I'm just venting because I hate it when stores misrepresent.

I go yesterday because they have a sale, "Buy one get one free, all bottoms." To me all bottoms means all bottoms, but they specify something like, "Jeans, pants, capris, skirts", etc. Here is what I pick up (blue items are bottoms):

Business pant style capri - $39.95

Business pant style capri - $39.95

Skirt - $39.95

Skirt - $39.95

Linen crop pant - $39.95

Linen crop pant - $39.95

Shoes - $26.50

Clearance top - $24.99

Perfect price top - $12.99

Perfect price top - $12.99

My subtotal was $235.47. It seemed high at the time, higher than I was thinking it would be, but I didn't give it that much thought. At first. But then I started thinking about it. I essentially bought 3 bottoms which should have been about $120, got three free. Plus about $50 for the shoes and clearance top, plus about $25 for the PP items, so $195 (going to be a little on the low side)... why was I charged $235?? I look at my receipt and the linen crop pants were normal price. I call the store and tell them I think I was mischarged and they say no, those pants weren't in the sale. I said, "But the sign said ALL BOTTOMS, aren't these bottoms? I'm certainly not wearing them on top." Their claim - the sign said all bottoms, but it then specified jeans, crops, skirts, pants. What I bought, even though it's a short pant, is categorized as a "pedal", and pedals were not in the sale.

I'm pissed, but also running late for a dinner, so I say I will follow up tomorrow (today).

I went to their website early this morning to see what the fine print sai about the sale, but the sale is over so I can't get it. But I do notice they now have a 30% off your purchase deal going. I figure - go for the 50%, but if I can't get it, insist on the 30%.

I call the store back and talk to the manager. Manager gives me the same "pedals" aren't in the sale. So I tell her (in nicer words) they're full of shit, and that I will come in and want the 30% price adjustment. She tells me, "That's not applicable to previous purchases." I remind her I just bought these lastnight. She says it doesn't matter. I tell her that I could refund the pants and just rebuy them today, and she says, "Yes." I say - soooo... oookkk... save us both the extra time and just do a price adjustment. She says no. (I will be making a visit to the store by my work today, and I will help them realize how this is going to be handled. I don't do this crap.)

WTF? Why doesn't "all bottoms" mean all bottoms?

I have had a LOT of experience with Lane Bryant doing this crap. Earlier this year they had a sale, "All sweaters, buy one get one half off." I pick up 4 sweaters and am charged full price for each one. I question it and they tell me, "Those ones aren't in the sale." (This time there were no specifics listed on the sign, it just said "all sweaters"). I ask why not, they're sweaters.. and she tells me it only applies to these specific sweaters. I tell her she's going to sell them to me bogo half, because that's what the sign says. She calls the manager. The manager insists that it only applies to certain sweaters, tells me she cannot override the pricing, and gives me a customer service number to call. I call, they apologize, and send me a tin of 6 Cookies. Argh! I'm buying my clothes at the fat girls shop! How freaking insulting that you think 6 cookies makes up for your incompetence!

Last year I'm in and there's a sign up by the jeans saying "Two for <whatever amount it was>." So I pick up two pair. I'm rung up and it's full price on both. I tell her the sign said two for whatever, and she says "That ended yesterday." I say, "But the sign is up today." And she tells me - IGNORE IT. (I ended up getting my way on this one)

I learned from the BBB that this is effective ONLY if the business in question is a member of the BBB. There are no laws or regulations that state that any business HAS to be a member of the BBB.... And then there are several different regional BBB's, and you have to make sure you get the right one, based upon where the merchant's headquarters are, not necessarily the local store..... ad nauseum.

Grrrrrr, LB pisses me off, too!!!

Same reasons, posting pics of skinny folks all over the place and luring you in with sales flyers and signs and then yanking it out from under you when you get to the register.

Stopped by on my way home and left a much happier camper :fish:

Stopped by on my way home and left a much happier camper :fish:

Well, what happened???

Oh, yeah, you can't leave us hangin' here! :fish:

I've never worked for LB, but when I was much younger I worked in retail and not only did you have to give the customer the posted price on things (even if they were "mislabeled" or not clear in the advertising) its the LAW! There is recourse to them behaving this way. I would start a huge letter writing campain!

If they say all bottoms it means ALL bottoms. and some customers could getaway with "underwear are on my bottom so I guess they are bottoms too!" And we would have to give it to them.

Once a visibly pregnant woman with a HUGE chip on her shoulder came to my register with loads of clearance items and even tho I SAW her go to the full price section of the department where this one item was hanging she said it came off the clearance rack, I ever so politly explained that I appologze I was quite busy that day and hadnt had a chance to go remove clothing that didnt belong in the clearance section that another customer had left there, but that it was regular price, just hung in the wrong area. She flipped. She wanted my manager.. I called and called and of course couldnt get one over. I explained that I could not change the price of the item without a managers permisson... Finally after about 10 calls to the operator a manager called me and I explained the situation and she told me to go ahead and give it to her at the .97 cent clearance price.. mind you this was a full priced (17 dollar) pair of shorts!! I did and then later that night I got written up because that lady called back and made a complaint about me not helping her well enough, and not giving her the correct price!!! I was so mad I quit on the spot, and I have never worked retail again...

I saw write the meanest most scathing letter you can muster.. and make them stop those realllly shitty practices! even post it on here and let everyone else help you make sure its REALLY good and nasty. Scream discrimination and the like... someone somewhere is just as heavy as us and will sympathize with you, and they will help make a difference!

Alli

Well, what happened???

Whole lot of nothing. The store I had to go to (to pick up the 2nd pair of pants) is one I'd never gone to before. And no one there knew the story. So I was very nondescript about it. I just put my bag on the counter, told her I needed to pick up some pants - but also had a few issues she could help me with.

Apparently the bottoms that weren't in the sale weren't supposed to hit the stores when they did and actually came out early. Hence they weren't in the "store system." When I told her I expected her to still give me the sales price, she just called someone over and asked how to do it.

I also told her I wanted the 30% off your purchase applied to my shoes. She did it no questions asked.

Hmm... too bad this store isn't closer to me, or I'd have a new home. (Actually I'm in a blend of 14/16 and 18/20 at LB, so I may find that I've lap-banded myself out of that store soon enough!)

Glad things worked out for you after all, but what a HASSLE!! I have never really liked LB, as I'm short and at my heaviest a 22/24 pushing a 26/28. Well, it seemed that everything I tried on in LB, was for women that were at least 6 feet tall. I actually stopped going there after I found Avenue. Avenue seemed to have clothes for my height and they are cute, too. I also have found things at Wally World, Target, CATO (my now favorite store), Catherines, Dillards, Penneys, etc. Recently, I've bought all my "smaller" clothes in CATO, who have plus sizes and regular sizes and many times in the same outfits!! So, I can go to both sides of the store, depending on tops, bottoms, and cut of clothing. I like the prices, too, as I'm not staying at this size and really don't want to spend tons of money when next summer I'll need new clothes!!

everything I tried on in LB, was for women that were at least 6 feet tall.

That's the biggest reason I shop there. I'm between 5'10 and 5'11, and fairly long legged. At many stores, the "talls" are not tall enough (esp. since I like my jeans a little on the long side, because either I'm wearing them with some kind of sandal and like the fullness in the leg, or I'm wearing them with some kind of heel and need the extra length). LB's talls are perfect, and sometimes they're even a bit too long.

When I say I'm hard to fit, it's a combination of my height and my shape. I'm hourglassy, but not in a good way. I'm always one full size smaller on top, usually two, and my waist is significantly thinner than my hips, which are - by far - the worst part of me. In a lot of stores, if something fits my hips, it's gaping at the waist. Or if it fits my waist, my hips are pulling the pockets tight. A lot of LB stuff is a very ideal cut for me, and saves me the add'l $ of having the pieces tailored.

Lately I've been hitting Dress Barn. A lot of their stuff is not really my style, but it's dress season and they have some of the cutest dresses. PLUS I wear their size 16, so I'll shop their for the ego benefit alone.

I did pick up a few things at Fashion Bug, their cuts work for my shape too.

I've also been hitting Target a lot lately.

I go to Avenue mostly for shoes, but they have some cute things in. Their cuts don't work for me as well. The one good thing is that since they carry 30/32, a lot of the larger women (trust me, I was one of them) shop there more so than the in betweens. So their larger sizes sell out, leaving the smaller sizes to go to clearance. Woo hoo! (I'm either their 14/16 or 18/20, sometimes 22 in pants... so I can ALWAYS find stuff for cheap)

I stopped going to LB and shop at CJ Banks or Catherines. Macy's has good plus sizes too, but you do have too look and wait for sales.

BUT, I will have to say that LB has the best selection of not nasty granny-panties. I can not find nice panties anywhere else. I havent worn cotton grannies since college and i refuse to go back in to them

I agree about LB panties, and they also have the best bras for large women. Anytime I buy bras or panties anywhere else they 'rol' on me! Grr! Hate that!

For actually clothing I prefer the Avenue. Fasion Bug is pretty good too. Catherines is so expensive (though all Plus size store are over priced.) Never been to CJ Banks, but my Aunts are always talking about them maybe I should go?

I have never really liked LB, as I'm short and at my heaviest a 22/24 pushing a 26/28. Well, it seemed that everything I tried on in LB, was for women that were at least 6 feet tall.

I had the same problem. Even LB's petites are too long for me. I ordered some lounge pants (supposedly petites) online from them, but they were still about 5 inches too long. I also have shorter arms, so most of their long-sleeve and 3/4 sleeve shirts were too long for me. Even their underwear doesn't fit me right.

CJ banks is very... well for lack of a better term and my age, they are "Preppy/Soccer Mom" They have the best "business" clothes for me. LB around here is waaaay too "club scene", and our fashion bug stinks, literally, like pee.

Don't get me started on Lane Bryant. I paid off my credit card and that is that.

Catherines is also of the same company but their fabrics are better, selection is better and I think the staff seems to be not too huffy. LB's selection has gone down but they have killer play pretties for bedtime.

Fashion Bug is also of the same company.

They do shady sales. You have to read the print on the flier and on the signs. I've seen THE SAME PANTS but because the vendor tags were one season off, the sale didn't apply to the size that fit me but applied to the pair I had tried on that didn't fit.

I pick up my clothes at a variety of stores because the outfits they have at some of the plus stores look like.... how can I say this nicely?.... How 'bout that Jacklyn Smith KMart look?!! I've never been a polyester girl.

Ann Taylor goes up to an 18 now. That is my favorite store and totally my style. Old Navy also carries plus sizes. i just got a nice pair of jean from there, size 16, so my first time not in the fat girl section in a long time!