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<title>blogTO Recent Comments: Secrets From Your Sister</title>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/feed/recentcomments/?7811</link>
<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:05:59 PST</lastBuildDate>
<item>
<title>Brenna</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Bravo Kristin.
It's about time someone mentioned this!

Especially about online. I'v made that mistake myself, sometimes they fit, sometimes its a waste of money, time and effort...

I have NEVER however wasted a fitters time.  Although it did take me about a year to admit what my size was, like many women stuck in the idea of being a 38c. Ladies, if you think you are a 38 and do not wear L or XL shirts, there is a chance you are like me. I am a 32f.

And who cares of the girls make commission, really!? You tip your waiter whether you get good sevice or not, you tip your taxi driver who doesnt care at all about you, and you buy from other boutiques and shoe stores that make comisison off of you when its you that know what you like or want. With bras - although we think we do, we have no idea. So why shouldn't these women get comission or some kind of reward for spending hours with us, measuring us and dealing with some probably unpleasant customers. 

Although I have had a bad experience at Sister's before I feel like some of these comments not only talk about them in a negative way, but about all other bra boutiques!And Kristin, your right, i bet some of these girls are just hard to please, but im also sure some of them are absolutely correct about the attitude of some of their employees.

 Ladies you need to appreciate what these girls do!

Thank you patient, respetable bra fitters everywhere!

]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c720901</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c720901</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:55:55 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Kristin</title>
<description><![CDATA[
As a long-time employee at SFYS, I would like the opportunity to address some of the comments on this blog.  It's important to remember that everyone has a different idea of good customer service.  For some, that means a lot of attention and good product knowledge.  For others, it means that the customer is always right.

At SFYS, those who want to be able to come in, look around and have a self-directed experience with the option of returning everything later on will probably not find their expectations met.  Luckily, there are many stores in the city that will grant such an experience.  SFYS is meant to fill a void, rather than to contribute to what already exists.  The point of this boutique is to give a one-on-one experience and impart 10 years of product knowledge and fitting know-how.  We're passionate, we love lingerie, and contrary to what has been said on this blog, we're here to help!

A few points to debate:

1. The Free Bra Commission: The staff do earn incentive bras, but these come directly from the manufacturers who are offering these same incentives to every other store's employees in the city.  Most lingerie companies offer it, so the employees will gain it no matter which size, style or company they sell you.  They would gain nothing from coaxing you into the wrong size or trying to sell you the highest price point.  In fact, not being a good bra fitter would cause them to lose their job!

2. Buying online:  You will always get things cheaper online. That's because the online seller's are not paying to run a physical store.  To take an hour of a fitter's time only to buy online means that you're taking advantage of a local business that you should be supporting.  Also, bras are all cut differently, so you may find your bra just as uncomfortable as before if you don't have help finding the right size.

3. Retail has a high turn-over rate, so disliking one manager or having one unfavorable experience is no reason to discredit an entire business.  SFYS has many dedicated staff who genuinely want to help people.  They really are not sitting around like the FBI making nasty commentary about customers and inciting confrontation.  That notion is ridiculous and illogical.

If SFYS is not your cup of tea, then find another great store in the city that suits your needs.  SFYS has many happy return customers who love and respect the fact that we do things differently.  Maybe you will too!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c720756</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c720756</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:06:10 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>generic</title>
<description><![CDATA[
You all should be aware the SFYS keeps a file on you in their computer. They make notes commenting on you creating negative and often false judgments on customers. Did you disagree with a fitter? You will be branded as "confrontational". Sounds like the FBI, not a retail store!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717948</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717948</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:04:56 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>SisGirl</title>
<description><![CDATA[
*that day]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717027</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717027</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:27:50 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>SisGirl</title>
<description><![CDATA[
In response to Aggie, absolutely not. Fittings are complementary, and we still offer the service if you don't think you will be making a purchase that. I would say to let your fitter know that your primary goal of the day is to be fit, and understand sizing, that way you both make the best use of your time.
Also Aggie we love to set up wishlists. When we create a customer file, any style that you tried on that day, that fit you well, that for whatever reason is no a option for you to purchase that day,we can 'wishlist' for you, recording in our system your size, style, and color preference. That way for yourself, and should anyone ever need to pick up a gift for you,the information is already there.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717026</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c717026</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:27:10 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Aggie</title>
<description><![CDATA[
do you have to pay to get a fitting? say you want to go in and find out your bra size but wont definitely buy a bra after, does it cost anything?]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c716595</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c716595</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:28:34 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Rivergirl</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I totally agree...and I've also been treated rudely and poorly at the Bloor St. I think a course in customer service would help both the owner and the manager of that store. I would also recommend that certain staff quit smoking or something because theres nothing worse then trying on bra's with a sales person that reeks of stale cigarette smoke! ew]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c715590</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c715590</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:25:13 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Rivergirl</title>
<description><![CDATA[
You can buy bra's online at www.figleaves.com. You will save at least 40% of the high priced bras at secrets from your sister. Its easy and I do it all the time. I used to go to sfys but had such a bad experience with the Bloor st. manager that I refuse to go back. I enjoy Beestung on Yonge St. There are so many bra fitting places in the city, I rather spend my money somewhere else.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c715586</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c715586</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:22:21 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>JLA</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I wanted to comment on the "putting you in smaller sizes to boost sales" comment. How does that make any sense? I am a customer of different bra shops in toronto, not only secrets. When I can't find what I want I move around. Nothing to do with the service, sometimes I just want a different bra from that season and being a hefty 38gg i cant be too picky. 

It doesn't make any sense that they would put you into a smaller size to boost sales. Women aren't stupid, and they know that something is uncomfortable. And will not stand for it when it is as costly as a bra.

If they wanted to make more money and boost sales they would put you in the correct size, and kiss up to you so you would come back with friends...  Putting someone in a smaller size does nothing but hurt the customer and the business. It doesn't make any sense. ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c705572</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c705572</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:55:41 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>Leighanne - another friend of staff</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Two things:

1/ Getting a free bra and getting commission (ie a percentage of sales) is a pretty different thing. A free bra means that the staff continue to wear and promote properly fitting bras. At the end of the day, they are still retail employees most likely earning a normal hourly wage which is not necessarily conducive to buying a high end bra every few months. 

2/ Since when does being rewarded for selling products make a person untrustworthy? It's a pretty pesimistic way of looking at the world. These girls don't get tips or a percentage of sales despite the fact that they are providing a wonderful service to women, sometimes spending upwards of an hour with an individual. You tip your waiter for giving a good service, why not think of this free bra system as a way of tipping the hard-working fitters... only at no additional cost to you! 
]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c699039</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c699039</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:36:32 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>friend of staff</title>
<description><![CDATA[
FYI the staff do make commission, after they sell a certain number of bra they get a free bra. So you can't alway trust them. The owner also has one of her staff place fake" happy customer" feedback on post like these.

 I think bra fitting is very important and every woman should get it done. I just don't support a business like SFYS because the owner is rude and has the worst customer service. Some of the staff are great. But in the end only the owner is profiting and I'd rather it go to another store.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c690866</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c690866</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:50:21 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>aira</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I shopped at SFYS once at the recommendation of an acquaintance. Big mistake! I got a Chantelle bra & a Shockabsorber sports bra. The sports bra fell apart after about 1.5 months. The Chantelle bra is still in one piece, but turned out not to be very comfortable for wearing all day. I spent a lot of money on these bras & didn't see the worth of it. I was truly miffed when I went to the Bay a couple months later & saw the exact same Shockabsorber bra there for about half the price! Watch out ladies!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c672026</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c672026</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:59:56 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>Megan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I've been going to SFYS for years, and recently I took my mum there to be fitted. She was very anxious about how much she would be spending, and convinced she was already wearing something that was good enough. She found one great wireless bra for about $100 that gave her a waistline and a good lift. I have to say I feel a little smug when she tells me it's comfortable all day long.

Sandra is right, the staff don't make commission, so I think you can trust that the advice they give you is backed by good intentions. And some of their bras are definitely pricey, but I've never paid more than $130 there and I'm usually a 34F (I was wearing a 38D before). Plus, they're imported. And it costs money to employ the girls who have been really kind and patient with me every time. I've stayed there for hourstrying on bras and they don't mind. And Bibi, they don't want you to buy it without trying it on because they know that sometimes the bras are cut differently. I've made that mistake before and I had to make an exchange.

I've dabbled in other stores, which are fine, but I have never been as consistently happy as I am with SFYS. ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c671789</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c671789</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:30:23 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Sandra</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I am a big fan of SFYS and their service.  I am a clothing boutique owner myself, and one thing to keep in mind in response to your comment is that the stores have to pay import costs on products brought in from other countries.  Similarly, if you  order online and ship home over a certain amount, you will be charged duty when it crosses the border.  The stores are not making an astronomical profit but "marking up" the price tag; they are getting the same profit that any store gets from a standard retail markup after factoring in the import costs.

Furthermore, the service and expertise gained from SFYS staff comes free of charge.  The staff have told me before that they don't work on commission, so if you are going to take an hour of their time and then buy online, you're contributing to those very long waits. 

Just food for thought.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c670133</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c670133</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:54:23 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>HappySisCustomer</title>
<description><![CDATA[
A long time Secrets From Your Sister's customer I just wanted to address some of the negative misconceptions floating around here.
First, if you talk  to your fitters you will learn that they do not work on commission, so they gain nothing from putting you 'into a smaller size to boost sales'. Yes I am paying more for a bra there than figleaves but I also know it fits everytime.
Disappointed Customer I was there last week, and they still carried Fitfully Yours Tee-shirt bras, at least in my size 32C, however they did inform me that this particular style was not the highest quality. I still love that bra though.
And finally I may be misinformed but I was told Operation Empriente was one time event, to make staff and customers more comfortable with that high end brand. It is not the best fit for me so I don't own one, but then again no one has ever pushed buying on me. 
Anyways I love this store, I recommend spending more time talking with your fitter if you are confused about you particular fit, they are very knowledgeable and tend to be very patient, even with a picky shopper like me.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c660002</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c660002</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:10:09 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Denisha</title>
<description><![CDATA[
This is a worse place to go to. The customer service is very poor and this is due to the attitude of the Manger of the store ( She has a British Accent).The sales people tend to fit people correctly, but if the bra that you like is not in the store, they try to give you a smaller fit to get there sales up.  This was my case; I spent more than $400 & had to go to the doctor.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c647353</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c647353</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:06:29 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Denisha</title>
<description><![CDATA[
This is a worse place to go to. The customer service is very poor and this is due to the attitude of the Manger of the store ( She has a British Accent).The sales people tend to fit people correctly, but if the bra that you like is not in the store, they try to give you a smaller fit to get there sales up.  I was sold a number of bars that were not correctly fitted to my body.    I had to go to my doctor.  They refused even replace them with the right size of bra for me. I  spent more than $400.  So please be careful with what you buy here.  It is a hit and a miss.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c647352</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c647352</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:05:04 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>anon</title>
<description><![CDATA[
SFYS is a good bra store with well trained and really lovely staff and a good selection to choose from. The main problem I have is with the owner Jen. I've seen her be outright rude and really 'b*tchy' to customers and have encountered this myself with her on a # of occasions. I generally try to shop at Tryst now. Their staff are lovely and I much prefer the customer service there.

It's a shame about SFYS's owner's attitude and idea of 'customer service' b/c in every other way, it's a great specialty store. (It is definitely pricey though)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c622741</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c622741</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:20:22 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>Anne Miller</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Last weekend I visited Secrets with my fiance. I was sorely disappointed. When I walked into the store not one of the sales person greeted me, or even made eye contact. I decided to look at the "selection" and asked my fiance's opinion on a few of the bra's; niether of us could tell whether they would look good on me, and of course, with no sales help I could not even try them on. Needless to say after a fruitless 15 minutes we left the store. I have never been treated so horribly and will not return.
]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c610026</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c610026</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2009 13:02:42 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Disappoint customer</title>
<description><![CDATA[
It wasn’t until I went to SFYS that I got fit in the right size bra, it became my favorite bra store.

But over the last few years the stores "empowering women" mandate has changed. The store has gotten pushy with customers to buy the more expensive bras. Right now they have "Operation Empreinte" happening in the store, which is pushing customers to buy Empreinte bra. It's a high quality bra; as in made well. I bought one, but it hurts after an hour. They said that would go away but it hasn’t 

Jen the owner also can be quiet rude to customers and to her staff. SFYS is now also discontinuing low costing bra complete for the store, such as change, fitfully yours and other.  My Fitfully Yours T-skirt bra is one of my favorites. But I can no longer buy it there. Also I took my friend would couldn’t afford an expensive bra. She left with nothing and quite upset because the sales girl told her no other bra looked good on her, but an empreinte bra. How is that empowering?

SFYS went from being a beloved store, to a store when I felt pushed in to making purchases I didn’t want. I will no longer shop there.
 
Oh and for buying online figleaves is great!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c587268</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/11/secrets_from_your_sister/#c587268</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2009 18:31:03 PDT</pubDate>
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