"Thanks!" to many of you, including Irina, who shared the following news from J.Crew this morning.
If you are stopping by a J.Crew store this weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SPRING sale, or to see some new SUMMER arrivals {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!
"Thanks!" to alicialoveseveryone (in this post), who shared the following article from Time's MoneyLand (click here to read in its entirety):Many Big Retailers Don’t Respond to Customer Questions on FacebookI am surprised that J.Crew does not embrace social media as much as their sister-company Madewell. I find Madewell to be ahead of the curve when it comes to reaching out to their customers through a variety of technological platforms. J.Crew... not so much.
By Mitch Lipka
March 27, 2012
If you’re hoping to get better customer service by posting questions to a retailer’s Facebook page, be prepared for disappointment, according to a survey released today. Major retailers including J.Crew, Victoria’s Secret and Radio Shack not only didn’t respond to questions within two days, they actually deleted them, the customer service evaluation company STELLAService found.
The findings are something of a jolt to the idea that consumers can turn to social media to get more effective customer service. While there are still plenty of examples of consumers using both Twitter and Facebook to their advantage, this survey shows just how inconsistent the results can be, and that some are far more committed to properly playing the social networking game than others.
Only five of 20 retailers both responded within 48 hours and left customer queries on their Facebook pages: B&H Photo, Gap, Bed Bath & Beyond, JackThreads.com, and Williams-Sonoma. ...
“While retailers have enthusiastically embraced Facebook as a way to engage with consumers, many have yet to fully appreciate social media’s two-way nature when it comes to providing customer service,” STELLAService CEO Jordy Leiser said. “Retailers need to realize that two days in Facebook time is like two years in real-time. Consumers are used to real-time engagement with friends on Facebook, so it’s unnatural to spend days waiting for any kind of response.”
"Thanks!" to Elaine (in this post), as well as Alice, and Leah, who shared the following news with us:: Jenna Lyon's {incredible} townhouse sold! The following is an article from the New York Observer (click here to read in its entirety & to view slideshow of property):I mentioned earlier that it was probably a difficult decision to sell this gorgeous home- but not when you get more than you paid for it!!! Seriously, anything Jenna touches turns to gold. Good for her!J.Crew Style Maven’s House Sells For $4 Million
By Kim Velsey
March 27, 2012
J.Crew is known for its upscale but largely affordable clothes, but when it comes to some items—like president and creative director Jenna Lyons’ Park Slope townhouse—people are apparently willing to pay above retail.
The fashion guru’s 7 bed, 3.5 bath, 4,400 square foot townhouse sold for $4 million to Vincent and Tracy Martin, according to Curbed — 7 percent more than the $3.75 million that Ms. Lyons listed the property for last November.
Is it any wonder? Judging from the pictures, the place was even more alluring than the leggy, bespectacled models that grace the pages of the J.Crew catalog. As the Stribling listing boasted, the gracious home was “impeccably renovated to perfection,” and for once, we wouldn’t call such bragging broker-speak overblown. Even the irrigated, south-facing garden anchored by a mature dogwood tree sounded stylish.
Ms. Lyons bought the home with her now-estranged husband artist Vincent Mazeau for $1.3 million in 2004, but she appears to have left quite a mark on it, judging by the antler-bedecked walls of the dining room. While the open double parlor with plaster medallions might have been the selling point for a lesser property, this one had more than we could count, including what appears to be the most beautiful closet in the world, graced by one of the house’s 7 restored limestone mantels. The bucolic view from the industrial kitchen also left us impressed.
The property, which entered into contract in December, was rumored to be the subject of a bidding war — the prize bloom of this winter’s busy market for Park Slope brownstones.
But after looking longingly at the photos of Lyons superior home design, we can’t help but wonder if the buyers may feel twinges of buyers’ remorse when Jenna’s Picks no longer fill the townhouse. Ms. Lyons ...continues to embrace change and has moved back to Manhattan, at least for now.
...property records list Ms. Lyons’ new address as the American Express Carriage House in Tribeca, a 5,000 sq.ft. space in the company’s former stables. Listed in September for $5.8 million, the property is no longer on the market.
And lest the sale leave any broken hearts, let it be known that the townhouse also comes with a separate garden apartment.
This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this post) says it best, "You know, that thing you bought because you love it and you keep pulling it out and then putting it away without wearing it?"
This is the weekly "Looking to LOVE with J.Crew" post, a place to share our favorite experiences with J.Crew.
"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who shared a great video over at Television Fashion that features J.Crew's Jenna Lyons. To watch it, click HERE.
This is the weekly "Other JCrew-like Retailers" post (similar to the "Off On A Tangent" posts), where we can share our finds from other retailers that have offerings similar to J.Crew (like Anthropologie, LE Canvas, Gap, BR, Talbots, Ann Taylor, and the like.)
This is the weekly "Looking to VENT with J.Crew" post, a place to share our not-so-stellar experiences with J.Crew.
"Thanks!" to many of you in the "J.Crew Updates Website with New Arrivals!" post: J.Crew is shipping around the world now! Along with J.Crew's website getting a makeover (again!), they updated a lot of features, including new drop down menus, new catalog viewer, pin-it on Pinterest feature, and... shipping to 107 countries!!!J.Crew opens door to global e-commerce; uses tech to fuel ambitionWell, it is clear that J.Crew is trying to capitalize on its worldwide fame by shipping worldwide. I am all for it! I think the use of a partner in this case is a great move. Bravo!
By Andrew Nusca
March 22, 2012
This morning, U.S. apparel retailer J.Crew expanded its international distribution from 29 to 107 countries, spanning an astounding 41 currencies.
That’s quite a jump in a single day for the retailer, known for clothing everyone from Michelle Obama to, well, me. Businesses — even digital ones — just don’t scale that quickly.
But there’s a secret to how J.Crew did it: a partnership, and a whole lotta tech.
With a platform provided by New York-based FiftyOne, J.Crew is bringing its modern prep style to Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East and South America. That means customers around the globe will be able to purchase the company’s entire collection from anywhere at anytime.
While the retailer was too busy to return my phone calls, FiftyOne — the name is a play on its mantra, “a bridge between 50 states and one world” — was more than happy to chat.
I spoke with chief strategy officer Kris Green, who said that his company’s tech helps American retailers “fulfill global ambition without having to create new assets around the world” — assets meaning distribution centers and brick-and-mortar stores.
Specifically, that means converting U.S. prices into local currencies, calculating duty and taxes, managing payment, protecting against fraud and fulfilling orders, via FiftyOne’s distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.
The idea is to help a largely American website appear international, he said. (Clients are a who’s who of suburban American favorites, from Cabela’s to Pottery Barn to Under Armour.)
“To do international by yourself, you need to place bets on what countries you think have the biggest opportunities for your brand, and spend significant dollars setting up shop there,” he said. ”We help retailers avoid needing to make those bets upfront.”
Traditionally, retailers have to attack new countries sequentially. FiftyOne’s platform allowed J.Crew — a very fashionable American brand among several different demographics — to open the floodgates immediately, without leaving American shores.
“Generally, U.S. retailers and brands are receiving global awareness whether they like it or not. And they’re also operating businesses in this country that are reaching a super-saturation point in this country,” he said. “Internationally, it’s growing at a much faster rate. Retailers are looking at their web traffic and seeing 10, 20, 30 percent traffic from international. The business case from monetizing the latent demand is compelling.”
He added: “If you operate brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce is a good way to test markets before you make brick-and-mortar investments.”
Green, who hails from Canada, used his homeland as an example. “They’ve been conditioned to be excluded from U.S. e-commerce for decades,” he said. “When they see any price with a dollar sign in front of it [online], that’s probably a U.S. price. When retailers make Canadians and others feel welcome, it can have a significant influence on conversion.”
It’s also a safer, more conservative way to expand. By partnering with FiftyOne, J.Crew can keep its focus on its lucrative U.S. sales.
The Wall Street Journal’s Dana Mattioli touched on the topic Thursday morning: “The move marks a sea change for the brand and its CEO [Mickey Drexler], who previously had called overseas expansion a ‘distraction’ from domestic operations.”
“It always makes sense to partner, because no matter how big your international business gets, it will always be a fraction of your domestic one,” Green said. “So it makes sense, even at really big numbers.” Even when fulfillment is localized — because after all, you wouldn’t want to fly a cardigan sweater halfway around the world if you could help it.
For J.Crew, it’s a chance to bring its collection of turquoise ballet flats and faded oxford shirts to the growing overseas middle class. For FiftyOne, it’s another bridge to build.
This is the weekly "J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs}" post, to help each other share our reviews.
It's that time again, to take a look at an image of J.Crew pieces from seasons past! As caribbelle (in this post) so beautifully termed, "ye olde j crew of yore".
