Do you own any Jantzen?

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by gdl203

There may be a little over-reaction here... Are you sure your order actually went through? Have you tried to either call or email Ricky to get a confirmation that he got your order?

Well, two things:

(1) I think if someone has an online order form I shouldn't have to call or email them to get confirmation that they got my order unless they specifically list that as one of their requirements (as I believe Plal does).

(2) I have in fact sent (and amazingly, received emails) from Ricky and I have called them on the phone (though, when I asked for Ricky, the person on the other line muttered something incoherently and then hung up on me). I just don't think that a person should have to go through that much effort to get a shirt. With other shirtmakers, if you're getting measured in person (e.g., CEGO), they take your measurements and then give you a day when they think your shirts will be ready. They then call you on the phone on that day to pick up your shirts or you can have them mailed if you want. With other mailorder shirtmakers (e.g. Hemrajani), you put in your order, they give you an estimated shipment day, and then ship more or less on that day.

I even think that his whole thing about not taking money until he sends the shirts out is kind of sketchy. I've provided him with my credit information several times and he has not sent a shirt. I always wonder what would happen if all of a sudden he sent 10 shirts out to me fulfilling all the previous orders I've sent to him and then charged my credit card almost two years after the initial order. I would not be happy if something like that were to happen because, at this point, I've already given up on him and used the services of other shirtmakers to replace the functions that the Jantzen shirts were intended for and don't need the shirts that I ordered from him anymore.

Buying shirts from Jantzen is like going to that crowded deli that has a really good meatball parm for $2.50 for lunch. Sure, you can go there and wait half an hour to get that cheap-but-tasty sandwich and then scarf it down in 15 minutes before your lunch beak is over, but personally, I'd rather go to that place down the street that has the same sandwich for $4.50 with no wait.

 

[Lino]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

Not even from the UK?

Trads are so conservative that they still think the US is"”or should still be"”part of the UK. Though at this point, they think the UK is the one that is the colony.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by odoreater

Buying shirts from Jantzen is like going to that crowded deli that has a really good meatball parm for $2.50 for lunch. Sure, you can go there and wait half an hour to get that cheap-but-tasty sandwich and then scarf it down in 15 minutes before your lunch beak is over, but personally, I'd rather go to that place down the street that has the same sandwich for $4.50 with no wait.

That's a good analogy. It's exactly as you describe it. There IS a trade-off. You have decided it was not worth it based on (a) your experience with him so far (which I would imagine being an outlier - I will post a poll to check that...), (b) your willingness to pay, and (c) your patience.

The extra $2 for that sandwich does not seem much for me either, but my latest order from Jantzen (10 shirts) would have probably cost me $600 to $1,000 more from one of the alternate sources mentioned here...

 

[LegB4Wicket]

I owned one.

Wore it once.

Washed it and hang dried it.

The sleeves and collar shrank by at least an inch and the colours faded significantly.

Dropped it off at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop.

Enough said.

 

[LegB4Wicket]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

What did you wash it in, lye?

Water with some liquid Tide. On the normal colour cycle in the washer - just like the rest of the shirts I own (TM Lewin, New & Lingwood, Stephens Bros., Aquascutum etc.).

 

[cchen]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

You emailed him before ordering? He's erratic at best about responding to emails - I suspect he has too many and too little time to respond on a prompt, regular basis. If you have a question you need addressed before ordering, you're probably much better off calling or faxing.
Today I sent a fax inquiring about my March order; we'll see if that moves things along.

I meant, I would be a new customer if he would respond to my initial questions....

 

[mbc]

Originally Posted by cchen

I meant, I would be a new customer if he would respond to my initial questions....
Unfortunately for the service end of things, the one thing the man does not appear to be in any need of whatsoever is new customers.

 

[damonallan]

To dandies...

Product is more than the actual shirt. It is the whole process. That's why some people don't mind paying more for a shirt etc.

Disagreements???

Damon

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by damonallan

To dandies...

Product is more than the actual shirt. It is the whole process. That's why some people don't mind paying more for a shirt etc.

Disagreements???

Damon

Disagreements? Yeah, I'm no stinkin' dandy.

 

[montmorency]

As I said on Ask Andy, I have ordered shirts three times from Jantzen. The longest any of the orders may have taken to arrive was three months. I have no "customer service" issues with Jantzen: I place the orders and they make and send the shirts. That's all I want and expect. I don't need anything more from a clothing merchant. By contrast, I had one shirt made by a local custom shirtmaking business and he then called me at my office a couple of times afterwards, announcing himself as my shirtmaker and asking to speak to me. I would rather not have this pushy sales approach and I certainly don't want my office to know that I have a shirtmaker. As for the rest, i.e., the shirtmaking part, Jantzen's workmanship is superb. The seams are beautifully sewn, the buttonholes are neat, and the pattern matching is impeccable. They have a great many different type of collars, which you can further customize by varying the length of the collar points and collar height, plus all of the other options they offer - such as cuff styles, pocket styles, options for buttonhole and button thread colors, and gusset colors. They carry a large number of fabrics too and I have been pleased with most of them. Best of all is the price. Even if your first self-measured shirt does not come out right, at about $40 each, the cost is easily absorbed by the incredible deal you are getting when you order more. I plan on ordering from Jantzen as long as they are in business.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by montmorency

As I said on Ask Andy, I have ordered shirts three times from Jantzen. The longest any of the orders may have taken to arrive was three months. I have no "customer service" issues with Jantzen: I place the orders and they make and send the shirts. That's all I want and expect. I don't need anything more from a clothing merchant.

This is one reason I think I'm so pleased. I've never contacted Jantzen, and never felt like I needed to. The only time I can imagine needing to contact Jantzen is if something were wrong with my order, or if there had been a billing mistake. So far, neither has happened.

 

[zjpj83]

None, and I don't intend to.

 

[skalogre]

I still intend to although I must say that the recent spate of increased order problems & dissatisfaction has made me less confident. Land's End has worked reasonably well for me so far...

 

[whoopee]

I have several shirts, but there's always something wrong with them. I don't think Jantzen's process can account for finer points like my posture. Perfectly serviceable, and I'll wear them as beater shirts for travel and the odd fancy pattern, but they are not my only shirtmaker.

 

[chobochobo]

I've been working in Hong Kong for a few years now and my Janzten shirt bought a couple of months ago was my first custom shirt. The turnover time was 48hours, the shirt is nice and I've worn it maybe three times. Material remains soft and supple, no pilling/piling and no shrinkage. They are very very very busy though. Maybe I'll chat to Ricky/David next time I'm there - I do have plans to get more.