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Le Labo Refills - be aware

post #1 of 65
6/8/11 at 2:35am
Thread Starter 
I have spoken to one or two fellow basenoters by PM before posting this - I don't want to start a controversy but this is just a note to fellow basenoters about my recent experience with Le Labo.

One of the things you see in Le Labo marketing is that they offer refills if you take the bottle back. It looks like a good idea – it encourages customer loyalty and is also ‘eco-friendly’ and they make a big deal of this on their website – recycling etc. In the ‘REFILLS’ section on their website it says this:

As of now, and in all of our stores and counters, you will be able to refill your perfume bottle (50, 100 and 500ml) with your fragrance. And it’s a bit cheaper for you so you will thank us too.

Well, I took my sister’s bottle of Oud 27 and Patchuli 24 back for a refill here and intended to purchase full 100ml bottle of Iris 39. Thinking I would get this service and that there would be some sort of discount on the price (no big deal but nice) and the SA said no, not an option, and that it only applied in France and does not apply to Le Labo UAE. My only option was to buy another full bottle. I emailed Le Labo and here is the reply I got:

Dear Saif,
I am sorry you were not able to refill your bottle at our Abu Dhabi corner.
The refill program is not available in our newest corners yet but of course it will be the case during the next few months.
Thank you very much for your support and for your patience.
All the best,
Gaelle

So - my advice to fellow basenoters is this: If you are buying a Le Labo product and think you will automatically qualify for their ‘eco friendly refill discount’ think again. I am checking the website for fine print but if you are buying from a 'Le Labo store or counter' I suggest you ask about this policy before you buy


(thanks mr.reasonable)
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post #2 of 65
6/8/11 at 3:29am
good to know
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post #3 of 65
6/8/11 at 5:38am
Thread Starter 
With help from mr.reasonable i sent the following and CC'd the cofounders too.

Hi Gaelle,

I was sure I had read that all Le Labo shops offer refills.

I have attached a screen shot illustrating this.

So now I am confused. The website clearly says that is it available on all "stores and corners" and the Le Labo in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are certainly not new.

I am a fairly active member on basenotes.net and I have discussed with the many perfume and Le Labo loyal customers and they seem to agree that this is neither fair nor clear.

I feel that I should not have paid in full for the refill as the website clearly states refills are an option.

Would you please clarify and perhaps CC a supervisor/manager on this.

Thanks.
Saif
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post #4 of 65
6/8/11 at 5:40am
Thread Starter 
To which Co-Founder Eddie responded :

Dear Saif

Thanks for your email.

I understand your frustration.

The great majority of our corners offer the refill program however Dubai and Abu Dhabi are an exception and we are putting this program in place in the next months there. * The information on the website is indeed misleading as not ALL our corners have put this program in place. *We are working on deploying this everywhere. *We will also correct the text in the website.

Sorry for this inconvenience and be sure to check back soon.

Thanks for a being a client.

Best wishes

Eddie (co founder)
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post #5 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:04am
Simply not good enough.

Thats a cop-out... and gives no recognition to the fact you spent your money on a product or service that was promised/advertised but not fulfilled. They should offer you some refund/compensation.

So, yet another appalling Le Labo customer service scenario. It was one of the cofounders that responded to a grievance I aired when I emailed them a couple of years ago. He too effectively said "tough titty". The thread I posted is buried deep in the MFD forum if anyone cares to have a look.
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post #6 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:25am
  • kbe
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

To which Co-Founder Eddie responded :

Dear Saif

Thanks for your email.

I understand your frustration.

The great majority of our corners offer the refill program however Dubai and Abu Dhabi are an exception and we are putting this program in place in the next months there. * The information on the website is indeed misleading as not ALL our corners have put this program in place. *We are working on deploying this everywhere. *We will also correct the text in the website.

Sorry for this inconvenience and be sure to check back soon.

Thanks for a being a client.

Best wishes

Eddie (co founder)

..another possible reply

Dear Eddie

Thank you so much for your quick reply.

Unfortunately, the important part of your email informing me of the details of how and when I will receive my refund of overpayment for the refill in question, the refund fairly owed me based on your published statement on your official website shown below, that portion of your email that must have been electronically truncated/lost prior to my receiving it:

(re-post the LeLabo refill offer here)

Yes, I too am sorry that I have had to put up with the inconvenience in time, travel and effort this has caused me and yes, a bit frustrated that it hasn't been taken care of already by LeLabo. Of course I cannot imagine that LeLabo would not honor their official advertising promise, one designed to bring customers back into LeLabo stores via an official modestly discounted purchase published offer.

Am I wrong to assume that the refund part of your email was somehow lost in transit?

I hope not.

Since our interchange has been and will continue to be made public and is now being followed by many on Basenotes, I will say we all await your response. Be sure to check back on this Basenotes thread to read additional postings of our communications and new comments by myself and others.

Kindest Regards,

(you)
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post #7 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:40am
Thread Starter 
Ok i just sent the above suggested reply from kbe.


Sorcery, I was shocked. I expected at least a bit of warmth from the cofounder not this attitude.

Kbe, I couldn't have written it better. You took the words right out of mouth.
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post #8 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:45am
I don't know how many "how to succeed" marketing practices their policy violates. This practice is the mark of a very young, immature, and very narrow minded company. Don't they realize that more than half their future business relies on reorders from existing customers? This is especially true because they have only introduced one new fragrance since the company started (Santal 33) and so much of the new business would need to be reorders. Le Labo marketing geniuses at work - "Well we'll just run off those pesky existing customers . . . "

You would think that the least they could offer is a discount equal to the cost of the bottle and packaging!? They have so many "sunk" costs already invested in the juice that is just sitting there in the store not making any return on investment. Why not convert some of that sitting inventory into customer good will while making plenty of profit at the same time? If they were to give a 25% discount for the savings of the bottle and for refill/loyalty Le Labo would still make a higher margin on these refills than they do on new bottles and they would have happy repeat customers. Instead they just bought themselves tons of "bad will".

I suspect that the newer locations are reluctant to offer this service discount due to some kind of falacy in how Le Labo prices out the initial stocking inventory to the local store. They need to correct this problem, or just save this thread as copy for their tombstone.

This is an example of very short sighted approach that is often common with new companies. Penny wise and pound foolish is another well worn description of Le Labo policy.
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post #9 of 65
6/8/11 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
Its really sad actually because i was planning on buying bergamotte 22 and Iris 39. At this point, i probably won't. The bergamot from The Different Company and Hiris from Hermes will suffice for my requirements and I can sway my sister to Pure Oud from by Killian easily. Especially after she hears the how we've been treated.
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post #10 of 65
6/8/11 at 9:10am
This looks like an object lesson in the old business adage that it's one thing to get a customer but it's quite another to keep him. Sounds like Le Labo haven't progressed past the first part yet. If anyone from the company bothers to look in I hope they take note of the little number beside 'views' that this thread has had from existing or potential customers, all of whom have a voice.

Le Labo has always struck me as a bit too cute for it's own good but their website refill 'we like Al Gore' coy self congratulatory stuff rings a bit hollow now . . . it's damage control time.

PS The Different Company have a nice Iris, too BTW.
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post #11 of 65
6/8/11 at 9:45am
I must say, I am extremely disappointed to hear this.

You can maybe forgive the overwrought lab aesthetic, the cutesy bottle personalization, and the minimalist fragrance names because too-cool-for-school niche houses will always rely on a certain amount of schtick, no matter how silly or superfluous.

I love how resigned Eddie (co-founder) is to the whole thing, as if neither he or nor anyone in his employ had the superpowers necessary to rectify the situation. Surely a repeat customer who is familiar enough with your house, works, and policies to write you regarding a disappointing experience deserves better than a politely-worded "tough shit".

In a tough global economy, it is reassuring to know that Le Labo customer service will kindly fob you off for free.
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post #12 of 65
6/8/11 at 11:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. reasonable View Post

This looks like an object lesson in he old business adage that it's one thing to get a customer but it's quite another to keep him. Sounds like Le Labo haven't progressed past the first part yet. If anyone from the company bothers to look in I hope they take note of the little number beside 'views' that this thread has had from existing or potential customers, all of whom have a voice.

Le Labo has always struck me as a bit too cute for it's own good but their website refill 'we like Al Gore' coy self congratulatory stuff rings a bit hollow now . . . it's damage control time.

PS The Different Company have a nice Iris, too BTW.

Yes i own the Bois d'Iris from The Different Company. It's very nice.
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post #13 of 65
6/8/11 at 12:19pm
This is what happens when people start a company, it takes off quickly and does quite well sales wise. Then becomes trendy, to top it off. They believe their own importance and do not realize they are in customer service and should treat customers well.
Another reason, to add to an ever growing list, of why I truly dislike Le Labo and all they stand for.
These are not the people worthy of the money they are making.

Shame on them.
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post #14 of 65
6/8/11 at 3:51pm
Hopefully someone from the company will see one of these threads and realize the error of their way.

Then again, they are making money at the moment and they probably do not care.
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post #15 of 65
6/8/11 at 5:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzlepuff View Post

I don't know how many "how to succeed" marketing practices their policy violates. This practice is the mark of a very young, immature, and very narrow minded company. Don't they realize that more than half their future business relies on reorders from existing customers? This is especially true because they have only introduced one new fragrance since the company started (Santal 33) and so much of the new business would need to be reorders. Le Labo marketing geniuses at work - "Well we'll just run off those pesky existing customers . . . "

You would think that the least they could offer is a discount equal to the cost of the bottle and packaging!? They have so many "sunk" costs already invested in the juice that is just sitting there in the store not making any return on investment. Why not convert some of that sitting inventory into customer good will while making plenty of profit at the same time? If they were to give a 25% discount for the savings of the bottle and for refill/loyalty Le Labo would still make a higher margin on these refills than they do on new bottles and they would have happy repeat customers. Instead they just bought themselves tons of "bad will".

I suspect that the newer locations are reluctant to offer this service discount due to some kind of falacy in how Le Labo prices out the initial stocking inventory to the local store. They need to correct this problem, or just save this thread as copy for their tombstone.

This is an example of very short sighted approach that is often common with new companies. Penny wise and pound foolish is another well worn description of Le Labo policy.

...and I was just mentioning the demise of a company! I also agree, Buzzlepuff. The lifeblood of any retail business is repeat customers. Maybe it's oh-so trendy to start a niche line, and then make your bundle of cash, close operations and walk off with the cash.

I guess the novelty of having your scent "custom" blended with your name written on the bottle will wear thin some day. Time will tell.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brielle87 View Post

Hopefully someone from the company will see one of these threads and realize the error of their way.

Then again, they are making money at the moment and they probably do not care.

Brielle, I agree with you 100%.
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post #16 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:34pm
Brielle - I do hope someone from Le Labo sees this thread . I am fed up with bad customer service. Truly I am .
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post #17 of 65
6/8/11 at 6:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimi Gardenia View Post

Brielle - I do hope someone from Le Labo sees this thread . I am fed up with bad customer service. Truly I am .

Mimi, those out there who make money need to understand that the perfume-buying community--people who buy the luxe/niche/overpriced--can and DO talk among themselves.
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post #18 of 65
6/9/11 at 12:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brielle87 View Post

This is what happens when people start a company, it takes off quickly and does quite well sales wise. Then becomes trendy, to top it off. They believe their own importance and do not realize they are in customer service and should treat customers well.
Another reason, to add to an ever growing list, of why I truly dislike Le Labo and all they stand for.
These are not the people worthy of the money they are making. Shame on them.

Well said! The stand up thing to do would be at least to offer to send an extra amount of fragrance to cover the difference between the refills and the new bottles. There was an admission that the advertising was not accurate and no helpful remedy. Boo!

Martin
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post #19 of 65
6/9/11 at 7:33am
Thread Starter 
I am a happy Le Labo customer now.
This is proper customer service if you ask me. Everyone makes mistakes but rectifying a mistake is what separates respected establishments from others.

Read the emails that followed after the last one i posted above.
Begin reading from the bottom most for it to go in chronological order.

------------------------------------------------

Good day,

I am impressed and not too sure whether other brand founders would take it upon themselves to converse on such detailed levels with a customer and in such a swift manner.

I can now say that Le Labo has excellent customer service because everyone makes mistakes but not everyone reconciles them properly.*

I will definitely make this known so that Le Labo gets the recignigotion it earns.*

I have a question, how different will the reformulated Patchouli 24 be ?
Will other creations also be affected by the lack of resource that led to the change in patchouli 24?
Can you make it known to customers when a certain creation will be reformulated?
This way the customer has a chance to stock up on that perfume before it's gone forever.*
Lastly, what's coming up? I have santal 33 on order right now. I can't wait to try it.*

Best regards,

Saif

Sent from my iPad

On 9 Jun 2011, at 16:48, Le Labo London <lelabolondon@lelabofragrances.com> wrote:

Hello Saif
We will send you a 100 ml of Iris 39 free of charge.
We are also known for our excellent customer service and i would be surprised if any other brand's founder would have dealt with your issue so quickly and personally.
We want our clients to be happy with our perfumes and our service even though it's not always easy to guarantee the same level of service across all locations.
Thanks for enabling us to rectify our communication on the refills on our website and sorry for this frustration.
Best wishes
Eddie



From: "Saif F." >
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2011 15:18:54 +0400
To: Eddie Roschi <founders@lelabofragrances.com>
Cc: Info Le Labo <ihaveaquestion@lelabofragrances.com>, "concierge@lelabofragrances.com" <concierge@lelabofragrances.com>, Eddie Roschi <lelabolondon@lelabofragrances.com>
Subject: Re: [contact] GENERAL QUESTIONS ?

Good day Eddie,

Thanks for taking the opportunity to make things right.*
It's this kind of customer service that strengthens customer loyalty and develops the brand's image both in the real world and as importantly, online.*

It's good that the website has been updated to reflect the current refill options. And hopefully the UAE Le Labo corners have refill services soon.*

My mailing address :


I would like Iris 39. But I have to insist on 100ml because I really do use up that much perfume (2 to 3 ml per application).*
I wouldn't mind paying the difference between the offered 50ml and the 100ml bottle, if need be.*

Kind regards,

Saif

Sent from my iPad

On 9 Jun 2011, at 14:27, "founders @ LeLabo" <founders@lelabofragrances.com> wrote:

Hello Saif
We all wish it was as easy as dictating them…
We're trying to find a solution here so bear with me.
You can bring your bottles to colette in Paris for refills during your next trip to Paris.
Regardless if you chose to do that or not, our London store will send you free of charge an O27 50 ml for the hassle this has caused or another scent if you wish.
Let us know your mailing address and your perfume choice.
We have changed our website text and are sorry that some corners still do not have the refills program. *As I said previously we are working on making this available in corners that still do not carry this program.
Best wishes
Eddie



<image[6].jpg>

<http://www.lelabofragrances.com>
Le Labo ph *+ 1 212 219 2230
Le Labo fx - + 1212 219 2231

SAVE PAPER - THINK BEFORE YOU PRINT!

From: "Saif F." <>
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2011 22:22:06 +0400
To: Eddie Roschi <founders@lelabofragrances.com>
Cc: Info Le Labo <ihaveaquestion@lelabofragrances.com>, "concierge@lelabofragrances.com" <concierge@lelabofragrances.com>
Subject: Re: [contact] GENERAL QUESTIONS ?

Hello Eddie,

I assume that any partner managing your stores is bound by the terms and conditions you, as Le Labo, set for them to operate with. You dictate them.*

Just to be clear, why is it hard for the Abu Dhabi Le Labo to honor a refill? Isn't it as simple as re-using my bottle with the same perfume they make? Instead of pouring it into a new bottle, just pour it into mine and charge less as indicated on the website.*

I walked into Le Labo that day intending on refilling Patchouli 24 and Oud 27 and buying a full bottle of Iris 39. all 100ml.*
Because they refused to honor the refill of my patchouli and Oud.*
I was forced to buy patchouli 24. I decided to refrain from buying another bottle of Oud 27 and Iris because i decided to contact Le Labo to make sure there is no refill program in Abu Dhabi.*

Now I'm probably not going to refill my Oud 27 bottle, nor am I going to buy the Iris 39 because I am upset with the service from the corner store and disappointed with the response from Le Labo management.*

Pure Oud *by Killian is excellent and Hiris by Hermes will suffice as an Iris perfume ( till i go to Paris in July and buy Iris Silver Mist from the Palais Royale boutique of Serge Lutens). Plus I know for a fact that by Killian has a refill program in Abu Dhabi.*

Regards,

Saif
*
Sent from my iPad

On 8 Jun 2011, at 19:22, "founders @ LeLabo" <founders@lelabofragrances.com> wrote:

Dear Saif,

All our stores have refills, unfortunately we can't always control the speed at which our partners that manage our corners, and*when they decide to,*implement some of our programs.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai will have refill programs soon. *In the meantime we have corrected the text on our website to avoid any future misunderstandings and potential misleads.

Just to make sure that I have all the correct information before I contact our partners in Abu Dhabi to ask them to solve this for you, may I ask you :

Did the corner in Abu Dhabi refill your bottle and ask you to pay the full price ? *Or did you end up purchasing a new bottle ? *May you let us know what perfume and size you purchased ?

Thank you.

Best wishes

Eddie
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post #20 of 65
6/9/11 at 8:25am
Great news - terrific response from the company - we like happy endings

I'm impressed that Le Labo reworked their website so quickly. It's very interesting to see how this has unfolded, the world is getting smaller and faster - although this may have been an uncomfortable exercise, having the spotlight shone so brightly on the company, the sheer transparency of it all has left me sitting here thinking, wow - okay, sorted.
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post #21 of 65
6/9/11 at 8:40am
So glad you got a resolution. This, though, is priceless:

"We are also known for our excellent customer service and i would be surprised if any other brand's founder would have dealt with your issue so quickly and personally."

I think it's better to let your customers decide that. One of those things you might think but probably shouldn't say out loud to your distressed customer.
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post #22 of 65
6/9/11 at 10:52am
Glad to see Le Labo finally took you seriously. The free bottle was a nice gesture on their part.

I still find the faux-apothecary aesthetic a bit much, but it's good to know there is some substance behind the "style".
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post #23 of 65
6/9/11 at 11:02am
Thread Starter 
In response to my last email: (in bold)

---------------------------

From: "Saif F." <>
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2011 18:18:30 +0400
To: Eddie Roschi <lelabolondon@lelabofragrances.com>
Cc: Info Le Labo <ihaveaquestion@lelabofragrances.com>, "concierge@lelabofragrances.com" <concierge@lelabofragrances.com>
Subject: Re: [contact] GENERAL QUESTIONS ?

Good day,

I am impressed and not too sure whether other brand founders would take it upon themselves to converse on such detailed levels with a customer and in such a swift manner.

I can now say that Le Labo has excellent customer service because everyone makes mistakes but not everyone reconciles them properly.*

I will definitely make this known so that Le Labo gets the recignigotion it earns. * Thank You.

I have a question, how different will the reformulated Patchouli 24 be ? *

Olfactively very difficult to smell the difference. *Color-wise new one will be much clearer. *But you should be the best judge on this. *Do you want London to send you sample of new P24 ?


Will other creations also be affected by the lack of resource that led to the change in patchouli 24?

*As of today no and it is usually very rare. *We truly hope not as we are the first ones to be disappointed by any changes.

Can you make it known to customers when a certain creation will be reformulated? *

Yes we always do. *Patchouli 24 is the good example. *No smells evolve without us letting our clients know.

This way the customer has a chance to stock up on that perfume before it's gone forever.*
Lastly, what's coming up? I have santal 33 on order right now. I can't wait to try it.

* Santal 33 is our latest launch and is proving to be a great success so we are very happy with it. *Not sure when future launch will be as you know we don't launch a lot of scents. *We are busy opening a new store in San Francisco so that is keeping us busy.

Best regards,

Saif

Sent from my iPad
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post #24 of 65
6/9/11 at 4:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

We are also known for our excellent customer service and i would be surprised if any other brand's founder would have dealt with your issue so quickly and personally.

Quoted for emphasis. Sounds like you were treated extremely fairly.
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post #25 of 65
6/9/11 at 4:51pm
It is nice to see they made things "nice" and were quick about it. Hopefully they will do this in the future immediately and not after much back and forth.
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post #26 of 65
6/9/11 at 6:01pm
They do have great customer service! They replaced a faulty bottle of mine and threw in a travel spray (both city exclusives).
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post #27 of 65
6/9/11 at 6:12pm
A nice gesture, but I still feel it a bit of a smokescreen.

Le Labo were uncooperative and unwilling to offer any resolution UNTIL you mentioned your correspondence is being made public here at Basenotes. Then Eddie's tune changed drastically.

YES the outcome was favourable to you, but NO, it was not at all forthcoming until you told them their laundry was out to air.

Personally, I'm afraid this does little to change my attitude towards the brand and their customer service.
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post #28 of 65
6/10/11 at 10:32pm
  • kbe
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post #29 of 65
6/10/11 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sorcery of Scent View Post

A nice gesture, but I still feel it a bit of a smokescreen.

Le Labo were uncooperative and unwilling to offer any resolution UNTIL you mentioned your correspondence is being made public here at Basenotes. Then Eddie's tune changed drastically.

YES the outcome was favourable to you, but NO, it was not at all forthcoming until you told them their laundry was out to air.

Personally, I'm afraid this does little to change my attitude towards the brand and their customer service.

Sorcery, I agree with you. Had hedonist NOT mentioned that he aired his complaint on an international fragrance forum--thus shaming them into cooperation--they would have just ignored him.

A good move, yes, I am still not impressed. They should have done the right thing from the beginning.

It's like a celebrity doing something bad, then all of a sudden becoming contrite and apologetic.

And this response, bragging about the personal and swift customer service, got me laughing:

"Hello Saif
We will send you a 100 ml of Iris 39 free of charge.
We are also known for our excellent customer service and i would be surprised if any other brand's founder would have dealt with your issue so quickly and personally.
We want our clients to be happy with our perfumes and our service even though it's not always easy to guarantee the same level of service across all locations.
Thanks for enabling us to rectify our communication on the refills on our website and sorry for this frustration.
Best wishes
Eddie"

They were just doing major damage control when they were caught giving poor customer service in front of an international fragrance-buying community.

The free Iris bottle was their means of public relations damage control, not making up for a mistake.
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post #30 of 65
6/11/11 at 4:27am
That's the impression I got as well - not unlike the flusters of someone caught on camera with his fly unzipped. Still they came through in the end, hopefully the wiser. Thanks in no small part to kbe's eloquently worded response.

Congrats & enjoy the 100ml of Iris 39.
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post #31 of 65
6/11/11 at 6:33am
Thread Starter 
Paramount amounts of credit go to all of you and particularly mr.reasonable and kbe.
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post #32 of 65
6/11/11 at 7:10am
I fail to see the difficulty in the Abu Dhabi store honoring the company policy and refilling your bottle. What exactly is the problem? It can't be technical, can it? They filled the bottles to begin with, so surely they can use the same mechanism to refill them.

It sounds to me like the local manager there is a jerk and it is probably best to avoid doing future business with him. Sorry to put it that way, but barring any other reason for him not doing what his company policy dictates, I can see no other reason for his strange attitude.
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post #33 of 65
6/11/11 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Paramount amounts of credit go to all of you and particularly mr.reasonable and kbe.

A tip of the hat to Mr. Reasonable and kbe!!
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post #34 of 65
6/11/11 at 1:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by noggs View Post

I fail to see the difficulty in the Abu Dhabi store honoring the company policy and refilling your bottle. What exactly is the problem? It can't be technical, can it? They filled the bottles to begin with, so surely they can use the same mechanism to refill them.

It sounds to me like the local manager there is a jerk and it is probably best to avoid doing future business with him. Sorry to put it that way, but barring any other reason for him not doing what his company policy dictates, I can see no other reason for his strange attitude.

Not sure why they couldnt refill. I asked several times.
Perhaps it has something to do with not being able financially record it or log it in the system?
The manager was indeed a rude individual and Le Labo needs to be aware of this. He represents the department store that LL has a corner in.
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post #35 of 65
6/11/11 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Not sure why they couldnt refill. I asked several times.
Perhaps it has something to do with not being able financially record it or log it in the system?
The manager was indeed a rude individual and Le Labo needs to be aware of this. He represents the department store that LL has a corner in.

Rudeness--especially in a manager--should never, ever be tolerated.

Thank you for posting this, hedonist. Looks like my next big full-price purchase is going to be a Guerlain.
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post #36 of 65
6/11/11 at 10:51pm
Thread Starter 
Most welcome Primose!

There are copious benefits to online forums.
With the boom in online commerce, forums serve as an excellent medium to convey experiences, whether good or bad.
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post #37 of 65
6/14/11 at 5:11pm
From a latecomer to the thread...a very interesting story! It has everything. Suspense. Heroes and Villains. Justice issues. Commerce. The WWW. The strength in numbers. The Modern World.

An object lesson for Eddie I believe. A good lesson in pro-active "customer-ship" too. I agree that this company is still immature in its dealings. Self-serving statements, etc. On the other hand, it was impressive that you got the co-owner! that would not have happened with Hermes or Chanel. But then, maybe they would not have made such an obvious faux pas to begin with. You caught them without a leg to stand on and they realized it and cut their losses. I'd say in the end only 50/50 on Le Labo's integrity. Time will tell about the other 50%.
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post #38 of 65
6/14/11 at 5:31pm
Glad this finally got resolved but I think it was a bit uncool to push for the 100ml. Yeah, you said you'd pay the difference, but it puts them in a precarious position. If they had actually asked you to cover the difference, it would not have looked good and I would imagine it would have upset you (or at least, it would have upset other customers in that position), thus you basically forced their hand. It felt kind of 'eye for an eye' imo.
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post #39 of 65
6/14/11 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

Glad this finally got resolved but I think it was a bit uncool to push for the 100ml. Yeah, you said you'd pay the difference, but it puts them in a precarious position. If they had actually asked you to cover the difference, it would not have looked good and I would imagine it would have upset you (or at least, it would have upset other customers in that position), thus you basically forced their hand. It felt kind of 'eye for an eye' imo.

It may have appeared that I am trying to "push my luck" or get the most out of it. But thats not the case.

If you go to the source, it was pretty cheap of them to offer less than 100ml. Management positions require the knowledge to assess and classify the customer. They lacked that.
It is obvious I am a big spender since I clearly mention I went in to refill 100ml bottles and intended on buying a new 100ml and I ended up buying patchouli 24 in 100ml. Obviously I am leaning towards the more wealthy side of the spectrum, so its pretty cheap of them to offer me less.
When you walk into Cartier, they serve you Evian bottled water, same goes for Hermes, they wouldn't dare serve anything less than Evian. When I take my Panamera for service, they serve Illy coffee and when I had a major fix on my old 911 turbo, they provided me with a Cayenne S as a courteousy car. The agent for Porsche is the same for Volkswagen and Audi, so they could have easily provided me with anything from an Audi A3 or a Volkswagen Polo to an Audi A8 or Touarreg but they know better than that and offered me anything from the Porsche showroom and I chose a Cayenne. Nothing wrong with an A3 or Polo, they're fine vehicles too.
They know how to recognize the customer type and accommodate to them. Eddie, as nice as he was in trying to remedy the situation, should have realized Im not a beggar who would settle for 50ml and thank my luck I got something out of it. Had this been some lower end brand, I wouldn't have been surprised by the "filler" that the 50ml offer was, but coming from Le Labo?
I can buy ten of the 100ml tomorrow if need be and was serious about paying the difference. Im not bragging but my point is I go through my perfumes pretty quickly and that would mean I'd have to go through the hassle of buying another 50ml or 100ml of Iris since they dont have the refill service here, yet.
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post #40 of 65
6/15/11 at 10:38am
I have to agree with hedonist222 on this. What Le Labo attempted albeit belatedly was a 'service recovery' & in this they had tried to 'go cheap' by offering the 50ml to a customer whose preference is clearly the 100ml. This was another mistake; the customer could have just as easily told them to take that bottle of 50ml & shove it where the sun doesn't shine but instead gave them another opportunity to make things right. As the mistake was clearly Le Labo's to begin with, they would have looked 'cheap' had they refused this opportunity & insisted on their first offer.

As an added emphasis on the value of customer service, perhaps it might not be such a bad idea for Le Labo to deduct the price of the 100ml Iris 39 from the wages of the SA involved in this fiasco.
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post #41 of 65
6/15/11 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

It may have appeared that I am trying to "push my luck" or get the most out of it. But thats not the case.

If you go to the source, it was pretty cheap of them to offer less than 100ml. Management positions require the knowledge to assess and classify the customer. They lacked that.
It is obvious I am a big spender since I clearly mention I went in to refill 100ml bottles and intended on buying a new 100ml and I ended up buying patchouli 24 in 100ml. Obviously I am leaning towards the more wealthy side of the spectrum, so its pretty cheap of them to offer me less.
When you walk into Cartier, they serve you Evian bottled water, same goes Hermes, they wouldn't dare serve anything less than Evian. When I take my Panamera for service, they serve Illy coffee and when I had a major fix on my old 911 turbo, they provided me with a Cayenne S as a courteousy car. The agent for Porsche is the same for Volkswagen and Audi, so they could have easily provided me with anything from an Audi A3 or a Volkswagen Polo to an Audi A8 or Touarreg but they know better than that and offered me anything from the Porsche showroom and I chose a Cayenne. Nothing wrong with an A3 or Polo, they're fine vehicles too.
They know how to recognize the customer type and accommodate to them. Eddie, as nice as he was in trying to remedy the situation, should have realized Im not a beggar who would settle for 50ml and thank my luck I got something out of it. Had this been some lower end brand, I would have been surprised by the "filler" that the 50ml offer was but coming from Le Labo?
I can buy ten of the 100ml tomorrow if need be and was serious about paying the difference. Im not bragging but my point is I go through my perfumes pretty quickly and that would mean I'd have to go through the hassle of buying another 50ml or 100ml of Iris since they dont have the refill service here, yet.

hedonist, I agree about assessing the customer and the service required. I once went into a Sephora store and asked to speak to the manager about exchanging a $10.00 3 ml atomiser due to a faulty piston, but did not have the sales receipt.

The atomiser has "Sephora" written across it so it could not have been bought anywhere else. I have made several large fragrance purchases at that store, and have the "VIB" status as a customer due to large purchases. The manager looked across the store at me, refused to speak to me personally and then sent one of her minions to deal with me. The minion insisted I fill out a form with name and address, then asked me to go and find a replacement item, and all for a $10.00 atomiser. She sheepishly said they had to do this for all exchanges. I have never again shopped at that store.

On top of that, I saw them replace the faulty atomiser back on the shelves for another poor customer to buy. Very, very bad customer service!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

I have to agree with hedonist222 on this. What Le Labo attempted albeit belatedly was a 'service recovery' & in this they had tried to 'go cheap' by offering the 50ml to a customer whose preference is clearly the 100ml. This was another mistake; the customer could have just as easily told them to take that bottle of 50ml & shove it where the sun doesn't shine but instead gave them another opportunity to make things right. As the mistake was clearly Le Labo's to begin with, they would have looked 'cheap' had they refused this opportunity & insisted on their first offer.

As an added emphasis on the value of customer service, perhaps it might not be such a bad idea for Le Labo to deduct the price of the 100ml Iris 39 from the wages of the SA involved in this fiasco.

Diamond, I agree about he "damage control" response from Le Labo and not immediately offering the 100 ml bottle. The scents are so far overpriced anyway, and the gesture of offering the 100 ml to what was already a return customer would have gone a long way to ensuring good will.

A business interested in staying in business with go out of their way to right a wrong--even "eat it" at times.

Think of the restaurant who made a customer wait too long for a table in a very luxe restaurant. The maitre'd should offer the next meal free of charge on the house. This ensures the customer will return for the free meal, and then purchase another one if accompanying another person. Can you also see the income generated by the purchase of wine and desserts? This is common business sense and Le Labo have shot themselves in the foot.

Two strikes out for them: they did not honour the original refill policy, and then tried to "cheap" their way out of their mistake by not offering a 100 ml bottle from the beginning.

hedonist is right about assessing the customer. Las Vegas businesses "comp" their "high rollers" handsomely because they know it's all about the customer and his repeat business.
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post #42 of 65
6/15/11 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

I have to agree with hedonist222 on this. What Le Labo attempted albeit belatedly was a 'service recovery' & in this they had tried to 'go cheap' by offering the 50ml to a customer whose preference is clearly the 100ml. This was another mistake; the customer could have just as easily told them to take that bottle of 50ml & shove it where the sun doesn't shine but instead gave them another opportunity to make things right.

I very well could have and was almost reaching that point.
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post #43 of 65
6/15/11 at 12:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

hedonist, I agree about assessing the customer and the service required. I once went into a Sephora store and asked to speak to the manager about exchanging a $10.00 3 ml atomiser due to a faulty piston, but did not have the sales receipt.

The atomiser has &quot;Sephora&quot; written across it so it could not have been bought anywhere else. I have made several large fragrance purchases at that store, and have the &quot;VIB&quot; status as a customer due to large purchases. The manager looked across the store at me, refused to speak to me personally and then sent one of her minions to deal with me. The minion insisted I fill out a form with name and address, then asked me to go and find a replacement item, and all for a $10.00 atomiser. She sheepishly said they had to do this for all exchanges. I have never again shopped at that store.

On top of that, I saw them replace the faulty atomiser back on the shelves for another poor customer to buy. Very, very bad customer service!



Diamond, I agree about he &quot;damage control&quot; response from Le Labo and not immediately offering the 100 ml bottle. The scents are so far overpriced anyway, and the gesture of offering the 100 ml to what was already a return customer would have gone a long way to ensuring good will.

A business interested in staying in business with go out of their way to right a wrong--even &quot;eat it&quot; at times.

Think of the restaurant who made a customer wait too long for a table in a very luxe restaurant. The maitre'd should offer the next meal free of charge on the house. This ensures the customer will return for the free meal, and then purchase another one if accompanying another person. Can you also see the income generated by the purchase of wine and desserts? This is common business sense and Le Labo have shot themselves in the foot.

Two strikes out for them: they did not honour the original refill policy, and then tried to &quot;cheap&quot; their way out of their mistake by not offering a 100 ml bottle from the beginning.

hedonist is right about assessing the customer. Las Vegas businesses &quot;comp&quot; their &quot;high rollers&quot; handsomely because they know it's all about the customer and his repeat business.

I know exactly what you mean!
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post #44 of 65
6/15/11 at 12:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

I know exactly what you mean!

Yes, hedonist. The good customer deserves to be comped and catered to. For that reason, I will always shop at Beauty Habit, Scent Bar/Lucky Scent and the Palazzo Shoppes Guerlain.
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post #45 of 65
6/15/11 at 1:29pm
Thread Starter 
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post #46 of 65
6/16/11 at 10:10am
Hey, great stash you got in there. Here's an idea. Maybe BNers should all keep a photo of our fragrance wardrobe with us to show just how serious we really are about fragrances.

Re: stellar customer service. A couple of years ago I had a diamond ring returned to the vendor as one of the pave-set diamonds had fallen off during the re-sizing. I wasn't too pleased of course. To make amends, the owner personally wrote me an apology & offered a replacement ring of a significantly higher value at no additional cost to me. His thoughtful gesture made me a lifelong customer & I'd retell this story to anyone who would care to listen. His other customers would do likewise. Now his business is doing better than ever. That's the real value of excellent customer service.
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post #47 of 65
6/16/11 at 3:00pm
Thread Starter 
Diamond flame, the initial 50ml offer by Le Labo got me thinking. Maybe they doubted my integrity.
So, a picture is worth a thusand words. My Le Labo collection in 100ml.
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post #48 of 65
6/17/11 at 3:53am
That's a lovely label on that Rose 31
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post #49 of 65
6/17/11 at 4:05am
Thread Starter 
scent, yes the label in rose 31 somehow makes the rose and cumin stand out more than usual.
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post #50 of 65
6/18/11 at 3:29pm
My good friend in Qatar just told me, "Did you know those assholes Le Labo refused to give me a refill here in Qatar?!"

I sighed and directed him to this thread.

Le Labo, if you're reading this, get your act together...seriously WTF!
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post #51 of 65
6/20/11 at 12:08pm
Just another reason for me NOT to consider even trying the line.

As I observed earlier, they only corrected the mistake for hedonist after the issue was aired on Basenotes for all to see.

Then they had the nerve to crow about their amazing personal, timely and impressive "customer service." What a laugh!

They really need some training on how to cultivate return customers, esp. for a consumable item that is not your drugstore/chemist fragrance.

I see a Guerlain exclusive in my future.

And to think that Lucky Scent gave me a sample of their Jasmin 17, and I was toying with the idea of buying.

Bad move, Le Labo!

Scent, I concur with your impression of the company.

Therefore, I am bumping this thread...
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post #52 of 65
6/20/11 at 12:44pm
Thread Starter 
I received the item yesterday along with a re-formulated Patchouli 24 sample.

I sent them an email notifying them of the package delivery .
Thats how I was raised .
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post #53 of 65
6/22/11 at 5:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

I received the item yesterday along with a re-formulated Patchouli 24 sample.

I sent them an email notifying them of the package delivery .
Thats how I was raised .

I hope they understand that I should have been a thanks, but also, "Thank you for finally doing what you should have done from the beginning of my inquiry."
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post #54 of 65
6/22/11 at 8:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

I hope they understand that I should have been a thanks,

Sorry didnt understand this part.

On the thank you note, I specifically said in my post that I'd sent them an email notifying them I received the package. I did not thank them, for the same reason you mention. Its what they should have done in the beginning, before KBE and mr.reasonable urged me to broadcast the situation here on BaseNotes.net
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post #55 of 65
11/28/11 at 7:09am
Thread Starter 
Another positive from Le Labo.

I contacted Eddie about about a refill for my Rose 31. My dad drained it in 3 weeks. My mother's own Rose 31 finished a few weeks ago and I lent her mine until I got her a new one. My dad stumbles upon it, loves it and drains it in a little over 2 and a half week.

Anyhow I sent an email inuring whether anything could be arranged since I'd hate to pay retail when I know that those residing elsewhere are getting a discount. I knew very well that I could have gotten a polite no because the service is not offered in the UAE.

Here is the response I got:

Quote:
Hello Saif

We will send you a refill from our London store at our refill price and we will take care of shipping.

Can you send camelia your exact delivery address. Camelia, can you send Saif exact refill price in London.

Thanks for your continued support !

Eddie

And then immediate got friendly emails from the London Le Labo people about proceeding with the order.

I responded:

Quote:
Hello Eddie,

Many thanks for arranging the refill. I feel like a valuable customer. It's such devotion to the customer that generates a solid reputation and loyalty.
I will not hesitate to make known these good deeds.


Since i have you attention I'd like to mention two points.

Firstly, you were right about the Patchouli 24 reformulation. There is no discernible difference.
I also stated that on basenotes where a majority of your loyal customers congregate to discuss fragrance. They were certainly relieved to know there were no discernible differences.
Us Patchouli 24 fans appreciate it remaining the same post reformulation.

Secondly, Santal 33 has yet to be released here in the UAE. I asked several times and the majority of employees had no idea what i was talking about albeit one who said that Le Labo likes to attend Perfume Launches and they (you two) were just here a few months ago. I also hear there will be an Abu Dhabi or Dubai city exclusive based around leather (Cuir xx).
Any idea when we can expect it to be released ?

Thanks for your time.

Kindest wishes,


Any bad taste left in my mouth from the previous scenario has now been replaced with a lovely medley of forest fruits.
Its this sort of customer service that lifts any company to the top.
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post #56 of 65
11/28/11 at 9:11am
That's great customer service. Happy it turned out for you favorably in the end.
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post #57 of 65
11/28/11 at 9:19am
Great news about this.

The sad thing remains is that it took a public fragrance forum for Le Labo to own up to good customer service.
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post #58 of 65
11/28/11 at 11:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

That's great customer service. Happy it turned out for you favorably in the end.

Thanks Hednic. I got a call from the lovely Andy from London a few hours ago. Such a lovely and bubbly girl.
She was great to deal with. Highly recommend her.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

Great news about this.

The sad thing remains is that it took a public fragrance forum for Le Labo to own up to good customer service.

Sometimes people learn the hard way (ask my little brother in law lol) but what matters is whether they've learned from the mistake and amended the hurt.

In Le Labo's case, they have certainly fixed any upset they caused and are proceeding with excellent customer service.

In all honesty, I wouldn't have been surprised if the response was "unfortunately its not possible at this time to refill in your area".
But because I am a repeat customer, they value me and displayed this by having the London SA call me (4 hours after my email too!!) and take the order over the phone and will send it out tomorrow. They also covered postage.

I am satisfied and have forgotten any ill experiences I had with them. I'm not the kind to hold grudges either.

And this is Eddie's response:

Quote:
Hello Saif,
Yes, Santal 33 and Cuir 28 (exclusive for Dubai) are still not launched as we are resolving some issues with our partner there.
Once those issues are resolved (it's taking more time than expected) we will have these launched and the refills added. I don't know when that will happen – it should have happened a month ago but it didn't…
We'll keep you posted.
Thanks again
Eddie
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post #59 of 65
11/28/11 at 11:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sorcery of Scent View Post

Simply not good enough.

Thats a cop-out... and gives no recognition to the fact you spent your money on a product or service that was promised/advertised but not fulfilled. They should offer you some refund/compensation.

yes

---------

oh, it's been resolved
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post #60 of 65
11/28/11 at 11:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Thanks Hednic. I got a call from the lovely Andy from London a few hours ago. Such a lovely and bubbly girl.
She was great to deal with. Highly recommend her.



Sometimes people learn the hard way (ask my little brother in law lol) but what matters is whether they've learned from the mistake and amended the hurt.

In Le Labo's case, they have certainly fixed any upset they caused and are proceeding with excellent customer service.

In all honesty, I wouldn't have been surprised if the response was "unfortunately its not possible at this time to refill in your area".
But because I am a repeat customer, they value me and displayed this by having the London SA call me (4 hours after my email too!!) and take the order over the phone and will send it out tomorrow. They also covered postage.

I am satisfied and have forgotten any ill experiences I had with them. I'm not the kind to hold grudges either.

And this is Eddie's response:

hedonist, yes, sometimes it takes a PR nightmare to shock a company into doing the right thing. I am glad they are coming through for you. I think they learned that many people are indeed watching.
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