::::::::Commercial Jingle::::::::

Burlington Coat Factory, We're More Than Great Coats!!!!

See now thats just a stupid idea...so now I have to double check the tags on coats cuz someone wanted to be a smart-alec?

What was he even trying to accomplish? Im sure buying cheap coats is still more expensive than making the coats themselves...

You say crappy way to treat customers, I ask "How do I get in on the scam?" times are tough folks, oh and I have some authentic rolexs if anyone is interested.

Shame on that Burlington Coat Factory supplier! I just realized that the coat I'm wearing now, I've had for at least six years and I got it from BCF. It's a really good coat, and it has nothing to do with BCF...but I wouldn't mind shopping at BCF because their supply isn't dependent on what is out in stores right now, so you can get a designer coat from one or two seasons back and it's brand new and well-made, but at a fraction of the cost when it was "new" in stores.

So, if the Levy Group has the rights to these brands then is there a legitimate complaint? What if the Levy Group had taken the trouble to cut out the old labels and *sew in* new ones?

I think this just goes to show how little most brands actually mean in terms of quality. People couldn't tell the difference without a label to tell them.

@egoods:

I find your ideas interesting and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

It just goes to show what a scam the whole fashion/label industry is. And how did these get past any supposed "quality" inspectors Burlington Coats has? I mean, there IS a difference in quality that is readily appearant to a knowledgable person, like, say, a buyer for Burlington Coats or a store manager? It shows you Burlington Coats doesn't inspect their merchandise before they sell it.

"Burlington Coat Factor"? Is that a new reality show on CBS?

So Wal-Mart coats are made in the same places as tHe perry ellis ones?

@skeptic: it is a legitimate complaint for the person who manufactured/designed the walmart coat. Good for Burlinton Coat Factory for actually taking it seriously and offering a refund and a coupon

I'm not happy with management's explanation. For instance, from where did this "employee" get those labels? They didn't just fall from the sky. People who work at these places get instructions from someone higher up in the food chain. So, Levy Group, what do you have to say now?

It's doubtful it's one rogue employee, I mean what does the employee stand to benefit from the scam? Now the supplier gains a great deal from doing that, but doesn't want to look like it is doing it so it set up the employee for the fall guy.

@key2616:

Hehehe, that one never gets old.

@skeptic: it is a legitimate complaint for the person who manufactured/designed the walmart coat. Good for Burlinton Coat Factory for actually taking it seriously and offering a refund and a coupon

Kudos to Burlington for doing a good job making it right!

@Skeptic:

So, you're saying if GM sells you a Chevy with a Cadillac badge on it, you'd be okay with it?

To that one singled out employee... how's the underside of that bus look?

I doubt they tug on tags while inspecting. There were 118 coats, maybe more, in one state. Sounds like it wasn't just random, but a shipment to each store.
I still don't see how this would benefit the management, or why the employee would think it would.
The clothing that stores like Marshalls and BCF receive are outdated fashions that the Designer Label can no longer sell at full price or doesn't have room for. The stores then buy them in large quantity for cheap.
I'm no Walmart shopper, so I don't know how much a "George" coat would cost, but I can't imagine being less than $20.
I think it's possible this employee was testing a scam to see if it would work and possibly go off on his own. Who knows, but I see no way it would benefit the employee who did this.
The situation wouldn't stop me from shopping at BCF... the fact that the only BCFs I know are in shitty neighborhoods keeps me from shopping there.

Is Perry Ellis really better than the WalMart store brand? Really?

@joe18521: Have you seen the Escalade EXT?

@Subsound:

If it was decided by higher ups, you'd think they would at least sew the fake labels on, in which case, I bet they never get busted.

People still shop at Burlington Coat Factory? It's cheaper to make your own at home. It doesn't matter, if you pay it off every month. The OP should have done better research.

I'm just throwing out the usual responses. Do any of them stick?

@joe18521: I think he is saying that if you can't tell the difference between a Chevy and a Cadillac without the badge on it then you have bigger problems.

The first thing I though of was.. "Yeah, the employee's mistake was not taking out the old label first"

Burlington is the same store that a few years back "unknowingly" sold coats/accessories made from dog fur. I have never bought or visited their stores since. Maybe their buying office needs to get a clue on QC and stop using the excuse that they have been taken by suprise. It is all about keeing their cost of goods low without any conscience.

I thought that burlington coat factory was supposed to be cheap, but I went in one recently and was appalled at the prices!

@key2616: Wow, I thought that phrase died.

@skeptic: If they were made in the same place why wouldn't they just sew or glue the perry ellis label on first instead of gluing it over the cheap label? It sounds more likely that they got ahold of some discards and decided to profit

I can tell a difference in quality from examining the stitching, looking at the materials used. If you wanted to buy a new coat, it really helps to just look up some things before you browse. It doesn't take very long at all.

I love the small print on their ads, "Not affiliated with Burlington Industries."

@joe18521: That actually happens. There were some Lexus' that were actually re-branded Toyota's (with a few body elements changed). Some Mazda truck are ACTUAL Ford trucks, with a ford type VIN number. At least that's how it was when I worked parts for a car dealer a few years back.

@HFC:

Blaming the OP totally works here - I mean a good consumer would have know to check every inch of the coat and tug at every seam to ensure quality before buying it. I mean who doesn't do that when buying cheap clothing?

@HFC: Cheper to make a wool coat at home? Not even close. And do you know how hard it would be to make a coat? Very.

Not that I sew, but my wife does. Cutting and sewing shoulders is very difficult.

Manufactures, at every level, have economies of scale. Industrial machines, and experienced seamstress'.

@snowmoon:

What I'm trying to point out is that either way the manufacturer is committing fraud:

- Selling low end brand products as high end brand products.

Or...

- Providing no quality difference between high end and low end brands, while charging a premium.

@CaffiendCA: I think he/she was being sarcastic.

@ N.RobertMoses

I looked that up once and its quite funny. I thought it was supposed to be a disclaimer that they are not from Burlington, Vermont, but the Burlington Industries is from North Carolina and were acquired sometime ago by International Textile Group.

@glinters:

Are you saying that dog fur is of inferior quality to other fur, or that killing dogs is more immoral than killing other animals?

Burlington... the store my parents used to take me to to get the winter coat every year as a kid, it used to be good back then. Now its filled with outdated styles, I am not talking about 1-2 years old, but maybe styles that look like they are 15 years old. At least our location is, it must be the dumping ground for all the coats that don't sell elsewhere. They have the worst clothes too that are along the same lines with 10 year old styles in there.

@joe18521: I think you are confusing "fraud" with smart business practices. It's immoral and borders on bait and switch, but I see nothing patently illegal about what they did.

@joe18521: Joe, Joe... the difference between many "low end" products and "high end" products is the label.

You pay for the name.

@joe18521: Remove your head from your anal sphincter, buddy. Dog fur is more disgusting than, say, weasel fur (ermine) because we tend to love dogs and don't love weasels.

@failurate: From the looks of it, he landed face down. We'll never know...

@Oranges w/ Cheese: I can see how BCF could be kind of expensive, but not really more so than regular stores. There's more selection and you can find more in your size. But at the same time, I'm not looking for a 100% wool coat to be $30. $90 would be on the cheaper side and $70 would be a pretty good deal, but my expectations are realistic.

it is very easy to tell the difference between george brand and anything costing more than $10 retail. if it is not the cut, or the fabric, or the stitching, then its the patterns or the just the way the coat hangs. people should be buying based on these factors, not on labels alone.. however, i do have to say that labels generally tell me how a garment is cut and will fit, so i will use that to narrow my selection. if BCF did ANY inspection, either at receiving or while placing the jackets on the rack, they would have noticed. i think im going to sell them my packard bell computer and make them pay apple prices.

@speedwell, avatar of snark:

Thanks for proving my point.

Story: worked at NJ gas station (NJ/OR no self serve). The owner reused oil bottles by puttingin the same brand but bulk oil from a 55 gal drum so he made even more fantastic profits on his $2.75/qt oil (1991 ish when average quart was 79¢-99¢). Us pump jockeys would bring our own ultra cheap quarts and refill the station quarts (when paid in cash vs. credit) for soda/pizza money or to balance the till if someone made a mistake...

Always ask to see the bottle opened - with wine and gas station oil.

@Blueskylaw: I guess they forgot to omit the "...We're liars too!" from the jingle.

When it comes to clothes, you don't get what you pay for. There is no difference in quality from the genuine high label crap and the walmart stuff. That is why no one noticed the difference when buying this stuff.

@snowmoon:

I agree it's probably not "patently ILLEGAL," but it is a "legitimate complaint," as the OP of this thread was questioning.

@MissPeacock: That went over CaffiendcA's head. Maybe you need another coffee to wake up.

The comment is in reference to the soon to follow responses from the masses, that say such things as "Why order pizza, it is cheaper to make it your self, or make your own granola out of twigs and nuts from the back yard.