Extremely disappointing service at Tiffany & Co. in Selfridges, and nowhere near the standard I would expect from a luxury brand.
I visited with a pair of Tiffany silver earrings and was told very abruptly that they do not serve customers without an appointment on weekends. What made this particularly frustrating is that I could not find this policy stated anywhere online, and these same earrings had originally been purchased on a Saturday without an appointment.
The way this was explained to me was also unnecessarily patronising and dismissive. The staff member I dealt with was a tall, slim British woman, approximately 5’7–5’8, with light brown hair. I approached her twice for help, and both times, while I was clearly still in need of assistance, she turned her back to me and disengaged from the conversation.
She also proceeded to explain to me, in a patronising manner, that silver tarnishes, as though I was unaware of one of the most basic characteristics of silver jewellery. That was not the reason for my visit and did nothing to address what I was actually asking for help with.
What I found most disappointing was that there appeared to be staff available, yet there was no attempt to find another solution, offer an alternative time, properly explain the supposed appointment policy, or make any effort to retain me as a customer. They were simply comfortable letting me leave.
If Tiffany has a strict weekend appointment-only policy, it should be clearly communicated online and explained professionally and courteously in store. Being unable to accommodate someone is one thing; making them feel dismissed, talked down to and unwelcome is another.
For a luxury brand that trades heavily on service and customer experience, this was exceptionally poor. I have purchased from Tiffany before, but this experience at the Selfridges counter has seriously changed my impression of the brand.