Real McCoy's / Joe McCoy's Jeans

[itsbenhere]

Also chiming in... my favorite experience at a retail shop was probably RJB.  The guys there were so helpful and were stoked I was wearing fh!

 

Still kicking myself for not going to real mccoys shibuya.  Damn me and my reluctance to search out shops I couldn't find and google maps...ended up passing it on a 10 min walk from my hotel but they were closed!!

[Max Power]

^agreed, but what's cool is that I know IHUK at least dropped their prices since they realized that the yen was steadily decreasing (and they predicted it wouldn't increase in the future as well.)

 

But this was a while ago, and I don't think they've done it again since the most recent major drop in yen value.  

 

They did it in the past and also on the new M-65 release. But it is not that transparent from the outside.

 

As long as all products and sizes of a brand are widely available in europe and the US I understand the reason to cut off overseas sales, but the brand will probably sell less products than beforehand to protetct the high prices of their stores. But it also shows how big the demand for certain brands has become, otherwise such a step would not be an option for a japanese brand...

 

So, if you want to get an japan exclusive item and use a proxy, the extra costs diminish the advantage almost completely. And is it true that some brands don't sell to proxies?

Edited December 3, 2014 by Max Power

[Geeman]

To Geeman,

Lee Public? I thought the new shop is "Me&Son". Take5 sometimes share their pictures on facebook.

Anyway, the news is totally predictable. I wish they can keep up the good work.

Me&son is the buco distributors I think. I saw a IG pic of the new store sign and it was Lee Public. I'll confirm in 4 weeks time when I'm back in BKK 

[fre-co]

Yeah I also have had nothing but great experiences shopping at rmc and wh in Tokyo.

[UkeNo]

I contacted Freeheelers - Desolation Row recently to ask about stock and shipping. I received a prompt reply and an offer to ship to the UK. All in English as well.

Freewheelers make some very nice items in a similar vein to McCoys for similar money (yen).

So it seems not all of the repro brands are heading this way (yet?!)

Edited December 3, 2014 by UkeNo

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

Does your Superdenim customer who buys very costy piece of McCoy know anything about the brand, or just think they're getting something good 'cos Superdenim tell them it's good and it costs a bomb. 

 

On the subject of UK pricing, I have to note SoaS here too for that matter - a Â¥23000 pair of jeans, Gordon might sell at $295 lets say, yet SoaS mark up at £295! Now I know mugs in London might pay that without thinking, but come on, it ain't really right. 

 

TBH, I think Superdenim aren't a great example as they only really exist online, so you're only going to find brands that you know about already.

 

SoaS? Agree 100%. And I also think your comments about Superdenim apply to them.

[Maynard Friedman]

Superdenim are the ones setting up the Real McCoys shop in London though as they are the official UK/European distributors for the brand I believe.

[Max Power]

I think so, too. At least the stuff that Vater & Sohn Hamburg orders is being processed through them.

[LFC4ever]

I've actually bought some real mccoy from Superdenim and actually I wouldn't mind paying 20pc extra to cover the VAT they have to charge (though often you have to pay Japanese tax even though it's being exported) for the local service. It's when it hits 60 PC or more I just think forget it. Again not the distributors fault. I hope the UK Real Mccoy store succeeds by selling a wide and quality range at a price that is at least within range of the Japanese pricing allowing for Vat at 20 pc. The fact it's bricks and mortar in Soho shouldn't matter as I believe Tokyo has relatively high real estate costs ( he said with no hint of irony). Shipping costs totally irrelevant imo, per item won't be more than a few quid and the brand should absorb. And just to make it clear I really appreciate BIG and Self Edge have bought more stuff than I can wear from them but I do think they're in some way being given a mountain to climb by some of these brands.

Nb I have found that if a certain site says they have a discount but it excludes RM it er actually doesn't exclude RM.

[mikkadehachikai]

In contrast to your account, I've had great experience of instore shopping and browsing with The Real McCoy's, Warehouse and The Flat Head. In each store, the staff were friendly, attentive and did not pressure me at all. This was in Osaka but I don't think it's appropriate to make such sweeping generalisations about the brands based upon your negative experiences in Tokyo.

 

This has certainly been an interesting development. I ordered from RMC Nagoya only a couple of weeks back and must have just snuck in there. All the more reason to travel to Japan and try before I buy, although thankfully Incredible Shop here in town is building up their stock of McCoy's and offers near enough JP prices.

 

I hardly comprehend what you are trying to say. I was trying to mix up a few personal observations with some verifiable issues. Warehouse, for example, have an online shop but you cannot see what materials were used in the production of the goods, where were those made, most of the goods lack measurement graphs and most importantly you cannot pay by a credit card - you need to hand out the money to the delivery guy - what if you have a work life that does not allow you to pick up any goods in the delivery company's working time. Well, then you could prefer to visit the actual store and buy in the store. However, if you choose to do so - most of the goods are not in stock, so you should order them and wait for them to arrive and then go once again and try them on. Flat Head/RBJ and etc. suffer from some kind of obsession to brand each and every of their otherwise superbly made products with huge logos, huge patches and so on, lack an updated web page, lack measurements and descriptions of each of their products and real pictures and of course lack an internet outlet. Real McCoys have two webstores and a good blog which announces which products are brought into stock. The trouble is that they lack a good inventory system - you do not know for a fact which products are in stock and which are really sold out. If you go though their normal web store - you do not order you just indicate an interest in a product, they verify and then send you an invoice for you to pay it. Hardly a great customer service. Not to mention that actual measurements are not consistent with those listed on the webstore page.  Japanese customers have suffered for ages from overpaying for products of popular brands like Ralph Lauren or Brooks Brothers or Canada Goose or the North Face or whatever but in last years almost of all those companies have implemented global prices differing from country to country slightly only because of some imported taxes and so on. It is the Japanese companies turn to start treat their customers with some respect and equality. I read somewhere last month that the Real McCoys boots which cost here something like 90,000 JPY are being offered for 3000 plus USD in the New York shop - scandalous (anything above 1300-1400 hardly make any sense). 

[itsbenhere]

^Are you japanese?  If so, you probably know that you can choose when you want your items to be delivered and that surprising number of choices, generally specified within a 2-hour block.  

 

I was going to type out a response to each point but it's not worth it.  Also, this was maybe one of the most rambling posts I've ever read and, ironically, much less comprehensible than the post you quoted.

 

And next time it'd probably be better to break up your ideas into smaller paragraphs.

[coleslawyum]

I would like to know which Real McCoy's boots you are referring to that cost ¥90,000? Unless you are referring to the Chippewa collaboration, it's certainly not $3,000 in the US store.

 

Check your facts before you start flaming retailers.

 

Also I do feel bad for you that you have had crappy experiences in the Japanese stores. I would say 9 out of 10 times, they've been excellent and I've been to a lot of stores between Hokkaido and Okayama.

 

Yes, I agree that some web sites need improvements, but by no means do I think their customer service is sh*t. 

[mikkadehachikai]

^Are you japanese?  If so, you probably know that you can choose when you want your items to be delivered and that surprising number of choices, generally specified within a 2-hour block.  

 

Not factually correct. (Nationality does not matter at all, as well). Depending on your place of living and company chosen by the shop, you could have sometimes only one time slot a day - for example, in my region DHL (not used by Warehouse, just an example) delivers once between 9 am and 2 pm on weekdays only. Sagawa is used by Warehouse not so much different with their flexibility. I live 20min away from central part of Tokyo. 

 

Yes, I agree that some web sites need improvements, but by no means do I think their customer service is sh*t. 

 

Based on what is a norm here by other domestic clothing retailers, your last word is understatement for the quality of service they offer. 

 

I would like to know which Real McCoy's boots you are referring to that cost ¥90,000? Unless you are referring to the Chippewa collaboration, it's certainly not $3,000 in the US store.

 

I am sorry. I have remembered wrongly. (Would not delete my post though.) You are correct - they had in mind the cordovan boots and I remembered the field ones. Still the cordovan ones with current rates of yen should not cost more than 1900 usd. 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/fashion/blue-in-green-and-the-real-mccoys-mens-wear-stores-in-soho.html?_r=0

 

https://www.realmccoys.co.jp/catalog/products/detail.php?product_id=2887&pg=

[Sugar Mountain]

Mikkadehachikai - Thanks for the essay. You wrote in your earlier post that you had experienced poor customer service in the RMC and TFH stores in Tokyo and criticised Warehouse too. My experience, and that of many others, has been very positive when shopping in Japan with these companies. Not too hard to comprehend, eh?

 

If you don't like these companies' products or their business practices, you are also free not to support them.

[edmond]

rmc japan customer service is fucked up. unless you know them. online store to RMC is also fucked up

[itsbenhere]

^sorry about that, meant living in japan, not japanese

[aho]

^Slightly off topic but Tsujimoto-san is the MAN. Small anecdote but at Inspiration LA a few years back I would keep bumping into him randomly in and around the event and every time he would yell "Chicago!" remembering that's where I came from, and also proceeded to hand me a few candies and random goodies each time. Such small gestures like that really stuck with me and you just know he's a good guy...

 

[edmond]

buying in big and selfedge is also fucked up customer service is fucked up super big time. they dont massage me when i shop they dont give me a blowjob when i buy something.

 

 

yeah the rmc osaka is better the dog there licks my balls when im at the counter paying for something

[itsbenhere]

ahahaha lol!!!

 

and thats awesome that the pres is a cool dude, his style is off the charts in that pic!  also is that the guy from clutch? sad how many people i can identify in a pic that i havent met smh

[matt72178]

Little off topic

Does anyone know if there any authorized dealers of Rainbow Country and Freewheelers in North America? They don't seem willing to  ship  worldwide.

 

Thanks

[aho]

classic ed lol

 

matt72178, Hickorees in Brooklyn for Freewheelers

 

itsbenhere, yup thats Matsushima from Clutch on the left!

[Sugar Mountain]

Hickorees carries Freewheelers.

[coleslawyum]

Ed, I'll give you a massage if you ever stop by NYC. But I'm gonna pass on that other thing…

 

mikka- you sound like a bitter man. Maybe I'm not getting it culturally? My Japanese is not fluent, but from what I've experienced, it was miles above my expectations. I'm not sure if you've ever dealt with NYC salespeople-knuckleheads, but it can't even compare. Sure I got the occasional dipshit, but that was far from the norm.

 

I bought a L-2 in the Sapporo RMC store (now closed) broke the zipper between my trip to the Tokyo store, had it fixed by the manager at the Tokyo store, while I shopped around. He had it ready for me when i was done shopping. They carried almost every style and size I requested and was courteous and polite to my wife and I. Also they didn't talk any smack behind my back (cause I would know).

 

To your point, I did run into a moron in the Warehouse Osaka store, but the staff at the Okayama Warehouse store was awesome.

 

So maybe, just maybe, you are throwing around a blanket statement?

 

Lastly, American retailers should charge Yen prices because operation costs in the US is based in the Yen and not dollars? So retailers should run their businesses, based on how the Japanese economy is doing and not how the US is doing? These are not rhetorical questions I am asking, just questioning your reasoning.

Edited December 4, 2014 by coleslawyum

[edmond]

spence looking forward on that " massage" ...asian type ok?

[fre-co]

With a happy ending? I'm booking flights now

[exaptavist]

.

Edited March 13, 2017 by hoggreaser

[edmond]

fresco.. yes sir with a very happy ending.

[edmond]

yeah 3 of us can share on a cubicle or a fitting room i should say

[exaptavist]

.

Edited March 13, 2017 by hoggreaser

[sithiri]

Hard to imagine bad service in Japan. i don't go there often, maybe 4-5 times a year, more if business is busy. i am by no means fluent in Japanese but rarely have i received bad service - they take pride in whatever profession they are in - be it street cleaning to suit tailoring (by the way, if you ever have the time and willpower, please please have a bespoke suit made in Japan, the service and attention to details is off the charts!). That said, I did receive bad attitude at a select shop one time, and had my Japanese friend call the manager up to complain - you wouldn't believe the effort he made to make up for it.