topic Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again! in Fashion

PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

terrier3 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 18:37:51 GMT

I went once before...they wouldn't accept my QVC Dooney geranium bag - they said it was outlet quality, designed for lower income QVC shoppers. It has a different color trim than the ones in the retail stores.

OK...that was a few years ago and they have a new location. I brought 2 small Dooney Florentine satchel bags (one never used), the geranium print Dooney from 2 years ago, a Coach outlet bag, 2 Banana Republic wrap dresses (one with the $139 price tag still attached), and a Coldwater Creek wrap dress.

First they said that they wouldn't take the Dooney bags. I didn't have the sales receipts, so they wouldn't vouch for their authenticity. The Coach bag - NOPE - it was from the outlet and nobody wants outlet bags. The generium Dooney - SAME STORY as the last time - QVC Dooneys are inferior quality and no one wants them.

The two Banana Republic dresses and the Coldwater Creek dress - $16.99 total.

I learned my lesson. Everything is being donated now to Goodwill or AmVets. I can make more from my tax deduction (using the IRS table) than from Clothes Mentor...and without the attitude from the staff. Goodwill is always happy to see me. They sell designer bags on online auctions to make the most money possible for their charity.

Anyone else have a similar story? I was in a suburb of Buffalo NY - Amherst, a nice upscale area.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Jannyg — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 18:48:03 GMT

I use a resale store in the Phoenix area. They state that they won't take any QVC items. I take my other items and donate QVC to charity.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Big Joanie — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 18:49:49 GMT

Oh I know Amherst...I too would rather donate to charity ....

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

GCR18 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 18:55:21 GMT

I haven't tried the stores that buy clothing. My sister has and she usually is sent packing with most of what she brought. I take everything to goodwill.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

TeezNu — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 18:56:55 GMT

I've generally been pleased with Clothes Mentor, but did note that they never accepted any of my QVC clothes that were in pristine condition. Would love to know the real reason - is it a shopping channel image thing? I see QVC brands pretty often at thrift stores.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

terrier3 — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 00:05:29 GMT

While I was waiting for my items to get the once over, I chatted with a woman in her 50s-60s. She said that she LOVED the store and would never shop anywhere else and was happy with the prices she got on items she sold to them too.

I just didn't get it!

Maybe I'm a snob, but a Banana Republic wrap dress (black & cream geo print) NEVER worn - is worth $5 to them? They said that they pay 1/3 what they will sell it for - I didn't see any dresses for $15 - most were $25-$40 each.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Venezia — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 19:17:13 GMT

@terrier3 - Before you donate anything to Goodwill, please do some research on just how much of their profits go to "good causes" and also how much they pay their disabled workers.

It's your choice and I'm not going to say any more, but the information is out there. I will never give them another thing, nor will my friends and family.

I don't know anything about AmVets, but anything I have to donate goes to the Salvation Army.

As for your experience with Clothes Mentor, we don't have them where I am, but other resale places have been exactly the same. They make you feel like you're bringing in trash. Sorry you had such a bad experience with them.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

millieshops — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 19:38:14 GMT

The clothing consignment store I favored for about 10 years has gone out of business, but she took my QVC items - I think because they were 1X. They all sold.

What didn't sell at all were the few items from Kohl's - and that included a cute wrap dress that still had the tags on it. I'd found it on sale at the end of the season and grew right out of it before I ever wore it. Never bought another Kohl's clothing item since that experience.

Almost everything else I consigned came from Chico's in the years when Chico's was using good fabrics. Everything sold, most before they had to be reduced. This shop had a starting price and 2 reduced phases and you knew that when you offered up your clothes.

I always got enough to buy something else and walk away with some money. Sorry she retired. No one else as good as that store around, so now what I want out just gets donated.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Mint2 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 19:41:00 GMT

So doesn't the fact that the outside world thinks so little of QVC merchandise speak to how overpriced all of these items are? Makes me wonder if this "status" level that QVC has created is just that, a made up world to get us all to overpay for inferior products.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

terrier3 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 19:44:55 GMT

@Mint2 wrote:
So doesn't the fact that the outside world thinks so little of QVC merchandise speak to how overpriced all of these items are? Makes me wonder if this "status" level that QVC has created is just that, a made up world to get us all to overpay for inferior products.

I didn't bother bringing QVC clothes after my last run-in over the geranium printed barrel bag. They had one yellow petunia print tote bag, but the girl said that it was from Macy's, so they accepted it. They had it on a shelf behind the counter and wanted $60 for it.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

butterfly123 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 20:12:43 GMT

@terrier3

Sorry for you bad experiences.

Before moving, we donated to Salvation Army.

The manager was rude at first to us. She remarked that she would not accept dirty, torn, broken items.

Our friends were with us and quickly put the manager in place, by saying that they would take our donations and sell them and donate the money to a place with nice grateful people who appreciated quality items being donated!

After the manager started to look through the clothing etc. she apologized and changed her attitude.

I was happy we donated as much as we did.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

ECBG — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 00:57:36 GMT

I do MUCH better with resale shops! I never went to Clothes Mentor because they advertised how "extremely low" their prices were. That told me exactly how much I would make on my clothes which are from high retail shops.

They only refuse Dress Barn, Kohls, Marshalls (unless it's a major brand), and similar items.

I get about $100.00 a month back.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Pearlee — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 20:44:17 GMT

I wonder if there's some proof somewhere that QVC is selling inferior Dooneys? Because Q's prices are the same as on the Dooney website, which means the cost is cheaper from the website because it's free S&H with a $150 or more purchase (whereas QVC charges around $12 S&H!

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 21:09:59 GMT

@terrier3 wrote:
I went once before...they wouldn't accept my QVC Dooney geranium bag - they said it was outlet quality, designed for lower income QVC shoppers. It has a different color trim than the ones in the retail stores.
OK...that was a few years ago and they have a new location. I brought 2 small Dooney Florentine satchel bags (one never used), the geranium print Dooney from 2 years ago, a Coach outlet bag, 2 Banana Republic wrap dresses (one with the $139 price tag still attached), and a Coldwater Creek wrap dress.
First they said that they wouldn't take the Dooney bags. I didn't have the sales receipts, so they wouldn't vouch for their authenticity. The Coach bag - NOPE - it was from the outlet and nobody wants outlet bags. The generium Dooney - SAME STORY as the last time - QVC Dooneys are inferior quality and no one wants them.
The two Banana Republic dresses and the Coldwater Creek dress - $16.99 total.

I learned my lesson. Everything is being donated now to Goodwill or AmVets. I can make more from my tax deduction (using the IRS table) than from Clothes Mentor...and without the attitude from the staff. Goodwill is always happy to see me. They sell designer bags on online auctions to make the most money possible for their charity.

Anyone else have a similar story? I was in a suburb of Buffalo NY - Amherst, a nice upscale area.

@terrier3

Is Clothes Mentor a chain? Never heard of them. I once both lived and worked in Amherst, and have both good and bad things to say about it, so I'll say nothing.

However ..... if you really want to be put down, I highly recommend taking your stuff to a consignment store in Beverly Hills, CA ..... BOY, can they reject good pieces in a snooty way! (And they wanted receipts, too) Remember the snooty sales women in the Rodeo Drive boutique in Pretty Woman? Much, much worse than them!

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

SoX — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:26:59 GMT

I'd also rather just donate to charities, specifically DVA and Vietnam Veterans of America, and take the tax writeoff.

I'd always thought the Q handbags were of a lesser quality ... the one Dooney I have from here was checked by a good friend in the business who told me to stop buying them from the Q if I expected a return on the investment later.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

spix — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:26:32 GMT

I'm in Chicago, the Clothes Mentor in my area is a disaster, mostly everything looked really bad, but neighbors have said they routinely don't accept their items to be sold, I know these are extremely high end items, I don't go there anymore cause I equate it with the Goodwill stores

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

TeezNu — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:45:35 GMT

@Venezia To add to your charity recommendation, I'd suggest everyone check out http://www.charitynavigator.org/ to evaluate the best and most effective and efficient charities.

@terrier3

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

Snicks1 — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:49:09 GMT

About 20+ years ago I tried a resale shop, forgot the name but don't think it was any type of chain. Anyway, It was basically the same as what the OP stated as her experience. Since that one time, I just donate my items to a local place that employs handicapped persons to work in the sorting area and the resale shop.

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

jlkz — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 23:11:19 GMT

A Clothes Mentor store ( franchise ? ) just opened outside a mall near me. Checked it out once and overheard someone trying to check in some beautiful clothing get a really cold, snarky attitude.

Decided I really didn't want to be in this bright, clean, brand new store in the future...let alone take in any items !

Re: PLEASE remind me to NEVER go to Clothes Mentor ever again!

DiAnne — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 23:25:44 GMT

I donate my clothes but I have heard from friends that do go to consignment shops that QVC merchandise is not wanted.