My husband purchased a striped polo for me while on vacation at an AE Outlet Store in Lebanon, TN on June 28th, 2018. I loved the shirt and had worn it twice. However, on July 16th (only 18 days after the shirt was purchased), I went to put my arm through it, it split right across the middle of the polo shirt (picture attached). I couldn’t believe it! I’d seen shirts split after several years when they were worn, but after less than 3 weeks?! Luckily, I’d saved the receipt and so we went to this AE store closest to our house, confident we would be able to exchange it. We explained the situation to the clerk who then called the assistant manager. However, the assistant store manager was instantly skeptical, proclaiming that he’s got polos and he’d “never seen them do that before.” He told us there was nothing they could do. They weren’t willing to allow us to exchange it or even get store credit (even though I had the receipt!). We pressed for his reasoning, he said that on the back of the receipt it says “If there appears to be fraud or abuse, we may not accept your return.” He accused us of fraud!
We then asked for his first name as his name badge was not visible and then demanded to speak with the store manager. However, he outright refused to get him on the phone and let us speak to him! Furthermore, he refused to even tell us the managers name or provide us with his contact information. When we were adamant that we wanted to speak to his boss, he told us he wouldn’t do so, that he felt threatened (with a smirk on his face), and ordered us to leave the store immediately or he would call security. He then proceeded to walk to the phone and begin to call for security.
We grabbed the shirt and the receipt, and we stepped outside of the store. While I was shaking because I was so outraged, I decided to call the other AE store in town up at Castleton Mall. I calmly explained the situation with the shirt again, and this time they profusely apologized that it had torn after only 2 ½ weeks and assured me that I could do an exchange. I drove all the way up there, and while I was unable to do an even exchange as they did not have the same shirt in stock, I was able to exchange it for a different shirt. They even offered to credit my rewards card since my husband didn’t have it with him when he made the original purchase.
I just can’t be more surprised by how my experience differed between the two AE stores in town. At one, I was treated with courtesy and received an apology and the opportunity to exchange a clearly defective product. At another, I was embarrassingly accused of fraud/abuse, threatened, and had security called on me. Not only that, but the individuals involved refused to even identify themselves OR their superiors by name. It is unacceptable that a store would not stand by the quality of their product and accept a return for a defective shirt when presented with a valid receipt. I’ve never been so mistreated in a store before in my entire life (by the assistant manager no less!) than I was at this AE store.
Unfortunately, after my experience at this store, American Eagle lost a loyal customer. I was incredibly embarrassed and have never been threatened like this before. That a store like AE would promote such a condescending and threatening individual to a store manager position is evidence that there is a culture problem with brand. I have spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars at American Eagle. By far, the majority of my clothes have come from AE. In fact, I currently have the following items in my closet: 19 tshirts, 16 polos, 5 pairs of jeans, 4 pairs of shorts, 4 long-sleeved shirts, 3 belts, 2 pairs of khakis, and 2 sweaters that were purchased from AE (that’s 55 items in total!). However, as they inevitably get older and need replacing, I will be replacing each item with a purchase from one of AE’s competitors. After what I experienced today, I will never purchase another item from this store again.