While I am fickle about some products I buy, there are a few I just can't seem to live without. Clinique concealer and Revlon tweezers are two that come to mind.
But lately, I have noticed a decline in the quality of some products I always buy.
And frankly, it really ticks me off.
When we were kids, there were so few choices than what we have in today's market place. You needed underwear? You went to a department store. Places like Wal-Mart and Target didn't exist back then. At least they didn't in Florida.
And because you bought that stuff at a department store, the quality was usually pretty good. But that also has to do with the fact a lot of the goods we bought were made right here in the good ol' US of A.
In today's marketplace it seems like everything we buy is imported. Can you remember the last time you saw Made in The U.S.A. on the tag of a t-shirt? I went shopping at Kohl's yesterday. One I tried on was made in Jordan.
The US accounts for 50% of the world's cotton production.
And we are the number one exporter of it.
We grow more than anyone else and we import t-shirts from Jordan.
Does this make any sense to you?
My frustration made me sit and think. How many products have I seen a decline in lately? It seems like everything I buy lately has been shoddy, falls apart too soon or just crap in general. So here's my list of disappointment and shame.
1. Victoria's Secret cotton underwear
I have worn Victoria's Secret cotton bikini underwear exclusively for well over 15 years. I honestly can't remember buying my underwear anywhere else. The 5 for $25 deal is my best friend. And I get coupons every month for a free pair so this one kind of breaks my heart. Their underwear used to be awesome. A nice thick cotton, wide strip at the top...they would last forever.
Then they made the switch to imported cotton. They shrunk the band and ruined the best underwear I have ever worn. Now, I get about 5 or 6 washes and wears before little holes start to form around the sides and the crotch. Which is just what you want, right? Holy crotch underwear. NOT! After the last 5 I bought started to fall apart after about 2 months, I put my foot down.
I will never buy these panties again.
2. (Insert clothing store name here) T-Shirts
Now this one is hard to pull the 'never buy again' card on. How do you live without cotton t-shirts? And I have bought them everywhere...The Gap, Old Navy, Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Macy's...
THEY ALL SELL IMPORTED COTTON!!! And after about 10 washes, they all start to develop little holes in the material.
I'm a Mom so a cotton T is my wardrobe staple. If you know of a brand that doesn't fall apart, please let me know. I'll love you forever.
3. Maybelline Great Last WATERPROOF Mascara
You know I HAD to list a beauty product on here...I am a make-up junkie after all! And this one sent me into a rant last night. Great Lash mascara has been around since the dawn of time. It's my go to mascara so this is not the first tube I've ever purchased. I buy the waterproof formula so it won't come off during the day. Simple right?
Wrong. I put this stuff on yesterday around 11:00am. By 5:00pm, I have black smudges under my eyes. I take a shower and wash my face and by 7:30pm, I look like a raccoon! Waterproof. Maybelline? Are you sure? Cause I think you screwed up a batch of this stuff! Refund please!
4. Bath and Body Works
This one is a little different. It's not that their product quality has declined, it's that they have gotten a little too big for their britches. Bath and Body Works bath and shower gel and body lotion have been my favorites for as long as I can remember. When they opened the first store in my hometown, I was a junkie. And it was great because you could walk in there with about 20 bucks and walk out with a least 3 products. The scents were amazing and they were always introducing something yummy and delicious.
And then they changed.
They upgraded the exterior of all their stores and completely revamped all their packaging and products and then turned around and passed all that cost on to YOU! If you walk into a Bath and Body Works today with 20 bucks, expect to walk out with a bottle of shower gel. That's it. The deals are few and far between now days. The only thing they sell that I still buy is their anti-bacterial line and during the holidays, their Christmas scents. Vanilla Bean Noel is an all time fave.
Other than that, forget it. They lost my business.
My last one is the big daddy...it encompasses everything I have discussed so far.
Customer Service.
What the hell has happened to customer service?
Did it start when we started shipping jobs overseas? And don't even mention the dreaded automated system. I think they are both a huge contributing factor to the problem. I have worked in 2 call centers. One was for a major US bank, the other for a major US airline.
Both of those jobs still exist except they are now based in India.
Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking those folks that are handling those calls. What I'm knocking are the companies that think it's acceptable to ship our jobs out and expect their customers to be satisfied with the level of service given to them by someone who has no idea what it's like to be in their shoes. There's no empathy in customer service anymore. And that is what everyone who picks up a phone to call regarding a problem wants to hear.
Now you know I'm a 'glass is half full' kind of girl.
Where I list the bad, I have to list the good.
And I'm happy to say there are some goods that I buy which have improved drastically over the past few years. Here are a couple on the top of my list:
1. Women's Jeans
God bless the person that started adding lycra and spandex to denim. Can you even remember what jeans were like before stretch was introduced? I can't. Seriously. And now you can find jeans that make your waist look smaller, your hips thinner, you butt higher...I am so excited about all these improvements, I want to do a cartwheel! But is wonderful to know that no matter what size you wear or how much junk is in your trunk, there is the perfect pair of jeans out there for you. The new styles are figure flattering and not too tough on the budget. A total win-win.
2. Lightbulbs
This one seems a but silly but let me explain.
If you have upgraded to the new energy bulbs, have you noticed how long they last? I have some in my house I know have been in for almost a year and they are still working! That's unheard of with old florescent bulbs! Technology is amazing!
Now if they can figure out how to make an Old Navy T-shirt last as long as one of those light bulbs, my life would be made!
Have a Great Thursday everyone!
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