The Vermont Country Store

Ive worn Vermont Country Stores mens seersucker, light summer robe for many years, and they usually last at least 3 years or so. My wear is 2-3 hours daily, with a washing every couple weeks on gentle cycle in cold water, and just a low heat dry. My latest robe had been deteriorating for some time, and I do mean deteriorating. The material was literally coming apart. On May 25, I started to order another one, and noticed that I had purchased this less than a year ago. I contacted Customer Service and asked what they could do for me, thinking perhaps some type of credit or free shipping. I quickly received a response that because this was normal wear and tear they would not do anything. My response was that this was NOT normal wear and I asked them to elevate this request, that I thought it was a shame if this was their response, given my history with them, and their reputation (at least in my mind) of quality, unique items. I asked them to honestly consider if they would expect a nearly-$100 robe, from a company such as theirs, to last less than a year, and if this was the new reputation of VCS. I received a reply that the supervisor agreed with me, that they would refund the purchase price to my credit card, and that I should order my new robe and return my current robe to them. I placed the order, they emailed me their label, and I returned the current robe the same day. This is when the trouble began. There were a couple dozen emails back and forth of me inquiring and them responding. It was a different person (first name, last initial) every time, who didnt seem to know what I was talking about, even though I always included their reference number, and my original order number, in the subject line of my emails. First, they said they hadnt received the disintegrated robe, so I provided the tracking info showing it was received within 4 days by their returns agent. Then it was continual Im sorry for the delay, we are behind in processing, we are having employee problems, we are having computer problems, we thought wed processed the check but didnt, we did issue a check but neglected to get it mailed, we had a glitch in our system, it was mailed but you must not have gotten it, etc. Two or three times I mentioned that if they did not get the refund to me as promised, I would contact the BBB and post on some review or social media sites. I am convinced their customer service department was a poor-quality call center and likely out of the country. My last, brief email to them said the same thing, and also that I was reaching the end of my 60-day period to dispute the credit card charge, and I would do just that. I magically received the check within a couple days, on July 18. It seems to have cleared the banks; fingers still crossed. I thought long and hard about writing this review, as my threats of writing reviews seem to insinuate that I would not write them if I received the refund. Upon further consideration, and seeing all the negative reviews about VCS, I decided I needed to write about my experience. I tried everything to reach an upper-level manager or anyone at their corporate office, but every single URL, email and phone number funneled into the same customer service department. I discovered that although they still promote the owner Lyman Cabot and his three sons, Cabot, Gardner and Eliot, and show pictures of the original country store. they are mostly a mail order firm and they have hired at least two (that I know of) new CEOs over the last few years, who they intended to try and turn the company around, and then return leadership to the owners. I think they are either a failing, formerly honest business, or they are foreign, or now owned by some venture capital company, or something else I would not have expected. The new robe is poor quality, already getting thin in the seat, beginning to fray on some of the edges, and the seams are very uneven. The previous several robes I had purchased from them were a quality product that I was very pleased with. This is not the company I thought it was (and used to be). I would tell you, stay as far away from them as you can. They can do much better, but I really think its too late for them. You can do much better. What a terribly frustrating experience.