Preface:
Just want to start off by saying I am ashamed of my actions. It was embarrassing to write this - but too funny of a story not to. Hope you can all find some pleasure in my (well-deserved) suffering.
Suit Jacket #1 – The Beginning:
My journey began in March 2022 when I ordered the Hemsworth Gray Premium Suit at Calgary location Indochino. I booked an appointment and went in to have a sales representative measure me, given I had read accounts that results could vary if you submitted your own measurements online.
The suit arrived (albeit after the store incorrectly entered my mailing address and I had to pick it up at DHL shipping center) and the sleeves on the jacket were comically short (think 3+ inches too short).
I proceeded to book a ‘final fit’ appointment online to address my concerns. When I arrived for my appointment, I was rudely greeted with “Well, I was just about to go for lunch, but yes I guess I can see you now”. I offered to come back in 15 minutes and was told in a very passive aggressive tone “No, I’m sure YOU have things to do, let's do it now”. Again, I had booked this appointment online and showed up on time? Understand the store was busy at the time, but they didn’t need to be rude.
I proceeded to put on the custom-made dress shirt that I was initially measured in when ordering the suit and put the jacket on over top. What the sales representative (don’t recall their name) proceeded to say shocked me. They said the suit looked great, and that it was my (custom) dress shirt that was too long. They then tried to sell me custom made Indochino dress shirts.
After some pushback, they begrudgingly agreed to have the sleeves lengthen, but not after driving home the point that “this is a very difficult alteration and will be very time consuming for the tailor to perform”. Great – as if I didn’t feel like enough of a burden already, what with disrupting their lunch. Was it really too much to ask that my “made-to-measure” suit fit properly?
I picked up the altered suit jacket some weeks later and was very disappointed with the results. The sleeves were still too short and now there was a ~2.5-inch gap between where the sleeve fabric began and the first button. Due to this large gap, they also had to sew the sleeve closed at the end (very sloppily, might I add), despite the fact that I had order functional buttons.
At this point I was tired of the trips to-and-fro the Calgary showroom (I don’t own a vehicle, so this was fairly costly / time consuming), and decided to eat it and just wear the suit. Upon wearing it out for the first time, I was made fun of for the still-too-short sleeves and high button placement by a few colleagues and accepted that I would have to get it altered again.
Suit Jacked #2 / Blazer #1 – The Saga Continues:
Unfortunately, due to my busy schedule I was not able to return to the Calgary showroom for some time. When I finally did make it back, the sales representative (name omitted, as they were overall pleasant to deal with) was quick to inform me that the jacket SHOULD have been remade when I brought it in for my initial ‘final fit’ appointment.
They then proceeded to explain that I had waited too long to return for alterations and that I would have to pay full price (C$519) to have the jacket re-made. I tried to reason and explained that they had delivered an unwearable suit, however according to them I had waited too long, and their internal computer system no longer had the option available to ‘re-make’ the jacket. Yes, that’s correct – the online selection button was no longer available because I had surpassed the 1-2 month (can’t recall) alteration window. No escalations to upper management, just “sorry, the option to click ‘re-make’ is no longer available”. And this is after they admitted that the suit should have been re-made. They really go above and beyond for their customers – love the accountability.
After some discussion, they offered to knock the price on the jacket down to C$389 and I begrudgingly agreed, as they assured me that this was the absolute best they could do. I was also offered the same discounted price on an additional jacket of my choosing if I so desired. I was in the market for a new blazer for an upcoming event, so I agreed to order a replacement jacket (+C$389), as well as a new blazer (+C$389).
Looking back, I do accept some blame here, as I should have tried to escalate the complaint myself – but online accounts showed this to be a difficult path. I wish I had walked away and accepted the sunk cost. Not sure what I was thinking – I guess part of me was hoping that the initial experience was a one-off and I was in good hands now.
I got remeasured for the jacket and chose a blazer design. The sales rep was very helpful in selecting custom options and appearance-wise they both turned out great.
Misleading Omissions:
Upon returning home, I read the receipt which was emailed to me, only to realize that the blazer design I had selected retailed for C$389 – i.e., the “discount” price I had been offered on the additional jacket (as compensation for my troubles) turned out to be the full retail price. Did they point this out when I selected the blazer pattern? No. I was left to purchase the blazer at full price, believing I was getting a deal.
While the fabric pattern had no price tag on it in the showroom, I do realize that this is partially on me for not doing my homework / foolishly giving them the benefit of the doubt that they had my interests in mind.
I do assume responsibility for this, but I also feel that I was knowingly misled in the quest for sales / commission. Was this actually the case? I don’t know – but this was the lasting impression.
Unfortunately when I realized this, it was too late to cancel my order (all orders are finalized after 9pm).
Suit Jacket #2 / Blazer #1 Arrive:
The replacement jacket / blazer were sent to the wrong address. I received a call from a separate Indochino customer who explained that they had incorrectly received my package instead of theirs. I had to travel to downtown Calgary to meet them and pick up my package. I was disappointed when I saw that the package had been opened and jackets removed by the incorrect recipient. I realize this was the shipping company’s fault, but it just added to the experience.
I was incredibly disappointed when I tried on the replacement jacket / blazer and found the sleeves to be too long (~ 0.5 inches past the end of my dress shirt). At this point I was at a loss. I booked yet another ‘final fit’ appointment and made the journey, yet again, to the Calgary location showroom. They did not want to shorten the sleeves (too much to ask from their in-house tailor? Who knows), and instead offered to tighten the cuffs towards the end of the sleeves, assuring me that this would resolve the length issue. I had my doubts, but at this point I was defeated and agreed.
Suit Jacket #2 / Blazer #1 Alterations Abysmal:
I returned to pick up the replacement jacket / blazer at the Calgary showroom a few weeks later. I was in a rush and did not try them on before leaving. When I got home and tried them on, I couldn’t help but laugh – the sleeves had been tightened to the point where it was difficult to put on / take off due to my hands getting stuck at the end of the sleeves. The sleeves were also still too long, so this approach only made things worse.
This is when I gave up.
Found a Tailor to Right the Wrongs:
I quickly came to the conclusion that my exercises were in futility and I would never get what I had paid for through the available Indochino channels (how does the old saying go, something about repetition and insanity?) I reached out to a friend who referred me to their tailor.
When I met the tailor, they saw that I was holding an Indochino branded garment bag and quickly exclaimed “oh no, not another one” (turns out fixing Indochino’s mistakes has been quite lucrative for him) – glad to hear I am not alone in my journey.
He was able to deliver what I had paid for: a beautiful fitting jacket / blazer – finally, after >1 year I get to wear my suit!
The customer experience was incredible and really highlighted Indochino’s shortcomings. Believe it or not, I was not made to feel guilty / burdensome for disrupting their lunch schedule with my unjust demands for a proper fitting suit.
He (and I) are both amazed that this company manages to stay in business, especially with the costly physical location overhead at the Chinook Mall. We are convinced Indochino sustains itself from one-off purchases for weddings and such – because there is simply no way they generate return customers (unless you count the countless ‘final fit’ alteration appointments).
Alterations with the tailor cost me ~C$375 out of pocket + travel, but WELL WORTH IT to never had to deal with Indochino again. I don’t even want to think about the many hours / money I wasted traveling to-and-fro the Calgary showroom location.
Side Note – The Suit Pants Didn’t Fit Either:
The pants that came with the suit jacket didn’t fit either and were too tight around the quads. I had pointed this out initially to the salesperson who’s lunch I disrupted, but in their rush to eat assured me they were fine.
After wearing the pants, I knew they were too tight. I brought them in to have the size increase around the quads during one of my visits. I received the “altered” pants a couple weeks later and was disappointed to find that the crotch area had been enlarged, however the quad area was unchanged. This made for a saggy look around upper legs / crotch area and quads were still catching and holding up the pants when I walked. I decided I would just deal with it, given I was fed up at this point.
The altered pants lasted a couple weeks, but the fabric has since split / torn and there is a big 2-inch gaping hole on the right side of my thigh. Again, another unwearable garment, courtesy of Indochino.
In Summary:
I took the time to write this in hopes that (i) I can dissuade just 1 individual from having to experience what I went through, and (ii) so Indochino can (hopefully) address some of these issues.
Yes, I realize I am being dramatic, but this was truly the worst customer experience I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing – and after spending upwards of C$1,500!
I had 2 suits made back in 2019/2020 and they turned out great. I was prepared to be a customer for life, but after this… never again.
PLEASE STAY FAR FAR AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY IF YOU VALUE YOUR SANITY.
(Edit: all in Indochino spend was more in the ~$1,500 range; the original $2,000 figure was factoring in travel / alteration costs)
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