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See 1/5 post for update on opening time and coupons
There will be a J.Crew Regional Warehouse Sale in Richmond starting this Friday January 6 and running through January 22. (Dates via J.Crew Aficionada) The location has shifted down West Broad Street a couple blocks to the former Borders store (9750 W Broad St, Glen Allen).
The previous warehouse sales have been very popular. If you want an idea of what to expect price-wise, check out my post about the fall 2010 sale.
I don’t have info on hours for this sale, but the previous Wedding Sale and last year’s Warehouse Sale opened at 10am. Update: saw a flyer that said it opened at 8am on Friday
I’m still getting email requests There is currently NO Friends and Family coupon for this sale.
I’d love to get that Friends and Family coupon, too!!
would love to get the coupon!!
I don’t even know if there is one, but thought I would ask since the previous sale had one!
Would love the coupon too, I signed up for mailing list at the last one but have yet to receive anything. if you go be prepared to wait just to get in, last time building was at capacity at peak times .
Kathleen, I signed up too but haven’t received anything, as far as I know. Crazy
same here…but never received anything from them…those coupons surely helped!! I do hope there is one!
What is a Friends and Family coupon? This will be my first J.Crew warehouse adventure.
Do they still take college IDs for the 15% off?
There are no coupons and no discounts. Beware, JCrew has decided that you can no longer try anything on, anywhere, cannot sort your items until you are at the register and can only have one bag of merchandise. You are limited to purchase $500 worth of items and if by chance you take more than that to the register you will have to remove some of them until you get to the $500 mark. Once you have done all of this, if for any reason an item doesn’t fit or you got it for a friend and it doesn’t work, you have to sign a statement at the checkout stating you will not sell the item to anyone else, put it in a consignment shop, on craigslist, list a wedding dress on “the knot” etc. Checkout all of these crazy policies before you go- it seems like JCrew doesn’t really want to get rid of all this “scratch and dent” merchandise they are loading up in Borders.
Thanks for the info Colleen! Were these the policies at a recent sale?
You are welcome to try on anything as long as you keep your mdse. in a bag. We provide bins and boxes for your reject mdse. We do not ask you to sign anything. I apologize for your poor experience and invite you to try us again.
Yes these new policies went into effect at their last sale. From the grapevine, a senior management official went to a sale for the first time, didn’t like that he couldn’t find certain items for one of his kids, and decided to reconfigure the entire sale process. Other than the strange policies about bags, sorting, spending and trying on that deter customers from buying the items JCrew is trying to liquidate, my brother (an attorney) said that signing a statement about what you will or won’t do with with the items once they are in your possession is a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. He told me not to sign anything at the register and tell the clerk I was going to make a report if they required such. Side note, can you imagine going to the used lot at your Toyota dealership and having to sign a statement that you can’t resell your car when you are finished with it? Here is a link to some of the blogs from the last sale from people who went– proceed with caution— the JCrew sales of past are gone forever.
http://jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com/2011/12/mark-your-calendars-jcrew-warehouse.html
@Colleen Manion Does your brother know what section of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act states that “signing a statement about what you will or won’t do with with the items once they are in your possession is a violation”? I’d love to shove that piece of paper in someones face if they try to make me sign something tomorrow!
I had a friend who attended a JCrew warehouse sale in December when these policies were first enforced. She indicated that it was a “miserable” experience as JCrew had numerous security personnel patrolling the sale and she was questioned about her purchases at checkout. The atmosphere was not friendly or fun. If you want to read about other’s experiences at that sale, check out the posts on the JCrew Aficionada Blog:
http://jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com/2011/12/mark-your-calendars-jcrew-warehouse.html
Bottom line: I’m not sure I am going to wait in line for a few hours like I did at the last two Richmond sales just so I can be treated with such distain. I love their clothes and adore a great bargains, but I want to be treated with respect too.
Is this worth calling the company over? Maybe if enough people call and complain/voice their discontent they will change the policies back. They’re going to loose a lot of business with these new rules and be stuck with thousands in extra merchandiser. I love these sales, and am usually in line before the door opens, but I will not even think about buying anything I can’t try on. I’ve heard rumors that they’re policing these events and taking pictures of customers in check out lines as well. That can’t be legal. I know one thing’s for sure, they’re loosing my business on this one.
It’s true! I went to the last sale and it was miserable. I was watched the entire time! I planned on getting my christmas shopping done but was limited to spending $500. I was told I could go back outside and wait in line to reenter if there was more I wanted to purchase. The last sale was not busy/no line but I’m sure this was will not be the case this time. So basically J Crew is asking me to wait in line for a few hours go in and decide on items immediatley (since once I pick them up I need to purchase them) and then if I get to $500 put items back, go wait in line AGAIN, and try to find these items again! What in the world?!?!? I like shopping places that appreciate my business not ones that apparantly don’t need it.
Oh wow, that’s awful. When I went last year it was a little miserable but it wasn’t that bad. I don’t remember having to sign anything, but I don’t like putting my signature on anything like it. Sounds kind of sketchy. I do remember it feeling like standing in a prison line to check out. I was worried I had to have my passport and ID ready, hahaha! Exagerating of course! But it certainly wasn’t cheerful.
I still have some homework to do before going, but can anyone tell me if they accept debit cards? Or is it cash only? Can’t remember since last year. I think I cut a check then.
I had a totally pleasant experience at this morning’s sale. I got there at 7:15 and got in with the first group when they opened at 8. They give you one (huge) trash bag to carry around. You’re allowed to try clothes on, they just don’t allow you to strip down to your underwear. I had a tank top and leggings under my clothes and I was fine.
The staff do watch you, but the only thing they really asked people not to do was spread tons of items out in the middle of the aisles. I went to a corner of the store and tried everything on. As long as you keep your things in a neat pile right on top of your trash bag, they will leave you alone.
Checks, debit, and credit cards were accepted (and I assume cash). I plan on going back when I have more time to look and am encouraging all my friends to go as well.
Emily, thanks SO much for taking the time to report back with the details. Hope you found some cute stuff!
PS– absolutely nothing about signing a release.
I know the policy sounds horrible. But I went to the 1st one they had in Richmond and I remember being there for the opening, waiting in line and watching a man load up the back of his van with every pair of boots that they had in the sale. I know it sounds horrible to place a limit, but I think they are trying to allow everyone to be able to get a try at getting the reduced priced items instead of one seller going in there and clearing the entire shoe section out. So I see why they are doing this (obviously the man and the van did not intend of keeping a van full of shoes for himself but to sell them off). Personal opinion is that they should have this rule for the 1st week (let everyone have a chance of getting an item), then on the 2nd week when trying to just clear out everything allow you to have no limits. I would suggest bringing someone with you who can hold your items for you while you wait in line if you want over $500 in items (mind you 500 goes a long way at the sale).
Jen, I’m with you on this one, $500 sounds like a reasonable limit to me! (Well, $500 sounds like a lot more than I want to spend, but I’m also not a J.Crew girl) Encourage people to pick their favorite items and them come back if that’s not enough. Bringing a friend is a great idea.
Can anyone give me a ballpark of the prices this time? I seem to remember the last sale (wedding and special events) as being more expensive for regular clothes and shoes than the sale they had had here the previous fall. I am most interested in shoes, if anyone can remember what they are charging for ballet flats and similar. Thanks!
The prices look very similar to what was posted from the sale 2 years ago. I got two long-sleeved shirts for $8/each, 3 dresses for $20/each (originally in the $200/each range), 4 scarves for $5 each, and 3 pairs of tights for $3 each. Shoes were $20-30 with boots being $50-75. Coats were $50 but things like puffer jackets were about $25 I think. Wedding dresses were $50 and bridesmaids were $30.
I got about $1000 worth of clothes for $110. Very pleased.
Thanks Emily!
For those wondering about prices, Amber V. sent me a price sheet (Thanks!) http://www.richmondbargains.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/JCrew-Warehouse-Sale-Prices.pdf
Reminds me of the Britches Warehouse sales in the 80′s (dating myself here) & the Barneys sales @ the hangar in Snata Monica, CA.
Except those were a lot more controlled than waht some of you ladies are describing here!
Great, thanks so much, Emily!
I went to the sale this afternoon and it was a great, easy experience! Everyone could not have been nicer. The employees were friendly, helpful, and passed out free water bottles to anyone who wanted them. You did not have to sign any agreements, and you could sort and try on your clothes anywhere you wanted, as long as you were not spread out in the middle of an aisle or really in the way. The other shoppers were nice, too. There was a long checkout line by about 5pm, but it moved quickly. Don’t be scared by the rumors!
Do you know if they accept gift cards?
How early do people get there to stand in line??
They replenish – so don’t worry about lines.
Really only one line – checkout.
Have fun ladies!