Mystery shopper

MARKS & SPENCER

RANGE
This is a large store, so it stocked an extensive range of suits of varying styles. Despite the number of suits on offer and the Big & Tall range – which was advertised in store with a cut-out of rugby player Martin Johnson – inside leg measurements still only went up to 35 ins.

PRESENTATION
The layout and presentation was immaculate. All suits were grouped in order of price and were neatly and tidily arranged. They had the advantage of space, so there was no overcrowding or mess. The store was also very clearly signposted, with each section displaying an average price for the suits in that range.

SUGGESTED PRODUCT
Pure new wool neutral suit in grey,£149

Because of the huge range, it wasn’t difficult to find several suits that fitted the bill. The store was quiet and there were no staff in the suits department for about 10 minutes, but when someone did emerge, she was friendly and knowledgeable about what was available in stock and what would have to be ordered to cater for the larger sizes.

Nevertheless, the limit on the larger sizes in the store was surprising and seemed to contradict the idea of a Big & Tall range. That said, it wasn’t hard to find a good suit for the price and one that fitted. Just.

4/5

MOSS BROS

RANGE
Being a specialist in the market, Moss Bros was obviously going to stock a large range of formalwear. The prices were higher than the other general clothing stores and most were not within our budget – even those in the mid-season Sale.

PRESENTATION
The large range was actually a disadvantage in terms of the appearance of the store. Being small, it felt cramped and difficult to walk around in, even with only a few other customers present. Items in the Sale were scattered among non-Sale items and so pricing was confusing.

SUGGESTED PRODUCT
Black Lanificio Cerruti suit,£209 with£20 extra per alteration

The customer service in this store was impeccable. The moment I entered – even though there was only one other member of staff on the shopfloor – I was asked about my requirements.

I was immediately given a selection of suitable products and the entire fitting and selection process was attended to by one very knowledgeable and keen employee. It was refreshing to be told that they could tailor for most sizes, although the fee required for every alteration would bump up the price considerably.

4/5

NEXT

RANGE
There was a reasonable selection of mid-priced and fashionable ranges but, without a designated suit department – the suits were along one side of the wall and mixed in with other products such as winter coats – the choice wasn’t particularly impressive.

PRESENTATION
The store was very neatly presented, but there was no coherent grouping of products. It was also confusing as to what the specified price included, but, after a bit of rooting around, the combination price was found. There was adequate space, however, so the store environment felt relaxed.

SUGGESTED PRODUCT
Black pin-striped machine-washable suit,£130

A member of staff approached me fairly quickly. When asked about size ranges, he had to refer to the catalogue tucked under the counter, which didn’t say much for his product knowledge.

None of the suits I was interested were in stock in my size. You could order a larger size that would arrive within three working days, but they could order a longer trouser length only. Torso and arm length weren’t taken into account, so the suit would have been too short in the sleeves. I was assured that additional sizes would be delivered within three working days, but this seemed pointless if only half of it was going to fit.

1/5

ZARA

RANGE
The size of the store was very impressive. The range of suits was not. Hidden away in an alcove was an extremely limited, but highly fashionable selection of suits. Choosing one that might be suitable to wear in a more traditional corporate environment was tricky.

PRESENTATION
The suit section was easy to find and the range was neatly presented. However, the lack of choice was instantly noticeable and, after a few seconds, you had pretty much browsed the entire range.

SUGGESTED PRODUCT
Black slim-fit suit with red pin-stripes,£139

The store was not particularly busy, but the two visible staff in the men’s section were busy attending to other customers, which made seeking advice difficult.

When I was able to ask for their advice and information about size ranges, there was a distinct lack of product knowledge. Rather unhelpfully, the assistant said that they didn’t have much to offer in terms of product range and that ordering a larger size wasn’t possible. Not the best example of customer service.

None of the suits would have fitted and none were particularly suitable to my needs.

0/5

THE VERDICT

Overall, customer service in all of the stores, with the exception of Zara, was very good. Moss Bros set itself apart from the crowd with its highly trained, knowledgeable and eager staff – although this is perhaps expected at a specialist store. Marks & Spencer, having a more generalised clothing department, showed slightly less enthusiasm, but staff were nevertheless keen to help.

At Zara, it was surprising to see the very small range of formalwear, given the extensive sophisticated and stylish ranges it had in smart/casualwear. M&S excelled in its product range. The fact that it was a large store meant there was a huge amount to browse, as well as an entire range devoted to the larger man. Next had a good standard range, but offered little in terms of customer service.

M&S would have been the clear favourite because of its store layout and range on display, but Moss Bros was the only store to offer a suitable alteration service. Granted, the prices were much higher, but if you are looking for a non-standard size that fits properly without resorting to the high pricing of made-to-measure suits, then Moss Bros fits the bill.