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The Charles Tyrwhitt buying experience

31K views 51 replies 30 participants last post by  Naive, Jr. 
#1 ·
I recently ordered a covert coat from Charles Tyrwhitt and thought others might benefit from learning about the experience.

I have been interested in the coat for some time and finally decided to take the plunge. Since the CT website doesn't really provide much information about the coat, I contacted customer service via email with the following list of questions:

1) Is the coat have a taper in the mid section or is it cut straight down from under the arm to the bottom hem?
2) How many interior pockets are there and where are they located?
3) All all of the exterior pockets (including breast and ticket) functional?
4) How heavy is the fabric and what sort of lining (including color) does the coat feature?
5) What size do you recommend for wearing over a sport or suit jacket in a US size 40?
6) In the pictures, the collar looks a bit unstable, does it have any trouble with wrinkles or maintaining shape?
7) What is the sleeve (under arm to sleeve cuff) and overall coat length?
8) How much room is there to take in or let out the coat if needed?​

A representative responded the next day with the following response:

"I am glad to know that you are interested in purchasing the Fawn Covert Coat from Charles Tyrwhitt.
Please accept my apologies because I do not have the answers to most of your questions now. However, I have asked my Buying Team to provide more information and I shall get back to you as soon as I have the answers for you.
I hope this meets with your approval and I do apologise once again for any inconvenience caused. If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me."​

After another exchange, the representative said the buying team would have to send him a coat. That seemed like an unusually lengthy and unnecessary process for discovering something that should be relatively straightforward for a clothing retailer. Consequently, the rep reassured me that I could return the coat for a full refund and not pay for shipping if I was unsatisfied with the coat.

Consequently, I placed the order on 10/15/2009. According to the email receipt from CT, the coat should arrive no later than Monday, 11/2/2009. I wasn't happy with the shipping times but accepted it anyway. Well, Monday came and went and no coat. I contacted their toll free customer service to see about tracking the coat and they said that wasn't possible.

I was leaving on a business trip the next day and wanted to take the coat with me and so I explained to the rep that I was very disappointed. He said that since they couldn't track the package, they would simply send me a replacement, which I took as a very generous gesture on their part (and a good step toward retaining a lifelong customer).

While away on my trip, I received a call from the same CT rep telling me that they would not be sending another coat because now they were able to track the package and that it was delivered. This seemed suspicious to me but upon returning home this morning, I found the package waiting for me.

On one hand, I'm pleased that it arrived but on the other, there I am very upset over how this was handled. I was told at the time of ordering and later in my initial conversation with the rep that tracking the shipment was impossible. Yet, low and behold after they promised to send a replacement coat, the company snapped into action. The official reason from the rep as to why the package was delayed more than a week was due to a customs problem. Ultimately, there was nothing more than a verbal apology for the problems and confusion.

Although I do love the coat, the actual buying and customer service process was so disappointing that I can't see myself buying anything from them in the future. Moreover, I certainly wouldn't recommend them to anyone. It's disappointing as they seem to make a good product but the remaining process of the customer relationship was lacking. Ultimately, if I wanted that level of service, I'd buy something from Costco where I don't expect reps to know about the products they sell.

For fun, here pictures of the unveiling process and answers to most of my original questions (for anyone interested in the coat for himself):

The box was damaged a bit on top, which provided some anxiety:

The coat was sealed in a canvas cover:

Upon removing the cover, the coat was wrapped in plastic:


After removing the plastic and inspecting the coat, I was relieved there was no damage:


There are two interior pockets and as you can see, the color is burgundy:

A view of the left inside pocket:


A close-up of the sleeve and hem detailing:



A better view of the felt collar along with a view from the rear - although it isn't readily noticeable here, the coat is tapered:



Finally, a much better view of the weave:
 
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#2 ·
Congratulations on your new coat. I am glad that you are happy with the product and that the coat was not damaged or in any other way to your disliking. I must admit however, i don't fully agree with your gripe. The coat was being sent from overseas by a third party. Delays in shipping can happen especially from other countries. It appears to me as though CT attempted to be very graceful in their reply. Most companies that I have dealt with including BB and STP all have product specialist who are responsible for conveying specific product knowledge. In the end you received what you paid for and in a timely fashion. Had you not been away you would have been able to enjoy your new purchase sooner. Maybe if you had communicated your specific time concerns you could have had a more clearer understanding.
 
#3 ·
Congratulations on your new coat. I am glad that you are happy with the product and that the coat was not damaged or in any other way to your disliking. I must admit however, i don't fully agree with your gripe. The coat was being sent from overseas by a third party. Delays in shipping can happen especially from other countries. It appears to me as though CT attempted to be very graceful in their reply. Most companies that I have dealt with including BB and STP all have product specialist who are responsible for conveying specific product knowledge. In the end you received what you paid for and in a timely fashion. Had you not been away you would have been able to enjoy your new purchase sooner. Maybe if you had communicated your specific time concerns you could have had a more clearer understanding.
My apologies for not being more clear, I did make the time constraints of my trip known at the time of ordering and to the rep on the phone after the coat did not arrive. Having ordered and shipped products and deliverables around the globe, a delivery time of nearly a month is simply unacceptable but ultimately, that is a decision each individual buyer must make for himself or herself, which is why I posted my experience above.

Perhaps the component which displeased me the most was the tracking information problem. If CT had simply employed the same process they ultimately used to track the shipping status of the coat from the beginning, much of the frustration would have been alleviated.
 
#4 ·
Congratulations on your new coat. I am glad that you are happy with the product and that the coat was not damaged or in any other way to your disliking. I must admit however, i don't fully agree with your gripe. The coat was being sent from overseas by a third party. Delays in shipping can happen especially from other countries. It appears to me as though CT attempted to be very graceful in their reply. Most companies that I have dealt with including BB and STP all have product specialist who are responsible for conveying specific product knowledge. In the end you received what you paid for and in a timely fashion. Had you not been away you would have been able to enjoy your new purchase sooner. Maybe if you had communicated your specific time concerns you could have had a more clearer understanding.
Agreed +1 Cant see any problem and moreover where is the damage on the box which gave you some anxiety ?? Looks very decent to say its travelled some ways. Coat looks bang on and i hope you wear it with less anxiety and in good health.:confused:
 
#5 ·
It's a beautiful coat. Wear it well.

FWIW, my first order from CT came in an unmarked box that looked like it was run over. In addition to the tow shirts that I ordered (which were bagged and undamaged), the box included 3 VHS tapes that someone had accidentally packed as well.
 
#6 ·
It's a beautiful coat. Wear it well.

FWIW, my first order from CT came in an unmarked box that looked like it was run over. In addition to the tow shirts that I ordered (which were bagged and undamaged), the box included 3 VHS tapes that someone had accidentally packed as well.
I have to ask: what was on the tapes?
 
#7 ·
My own experience in ordering from CT is that shipping times are a complete crapshoot and, yes, their boxes almost always arrive looking like a team of gorillas handled the delivery. That said, the price is right for a lot of their merchandise (especially on season-end clearance sales), and I'm not wandering around naked, so I'm willing to accept the randomness of the delivery times (once in just five business days, another time nearly two months, and several others of various durations in between).
 
#8 ·
Ever tried tracking something through the USPS? It's unreliable at best, and often there are no updates until something is delivered. I see no problem in their response about being unable to track. I have the same issues when ordering from them, but everything always arrives.

Yes, they could send via UPS or Fed-x and have it easily trackable, and arrive in 3 days, but the cost would be significantly higher.

And that box is far from what I would consider damaged, considering that a soft coat is inside it.

To say you wouldn't recommend this company to anyone, even after they initially planned on sending you a replacement coat, seems a bit much. But just my 2 cents.
 
#10 ·
I recently ordered some shirts from CT. I too was disappointed by the fact that you couldn't track the package. But hey - the package is changing hands one postal service to another so I don't begrudge them that.

Curiously, though, in 'Customer Services' under delivery timescales, they do mention that it usually takes 15 working days to ship to the US. I guess the estimated arrival date in the email was a bit optimistic.
 
#12 ·
Interesting the "Fine English Cloth" label on the inside.
It would be nice to know just what that cloth is and, er, where the garment was made.

Still a nice looking piece of kit and no mistake.

Never forget that CT are a fast moving high vol warehouse operation with a Jermyn Street front.

PS I have only bought once from them and as I was out when the courier called he left the package in the dustbin!
 
#13 ·
In all honesty I think they should have had some of the questions answered already in the coat ad like length for example. A picture of the interior and pocket count should have been in the ad as well. I would just have assumed all the pockets would be functional considering the maker. They also should have had detailed info on their help line or at least a coat sample they could look at to answer some of the questions.

You also pressed them pretty hard and harder than most might as you are a clothes-aholic like the rest of us. I dont think they did that badly but a return call with answers would have been better than shipping the coat. The shipping time is always a function of cost and if you wanted they probably could have fedex'd it to you if you wanted to pay the freight.

The box had about the same amount of damage many of mine have when they get to my front door and that isn't something CT can control obviously.

In the end its a very nice coat.
 
#15 ·
It's a beautiful coat. Wear it well.

FWIW, my first order from CT came in an unmarked box that looked like it was run over. In addition to the tow shirts that I ordered (which were bagged and undamaged), the box included 3 VHS tapes that someone had accidentally packed as well.
That's curious. What was on them?
 
#16 ·
Crazy question. When the customer service people couldn't answer your question, why didn't you call the one of the CT stores in New York and talk to a sales associate directly? I
I thought about that but the website was clearly moving customers in this direction so I assumed that was by design. I suppose the same question could have been redirected to the customer service rep that originally replied.
 
#17 ·
To say you wouldn't recommend this company to anyone, even after they initially planned on sending you a replacement coat, seems a bit much. But just my 2 cents.
Perhaps but I also believe that in order to improve the base level of service for any industry, those buying the goods or services must expect more than less. The fact that they offered a replacement coat right off before anything else seemed odd to me.

Let's assume this is standard practice and not merely a rep acting on his own initiative. If that is how they conduct business, it would be interesting to see whether or not it would be more cost effective to simply make standard shipping rates similar to what currently exists but through a provider that offers the ability to track packages. The shipper may be more expensive but is the end coast less than what they lose due to sending out full replacements when an order doesn't arrive by the promised delivery date?

I suppose what was most irksome was the fact that they said tracking was not possible yet turn around a few days later to say they tracked down the shipment. At best, it is sloppy business practice and at worst, well, let's simply say it's just worst.

For me, this crosses the recommendation line but your millage and expectations may differ, which is why I hoped others would chime in. This way, other forum members can take everything into consideration and make decisions they feel most comfortable with.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Frankly, it would appear to me that you could very well be making mountains out of molehills.
From your description of the transaction, one might perceive that the "problems" you describe could be more a matter of your own self-imposed expectations, than any failure of performance on the part of the supplier.

It was your decision to order the item before your questions were answered, and might we deduce that once you received the coat, there were no unsatisfactory answers to your questions? You do not mention any, nor (does it appear) did you take the supplier up on their rather generous offer of a refund, including shipping.

I might also guess that you may have not had experience with a very large number of international transactions.
Unless an item is shipped via an (expensive) expedited shipping service, shipping times can vary greatly and are entirely beyond the control of the shipper. (And yes, customs can delay any shipment from abroad.)

You also appear to be confusing tracking with delivery confirmation, and you shouldn't. They are two very different issues.
USPS tracking is anything but "minute-to-minute." It is not always very easy with USPS to determine exactly where a package is. (I currently have a package in domestic shipment via USPS, with paid delivery confirmation. It has already been in transit for over two weeks, there have been both a 5-day and a 6-day lag in any tracking information during this time, and the package has yet to be delivered.) On the other hand, I have always found their delivery confirmation to be accurate and reliable.
In your case, you are dealing with an interchange between two postal services, plus customs in between. Do you honestly expect the supplier of this item to be able to precisely locate it at the particular moment of your inquiry?

(And the offer to replace your item, even though no loss had yet been confirmed, was exceptionally generous.)

As for the condition of the package, I see in your photo a very well-packed shipment, with absolutely no signs of anything I would consider damage, especially considering that it is an international shipment!

Considering the facts as you have stated them, I see every reason to be happy with this transaction, and to wholeheartedly recommend doing business with this company, based on your experience.

I find the greatest success is to be had if transactions are conducted on the basis of collaboration, rather than confrontation. Even if true problems arise (and it would appear none did, in your case) a collaborative approach usually, in my experience, results in the most satisfactory solutions.

Of course, if the other party in a transaction does not respond responsibly, I can be quite a bit more than "firm". (Trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of this.) However, unless and until that party behaves deceitfully, my experience is that cooperating on finding solutions, as opposed to immediately making demands, almost always brings the better results.
 
#19 ·
That is a beautiful coat and the collar is what makes it so interesting. Great contrast between the soft feminine collar and the tight rugged whipcord on the coat. I'll bet the Ladies comment on it often.
I must say with your high anxiety and drama level Charles Tyrwhitt may be greatful you wont be a repeat customer.
 
#22 ·
From your description of the transaction, one might perceive that the "problems" you describe could be more a matter of your own self-imposed expectations, than any failure of performance on the part of the supplier.
Agreed. Having done business with CT for years, I have always had top-notch service from them. Their reps are polite, they answer phones & e-mails promptly, and their delivery is extremely consistent.

Amazing the good service that you will find when you are easy to work with yourself...
 
#24 ·
Frankly, it would appear to me that you could very well be making mountains out of molehills.
From your description of the transaction, one might perceive that the "problems" you describe could be more a matter of your own self-imposed expectations, than any failure of performance on the part of the supplier.

It was your decision to order the item before your questions were answered, and might we deduce that once you received the coat, there were no unsatisfactory answers to your questions? You do not mention any, nor (does it appear) did you take the supplier up on their rather generous offer of a refund, including shipping.

I might also guess that you may have not had experience with a very large number of international transactions.
Unless an item is shipped via an (expensive) expedited shipping service, shipping times can vary greatly and are entirely beyond the control of the shipper. (And yes, customs can delay any shipment from abroad.)

You also appear to be confusing tracking with delivery confirmation, and you shouldn't. They are two very different issues.
USPS tracking is anything but "minute-to-minute." It is not always very easy with USPS to determine exactly where a package is. (I currently have a package in domestic shipment via USPS, with paid delivery confirmation. It has already been in transit for over two weeks, there have been both a 5-day and a 6-day lag in any tracking information during this time, and the package has yet to be delivered.) On the other hand, I have always found their delivery confirmation to be accurate and reliable.
In your case, you are dealing with an interchange between two postal services, plus customs in between. Do you honestly expect the supplier of this item to be able to precisely locate it at the particular moment of your inquiry?

(And the offer to replace your item, even though no loss had yet been confirmed, was exceptionally generous.)

As for the condition of the package, I see in your photo a very well-packed shipment, with absolutely no signs of anything I would consider damage, especially considering that it is an international shipment!

Considering the facts as you have stated them, I see every reason to be happy with this transaction, and to wholeheartedly recommend doing business with this company, based on your experience.

I find the greatest success is to be had if transactions are conducted on the basis of collaboration, rather than confrontation. Even if true problems arise (and it would appear none did, in your case) a collaborative approach usually, in my experience, results in the most satisfactory solutions.

Of course, if the other party in a transaction does not respond responsibly, I can be quite a bit more than "firm". (Trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of this.) However, unless and until that party behaves deceitfully, my experience is that cooperating on finding solutions, as opposed to immediately making demands, almost always brings the better results.
Good post. I've lived in Korea for a couple years now, and have ordered things mostly USPS, but also through FedEx and whatever tracking issues arise I don't blame on who I'm ordering from as they do not own either shipping company.

Also, I used to work for UPS so I know how things get from point A to B and the steps in between. Of the thousands of packages that go through one truck in an hour some packages do break open or get left at the hub or for any number of reasons can lead to a gap in the tracking process.
 
#25 ·
I think it is okay to have high standards, so I am not gonna flame you for that. I wanna thank you for giving such a great review and deliver some photos of a coat that I now HAVE to buy. It appears great value for money and you have convinces me of getting it. I hope delivering-time to my country is a bit shorter, though.
 
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