Tagged: shopping

May 16, 2013

World’s Best Cities for Shopping

Travelling and shopping rolled into one is an activity that is quite hard to accomplish. It is hard to savor your stay in one place if your eyes get hypnotized by the beautiful dresses in a shop or boutique. But there’s one way you can do both. That is, if you find the best places that not only boasts the most scenic landmarks but are also home to the most fashionable stores. Recently, CNBC and retail industry analyst Tobe Report provided a list of the world’s best cities for shopping. The list is based on the latest fashions and bargains, number of boutiques, and each city’s diverse culture.

First of all, the list did not take anything away from online shopping. It is nice to be in front of your computer browsing through gorgeous diamond encrusted engagement rings and stunning stilettos for fun while waiting for your dresses to be delivered right to your doorsteps. Still, nothing beats the feeling of being in the middle of a fashion district. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 best shopping cities in the world as described by Tobe Report:

· Melbourne – known as the Milan of Australia. Its Swanton Street has a multitude of trendy vintage stores, bargain shopping and one-of-a-kind pieces
· Paris – the home of Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, and Balenciaga
· Hong kong – this Asian city is all about luxury, convenience, and exclusive merchandise
· Austin, Texas – this city is known for the store {By George} that carries rare brands Kick Pleat, Eliza Page (which sells local and independent jewelry), and specialty denim shop Hem Jeans
· Los Angeles – simply because this is where Hollywood is
· London – shopping centre and the fashion style of the Royal family
· New York – homes numerous designer labels. It is also the centre for many glamorous events and first class restaurants
· Copenhagen – Strøget is the world’s longest pedestrian street where stores like Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are proudly built
· Philadelphia – where exclusive brands are, and most of all, no sales tax on clothing and shoes
· Milan – boasts a “well-curated range of brands”

Would you agree with this report? What’s your favourite city to shop in?

July 11, 2012

Customer Service – Are You Getting Any?

So here it is,

I’ve been going on about this for a while and must say if there was a massive global survey done on this matter, it must be affecting some big people, at the top, with big consequences!

Australians are one of the most unhappy customers in the World when it comes to customer service.

A whopping 40% of us feel that businesses fail to meet their expectiations. With only France being on the first place, I think this should be an eye opener for all Australian retails businesses in particular. This was an international study and Australia obviously scored terribly. Read full article in the Sydney Morning Herald here.

“The American Express Global Customer Service Barometer also shows that Australians would happily spend, on average, an extra 12 per cent if it meant they received better service.

Two-thirds of consumers have abandoned a purchase because of a poor service experience in the past year but more than half have spent more with a company because of a history of positive customer service experiences.”

Just last week, I was telling my girlfriends and again today, to my colleagues, how a bad customer service experience almost ruined my night. (And when I say almost, it actually did ruin my night and I walked out of Westfield in Sydney CBD with no desire to shop any more, and that is unlike me!)

The shop assistants in a shoe store, starting with S and ending with Weitzman, gave me an impression that their store was an exclusive club and my mere presense there was not wanted from the moment I walked in.

Do we all remember that famous scene in the movie “Pretty Woman”, when Julia Roberts is snubbed by shop assistants on Rodeo Drive?

Are we still in the 80′s mindset and judging people by the way they look when it comes to simply doing your job as a sales assistant?

When I asked to try on some boots, the sales lady nearly refused to let me do so and when I finally put a boot on with a zipper that wouldn’t work, two of the staff present in the store continued to watch me struggle with the zipper with no offer to help.

The boots didn’t quite sit right due to the style and I was told that I wouldn’t be able to find what I am looking for in this store (clearly!)

I could not walk out of that store faster and felt so disappointed I wrote a feedback email to the store’s head office. It’s been exactly one week and no one has since responded to my email.

Yes Stuart Weitzman, I truly understand that your shoes cost anywhere between $500 to $1,000 but I was prepared to invest in a good quality shoe. And when you’re charging this much for footwear, can I add that customer service should be integral in the price, above GST?

Here’s some cold hard facts from Lisa Vehrenkamp, the MD of American Express Australia (from the same artcle in the SMH):

“With businesses competing for sales at a time when consumers are shopping around for the best deal, outstanding customer service can be the deciding factor in getting customers through the door,” she said.

So there you have it, good customer service, which is truly the 101 of any business in the World, does bring in returns. Then why does it feel like its the only thing that is almost impossible to come across in Australia these days?

Have you had a bad customer service experience?

What do you think about Australian customer service in general?

June 23, 2012

Good on you Rhodes and Beckett!

If you’re looking for a great shirt which will fit you and styles which you find in department stores just don’t fit you, pop into Rhodes and Beckett. I went there because my husband needed some shirts. He’s always on the lookout for good quality work shirts and knows what he’s talking about when it comes to quality shirts, having spent many years in the corporate industry.

While in store I browsed through the ladies selection and found that the shirts were not all corporate, but had so much colour and character. Print and bold shades were jumping out and when I saw the quality of ”finest Egyptian cotton” as their website states, I decided to try some just for kicks.

May I add the service in the Pitt St Mall Store is impeccable?

I say good on you Rhodes and Beckett because when I walk into that particular store I am treated like a customer should be treated. The staff know exactly what they are doing and to save you the hassle of looking for sizes they size you first, then bring out all the colours/styles which are in stock so you can choose. It was like being in a prestigious market place, surrounded by colour and smiles.

Just look at these fantastic prints:

To be honest, I haven’t experienced service like that in a Westfield store in Australia yet. I can only compare it to fine dining experiences, maybe the Guillaume at Bennelong. You are expected to pay top dollar for that however. At Rhodes and Beckett you are not.

You pay for quality.

Everytime I wear my Rhodes and Beckett shirts, I get compliments from people. I now have 4 in my collection.

I don’t think of Rhodes and Beckett as a man’s corporate brand (I mistakenly did think they were a men’s brand only) any more and absolutely embrace the quality of their clothing and style.