minnesota, I’m having to wear long underwear everyday, so that I can survive without frostbite of my southern regions in my khaki work clothing. 4)Why is so much of Macy’s men’s merchandise from the same manufacturers? Too many items are some second-tier retail, Macy’s house brand with a silly sounding name (which immediately guarantees shoddy manufacture or fit.) The rest seems to be from Kenneth Cole or one of Calvin Klein’s cheaper lines. Overall, it seems as though Macy’s wants to leave a good of the U.S. market to being an afterthought and is now cutting out their corporate people who aren’t doing their job anyway. I’m not sure we’ll notice much difference here in Minnesota,when Macy’s North disbands. The buyers have either not been in touch with middle-upper class needs outside of the Coasts anyway or have just rubber stamped looks and clothing that fit the fashion industry “seasons” without regard for the needs of the geographical region. Just once, I wish Macy’s would be willing to preview their merchandise to a set of intended customers BEFORE stocking the stores with detritus. I’m tired of walking through Macy’s aisles muttering to myself,” I can imagine a designer making this, but why would a buyer even consider it?!” Luckily, I have a lot of Armani (another brand Macy’s no longer carries)from previous Dayton’s and Marshall Field’s years. Guess it’ll be hanging in for a while longer.
Macy’s quality in its private label is incredibly shoddy. I would rather shop at Target for their Merona brand. Also I don’t think I have ever seen so many wrinkled clothes in a store. Can’t they run some of it by a steamer? Once I get going on Macy’s it is hard to stop. The hot dog cart at the Rosedale store is right next to expensive clothing or they put it by juniors. Does anyone really want their clothes to smell like hot dogs (don’ forget about the condiments — yum, onions)? Shoe sizes generally only go to 10, not much of a selection in 11s. The signage makes me feel like I am in Kohls and the bags they put your purchases are flimsy and cheap looking. I don’t feel like I am in a nice store I feel like I am in a discount store given all of the above!
Macy’s has disappointed me in so many ways & I can’t really add much to the above comments as everyone else has covered it so well–messy dressy rooms, crowded floors, uninspiring displays, rude and uninformed sales staff, plastic bags, lack of overall customer service. I feel I have stumbled into a Kohl’s or even a KMart! Most of my shopping dollars go to the fabulous stores of Nordstrom and Von Maur!! Macy’s would need a complete overhaul & makeover and I don’t if they are even willing to do that.
Hi Ali – I’ve shopped at Macy’s once – after Marshall Field’s became Macy’s. I bought nothing. I was appalled at the quality of the items for sale, the dingy store appearance and the non-interested sales staff, who were as dingy-looking as their store. I walked out of the store, went home and cancelled my Macy’s card. They never acknowledged my cancellation with a follow-up letter or phone call asking why I cancelled my account. To this day, Macy’s has no idea why I cancelled. I thought about writing to them, but why would I bother? They don’t seem to care.
I stopped in to downtown Macy’s this weekend as a last-ditch attempt to get my boyfriend a pair of pants for an event. Not only did the salesman leave the security tag on the bottom of the pants, but he failed to give me a receipt (a reminder why I always have the salesperson hand me the receipt). So I have to walk back into Macy’s sans receipt and set the security alarm off as I try to return the pants he couldn’t wear for obvious reasons. There is no excuse for such sloppy service.
I must say I have not enjoyed my shopping trips to Rosedale Mall much since Marshall Fields became Macy’s. The merchandise is unappealing on its own but the presentation does not do it any favors. I’ve gone there with 2 hours to kill on a mission to get something simple like a black skirt or new blouse and left empty handed because the selection was so limited or the dressing rooms were a mess or the phone at the unmanned cashier stand just kept ringing and ringing and ringing. Shopping should be an escape, not something you want to escape from! I just received my new Macy’s card in the mail. They downgraded me from their Gold level card to their lowly Red Card based on my annual spending. Like it’s my fault they can’t sell attractive merchandise in a comfortable environment?!