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HSBrands Dry Cleaning shop advice

July 01, 2015 03:37PM
I was very excited when I saw this shop, since I need to get some stuff dry cleaned. So I requested it and got it assigned. However, when I read the details, you need to have 3 pieces with discrepancies... now I almost feel like I want to cancel it.

A shirt needs to have a front button missing, an item needs to have a stain, and another item to have a loose seam or hem...

Ok the stain I can create easily, but do you guys cut loose a seam and/or hem on your clothes and remove a button? Does the dry cleaner then repair this?

I know I have had dry cleaners replace a button when they crack it in the process but the button usually does not match the rest...

TIA for any advice!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2015 07:55AM by aayaey.
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July 01, 2015 04:14PM
...and if they don't remove the stain...then what?

I suggest declining based on the requirements. Were the details not explaining in the job offering? They used to be.

There are plenty of dry-cleaning shops that simply pay for your clothes to be cleaned without mutilating them.
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July 01, 2015 04:43PM
Is there a fee attached or is the dry cleaning supposed to be the value? If the garments may potentially be ruined there should be a fee for the report since the actual dry cleaning is worthless, along with reimbursement for any clothing items that cannot be cleaned/repaired. While sewing on a button or fixing a seam might appear easy, both are time consuming. In my case there would be an additional cost to have a seam professionally repaired since that is beyond my limited sewing abilities.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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July 01, 2015 08:54PM
Well, I think that is why the reimbursement is up to $75 for 3 items and a $10 fee for the shop. I wonder if the dry cleaner would actually repair the items when they caught the details? The guidelines said to point out only 1 of the 3 discrepancies. So I guess it is to see if the clerk catches all 3 issues. And if they don't I guess they won't fix it???
The actual details were not on the job until I was assigned the job, and read the guidelines, I guess I should have read the guidelines before I confirmed the job. Well, I just used the function on Sassie "help" to email the scheduler. I hope this does not make me a do not use in the future. I explained that 2 of the 3 discrepancies are too much for me.

Thanks for the advice.
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July 01, 2015 09:10PM
Up to $75 and $75 are two different things.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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July 01, 2015 09:21PM
Yes the fee is only $10 and if they don't catch the loose hem, seam and/or stain it's a lot of work for me to fix that again! I also have limited sewing skills so I would have to take it somewhere else to have that fixed!!!
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July 04, 2015 01:29PM
I have taken clothes to dry cleaners (not for a mystery shop) and they have spotted issues that I have not even been aware of and then tell me that they are not responsible for the button that is not there, or the seam that is ripped and I have to sign off on it. And they occasionally tell me that they can only try to remove stains. To deliberately create problems on good clothing and then perhaps end up having to deal with the problems myself makes no sense to me. I guess I could take a shirt that I was planning on donating to charity, but in that case, I am not getting value for the cleaning. I can sew on buttons. No problem. Can I get a seam to look the same as the factory seam? No. Big problem. Can I stain a shirt and then be sure that I could remove it later? Maybe. This is on my 10-foot pole list.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
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July 04, 2015 08:36PM
This just hit me. Isn't HSBrands also Service Sleuth? If so you may want to skip a shop with such a high reimbursement for something which will be of no value to you. While they always pay, terms are 60 days and it's normally a couple weeks late every time. I may have had one payment on time in the last year. March was not paid until June 3 or 6. April was paid on June 17.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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July 04, 2015 10:04PM
I emailed the scheduler right away after your last post saying I didn't know know about the discrepancies when I accepted so hopefully it won't affect me getting a future shop with them.

Wow March not paid until June that's pretty late!!!

Thanks for the tips.
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July 05, 2015 02:59AM
That shop sounds crazy! If the bulk of the benefit is for reimbursement, I need it to be for something I'd ordinarily have done, like dry cleaning! I was on a rotation for a dry cleaners shop and had some tailoring done and dry cleaning. That 75 can go pretty quickly and I can see how you might have some out of pocket expenses. I was pretty surprised at the prices.

Evaluating and mailing packages since 1994. I am an undercover connoisseur of customer service, a master of disguise in the aisles, and a sworn enemy of subpar experiences. I blend in, observe, and report—because excellence should never be a mystery.
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July 09, 2015 02:34AM
I have seen this shop where I live and the details are generally listed here before you apply for the shop. The list of what is not allowed is the same list as my list of any item I have at home that I might want to have dry cleaned. If they would let me do a jacket, a dress, dry clean my drapes perhaps. But a white button down shirt is almost all that qualifies. If anyone ever read the back of a Macy;s coupon where they list almost everything in the store as not valid for their coupon...these dry cleaning shops are just like that.
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July 09, 2015 03:03AM
The other dry clean item can also be chosen by the shopper; the shopper only has to consider the acceptable fabrics and discrepancies that are mentioned in the guidelines.

The discrepancies were not made clear before I accepted the shop. Then when I clicked onto the guidelines that's where the seam / hem came into play... But I will definitely be avoiding this shop in the future.
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July 09, 2015 02:07PM
wow---not my cup of tea.....PASS
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November 05, 2015 04:58PM
I've done this exact shop several times. I actually like it because I get dry cleaning done that I needed to do anyway. I always have a few things with small discrepancies, as they need, so it fits the bill perfectly. The shop is usually able to amend loose hems, but not always the stains. My reimbursement has also ranges from only $20 to the full $75 for this shop.

What other companies offer dry cleaning shops?

Shopping Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA.
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November 05, 2015 05:19PM
I have done this exact shop. I was able to see what was required, as it is listed on the left side of the page when you apply.
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November 06, 2015 05:38AM
Like SoCalMama, I also knew the requirements going in beforehand.

Shopping Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA.
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November 06, 2015 08:05AM
You will need the following items to complete this shop:

*Three garments:
-1 garment MUST be a laundered shirt. This should be a COTTON button-down Men’s shirt.
-2 garments MUST be dry cleaning pieces (ex. Pants, blouse, sweater, skirt)
~ One of the dry cleaning pieces should have a minor, but visible, stain.
~The other dry clean item can also be chosen by the shopper; the shopper only has to consider the acceptable fabrics and discrepancies that are mentioned in the guidelines.


When I signed up I could only see the above not the full guidelines so the third item discrepancies are in guidelines...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2015 08:11AM by aayaey.
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November 06, 2015 08:10AM
I'd pass, too. I have zero sewing talent myself. Besides, no man and thus, no men's shirt. lol
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November 06, 2015 06:03PM
@Orrymain wrote:

I'd pass, too. I have zero sewing talent myself. Besides, no man and thus, no men's shirt. lol

I emailed my scheduler to ask about this and she said a woman's blouse is just as good. I always bring that in instead, and it's always accepted (I've done the shop 4-5 times).

Shopping Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA.
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November 06, 2015 06:48PM
That's good to know.
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