Madewell Review

Wednesday, December 4th

2024 Handbag Store Reviews

Madewell

• Prices from $28 to $508
• 230 items in stock for handbags
• Premium and low-cost options
• Clothing and bags
• 30-day returns
• Free shipping for members
• "A+” rating from the BBB

Madewell is known as a company that sells high-quality jeans. A subsidiary of J. Crew, this brand was originally rooted in workwear and established by a Russian immigrant. Then, Mickey Drexler, who took the helm as CEO of J. Crew in 2003, secured the Madewell name for J. Crew, and in 2006, he embarked on a mission to transform Madewell into a distinct brand separate from its parent company. Madewell has more than 151 stores, but it distinguishes itself from many fashion industry leaders by predominantly selling its products through partnerships with other brands, such as Nordstrom and Stitch Fix.

Back to basics

If you're interested in bags from Madewell, you're probably a fan of one of two things: either you love bucket bags or you love basic leather colors. Madewell has some really great items to choose from if your vibe is basic or staple pieces. However, since there are a lot of retailers on our list that offer these kinds of handbags, Madewell doesn't exactly stand out from the pack. In fact, the first impression of the site is "forgettable.” With 230 results, it has more inventory than its sister site, but the general styling of Madewell is a functional, but not as fashionable bag type. So, if you're not interested in the basics, you might want to keep browsing. Across these options, you can find prices from $28 to $508. So, even though these bags look simpler, their prices don't reflect it.

Site could use more robust filters

Navigating Madewell's website is a seamless experience like J. Crew's with a few differences. The site's design, like its sister site, is characterized by a clean and appealing white and black color scheme. Once in the handbag section, you'll find similar filters to those at J. Crew, but fewer of them. The only filters you get are category, color, and the way you want to sort your items. Overall, the filtering system seems somewhat lackluster at Madewell.

Flat-rate and free shipping options

Like its sister site, you do have to pay a flat rate for shipping, but the economy shipping cost at Madewell is a bit lower than at J. Crew. You can get their lowest shipping at $3 per package. And, if you want free shipping, you can join their complimentary membership program. The higher tiers in the program (based on reward points) offer you free shipping at faster rates depending on your tier, so if you don't mind signing up with your email, you've got a few options.

30-day returns are free for members

Madewell's return policy is customer-friendly. You can opt for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of the initial purchase. Madewell Insiders members enjoy the added benefit of free shipping and returns, though customers who aren't members may have to pay for return shipping. For in-store returns, it's a hassle-free process, as you can bring your items to any Madewell location, eliminating the need to repack online orders, and receive an instant refund. If you prefer mailing returns, you can print a shipping label to send your items back, with the return processing taking up to two weeks.

Complaints across the board

There are some mixed feelings about Madewell's reputation. At the Better Business Bureau, the company holds a solid "A+” rating. However, when you check out reviews from verified customers, the story isn't so great. On average customers have rated Madewell only 1.9 stars out of 5, which isn't particularly encouraging. Across the reviews, complaints ranged from receiving damaged items, dealing with rude customer service, and struggling with returns that weren't being accepted. In general, there's not much that customers aren't complaining about at Madewell.

Could be a good option for basics if they improve

Given how impressive its sister site was, we were pretty disappointed overall with Madewell. With so many complaints from customers, we just can't give it the high praise we offered for J. Crew. So, with the lackluster inventory included with the high range of complaints, Madewell has received a lower rating overall. If they improve their customer service, they have a chance to be a solid choice for shoppers whose style fits well with basic versatile handbags. But for right now, there are too many downsides to recommend Madewell fully.