This post about the Anthropologie September 2018 survey contains affiliate links. Please read this blog’s disclosure post for more info.
Let’s say that you’re Anthropologie. It’s 2018. You’ve been a store for 25+ years. You’re doing better than you were last year; profits are increasing each quarter. Yet compared to 5 years ago, or even 10, you are struggling simultaneously to please either new customers or loyal longtime fans.
What’s a company to do? Send out a survey, of course! The Anthropologie September 2018 survey is a simple, straightforward look into the mind of customers with a 20% off bonus at the end. Did I receive the survey? You bet, at all of my registered email addresses, and I heartily took the opportunity to share my honest thoughts.
My answers in the screenshots, with my thoughts and discussion to follow.
To be sure, my answers were harsh. Or perhaps not! For the last several years now I’ve been defending Anthropologie. I was so sure the changes we wanted were right around the corner, a quarter or two away. The 2017 holiday season broke my optimism and I let that be known in my Anthropologie September 2018 survey responses.
I am getting married in less than a year (!!!) and I haven’t found a single occasion dress at Anthropologie. Two engagement parties down, one to go, zero Anthro dresses. This girl who dreamed of an Anthro wedding didn’t buy her wedding dress at BHLDN — though I really tried! I doubt any of my bridesmaid dresses or flower girl dresses will come from there, nor any of my accents.
I haven’t bought much of anything at Anthropologie in 2018. A couple of mugs I believe. I’m sitting here wracking my brain trying to think of a single piece of clothing though, and nothing is coming to mind. I’m sure I did buy a piece here and there but that speaks to how far Anthropologie has fallen in my world — I used to keep track of every single piece and keep a database of coordinating accessories too.
Why has Anthro fallen so far? Well, as I said in my survey responses, the quality sucks and the designs don’t appeal to me. Anthropologie’s third party choices overlap too much with stores like Nordstrom and outlets like Amazon, both of which beat Anthro on price often. Their in-house items are a weird mix of Boden and J. Crew with some Eileen Fisher thrown in. Zero personality, odd prints, loose fits galore. (Or too-tight fits, especially across the bust!)
A couple of years ago teenage daughters or siblings of my friends seemed to be very into Anthropologie, but even most of them have moved on. The main reason? Quality. So many Anthro purchases of the last two years have ended up in the recycle bin because they’ve pilled so badly, lost stitching in the seams to a ridiculous degree, or shrunken or warped in the wash. The clothing doesn’t age well. Even in the age of fast fashion I don’t want clothing that I can only wear two or three times before it looks so hideous I have to get rid of it.
Most of my other complaints are things I’ve said so many times before: too much online-only stuff, too little cohesion, way too much selection, too much boxy, crazy prints that don’t coordinate with each other, style that thinks it’s cool updated 70s but is actually terribly lame, inconsistent sizing, lack of interesting details, lack of body-skimming fits for tops and fit and flare dresses, and I could go on.
Shopping at Anthropologie is tiring now. Many of the other stores who lost their way around the same time have righted the ship. I fear Anthropologie is more off-course than ever.
The final question was open. I answered the Anthropologie September 2018 survey twice; here are my two responses:
Firstly, specifically about the Anthropologie & Co concept:
When the Anthropologie & Co concept was first launched I was very excited for it! I was hopeful that I’d find more of the online only items stores were missing. I hoped that there would be the kind of unique finds and curiosities that used to be an Anthropologie hallmark. I hoped that customer service would be top notch and allow me to quickly locate and ship items that were, for whatever reason, not in-store.
Instead, I feel like the concept has been wasted. In NYC the Anthropologie & Co is barely different from a regular store, and doesn’t even carry shoes. In CT the Westport store is huge but lacks many of the online only items I need to try on before I could possibly buy them.
That goes double for home goods. I certainly don’t expect you to have every home good in-store, but it seems like you have the same home goods at every store with no variety between stores. How am I supposed to buy a $3,000 piece of furniture without seeing it first? Especially when the quality of many of your home items is so iffy?
Why even have this concept if you’re not using it to its full advantage? Likewise, in regular stores so much floor space has been lost to beauty (don’t care) and wellnes (care even less). I come to Anthropologie for clothing, jewelry, shoes and bags. The bonus of finding one-off items individual to each store was such a joy. These days it’s impossible to find a full outfit in your stores.
Secondly, more general:
“Sadly, Anthropologie has completely lost its way. And each year we hear the promise that “Our longtime fans will love what we have in-store!” Sorry Anthro, like a girl in a bad relationship, I gotta pull out of this and take care of myself here.
I know leadership recently changed. The quality has continued to go to shit. Let me give a recent example — I bought a necklace that was gold. Now of course I knew the chain was gold-plated for $48, however after less than two wearings all that gold plating had tarnished off, and I am now left with a necklace that has a silver-ish green chain and gold pendants, and I cannot remove the pendants to put them on a new chain. So that’s $48 wasted. I bought a ‘silk’ sleeveless blouse that became so pilled after 3 months I’m embarrassed to wear it in public.
Additionally, the clothing is truly hideous right now. It doesn’t remind me of Anthro of old at all, but really I don’t need Anthro of old so much as I need that same feeling Anthro used to give me — excitement about classics with a twist and a bit of fun whimsy. I haven’t felt really excited about anything from Anthropologie in a few years, even as other brands that also ebb and flow continue to win me back. Please look at your 2005 catalogues and 2008 catalogues and tell me if YOU get excited about this clothing — I’d buy many of those items all over again RIGHT NOW. But only in the same materials Anthro — none of this trading cotton jersey for spandex or rayon crud.
Finally, the fit. In the past, one of the most glorious things about Anthropologie was that no matter what your height, shape or size, Anthro would fit. I delighted in taking so many personal shopping clients to Anthropologie, knowing that whether a size 14 or a 4, there would be beautiful stuff that would make my clients feel great. And it was my favorite store too. I would spend lunch break there every day as a respite from my agency job. (And I’d buy something new quite often.) Now? I go months between store visits, and I visit the website maybe once a month to check in and see if anything new might be worthwhile.
I’m not impressed by your 3 token photos with a plus size model. Many other brands are incorporating women of all sizes in every product shot. I doubt most Anthropologie products would fit women with DD cups (which I have!) or curvy hips, thighs and butts. Nothing feels worse than going to a store, trying items on, and finding they don’t fit not because the size is wrong, but because the DESIGN DOES NOT ALLOW FOR FEMININE SHAPES.
Sorry Anthro, other stores are taking care of me much better, and I have to move on. “
The 20% off code for taking the survey is universal — it’s SSP18MXPXN for 20% off your full price Anthropologie purchase through September 23, 2018.
Now community, I turn it over to you. Did you take this survey? Is there anything you’d like to share with Anthropologie?
This fall is the worst I have ever seen at a number of stores (Anthro, J. Crew, etc.) It's actually shockingly bad.
Thank you for responding to the survey in such a thoughtful, comprehensive manner. I filled mine out with similar comments as well. I don't know if I'm going to end up using the discount code.
Author
Excellent, Guest! I'm hoping that many many Anthro fans give thoughtful responses too, because the more of us there are, the more likely we are to affect change. That said, I did speak with several former Anthro-loving friends and most of them were too blahed out to even bother with the survey, sigh.
I can't blame them for not filling out the surveys. I rarely shop there anymore, and I did have that moment of "why am I even bothering?' before I did it. In the end, I just wanted to explain why I left more than how I thought things could get better.
I used to carefully, thoughtfully, extensively, fulsomely fill out those surveys. Since they never seemed to go to any good use, I honestly just can't be bothered wasting my time anymore. I certainly don't need the discount. I haven't bought anything there other than a mug or earrings in probably 2 or more years, whereas 5-7 years ago probably 85% of my closet was Anthro. Sad, pathetic state of affairs… 🙁
I can't believe I didn't get a survey. I would have loved to have given my opinion. When did you all receive it?
Author
Lou, the email arrived on September 6th with the subject line "We're curious.."
I didn't get it either, nor did I get my September birthday discount. It would seem Anthro has unfriended me?
I didn't receive one but would have love to fill one out. The quality is down, the sizing is for waifs pre-teens, and their styles are frankly ridiculous. I miss the charm and whimsy as well as the quality of a few years past.
Author
Hi Kelly, just forwarded and I deleted your comment with your email address to protect your privacy.
Great responses and I know how difficult that must have been for you to write as one of Anthro’s longtime customers and supporters. I hope they take it and all the less than stellar feedback) seriously before it’s too late. Something is truly missing from my (shopping) life without that Anthro magic.
Author
Yes it was a bit depressing to write Almisa. I agree that we are sorely missing that Anthro magic in our lives!!
Don't hold back, Roxy…..tell them what you REALLY think! 😉
I got the survey too, and I don't think I rated anything above a 4. I've only been in the store once or twice over the past few months, and while it LOOKS like they are trying (I see a lot of prints that look Anthro and in-house brands that I haven't seen in a while, like Postmark), when you get close up it all goes to pot. Bad fabrics, high prices, and lack of special details.And when something looks good enough to take into the fitting room it looks terrible on – something is off with the fit on just about everything. I really don't think they can fix things at this point. I was browsing through some of your old posts – looking for old items I might search out on Ebay – and I can see that the decline has been going on for at least 7 years now. They've just totally lost sight of who they are and what they (used to) do well.
I agree that fashion just about everywhere is a miss so far this season. Did anyone read the September issues of the fashion magazines? Balaclavas? Fanny packs (worn under the armpit)? Coats so oversized that it makes the oversized looks of the 80s seem subdued by comparison? I could not believe what I was seeing. Every page was uglier and more ridiculous than the next.
Something is really amiss with fashion as a whole. Where do you think this is all going?
I think the general fashion zeitgeist is part of the equation too and is not helping Anthropologie.
Author
lol the gloves have surely come off!
Where is this all going…that's a great question. I think we are headed for a consolidation in the fashion world. There are too many retailers right now, too many brands that are too similar to each other. Technology is surely changing fashion. Clothing can be produced much faster than ever before, and the traditional inspiration-design-buyer-production-season schedule has been thrown out the window. Some retailers are having a hard time defining how they want to compete with the shortened timeline.
Additionally, everyone is now relying on 'data' for information about what to design. Trend Reports are now a huge thing in the fashion retail world, which is why you're seeing 15,000 blue-and-white striped long sleeve shirt dresses right now for example, or why pale yellow was everywhere over the Summer. I truly think this data is overload and leading retailers away from the core strengths to their detriment.
Finally, there aren't many fresh ideas in fashion. Perhaps there haven't been for awhile. And that's OK, except the periods that designers and then retailers are choosing to revisit over and over — the late 70s, mid 80s and early 90s — are some of the most challenging periods of clothing to actually wear. Most of the clothing from these eras looks dumb. But, because it is so extreme, it's styles that will keep shoppers coming back to check out the new trends each season, vs. more classic clothing which we can keep in our closets for years. Alas, if a store guesses wrongs on the trend in any given season they might be done for.
So I think there will be a shakeout, and some retailers will not make it.
The "data" problem seems to be hounding every creative industry, from movies to music to fashion. Everything suddenly looks and sounds the same. And I don't think that's just me getting old. 🙂
I agree with the prediction of a shakedown. I see so many stores that I just don't think are going to make it – Talbots, Gap, Abercrombie, maybe even Lucky.
Author
I love Lucky Brand but I don't understand how they stay in business with their constant 40% off sales! Gap will make it, they are too big to totally go away. They may end up consolidating brands (and maybe that's what you meant, that Gap stores may go while the overall brand remains).
Yes, that's what I meant by Gap – I know that Old Navy is still doing well, and that there might be hope for BR. I can't remember the last time I set foot into a Gap, though, and I never run into the brand second hand. They're pretty much irrelevant.
I adore Lucky, but their quality has really tanked. I used to save up to splurge on their jeans because the quality was so worth it, but the new pairs I buy now (deeply discounted) don't even last a year. Only the jewelry is still well made. No one is ever in the stores either, and their deep discounts are troubling, 🙁
What stores/brands do you think won't survive?
Author
J.Crew is in big trouble, mostly because of their huge debt load and the way ownership is now set up. Don't get me wrong — I'm pulling for them! I hope they are able to complete the turnaround and get out of the horrible interest payment spiral they're currently stuck in. But we might see a near future where Madewell gets spun off or sold while J.Crew becomes the next Toys R Us.
Although it's doing OK right now I would not be surprised to see Urban Outfitters as a brand shrink, change or go away. I could see it becoming a department at Free People. It, American Eagle, Abercrombie are always teetering near the edge in a very crowded market that's better served by fast fashion stores. Of them all UO has an owner who is truly invested in its success, so we'll see. And as you know I love American Eagle, which has been doing better lately but is basically two bad quarters away from financial disaster.
I think Victoria's Secret is doomed. They really went wrong the last several years, from getting rid of swim to focusing too much on bralettes at too high a price point. The bras have way too much padding. I don't think they're long for this world.
How about you Anthropolitan?
I still can't believe Victoria's Secret got rid of swimwear. I know they had a couple years of overly fussy and impractical suits, but they could have gone back to basics instead of ditching the category altogether. It used to be my go-to store for reasonably priced, decent quality bikinis and I haven't found another store that fills the void.
Oh wow, Victoria's Secret? I haven't shopped there in years but my store always looks crowded. I used to love them in the early 90s. They had great pjs and leggings.
I'd hate to see American Eagle go. My daughter gets all her denim there – fits her perfectly. Even I find things from time to time.
I think Talbots is done. Their image is too Stodgy Old New England and who dresses that way anymore? Lucky, Express, and Lord and Taylor all look like sitting ducks to me.
There are way too many stores out there. Instead of too many stores trying to cater to too many kinds of people I'd be much happier with fewer stores with specific personalities.
“I've only been in the store once or twice over the past few months, and while it LOOKS like they are trying (I see a lot of prints that look Anthro and in-house brands that I haven't seen in a while, like Postmark), when you get close up it all goes to pot. Bad fabrics, high prices, and lack of special details.And when something looks good enough to take into the fitting room it looks terrible on – something is off with the fit on just about everything. ”
THIS!!!!! I remember holiday of 2017 being really excited about several sweaters and sweater dresses I saw in store. They LOOKED like things I used to buy and wanted to buy. Once I got them on my body they were either extremely itchy, ill-fitting, or both. I have major trust issues with Anthro now and am a lot more selective about what I try on / buy. I find that there are still some good things there but I usually have to wait for a promotion or sale because the good stuff is $$$$$$$$
Even when I find a lurking odd nice piece, the prices are far toooo high to even consider for what I know may be a piece of cloth falling off soon. Cotton tops for 300-400 USD and silk tops with lose hanging threads. I was charmed by a black NYC cami with some pretty crystal beading and it arrived- short, tight on the chest and already with threads dropping off the edge.
Even when I like something, ordering it just puts a nail in the coffin.
Author
I haven't looked closely enough at Anthro's site recently to say for sure but yes it does seem like there's a lot of really high prices (at least for Anthro). I have always known them to carry some items in the $300-$600 range, yet it's something customers are constantly raising to me in email and FB messages.
Yep. Got one too. I filled it out. I can't tell you why I filled ANOTHER one out.. …but I did. lol
Haha same here klj1, same here! I also have to agree that this newest catalog was probably one of the most uninspiring catalogs, maybe in the top five because there's been a few others in the same blah ball park but yeah, it's Fall time and that's when I really spend my money on clothes because I adore jewel tones and velvets:) Nothing is exciting or exceptional for me so far except for a few basic things here and there. I do like what Boden has come out with lately though:)
Author
I know! It seems like Anthropologie says they are listening but then doesn't actually make any changes that reflect that. Changing the return policy is especially tone deaf (as cited by many here in this post's comments!).
This is what I said in my survey:
J. Crew is really impressing me lately with the cute capsule collections like the one with Abagail Borg, quality has gone way up while prices have gone down, there's a larger size range, and free shipping and returns with no minimum for loyalty members. Anthropologie would be wise to follow suit.
I'm happy to see more work-appropriate items at Anthropologie, such as the ponte trousers and longer skirts. And I'm thrilled that most pants are now offered in tall sizes (which I need). I'm disappointed, however, that tall sizes are stocked in such few quantities that they sell out almost immediately, before I can buy a pair.
I really loved the Anthropologie chinos that were sold this summer and I bought several pairs. But I was very disappointed to find them coming apart at the seams after just one or two wears and such horrible problems with the dye coming off in the wash.
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Things i forgot to say but wished I had added:
-I'm really unhappy with the new price adjustment policy.
-I loved the idea of bringing the old prints back in the 52 conversations line. But the actual clothing items are cheap and fit horribly.
– I've been shipped the wrong item **5 times** this year.
– The sizing on the Anthropologie line of shoes runs two sizes small.
I didn't receive one but I wish I had…although all the others I have filled out seem to have fallen on deaf ears. I am just so over Anthro. The price adjustment policy changes were the last nail in the coffin for me.
Author
Great feedback Karen! I haven't fallen back in love with J. Crew yet myself, but I do love that they and Madewell are showing most of their items on a smaller size model and a larger size model — no fanfare, they're just setting a new standard. I noticed the same thing on the Gap brands websites. It's so refreshing! I do agree that J. Crew and Banana Republic are taking steps to up their quality notably, while Anthropologie…not so much.
Yes, the 52 Conversations line has been a total bust.
SUCH A BUST! They annoy me, I was so looking forward to a nice silk blouse with a waistline and a cute print. Not KMart.
I am in total agreement with you. I’m relieved that it isn’t just me thinking how disappointing the last seasons have been. I’m uninspired by the choices and derivative designs that fit badly. I’m over the peasant bliss and cropped pants that don’t look good on anybody. Plus they have changed the return policy when we really need the option to being hack a garment that has not worn well. Thank you for confirming my thoughts on this .
Author
I think your comments echo the feelings of so many Anthropologie customers Marlan Clarke.
I filled it out and said pretty much the same. It’s just not fun anymore.
Author
Nope.
My survey answers were much like yours. I have moved on to purchase what I need elsewhere (Nordstrom, bloomies, shopbop and specialty online retailers like Mother and Morrow). I rarely go in a store any longer and will buy a few pieces I need like shorts or whatever if Anthro's prices are less. But I don't stalk the site like I used to any longer and in fact, I am lucky if I visit once every two weeks.
Author
So sad to hear so many of us saying the same thing!! Yet it's true.
I haven’t bought anything in Anthro all year. Yup—-used to spend thousands…..I don’t even get their emails anymore. Complained and C/S seems to not care. Anthro at the nice mall here Boca Town Center, isn’t even really nice.
Sad. I missAnthro and the excitement of meeting fellow lovers of the brand, the cute items with a twist. Been doing what little shopping I do at Madewell, Bloomies, Saks, etc.
Author
Bronzi! Always good to see you. =)
Great post, Roxy. As usual, I did not get the survey–but if I had, my answers would be pretty much the same.
I still find it fun, as a mental exercise, to think about what I would do if I were in charge of Anthro apparel. First, I'd cut pretty much all third-party product lines carried by stores like Nordstrom and go back to carrying a few hard-to-find lines that align with and elevate the Anthro aesthetic. I'd cut absolutely all 'filler' with endless repeats–the poly peasant blouses nobody wants, the silly pants nobody wears, the weird shapes nobody understands. Cut right back to basics, i.e. the apparel business at Anthro would be primarily in-house product lines with small, well-made, natural-fibre capsule collections featuring the kind of quality and uniqueness and detail that makes someone willing to pay $98 to $188 for a little blouse (as they used to do). This would be complemented by a highly edited selection of third-party clothing and accessory lines selected for how well they style with the in-house items and how hard they are to find elsewhere. Finally, I would re-invigorate the practice of bringing a few local designers' lines in store, so that every time someone passes an Anthro they want to go in and see 'what's unique about this one.' Anthro has lost their best skill: creating the joy of discovery for shoppers.
These are just the major apparel changes I'd make…there's also policy changes and major website changes they need as well. It's fun to dream…:^)
Author
I love it Soleil! Much as I'm tempted to continue giving my feedback on how things could be better, as it's also part of my profession I'm tired of giving suggestions away for free. Now if Anthro wants to hire me to consult…. 😉
They should! Because not only would they get your great insight, they'd get the insight of the whole community through you as well.
Totally! I feel like they should be taking tips from Doen and ChristyDawn (even if we're still talking about an urban outfitters company). They could do well by making fewer things but with care and good fabrics. I bought a fabulous cotton akemi peasant blouse (in my favourite ochre colour) and I feel like I can wear it forever.
I didn't get the survey. Probably because my spending is at an all time low. I'm sure I'm not on their radar anymore. I did find a sort of cute sweater online. Further review revealed that it was an acrylic blend. yuck. For 138.00. Then add $12.05 to ship it to me. Pass. I'm shopping with J.Crew more and have been pleasantly pleased. I got several shirt dresses from them this summer and love them. I think they are working hard to improve. I hope Anthro takes the feedback to heart this time. Funny they continue to ask for feedback but don't seem to implement any changes.
Author
I do like J. Crew's shirt dresses very much! Tailored enough to be professional yet also good for casual wear.
I filled out the survey, though I'm not quite sure why I bothered. They keep asking these questions but not listening to the answers! I am so tired of the proliferation of third-party brands at Anthropologie. With the exception of Maeve, the in-house brands have all but disappeared, so there's really no reason to shop there anymore vs. the countless other department stores and boutiques carrying Michael Stars, etc., especially with Anthro's customer-unfriendly new policies.
I also have no interest in their beauty offerings and would rather see that store space devoted to clothing instead of having so many online exclusives.
Author
Yes the beauty counter is a total waste of space, because there's no dedicated sales person there. When I visited the Portland Anthropologie & Co they made a big deal about all the training the staff had gone through to work beauty (and I thought that was wonderful!!) and now? It doesn't seem like there is anyone in charge of that at most stores. I would much rather have shoes, jewelry or more clothing.
One more thing, why are they selling so much athleisure and other very casual items? All the new arrivals today are grey sweatshirt type things. I don't think those items are bad (I have some high quality athleisure in my own wardrobe), but this isn't what Anthro does best. In fact, it's the *opposite* of what they do/did best.
Author
That is a great question Guest! I suppose because athleisure is such a powerful new segment, however I agree that it's not what I look for at Anthropologie. It seems like such an unnecessary category at so many stores.
Author
I was speaking with a friend of mine who is a chief marketer for an agency, and she pointed out that Anthropologie is probably asking the same questions over and over so that they can measure the responses over time. Excellent food for thought!!
Good point! I wonder if the responses over time have stayed the same (as the opinions expressed here have been).
Years ago, I used to go to Anthro and fill a dressing room. Try on outfit after outfit and not be able to decide which adorable look to bring home with me. Now, I can barely find anything worth taking my clothes off to try on. I get discouraged walking the store and see only ridiculous pants (seriously – where do people wear these "pant-trocities"?), peasant blouses (a person can only have 1 of these in her closet unless she frolics in grassy meadows on the regular), cropped, boxy sweaters (which – why??? if the sweater doesn't come to my hip, and it is swinging away from my body, I will be cold) and ill-fitting maxi dresses in loud prints or cheap fabrics that look terrible in-person. I get discouraged and leave empty-handed. All. The. Time. I don't know why I keep going back. I don't have other dysfunctional relationships in my life. Maybe I just need to accept that Anthro will not change and I need to move on in my clothing retail relationship and find a store that will really appreciate me and my dollars.
My goal for the day is to use "pant-trocities" in a sentence.
Author
Perfectly put Denise.
Interesting. My survey was pretty specific to home goods and furniture. I rarely buy either other than the occasional pillow or kitchen item. I am nowhere near an Anthro and Co and my local store carries very little other than some dishware. I stated I would never buy Anthro furniture as pretty as it is because I cannot see it in person and it's too expensive. I added in the same comments on apparel, though in a general comment as there were not any survey questions around it.
Author
That is interesting laura! That's like in the last round for me — I got a survey about beauty (chortle) but everyone else got one asking how they liked Anthro's selection.
Received and filled out the survey. My answers are much like above responders…. low.
I certainly would not purchase the home goods high gloss glass —- next day to be chipped items, ugh. Burned once, lesson learned. This month is my birthday and another year gone by without making a purchase with the birthday coupon. Just nothing inspires me. I so long for the 2005/2008 catalog items. Those were the days. Now….. polyester-viscose junk. The prices are too high for junk. MICHAEL Starr’s… go to TJ Maxx. I would love some quality good skirts and fit and flare dresses.
I just rarely venture into the 2 stores near me anymore. The open spaces for merchandise are “ open”, revealing to me as a consumer that this Company is mixed up as well as how to fill the shoppes to welcome me. The sales room at the Anthro is overflowing and to peruse it is not possible. The items are stuffed and one cannot move the hangers. Now I am armed with 2 coupons to use but probably will not. Sad.
And even if you love Michael Star's stuff as I do and catch it on sale, there is only so much you can buy/own. I really don't need 10 new Michael stars dresses a year. My existing two or three are just fine.
I don’teven get the birthday thing anymore….
What gets me over and over again, is the lack of clothes in the stores. It is such a petty thing to get angry about, but for goodness sake you are known as a clothing store. I work across the street from a NYC location and they keep having the worst selection. Nothing fresh, nothing exciting and that goes for all the other NYC locations. For the life of me, I don't understand that they would not take advantage of being in one of the most fashion forward cities (esp during fashion week) in the world by bring out the best of the best. Everything I like is either online only or not in any of the NYC stores. I find myself shopping for outfits that I see online instead of single items like I used too, so only having one of 3 things in a store is annoying. Buying online and returning in store is an option, however now that they are tracking returns and only taking some online returns at the store (I think I read that shoes can no longer be returned back to the store), that means you get hit twice with shipping charges (or at least once if you are over $150). I still primarily shop at Anthro, but all that means now, is that I am not buying as much. I do however buy the soaps and beauty masks when they are on sale, but other than that, I don't feel like the beauty department is a huge selling point.
Author
Yup. So true nedrey! There is a little itty bitty bit of difference between the NYC stores but there used to be a diverse personality:
– Soho was more boho with an emphasis on accessories
– Flatiron was where you saw the latest items with a focus on work and events
– Rockefeller Center had so many unique treasures and online exclusives, plus special store-only collaborations
– Chelsea Market had the chicest selection and an expansive home area and shoe selection
– Upper East Side used to have a killer sales room and expansive intimates/sleepwear area
– Financial District…well, it's a store! And it's there. And it calls itself Anthropologie…(there is nothing special about this store at all which kills me).
And now? All the same. Why even bother going?
I actually went to the store yesterday, armed with the 20% coupon, hoping to try on the scenic sweater skirt and the Pilcro high rise boot cut jeans with the buttons. Both of these items have been featured heavily in emails and on the front page of the website, yet neither was available in-store for me to try on. Seriously!? I don't expect them to have every single item in every single store, but you would think there would be some effort to actually stock the stores with the items they feature in their ads.
I thought maybe I simply missed out on them at the store, as another issue they have is that they will get the popular items in ONCE and then never restock, and I don't go to the store as much anymore, but the SA told me they hadn't gotten either item and didn't know if or when they would
I could order online (well, not the skirt because it's mostly sold out) but I don't want to. I have no idea how either will fit and I don't want to deal with the hassle of a return or stink-eye from a SA if I happen to get a snarky one. I want to actually try things on and see how they fit and flatter before I plunk my money down; this really shouldn't be a difficult concept for them to grasp.
I left empty-handed.
If it's any consolation I thought the skirt looked cheap IRL, and it did not have a flattering fit (I'm curvy on the bottom, though). I found it a major disappointment.
Thanks for letting me know! I'm also curvy on the bottom, so that style of skirt doesn't always work on me either. Sadly I'm not too surprised to hear it's not as good in person. That's part of why I hardly go into a store anymore; on the off-chance they do have something that looks cute online, it turns out to be ill-fitting or bad quality (or both).
And this is exactly my point. Why bother promote items (especially house brands) if you are not going to put them in the stores?
If you are interested in the skirt, the 5th NYC store has them. If the jeans with the buttons are Pilcro, then they also have them in stock. I cannot confirm sizes, though. A word of warning though, one of my favorite SA told me that a lot of the stores are no longer doing charge sends (even with a gift card).
Thanks; I appreciate the lead on the skirt & jeans but I'm going to "vote with my wallet" and not buy things I can't try on in-store first.
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That's infuriating kelly (in a very shopping-oriented, non-life affecting way). I would be pissed if an item featured in emails wasn't available to try on in-store.
I find it interesting that one of their 4 locations in Toronto – the one that is inside the Yorkdale Mall (the fourth largest shopping mall in Canada, and which has the highest sales per unit area of any mall in Canada.) recently shut down. That mall has Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew (like a Canadian version of Saks) and other super high end designer stores… the other stores, the odd time I ever bother going in anymore, seem to never be busy at all… don't know how much longer they're going to survive the Canadian landscape at this rate… Anything I am even remotely interested in is either not in stock (never sent to the Canadian stores) or only available online. I refuse to pay the exorbitant shipping + duty charges to Canada – it's just not working for me anymore.
Agreed. The duties plus $20 shipping is ridiculous. I was sad that Yorkdale closed. It was my favourite one.
Funny, I liked Queen Street and Yorkville the best. Yorkdale was okay but The Shops at Don Mills is awful. I honestly don't think that Anthro is likely to recover. They refuse to listen to their customers and their change in policy was way too drastic all at once. I don't mind the 60 day return policy but the refusal to do price adjustments within the two week period just seems stupid. It just encourages people to wait (or re-buy) and, in the meantime, will likely spend their money elsewhere. My spending at Anthro since July has been minimal. I still enjoy popping in to say hello to the SAs though.
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Oh wow Yorkdale closed!!? They were one of the friendliest stores. I used to get nice notes from their SAs.
Yep. Yorkdale closed a few months ago. I didn’t even notice until a couple of weeks ago – that’s how totally out of touch I am with Anthro these days and how close I’ve gotten to nearly abandoning it completely.
Back in the heyday of early 2000s if I was in NYC visiting friends my goal was to get to as many Anthros as possible as each really had a unique vibe and different items.
In Toronto the SAs at the first Toronto store – the one downtown in Yorkville (one of those SAs eventually got the manager job at Yorkdale mall before getting a regional position) all knew me and greeted me by my first name because I was literally in there a minimum of 2 or 3 times a week checking out all the new items that were coming in or the sale room.
Now I go in once every 3-6 months and I just shake my head at how far the store has fallen with all the cheap ugly fabrics and terrible designs and fit. Everything is geneeic and looks like you could find it anywhere. None of the original staff is there. I know it’s retail but their original staff was DEDICATED and worked there for YEARS. Probably because they also loved the clothes and really put the employee discount to good use. They only abandoned ship in the last 2-3 years, most likely when they realized Anthro had finally reached a point of no return where old customers would just walk in, complain about the awful clothes and leave empty handed. Sad.
I am with you on that, skr. Whenever I visited NYC my family knew I was going to disappear for an entire day while I went to very single Anthropologie in Manhattan. Sometimes I made a trip up there JUST to go to Anthropologie. Now I don't even go to the 4 stores within 30 miles of me because I know they will all: 1) look the same, 2) not have anything interesting, and 3) I will leave feeling deflated and disappointed. Who wants that in their retail experience? Anthropologie had better be stalking your blog, Roxy. They should be paying close attention, taking notes and making changes. Fast. Before the whole thing goes down the drain.
Roxy, I don't get how sales are going up if we are all so disappointed. Are we just not their target market anymore? If not, who is?
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I don't think Anthropologie even knows who their target market is anymore. I most recently saw a PR type article where they said they were a store "for adults" (as opposed to teens) but, um, their selection and fit proclivities certainly don't reflect that.
The only thing that reflects marketing to adults is the price points; I don't know too many teenagers dropping $80-120 on a top, but then I also don't know too many grown adult women running around in endless graphic tees, rompers, crop tops, teeny miniskirts, or wacky pants.
I’m not sure if I broke up with Anthro or if they broke up with me. There are three stores in the Seattle/Bellevue area which is about 40 miles away from me but easily two hours in our godawful traffic. I used to enjoy shopping online and making returns in person to avoid the return shipping fee and take advantage of in-person shopping. I went monthly for some years, the staff at U. Village got to know me. Anthro’s style and quality decline coincided with Seattle’s population boom, and I found myself less and less interested in braving the gridlock to get there. The website offered less to want in the first place, and my shopping tapered off to near-zero. Nowadays I don’t get catalogs anymore, they never include me in emails or surveys, not even the birthday thing. It seems they dropped me like a hot potato. Anthropologie is just somebody that I used to know.
Nice to see you post, Roxy! I had wondered if you were gone too!
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Thank you Sara, nice to be here. 🙂
I also find it particularly annoying to be dropped off the store events list or the birthday discount. I get catalogues again.
Same here. No catalogs, emails, birthday discount. Got tired of asking for it to be fixed.
The sales room is over stuffed with clothing now and I have a good feeling it's because of the change in the return and price adjustment policy. Now that you can't get a price adjustment on sale items when it's been further marked down discourages me from buying it at 20% sale and waiting for the 40% now. The SCP store is so overly stuffed that it's offering 40% off sale in store items only. Even then, the traffic has been minimal. I fear that Anthro's strict poilcies are going to drive customers even further away. Annoyingly, i also can't return shoes or home items to my local stores because they will no longer be carrying them. that means online orders require you to PAY in order to return them. uhhhhh no thank you!
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Yes the NYC stores also have packed sales rooms.
I placed an in-store pickup order for a bunch of stuff on Monday at 20% Off. Today it’s all 40% off. I reordered everything except one item that was sold out at the 40% off price and won’t be picking up that first order. Total baloney! They’re losing $ because instead of just giving me the first order at 40 off now the company has to spend more $ shipping another order to the store. More manpower, employees etc.
I couldn't agree more! I had the same issue. I ordered items at 20% off and literally an hour later it was 40% so I had to reorder every single item. I called customer service to see if they are willing to price adjust if it hadn't shipped out (I figured they wouldn't but might as well try) and they wouldn't since it is a sale item. I find it absolutely ridiculous that for something that hasn't even shipped they can't even price adjust and chances are they will be shipping the items until a week later. They have been extremely slow in sending out items recently. Even worse, sometimes the ones I reorder end up being cancelled so I have to keep the first order at 20%. Anthropologie is frustrating me to no end, it's like they no longer care about their customers.
I have to tell you that when I called customer service with this issue, they told me to go to a store, return it all and rebuy it. Swear to God they said that. This particular order involved full price items that had gone to sale as well as regular sale that had gone to discounted sale. So that's exactly what I did and the store had no problem with it. However it's all become too much like work, shopping at Anthropologie these days, so even that small victory did not feel good.
I’m actually really surprised to read that you haven’t bought anything at BHLDN for your wedding or wedding related events! I got married last year, and ended up purchasing my bridesmaid dresses there (the fleur dress was flattering on my 28 year old MOH as well as my 40+ year old sisters who had had children. Beautiful colors too), as well as my rehearsal dinner dress (ML by Monique Lhuillier) and bridal shower dress (needle & thread) as well as an exit dress (also needle & thread) that I didn’t end up wearing because well. I didn’t want to take off my wedding dress (which was Claire Pettibone).
I do agree with your overall sentiments. I have purchased a handful of items this year from Anthro, the vast majority of them have gotten returned. Ive kept 5 of the items and am surprised that I truly love them. One of them being the, originally very expensive Shoshanna Tirana Maxi silk dress that I picked up during the Labor Day sale. It’s feminine and cut well and made of silk, but it was originally $600-700, which is insane when Anthro used to sell even prettier pieces made of quality materials in the $100-300 range full price. My survey response was basically telling them to go back to their 2007-2010 releases and re-capture that. I still enjoy their home goods but it also has lost its magic vs a few years ago.
I always loved the more classic whimsical and ornate style. They used to sell the most beautiful plates and cups and saucers and now it’s much more modern and less versatile.
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Nope, not a thing ALauren! I'm finding stuff I love elsewhere, especially Etsy. BHLDN has such an incredible markup. I was interested in a headband for instance that was $300 at BHLDN, and I found it directly from the artist for under $150. I tried on dresses at BHLDN and was really disappointed with how boob-unfriendly most everything was. Most of their dresses have super short torsos, so if you have any boobs at all the dress looks ridiculous on. Also BHLDN doesn't have in-house tailoring, and maybe I'm NYC-biased but that is ridiculous.
Also, full disclosure, I've had so many brands and retailers reach out to me to partner or sponsor parts of our wedding, and guess which brand is the only one I haven't heard from? It didn't affect our choices but I am so excited about some of the brands we've landed!! Some are really dream brands. It's allowed me to then go out and support a bunch of small artisans on Etsy for other elements while staying in our overall budget.
I am paying for all the bridesmaid dresses and shoes. BHLDN dresses start around $180-$200, but I'm finding lovely stuff on Etsy for more like $100 for equal or better quality. I'd spend more in a heartbeat if I really felt like the BHLDN stuff was special…but I'm not seeing it right now.
Etsy is a wonderful resource and I found ALOT of things for my wedding there (including a shrug for me that was only $30!). For bridesmaid dresses, everyone wanted to be able to try them on first so etsy really wasn't an option. A lot were tried on though, and that Fleur dress really was a winner (though ultimately, my MOH ended up in a Jenny Yoo embroidered dress). Good for you for finding the headband! I like to go to the actual designer whenever I can, because I have found even local shops drastically mark up what they are selling, but don't always have the ability.
Can't wait to see how it all turns out!
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All, I'm hoping to have a fresh post up tomorrow, but it might not be til Monday.
Of course work & family have to come first, but I'm glad to see you back to posting!
I just got a "sneak peek" email for Christmas ornaments. It's September, Anthro!
Even their ornaments last year were so cheap looking. They used to have little treasures. Not hopeful for this year either.
I'm actually really really curious to see the ornaments (and bummed I didn't get this "sneak peek." I have an ornament that my mom bought for me from Anthropologie back in…I want to say 2004. It is the most beautiful glass on a very expensive feeling ribbon. I completely treasure it, and haven't seen anything like it probably since 2004.
I'll try to paste the link):
https://www.anthropologie.com/holiday-gifts-ornam…
Roxy, feel free to update to your link.
Thanks for sharing, Kelly. I never get promotional materials from Anthro even though I have repeatedly asked to get back on their list after I magically disappeared one day. I remember when Anthro used to offer beautiful European glass ornaments. Now it is all made in China junk.
Not related to the quality issues, but I am frustrated with how "stingy" and frankly deceptive Anthro can be in some ways. For example, my birthday coupon doesn't apply to the current "Fall Favorites" offer, whereas my birthday rewards at other stores (JCrew, WHBM, Ann Taylor…) are pretty much always stackable. I'm also frustrated by the emails constantly advertising "free shipping" without mentioning the $150+ caveat. Regular shoppers know about this, but it feels like they're trying to lure in the unwary through deceptive advertising. Again, when other brands I shop with advertise free shipping, they mean it. I used to be willing to put up with all the restrictions because the clothes and the customer service made it worthwhile, but with the changes in quality and the new return policy, Anthro is not "special" enough anymore. It seems like they're living in the past, when they still had that mystique and aspirational quality, and haven't realized that their specialty branding has gone.
Anthro used to be so special to me, but like most of you, I stopped spending any substantial amount of money there a long time ago. Except I never updated my husband on this current state of affairs at Anthro, and he spent a lot of money there last Christmas. And it was horrible. From the customer service to the quality of the items to the price, it was all terrible. I have directed him to local boutiques. Their items are better quality for the same price and click that "unique" button I like to see in my clothing. I would way rather support a local business now than Anthro. Sad, but true.
Yes! I’ve also found myself supporting local businesses! Nothing wrong with that!
Missed you Roxy! So glad you are posting again 🙂
I filled out the survey, I don’t know why though. I would rather find older pieces on Poshmark that buy new items in the store. I find myself sticking with LOFT nowadays. Good quality, usually can’t go wrong with them.
I got the survey and my answers were similar to yours, Roxy. Eight years ago or so, I couldn’t get enough Anthro. Now, I rarely buy anything for many of the reasons that other commenters have expressed. I doubt I’ll even find anything to use the 20% off coupon on. The only things I’ve bought in the past year were a Mara Hoffman dress and Coclico booties when they were on sale for either 20 or 25% off. I need a new purse, but nothing on Anthro looks good. The closest Anthro used to be about 30 minutes away from me. Now there’s one about 10 minutes away. However, the rare occasions I’ve seen something online that I might want to try, my local store doesn’t have it. Seems like they never have anything. The shipping costs are way too high, and the quality is bad for the price point. I haven’t transferred my loyalty to any singular store, but I’ve had good luck with Amour Vert for tees and silk tops, MM la Fleur for business casual type stuff(I like their Foster Pants) , a lot of which is washable, occasional casual dresses and sundresses at J Crew and Boden, Ted Baker, Bailey44.
Another little thing that's been maddening? The loss of two registries, and wishlists! Tried working with their IT support to recover them, and after two weeks of nothing, gave up. Now, when I want to exchange/return items from my registries, they (conveniently) can't look them up, and so items are nonreturnable/exchangeable.
An update for the community–apologies if someone has already posted about this. I called today for a price adjustment on a sale item I bought 3 days ago. Today it's an extra 40% off. Anyhow, the SA told me Anthropologie no longer does price adjustments on sale items. I confirmed that this means *no* price adjustments on *any* sale items. If you buy something full price and it goes on sale, they will adjust. But if it's on sale and gets further reduced within the 10 days where they used to adjust, they will no longer do so.
Yes they changed that back in July? They seem to be enforcing it pretty hard
Interesting that while some do many things wrong, other retailers seem to be following a better path. Take Lululemon for example. They came out with a new line that is like casual work wear for men (I think they have it for women too but it has REALLY taken off for men). My 21 yr old college age son who would never step foot in lululemon asked if he could go and look at pants. They have many styles and cuts and while they are not cheap they hem for free. While I stopped in to picked up another pair (we are going for parents weekend and he asked me to bring them), the store was filled with men looking at pants. When was lululemon ever filled with men (I know their underwear were favored among men but generally it was women buying them for their hubbies).
Why oh why? Today in my email inbox was a promotional email from Anthropologie!! Why am I exclaiming this? It is because for almost two years I suddenly stopped receiving promotional emails from them. I get Free People, Urban and all other emails associated with Anthro like order and shipping confirmations. So I had never gotten any surveys or anything. Did this magically happen to anyone else today? I know of many people who suddenly were dropped from their email list.
I wasn't going to comment because I said a lot on your last Anthro post. But here it goes. I am still in disbelief about the direction Anthropologie has taken in the past few years, and now this year it seems like they have taken a sharp turn down the wrong street. There is the clothing, foremost, which has gone to the dogs in selection, quality and fabric content. There is the lack of selection in stores. There is the mainstream and boring look of the stores since they have eliminated all the handmade individual decorations. And last, there is the no adjustments on sale, which I know of no other retailer who does this. Stack all those things together and it equals: lack of trust and confidence in the brand, and lack of interest in the brand. I wonder if Anthro will even be around 5 years from now. I am sad about the upcoming Holiday season, which used to be the most magical time to shop in the store. It's just depressing to go there now and see the retail space a former shell of itself.
Has anybody noticed the weirdo sales Anthro is doing? Yesterday I noticed the Guinevere maxi dress was 30% off. It wasn't included in the pop-up sale from last week so no idea why it was marked down?
What's the purpose of these strange unannounced or publicized temporary markdowns? To drive internet traffic? I was in the store yesterday and it wasn't on sale there. So weird.
I did buy it though 🙂
Aside from the clothing being mostly ugly, I am tiring of "causes" everywhere. Not at Anthro please! Mostly I don't like that there aren't anymore "beautiful" things to buy!
Where are the clothes with craftsmanship details? Where are the quality, unique kitchen items like the berry baskets and colanders they used to have? (Target is actually doing a better job in this area!) Where are the accessories that I want to be practical AND beautiful, that bring joy just looking at them? They are not there anymore. I comb the sales but find very little to buy except reading glasses! I'll keep checking it out, but not sure how much time I can spend looking for those elusive items. 🙁
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