Prairie Proud

I took my 92 year old fixed income mother shopping at Laura for a dress to wear to her granddaughter’s wedding. We chose dresses from the sale racks to try to keep it an affordable experience. Mom found a dress that fit well and she liked. Wonderful! However, BUYER BEWARE. Don’t you know that even though a number of the same dresses were hanging under a very large bright pink 50% off sign, the dress was full price. When I spoke with manager, Kelly, she would do nothing for me. When I suggested that this was false advertising, she told me that only select styles were on at 50% off. When I suggested that only those select styles should then be on the rack with the 50% off sign she said, “Our advertising people tell us we can hang things wherever we want”. Come on! This is not rocket science ladies. If something is not on sale, do not hang it under a neon pink 50% off sign. Will we shop here again? Not likely.

It has been a hard couple of days. I came into the store today hoping to find an outfit for the funeral of a family member. I was clean, however not well dressed, but not dirty. I have a bit of trouble walking from time to time and was struggling today. I was in the well staffed store for about 10 minutes looking. I found a lovely black blouse with flower cut outs that I carried around the store. There was always an employee close to me and watching me, but no one greeted me, no one told me of any current promotions, or offered me a fitting room. I have over 2 decades of retail experience. I have also served years as a licensed security officer at government level, and a loss prevention representative. I even worked with one of the staff members at a prominent American department store that was once in Midtown Plaza. The employee was my direct manager in the children's department. As former loss prevention, if they were concerned about me (an exhausted, sleep deprived middle aged person having trouble walking,) being a potential thief, they failed the number one rule of loss prevention., AMAZING customer service. I didn't even get a hello. But I got glared at and followed. I can't promise you that I would have found something to purchase, but I truly would have liked having the possibility to try. I put the shirt I carried around with me for 10 minutes in front of the bright pink coat, and I know the person standing at the till staring at me saw that. Today my heart and body hurt, but my wallet was very much intact. Even people in ripped jeans and oversized, well loved men's zip ups, deserve customer service. Even if their only intention is loss prevention. Laura, your clothing is lovely, and I know quality when I see and feel it. And I truly wish I could tell you this was the first time I have been an invisible customer trying to shop for an event.

I've been a loyal customer of Laura Canada for the past six years. I’ve always loved their elegant collection and the warm, helpful service from the staff. Every visit used to feel personal — the team was attentive and eager to assist, which always made shopping enjoyable. However, my most recent visit a few days ago left me a little disappointed. I went in looking for a specific top and expected the same level of support as usual. But the staff member who attended to me simply said, “Everything is already sorted and displayed — you’ll find it there,” and didn’t offer further help. I looked around but couldn’t find what I was looking for. Interestingly, when I went to the counter with a handful of items to purchase, her attitude suddenly changed — she became much more friendly and complimentary. I couldn’t help but find that shift a bit funny and disappointing at the same time. To me, every customer deserves the same level of respect and service — whether they buy one item, many, or none at all. That’s what creates a truly welcoming and consistent shopping experience. I still love Laura and will continue to shop there, but I hope this feedback encourages more consistent customer care, regardless of how much someone is spending.