Dry Cleaner marked the tag on my high end shirts..should I complain?

Originally Posted by wvuguy

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I had a laundry do exactly that same thing to about a half-dozen of my shirts about 20 years ago, and I was equally furious.....not just because they did it, but that my initials (at least they ones they used) were actually incorrect.

I got that beat.

I had my roommate drop off some shirts for me. They put his name on the shirts. I was forced to get a new dry cleaner, because he would get my shirts back.

Originally Posted by Dragon

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I think the guy deserves a break. It is fairly common practice for many to wash a shirt before wearing it for the first time.

I recall it being discussed here (or the other place) that you are supposed to wash off the chemicals on a brand new shirt.

I agree.

Let's distill this down. The cleaner permantanly altered an article (fact). Some people would not be offended by that - some would. It is also a fact that other options to avoid losing a garmet exist. Sure they may be a litle more expensive and more time consuming than a sharpee but they do exist.

The correct answer is that the drycleaner was wrong to deface his shirts. End of story. Thank you all for playing.

This is a somewhat common practice, especially at higher end cleaners here in New York City. The practice is literally hundreds of years old.

While I understand the issues that the op has as he wished to give the shirts as a gift after laundering them (which I believe would make them no less returnable than having the laundry marks places upon them) I think the original poster and many of the responses over react to the cleaner's making the laundry marks.

Happy ending to this. Turns out the employee made a mistake, and the owner fixed the shirts and removd the markings by cleaning them and I got the suit pressed free of charge =)

HB

and all was well in the universe.

Good to hear hb

I can't believe the stuff I've been reading. Permanent marker and stapled shirts? What happens if someone slips or presses to hard and the ink goes THROUGH the label? I Don't want staples or markers anywhere near my $450 shirts. AIEEEE.

I had a cleaner that would occasionally pin my garments to the hanger. That used to piss me off so I switched. I've gone through a number of cleaners. Last week I found a new one at the suggestion of my tailor. They even pick-up/deliver, which suits me just fine. I gave them a borrelli jacket with a spot of something on it and it came back in pristine condition. I was admittedly worried when I sent it out, but it all worked-out in the end.

I would be upset with this result as well. I used to wash and iron my shirts until I found a local dry cleaner that specializes in high-end garments and that also has an upper-tier shirt service. No complaints so far. Your cleaner should have pointed out to you beforehand their policy of permanently marking shirts. I remember my mother, when I was a kid, using a permanent marker on my clothing when she sent me off to summer camp. Is this policy posted in plain view? [My dry cleaner uses a tag that they staple through one of the button holes of my shirts to identify them as mine.] Although I take issue with your suggestion that you could return your shirts from where you purchased them after they had been washed and worn, without a doubt your garments have been defaced by this cleaner. If you were not given notice of this policy to allow your cleaner to write on your clothing, you are within your rights to take issue with them for what they did. However, in this regard you should also weigh in the balance whether you would lose any needed goodwill with your dry cleaner by taking them to task in this regard. Perhaps you can get your point across equally as well by showing them your receipts for those shirts.

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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I can't believe the stuff I've been reading. Permanent marker and stapled shirts? What happens if someone slips or presses to hard and the ink goes THROUGH the label? I Don't want staples or markers anywhere near my $450 shirts. AIEEEE.

wow you got $450 to spend on a shirt and you wanna spend $2-$4 to clean it.

A Happy Ending to this.

I spoke with the owner of the Dry Cleaner and she was unaware that the morning
person and marked my shirts.

She quickly apologized and offered to clean my shirts for free.

Luckily after the cleaning, the tags are spotless and show no signs of the
markings.

All is well, and I'll be happy to go back to this cleaners.

Originally Posted by Holstein Bilter

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It's mainly the principal of it.

Just becasue you're upset doesn't mean you can use the wrong word. It's the princiPLE, not the principal.

I think you're making a big big deal out of nothing.

Originally Posted by auto90403

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Just becasue you're upset doesn't mean you can use the wrong word. It's the princiPLE, not the principal.

I think you're making a big big deal out of nothing.

Almost as much as making a big deal about a TYPO?

Originally Posted by Tarmac

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wow you got $450 to spend on a shirt and you wanna spend $2-$4 to clean it.

Where did that come from??

I'd never put them through the abuse of a commercial laundry unless they had a really tough stain that I didn't think I could get out on my own. I wash them on a delicate cycle in cold water and air-dry them.

Originally Posted by Holstein Bilter

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A Happy Ending to this.

I spoke with the owner of the Dry Cleaner and she was unaware that the morning
person and marked my shirts.

She quickly apologized and offered to clean my shirts for free.

Luckily after the cleaning, the tags are spotless and show no signs of the
markings.

All is well, and I'll be happy to go back to this cleaners.
Congrats!