My Evening at Macy's--In Store and Online

Macy's is having this "Friends and Family" sale going on for which they decide pretty much everyone in the world is a a friend of Macy's or part of the Macy's family and send them cards for 20% off pretty much anything.

I hit the store at 8 p.m. (when it's generally pretty empty) to try on some dresses. I grabbed a handful and found a dressing room which happened to be filled with a bunch of other dresses that were all my size. I tried on a dozen or so and settled on a cute black cotton dress with cap sleeves and white embroidery at the hem. It was $68 after the discounts and it's a perfect little dress for summer. I can't find it on the Macy's website. I can never seem to find anything on the Macy's website.

If I go to, say, the Gap and they're out of something in my size, I can come home, go to their website, and buy it (or at least find it, whether it's available in my size or not). Every time something is sold out in my size at Macy's, I check the website and it's not there.

For example...tonight I found a Michael Kors Petites dress that I really loved. Problem was, one size was too big, one size was too small, and they were sold out of the size in between. Of course, this particular dress it not sold on Macy's website. If I want an ugly gold Michael Kors swing jacket or an ugly yellow Michael Kors mini trench, I'm in luck. Dress I decided I must have--no luck.

I found it on the Nordstrom site (have I mentioned that I can't wait for Nordstrom to open at The Mall--hurray up with that construction, already), but there would be no 20% discount involved in that purchase. Full price is $159.50 and Nordstrom's shipping is $8.

I decided to call some other locations of Macy's to find the dress. After a few minutes on (long distance) hold I talked to the very helpful (albeit monotone) Tiffany at a Columbus area location and--yay!--they had my size. And she could send it to me. For $15.95. (Isn't that outrageous?) But with the 20% off, I'm still doing better than Nordstrom. With all said, done and rung up, I saved $9 off the full price. I really hope it's fits me perfectly when it arrives--I hope I still love it. Nothing is more annoying than blowing 16 clams on shipping only to return the item.

Here's the dress I ordered from Tiffany.


So maybe it's a little derivative of Balenciaga's spring florals. But it's less weird (and I can't afford Balenciaga). And let me tell you, that "petite" model must be at least 5'7" because that dress hit just above the knee on 5'2" me.

Shopping Shipping Injustices: The Gap

Today I decided to buy a pair of the new pink and the new light blue khakis from the Gap. I'm going to Florida for vacation next week, and I figured these pastel trousers would compliment Miami well. Trouble is that (as I mentioned in a previous post) they only come in regular length in the store. If you're petite or tall you have to order online and pay for shipping. It's only $6 when you shop on Gap.com.

But I was thinking about this--why should I have to order my clothes online just because I am not of average height? That's not fair! The Gap should carry petite and tall items in their stores. (Their sister store Banana Republic finally started carrying petite and their line fits me so well.)

While my ire was still up, I decided to voice my opinion. I called the Gap's customer service number. Here is a close facsimile of our conversation:

Gap: Gap online customer service--how may I help you?

Material Girl: Hello Gap. I'm going to purchase some khakis from your website because you don't carry petite sizes in your stores. I feel it is unjust that I must pay shipping charges, however, simply because I am 5 foot 2. Would you consider waiving the shipping charge of $6 to make me, your loyal customer who talks about you on her blog quite often, happy?

Gap: No. We can't do that.

Material Girl: Do you have any future plans to carry petite and tall sizes in your store and thus discontinue this injustice?

Gap: I'm going to put you on hold, Ma'am.

Interlude of obnoxious-and-loud hold music for approximately 2 minutes.

Gap: Ma'am, we do carry petite sizes in some of our large flagship stores, but we have no plans to carry them in other locations at this point. And I confirmed that we cannot waive shipping.

Material Girl: I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for checking.

Gap: Is there anything else I can help you with today, Ma'am?

Material Girl: No thank you. Goodbye and have a Gappy day.

I'm thinking of starting a one woman email campaign. Perhaps if I bug them enough they will reconsider this retail strategy of theirs. I've have engaged in such campaigns before and hold myself at least partially responsible for dark chocolate M&Ms, the reemergence of the Jell-O pudding pop, and getting a Sephora in my Mall--so it just could work. Feel free to join me fellow not-of-average-height shoppers! If we all bug the Gap, they gotta change their ways.

And we can also work on Old Navy who some time ago removed all their plus size clothing from their stores, making it online only. A plus size friend of mine was both annoyed and insulted by this, as if Old Navy was saying to their plus size customers: "We want your money, but we don't want you in our stores." And who needs to try on clothing more than a plus size woman? Size 2's have a much easier time of it when it comes to how clothing fits them. Size 22's need a fitting room and a selection.

Gap corporation--throw me a bone here. Clear out a few dozen of the 10 million pairs of jeans you carry and give me a tiny little section of pants and tops that fit me.