samps
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2015
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
I wanted to share the ordeal that I’ve been going through so that others may be informed.
I really wanted everything with Spier & Mackay to work out but I don’t believe I will purchase anything from them again. I would also not personally recommend them whatsoever. I believe they could provide good value if issues were corrected. However, my personal ordering experience has been less than satisfactory. Over 9 months later and I’m still not satisfied with 13 shirts received.
I tried out some of their OTR shirts in October/November, 2014. They fit well in the torso, but the sleeves were too long and cuffs too wide. This was their Contemporary 17” fit. I thought I’d take the plunge and get MTM shirts. Note: Here is where I take some accountability – I should have actually measured the shirt and manually input all measurements I wanted. I did ask what I should do about this and mentioned the Contemporary 17” fit well except the sleeves and cuffs. I was advised if the Contemporary 17” fit well with a couple of adjustments needed, I could simply state this as they follow standard templates. Further, once my order was made, my unique customer template would exist.
I placed an order for 9 MTM shirts and 2 dress trousers on November 29, 2014. I explicitly noted:
All shirt measurements exactly the same as your contemporary 17 shirt with the following changes: sleeve length 2.5" shorter buttoned cuff circumference 8.5" - actual cuff could be a bit larger
My credit card was billed on December 2, 2014. I ended up returning the 2 dress trousers due to non-ideal fit and received a full refund. They have a policy that for MTM orders, they make one shirt first to ensure a perfect fit and then fulfill the rest of the order – makes sense.
I received my first shirt mid-February – 11 weeks after the order. They note that it typically takes 4-6 weeks. Some downtime with the holidays…I was ok with it. I was excited for the first shirt.
The shirt fit wasn’t exactly as expected – seemed the neck was a bit tight and sleeves really short. Sleeves seemed to be 4” shorter not 2.5” shorter like I had asked. I wondered if somehow I had measured wrong. I asked for Spier and Mackay to provide my unique customer template measurements – maybe it would be best to tweak based on them?. Here is the response I received:
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with the finished measurements. The finished measurements are obtained by an algorithm that we have created and is proprietary, which helps differentiate us from other retailers. However we can apply any adjustments which are required, kindly confirm the amount needed to apply to the neck and sleeve measurements.
Hmmm…ok, I thought each customer had their own template. Oh well, then I just want 0.25” larger in neck, 1.5” longer sleeves (to get back to that 2.5” difference from the very first OTR shirt I tried on). I also ask if my unique customer template will be updated. This is the response I received:
Thank you for confirming Simpson, we have added 1/4" to the neck and 1 1/2" to the sleeves. Also we only use the most recent shirt order and when placing a new order simply let us know in the comments section to "follow recent shirt measurements".
This was February 20, 2015. Over the next couple of weeks some of the originally chosen materials were no longer available so I selected different materials (no biggie) and also order 4 more shirts. Mid-April, about 8 weeks later I receive 8 of 12 shirts to come. I wash, iron and try them on. Weird…these all fit a bit different. On one of the shirts I can barely get my right arm in as the sleeve is really tight around the forearm. Some shirts are noticeably tighter around the torso. Also, some sleeves seem longer on some shirts.
I take some measurements (of just the torso) and it’s clear there variation in all the shirts. I email Spier & Mackay and they provide a shipping label to send them back so they can inspect – May 4, 2015. I end up sending after I return from being out of town. Now I’m really hopeful…they have agreed to look at them. They respond pretty quickly after receiving the shirts stating that only two are out of tolerances based on their measurements so they will remake those. Hmm…ok. Not what I was thinking but they decide to send the shirts back to me. During this time I also receive the other 4 shirts I ordered.
I am out of the country May 24 – July 3. I receive all shirts. Decide to wash, iron, measure them all again. I still feel variation…still. In particular some of the sleeves are way too long, up to 2.5” too long. Spier & Mackay send me this link so I measure exactly as the link specifies:
http://bit.ly/1mzymb7
Now I really take the time to measure, inspect. Here are my measurements, per their own website.
Little bit of variation here and there. Some measurements are half widths so when the shirt is on 0.75” in some areas can feel like a lot. Personally for MTM I’d like everything to be as similar as possible. I get these are made by people and there will be some variation. Now my measurements may not be 100% exact, but because I measured them all, relatively, the variations should be correct.
The sleeve lengths on most of the shirts are too much. They vary from 34 to 36.375”. The 34 is correct for me. Because the shoulder measurements vary, this can contribute to the long sleeve problem.
Upon further review of some of the checkered shirts, I realize some of the checks aren’t even horizontal across the torso. Like this:
Now I’m really upset. This is mid-July. I contact Spier & Mackay. None of the responses actually address the issues and my questions. It’s been over 8 months since my initial MTM order and I’m completely dissatisfied. Granted I was away out of the country for 6 weeks but nothing resolved so you could say it’s been 6.5 months.
More emails exchanged and I call Visa. All ordered past their 120 day deadlines so I can’t file a claim. Still no real responses from Spier & Mackay. Half the shirts I ordered are checks that are lop-sided. They and the others have sleeves that aren’t the correct length and they all fit differently in the torso.
Based on everything I’ve found on measurements and the time it’s taken, I ask for a full refund. After some time, I’m offered 10% on all shirts made. No – that’s not acceptable to me.
I quote this from their website to them:
http://www.spierandmackay.com/terms_condition.php
If it is found that the finished garment was made in error by SPIER & MACKAY, SPIER & MACKAY will accept responsibility and alter the garment or replace if necessary at no cost to the purchaser.
I’m out $947.63 in total. Some may have had good experiences at Spier & Mackay. I have not.
I really wanted everything with Spier & Mackay to work out but I don’t believe I will purchase anything from them again. I would also not personally recommend them whatsoever. I believe they could provide good value if issues were corrected. However, my personal ordering experience has been less than satisfactory. Over 9 months later and I’m still not satisfied with 13 shirts received.
I tried out some of their OTR shirts in October/November, 2014. They fit well in the torso, but the sleeves were too long and cuffs too wide. This was their Contemporary 17” fit. I thought I’d take the plunge and get MTM shirts. Note: Here is where I take some accountability – I should have actually measured the shirt and manually input all measurements I wanted. I did ask what I should do about this and mentioned the Contemporary 17” fit well except the sleeves and cuffs. I was advised if the Contemporary 17” fit well with a couple of adjustments needed, I could simply state this as they follow standard templates. Further, once my order was made, my unique customer template would exist.
I placed an order for 9 MTM shirts and 2 dress trousers on November 29, 2014. I explicitly noted:
All shirt measurements exactly the same as your contemporary 17 shirt with the following changes: sleeve length 2.5" shorter buttoned cuff circumference 8.5" - actual cuff could be a bit larger
My credit card was billed on December 2, 2014. I ended up returning the 2 dress trousers due to non-ideal fit and received a full refund. They have a policy that for MTM orders, they make one shirt first to ensure a perfect fit and then fulfill the rest of the order – makes sense.
I received my first shirt mid-February – 11 weeks after the order. They note that it typically takes 4-6 weeks. Some downtime with the holidays…I was ok with it. I was excited for the first shirt.
The shirt fit wasn’t exactly as expected – seemed the neck was a bit tight and sleeves really short. Sleeves seemed to be 4” shorter not 2.5” shorter like I had asked. I wondered if somehow I had measured wrong. I asked for Spier and Mackay to provide my unique customer template measurements – maybe it would be best to tweak based on them?. Here is the response I received:
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with the finished measurements. The finished measurements are obtained by an algorithm that we have created and is proprietary, which helps differentiate us from other retailers. However we can apply any adjustments which are required, kindly confirm the amount needed to apply to the neck and sleeve measurements.
Hmmm…ok, I thought each customer had their own template. Oh well, then I just want 0.25” larger in neck, 1.5” longer sleeves (to get back to that 2.5” difference from the very first OTR shirt I tried on). I also ask if my unique customer template will be updated. This is the response I received:
Thank you for confirming Simpson, we have added 1/4" to the neck and 1 1/2" to the sleeves. Also we only use the most recent shirt order and when placing a new order simply let us know in the comments section to "follow recent shirt measurements".
This was February 20, 2015. Over the next couple of weeks some of the originally chosen materials were no longer available so I selected different materials (no biggie) and also order 4 more shirts. Mid-April, about 8 weeks later I receive 8 of 12 shirts to come. I wash, iron and try them on. Weird…these all fit a bit different. On one of the shirts I can barely get my right arm in as the sleeve is really tight around the forearm. Some shirts are noticeably tighter around the torso. Also, some sleeves seem longer on some shirts.
I take some measurements (of just the torso) and it’s clear there variation in all the shirts. I email Spier & Mackay and they provide a shipping label to send them back so they can inspect – May 4, 2015. I end up sending after I return from being out of town. Now I’m really hopeful…they have agreed to look at them. They respond pretty quickly after receiving the shirts stating that only two are out of tolerances based on their measurements so they will remake those. Hmm…ok. Not what I was thinking but they decide to send the shirts back to me. During this time I also receive the other 4 shirts I ordered.
I am out of the country May 24 – July 3. I receive all shirts. Decide to wash, iron, measure them all again. I still feel variation…still. In particular some of the sleeves are way too long, up to 2.5” too long. Spier & Mackay send me this link so I measure exactly as the link specifies:
http://bit.ly/1mzymb7
Now I really take the time to measure, inspect. Here are my measurements, per their own website.
Little bit of variation here and there. Some measurements are half widths so when the shirt is on 0.75” in some areas can feel like a lot. Personally for MTM I’d like everything to be as similar as possible. I get these are made by people and there will be some variation. Now my measurements may not be 100% exact, but because I measured them all, relatively, the variations should be correct.
The sleeve lengths on most of the shirts are too much. They vary from 34 to 36.375”. The 34 is correct for me. Because the shoulder measurements vary, this can contribute to the long sleeve problem.
Upon further review of some of the checkered shirts, I realize some of the checks aren’t even horizontal across the torso. Like this:
Now I’m really upset. This is mid-July. I contact Spier & Mackay. None of the responses actually address the issues and my questions. It’s been over 8 months since my initial MTM order and I’m completely dissatisfied. Granted I was away out of the country for 6 weeks but nothing resolved so you could say it’s been 6.5 months.
More emails exchanged and I call Visa. All ordered past their 120 day deadlines so I can’t file a claim. Still no real responses from Spier & Mackay. Half the shirts I ordered are checks that are lop-sided. They and the others have sleeves that aren’t the correct length and they all fit differently in the torso.
Based on everything I’ve found on measurements and the time it’s taken, I ask for a full refund. After some time, I’m offered 10% on all shirts made. No – that’s not acceptable to me.
I quote this from their website to them:
http://www.spierandmackay.com/terms_condition.php
If it is found that the finished garment was made in error by SPIER & MACKAY, SPIER & MACKAY will accept responsibility and alter the garment or replace if necessary at no cost to the purchaser.
I’m out $947.63 in total. Some may have had good experiences at Spier & Mackay. I have not.
