Dear Charming Charlie
Today I had the worst experience in your store located on Highway 280 in the Summit Shopping Center.
My family along with a close friend and her family went in to do a little shopping.
I was there on Saturday night and wanted to come back and spend some more of my money with my friend and our daughters in your store.
We walked in the store and we felt very welcomed. While walking around the store we noticed one of your employee's following us around. She asked us twice within a five minute time frame if we needed any help. We informed her that we didn't. We kept shopping.
Our daughters walked to one side of the store and the adults were on another when they heard this same employee, call another employee over so that she could help "watch" us.
Now, we were there when the store opened at noon. There were only a few other people in the store with us. NOT ONCE WERE THEY ASKED IF THEY NEEDED ANY HELP. The employee's on the floor were "watching" us.
Now, I'm all for "customer service" and being available to help the customer, but what I felt while I was in the store was NOT customer service. I was extremely uncomfortable and so was my family and friends.
ALL BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT STEAL.
You will loose a LOT of business if you continue to treat your customers this way.
I have all the information necessary to file a complaint and will return to your store first thing in the morning to do just that.
I am appauled at the way we were treated. Especially when we asked your employee WHY we were being followed around the store.
Charming Charlie needs to treat their customers better.
Signed,
A Former Customer
EssenseVibez/ 14.12.2010
hmmmmmmmm—that letter is a bit too nice–which is good ‘cuz God don’t like ugly—i’m glad you’re going to handle this–it’s sad some people and stores feel they have to follow us around—if i ever go through anything like, i’m going to reverse it and follow them!—remain blessed my friend!
Rachelle/ 14.12.2010
Glad you’re filing a complaint. Luckily, I don’t ever recall having that kind of treatment.
Marilyn/ 14.12.2010
that’s terrible to experience such disgusting behaviour, & I’m glad you’re doing something about it. Is that sort of tratment against the law in the US? (I would have thought your anti-discrimination laws would have a field day with your complaint), Vote with your voice & your feet if that’s how they want to treat their customers.
Tanya/ 14.12.2010
Believe it or not that happens to be every time I go to Kohls of all places of course I no longer shop there and I don’t think I’m missing anything. Such behavior is inexcusable I’m glad you’re going to file a complaint.
Tiffany In Houston/ 14.12.2010
I am sorry you had that experience. They should know better that that mess! Charming Charlie is based out of Houston so let me know if you need some addresses! I had to get with JCPenney last week. These retailers should realize that consumers will complain PUBLICLY and loudly!
Victoria/ 14.12.2010
Sigh……. I mean if you’re that concerned about the potential of someone stealing then invest in some security cameras. Heck, they’re far less invasive. Something similar like this happened to me on yesterday in a store. I had to crotch down on the bottom shelf to look at the sizes of an item and when I looked up I saw an employee just staring at me. I thought to myself, Lady I’m the last person you should be concerned about”. I put her at ease by striking up a conversation about the item, but that was after sorta looking at her strangely and giggling to myself. Stores should really examine how they handle security measures. Being “followed” just isn’t a good tactic!!!
Sheri D. Maple/ 14.12.2010
I do not blame you for being upset, and it’s good that you are writing the store a letter expressing your feelings about how you and your family and friends were treating during time when all of you were at the store. It’s also good that you blogged about because people who are reading about your experience will think twice about visiting and purchasing anything from the store. Charming Charlie doesn’t seem so charming towards its customers.
DebbieF/ 14.12.2010
This is absolutely appalling. I cannot believe in this day and age that these nitwits would act so irresponsibly. If I were management, I would fire them immediately. The store should have a training policy and program for loss prevention which I’m sure did not require them to act as they did!
Erica B./ 14.12.2010
DAMN! Adrienne, I had a similar experience in that same damn store! It’s ridiculous! I went in to return a pair of Wellie rain boots that my MIL bought Mikaela. And while I was in there I was looking around. Mikaela wanted earrings so she picked up some. Cool… We went to the register. There were two open. We got in the line where it looked like the transaction was about to be wrapped up. We’re standing there and after the (white) lady in front of us was done, the (white) sales associate turned her back walked over and took a sip of her soda and went to the back. I got loud and ignorant then! I yelled, “I know damn well you see me standing here!” By this time the (black) manager comes over to see what is the problem. I told her. The sales associate tells the mgr that she was about to go to lunch and she told her to ring us up. She apologizes. I told her she wasn’t sorry because she saw us standing there. I paid with the exact amount, threw my money at her, snatched my bag and left. I will be taking Mikaela to Claire’s the next time she wants jewelry.
CarlaF-in Atlanta/ 14.12.2010
Oh Adrienne. I’m so sorry. I’ve been to Charming Charlie’s once and planned to go back during my break. I’m not going now.
Dana/ 14.12.2010
Take solice in this dear friend! While they were following you and all the other brown people around, some white person was in their robbing their ass blind! Karma’s a bitch! And I would have SAID boooooooo really loud, just like they did on Boomerang! i have been the victim of racial profiling and its very annoying! I know the feeling!
Lynnelle/ 14.12.2010
An experience like this is exactly why I no longer shop at any Burlington Coat Factory. My mom were at the location in MI one day when a Black security guard followed us around the store. When I asked if there was a problem, he told me blatantly that he wanted to make sure we didn’t steal anything. After a few choice words, we walked out, filed a complaint, and never looked back. Knocking on 2011, we still have to face stupid stereotypes and prejudices. Sad.
Lynnelle/ 14.12.2010
The second statement should start, ‘My mom and I…”
Diva (in Demand)/ 14.12.2010
I’ve never even heard of them but if I ever do…..they won’t get my business now. Thanks for the heads up.
patty fadhouli/ 14.12.2010
Adrienne,
I am soooo sorry to hear about your experience!I am the Director of Marketing for Charming Charlie and I have sent your post over to our customer service dept. at the corporate office. So, you are in good hands. If you would like to contact them directly, the email address is customer_service@charmingcharlie.com. We definitely want to make this up to you!
Regards,
Patty Fadhouli
Freaky Deaky/ 14.12.2010
That sucks! Sorry you had a bad experience at that store. Glad you’re not just walking away from it. Sure not giving them your business is an appropriate punishment but it does nothing to change the culture of that store. You’re my shero!
Neecha/ 14.12.2010
I had a similar experience in a Coach store and as much as I heart them I am no longer a customer. I heart Charming Charlie and am so sorry you had such a bad experience with them.
Marlena/ 14.12.2010
WOW! Just… wow! Good for you for saying something. I think too many times people just stop going to stores that mistreat customers, which makes the staff think that what they’re doing is okay. Oh, and that your kids had to witness such bigotry! Disgusting.
Netta Boo/ 14.12.2010
Director Of Marketing, or whomever you are: It is too late to make up for the humiliation, intimidation and embarassment that my friend and her family felt. I hope that the hundreds of hundreds of people that read this blog tell all of their friends and family about Adrienne’s experience also.
Sally D/ 15.12.2010
sorry this happened to you Adrienne but I gotta tell you that I was also followed in Target and I’m white. My solution was to lead him on a merry trip all through the store and when I was done I turned to him and said “Good-Bye”
Brenda/ 15.12.2010
Oh, Adrienne I know exactly how you must feel. The same thing happened to me on two different occasions @ Martin’s Dept. Store. There approach is somewhat extremely obnoxious as they annouce security scans as Sooon as you walk through the door and proceed to so so as you walk through each dept. Needless to say, I never shop there anymore, maybe 6 years now.
Sally D/ 15.12.2010
I just read Erika’s comment above. Unreal,Some people are just idiots and now you know where they work. You should complain to their district manager and also spread the word about that store. They won’t be in business long treating people that way. If it’s any consolation, imagine how those ladies must love reporting to their manager!
Addy/ 22.12.2010
Was going to have my sis in law send me some stuff from CC in Austin because we don’t have one in Philly…
NOPE. Not now.
I hate it! HATE IT! Welcome to 2010.
The biggest thing I hate is when white people when talking to me switch on what they think is my “black vernacular” in stores…
How can I help you girlfriend?
#1 I am not your girlfriend
#2 Let’s not get too familiar
#3 I don’t make it a practice of speaking that way in general, so why, by just looking at me, did you assume I talk that way?
PLEASE!
christina/ 23.12.2010
Good for you my friend. Hope you filed good on em. Sad.
xo
Sydvin/ 17.06.2011
I am so sorry this happened to all of you. That is not what we are about. I am a manager of Charming Charlie and I want to extend my deepest regrets for any uncomfortable situations within our company. I wish there was a way I could make you see that we are all about customer service and to please call the eight hundred number on our website if there are any further problems. I do so appologize for any inconvienience this may have caused any of you, but we wont know unless you tell us. Thank you so much