Claire Messano
Google
I’m not one to normally write Google reviews but I’m going to in this instance because I think abbode is an amazing brand that could really grow if they’re able to improve their guest experience.
I have been following them for quite some time but this was my first purchase and in-store experience. I found it really interesting upon entry how many employees were working in the store yet didn’t help guide the experience at all. I was greeted upon entry, sure, but there was no effort to engage with me when I was very clearly picking out things that I wanted to buy. I’ll also note that I’m familiar with the brand but if I wasn’t, and I had walked into the store, I would have no idea what they do, the process, how it works, etc which felt like a really big miss. It would have been really valuable as part of their selling journey to ask, “are you familiar with the brand and our process?”
When I did finally approach them and said I was ready to make my purchase, there was zero explanation about their (very specific) process. I was trying to walk through my customization and finally the sales girl let me know that they will check me out first and then customize. This specific note than impacts various other issues I had in the process.
Firstly, there were no explanations about customization restrictions on product. I came specifically into the store to shop the FREN product there, and I wanted a dog toy I saw on Instagram. I thought that I could customize it right in the center but when we got into the process, it could only be done on the outer ruffle. If I knew that ahead of time, I would have skipped purchasing that product.
I also had selected a pouch as a gift and when I was pointing out what I wanted to the sales girl in the initial selection process, I pointed to the dog shelf customization version. When we got to customizing and I said I wanted the corgi embroidered on the pouch, they told me it was a $24 up charge and they’d have to ring me out again. It makes complete sense that’s another fee but the fact that they didn’t want to listen to any of my customization notes prior to check out, didn’t note restrictions or limitations, and then share that as an after fact was really odd.
I guess what I’m trying to say overall is that this brand is great, the store is cute, but they really need to revamp their guest experience and purchase journey. I was really disappointed to share that I wanted a hair bow only to be told they don’t sell them anymore. It was on display in the store. Why would you display something you don’t sell? That’s retail 101.
I also felt extremely uncomfortable by the employee dramatics. As I said at the start, no one really made a move to engage with me at all upon entry. However, once I was being checked out and one of the employees was engaged, she snapped at her other employees behind the counter saying, “Can you guys like, DO something? Like greet customers or anything?” It was 1) a really odd and rude way to communicate to your colleagues and 2) super unprofessional to take that approach in front of a customer.
If I knew that was going to be the process, experience, and store culture ahead of stopping by, I would have saved myself the time and skipped this shop.
UPDATE: I’m adding a caveat here that no one asked me 1) when I needed my product or 2) explained anything about turnaround times. I was just told they would be ready the next day. When I spent $30 on a messenger to go pick it up, I only received one product. They told me that my other products I had selected for three day versus one day - no one ever asked me a preference for receiving these. I would have just said whenever they’re all done. I 100% won’t be going back.
