Lillian Vernon

Stay away from Lillian! I ordered gift certificates for my mom December 17th, 2007. It's January 5th, 2008 and they still haven't arrived. Apparently, they send them out regular mail, no tracking. The worst part is that they won't do anything until January 10th as they wait 14 business days to ship. When I asked my options the "manager" told me that I'd have to call again they could ship new gift certificates on that day. I said "So, we're looking at another two weeks for delivery and my mom would get her Christmas gift in February." She said "That's right". And that's a manager.
UPDATE: I logged in to reveiw my account and my status showed "Item cancelled". Relunctantly, I called customer service again and the rep kept telling me to wait until January 10th. I said repeatedly "Please - let me finish, I'm asking about something else." Eventually, she listened and told me that the on-line status was probably an error and blew me off. Considering everything, I don't think it is. Then she said "I don't see what's so hard to understand here, you're going to have to wait". Save your nerves people, go somewhere else.

 I would not shop here again

I have made quite a few purchases at LillianVernon.com, and overall I am satisfied. In general, the website offers a variety of products at reasonable prices. There is a trade off, though, in that the products are of an average or mediocre   Read full review...

 I would shop here again

We ordered our Christmas gifts and got the confirmation email. Everything seemed great. We've shopped there before and knew the customer service was lousy and time it took to get products ready to ship was slow, but we could never get over this latest all time low. Get this. For some reason our credit card company didn't authorize the sale when they wanted to ship our order. So what do you think Lillian Vernon does? Send us an email? No! Update the website that we visit everyday to check status? No! They do absolutely nothing. Now it's too late to get our items for Christmas and half are out of stock even though we placed our order two weeks ago when everything was in stock.

 I would not shop here again

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!! I ordered some Christmas gifts from Lillian Vernon for my sons, including identical personalized items. One of the identical gifts had the name misspelled. When I called, the customer service rep said that the item was out   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Ordered 11/13, order never arrived. I was told by the customer service rep "we did our part- you're on your own now" after calling customer service to inquire about my order. They suggested I "check around my property again." NEVER AGAIN!

 I would not shop here again

For several years now, I have gotten the Lillian Vernon print catalog, and ordered from it numerous times via mail. But, for the first time, I decided to try their online store www.lillianvernon.com, mainly because I could use my Ebates account and get   Read full review...

 I would shop here again

The customer service at lillian vernon is horrible! They charged my credit card an extra time and claimed it was because they charge for items as they ship out. I stated to them that I understood items were charged for as they were shipped but that I had   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I ordered a product from Lillian Vernon on November 25, 2006. It is now February 18, 2007 and the product still has not arrived. Customer service is poor. I was still being told a couple of days before Christmas that the product would arrive by Christmas. I am now told the product is on "backorder" but should arrive sometime this month (nobody can tell me if it has been on backorder since I ordered it three months ago). Another product I also ordered from the online catalog was out of stock, but I did not learn that until I received the other products I ordered two weeks later. Horrendous shopping experience. I will never shop Lillian Vernon again.

 I would not shop here again

I ordered a personalized Xmas ornament on NOVEMBER 3. The website said it could be 4 weeks to receive it. It is now December 20th. My first 2 emails went unanswered. When I called I was told that this item was outsourced, there is a delay, but they cannot check the order status but promised it by "the holidays". I was also told I could not cancel the order, but I could refuse it when it arrives, which means it will be delivered and then I can spend more of my time and money taking it back to the post office in hopes that LV will refund my money.

A subsequent email was responded to with we're "hoping" to send it out by 12/23. That would get it here the day AFTER Xmas at the earliest.

I have replaced the item and if it ever comes, I will chalk it up to a learning experience that LV's customer service SUCKS and I will never shop there again.

 I would not shop here again

Products are not what they are advertised to be. I order the Teen Titan Dress up trunk for my nephew and son. What I got was a small 8 X 10 box. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE PICTURE. The picture on the web shows a trunk that opens from the top. This was know trunk it was box. The costumes were okay but cheesy as well. I paid 29.98 for the trunks expecting that for the price I would get something decent. The customer service the 1st time was horrible. The lady had no clue. I thought there had been a mistake and the trunks were suppose to come separate. But no, mistake was made. That was the products. The 2nd CS rep was much better and the 3rd sent me out return shipping labels. Lillian Vernon is defiantly hit and miss.

 I would not shop here again

I had a couple of bad experiences with Lillian Vernon Online last Christmas. Not only is their website difficult to navigate but it seems their items are always on backorder (not what you want to hear at Christmas). I ordered a few things with the understanding that they were coming before Christmas but they didn't arrive until after Christmas. I had to buy other gifts from other stores to make up for it!!! I just came across an item now that I am looking for this Christmas and noticed it is on this site, but it's on BACKORDER! Imagine that. I am never going to shop at Lillian Vernon again.

 I would not shop here again

OK, let me fess up here. I'm a woman, yes. I like to shop. I make compulsive purchases. There I said it!! So, since I have this tendency, as do many of you out there, I also receive many a catalog. One of those just happens to be from Lillian   Read full review...

 I would shop here again

I took advantage of the free shipping on large orders last year by doing a bulk of Christmas shopping through Lillian Vernon. Never again.

When my other orders that were placed much later arrived first, I called about my order status and was told that the personalized items were the cause for delay--even though the catalog and the sales representative both assured me of a speedy shipment.

The order DID finally arrive just in time for Christmas but NOT in time to exchange as they were unsuitable for gift giving.

1)The monogram on a leather photo envelope was not only difficult to read but visibly crooked
2)Personalized playdough container was adorable but arrived with a broken handle
3)The name on the throw blanket was supposed to read:

Grandma
x o x o

instead it read: Grandma Xoxo (as if Xoxo was her last name)

After my email got no response, I held on the phone for well over 30 minutes just to have an operator tell me that she could only take orders. The corporate office would have to help me after they returned from their 2 wk holiday break. Big help.

 I would not shop here again

I’ve been on a search for the perfect handbag since late last year. For a long while, I was convinced that it had to be red – deep red, leather or leather-like, plain, with just a touch of urban sass. It needs to be big, but not too big,   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Lillian Vernon Online Order. I had 2 orders come in recently from Lillian Vernon. I ordered duffel bads (monogrammed) in different colors for each of my 5 kids. They had a 15% discount coupon on my catalog which I used, and sent me another one which I   Read full review...

 I would shop here again

Heard this was a decent store, so when I found a beanbag chair on the site my son liked, I ordered for Christmas. It was ordered in time for Christmas delivery according to the site, but of course that did not happen. According to customer service email (very smart-a$$ tone to email) there was fine print on the site stating that the beanbag chair would take up to 4-weeks for delivery, and we only ordered 3-weeks before Christmas (Dec 4). I did verify that this was stated, but still surprised it would take more than 3-weeks. Well evidently during the Christmas season Lillian Vernon made the brilliant decision to ship via the USPS instead of FedEx or UPS like all other reputable etailers.

Well, when all the parts of the beanbag chair finally arrived (5-weeks after ordering BTW), we assembled it to find it was of very poor quality. Not much different than those you buy for $19.99 on the side of the road (paid $59.99 less $5 coupon).

I am disappointed with both the performance of LV and the quality (or lack thereof) of the product and would not shop there again.

 I would not shop here again

Warning: BEWARE of their BAD BUSINESS PRACTICES: this company is awful! I placed an order, received email confirmation but it NEVER arrived. I had guarantee by x-mas, confirmed via email, but they VOIDED the order instead of shipping!!!! This was kid's presents! Be Aware - they have denied any wrongdoing and sent me a letter acknowledging voiding my order, postmarked in January! This is unethical, at Best! They contractually committed to order delivery by Christmas, but instead voided it without notice. Why? To avoid delivery guarantee??? I had NO warning that it would not ship. They did not contact by email, phone or letter (until several weeks after x-mas, January 13th letter arrived, so much for kid's presents.
Customer Service is painful, robotic and insulting!!! Avoid this company, it is not worth the money. The quality is low on other items previously purchased. If you have had challenges - Contact Better Business Bureau!

 I would not shop here again

Placed order in ample time to get Santa gift for Christmas. Received email stating complete order shipped, charged my credit card for complete order and then when on Christmas eve I opened the box, one of the important gifts was circled in pencil and   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

The Online store is awful! They back ordered my Christmas gifts and did not bother to let me know. My nieces had nothing to open from me on Christmas morning. I emailed them to alert them to the mistake and this was the response I got:

"thank you for your email, your comments has been noted.
Customer Service is our number priority."

As you can see, this response to my complaint is neither helpful, or well thought out.

 I would not shop here again

I bought an item on 11/27, more than 2 weeks before the Christmas cutoff. It is now Christmas Eve and I have no present for my niece. The website says it is "pending and has not shipped but that I can expect it by 12/15", apparently NoT! I called customer service and they have absolutely no idea when it might arrive. She said she could do nothing for me.
They did not inform me that my item would not be here by Christmas. Now I have presents for my nephews and nothing for my niece. I am furious!! I will not shop from this store ever again.

 I would not shop here again

BUYER BEWARE! Read the 2003 review and I am amazed. Unfortunately this company is now a holiday shopper's worst nightmare. I placed my Christmas order for six items online November 24. Given a delivery date of "no later" than December 15. One personalized item was delivered approximately December 12. December 15 came and went. I tried calling and e-mailing to get a status update for the rest of my order. My calls were disconnected several times and when I made it through the wait time was horrendous. I hung up. I e-mailed them and still have not received a response from them. When I called back there was a recording saying their shipping department was up to date and they cannot track packages. December 23 I received another package. Two items were missing, including a personalized gift for a teacher who is now on holiday vacation. I normally don't post reviews but I believe others should be warned. Do not trust this company for your holiday shopping! I'm still waiting for the rest of my order.

 I would not shop here again

Do not order from Lillian Vernon around Christmas time. I placed my order on 11/29/05. Today it is 12/19/05 and I still have not received my items. I ordered many of my kid's toys from them and I am afraid they will not arrive. They do not track their orders so after it has shipped you cannot find out where it is. I will never shop from their website again.

 I would not shop here again

i should have read these horrible reviews first and i NEVER would have ordered from this company. i ordered a personalized tote bag on november 20th and i'm still waiting for it to arrive on december 14th. two weeks went by and the order status said it   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Terrible systems over there. Received a gift in the mail...with no card or info who it was from. No invoice, no order #....just a box and the gift. I called Lillian Vernon to find out who it was from (so I could thank them) and they could not figure it out. Yes, that is right - someone ordered a gift from them, they delivered it to us, but now can not tell us who got it for us. Good control of their ordering system, huh? Idiots.

 I would not shop here again

Placed an order online order that totaled $176, out of that two of the items were suppose to be 2 for $29.99. I am charged $34.98 each. There online did not reflect this even though they say it in the catalog. They were never ever able to correct this problem and refund my money. Next, my order arrives in two shipments--weeks apart--even though the all of the items I ordered were in stock! Merchandise is cheaply made, poor quality. Next I need to return the very items that I was suppose to receive a credit for originally--they mispelled my daughter's name on her robe. I mail the items back, I am told it will be 6 weeks before I receive a refund for my return! That is $70 here at Christmas that this company is holding onto, so they have the capability of taking your money right away, but they can not return your money for 6 weeks! Horrible service!!!

 I would not shop here again

What a nightmare ordering from Lillian Vernon online! I wish I had never seen their cute little items at such great prices, because I have been repeatedly disappointed by their products and most of all, their poor customer service. I placed an order   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I ordered 2 items on 20 Sep 2005 through the website. I received an email stating it had shipped 24 Sep 05. Website order information stated I would received the order no later than 8 Oct. I emailed CS on 9 Oct 05. I followed up with a call on the 11   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Horrible, Horrible, Horrible. I placed an order last Tuesday, realized immediately afterward that it was a mistake, and that the promised item would probably not get here in time for my dd's Halloween party. (I have heard about the slow seasonal   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I've been a devoted Lillian Vernon shopper going on 5 years now. I've alway gotten my items in timely manner and all of my purchases have been nothing but the finest quality. I've just been reading where so many people have had some not so pleasant experiences with L.V. and I guess I'm one of the lucky customers. I do know if you place on order and it has to be personalized, it can take a bit longer to receive the shipment but anytime I've placed an order with no personalized items...I usually have my order within 7 business days and I consider that great since I only use their standard shipping. I've ordered many items for Christmas and I've never had any problems receiving my order in time for Christmas. I really think it's sad that so many people have had bad experiences with a company such as this, maybe this will be a wakeup call for them and they will get things back on track. I'll still be ordering from Lillian Vernon since all my dealings have been great ones.

 I would shop here again

I placed an order on 11/20 and it is 12/13 and I am still waiting for the order to arrive! The site was easy enough to navigate and place my order. However, I never received an order confirmation email. So, after checking my order status several times   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again