Hello everyone,
Today, I want to write about one of my all-time favorite pieces: The Define Jacket. I was recently browsing the Lulu website, looking for my next Define jacket purchase and I decided to first browse through the recent reviews. That’s when I noticed two things: This jacket has a 4-Star overall rating, and many of the newest reviews are 1-2 stars. I decided to dig a little and I went through the first 5 pages of the most recent reviews and put the number into a spreadsheet. After about 160 entries, the average rating was 3.1 stars. This makes more sense than the 4-star overall shown, given what I had been reading in the reviews. Because the design of the Define jacket was not adjusted during the relaunch that occurred a couple of years back, Lululemon has included reviews as old as 2009, which, as we all know represents a sort of gilded age of Luon.
Unfortunately, many of the new reviews cite pilling as the reason for a low-rating. Some reviewers even have older Define jackets that they’ve had for many years that have not pilled, yet their new Define jackets have pilling issues. Fortunately, pilling can be addressed using a fabric depiller. (Canadians, click here) However, it is not right that a $118 jacket pills so easily. So, for now, I’m sort of on the fence about buying a new one. Although, if I had to choose: I LOVE the “Submarine” color 🙂
What do you think about the reviews? Do you think it’s disingenuous for Lulu to include the oldest reviews in the online rating? Or do you think it’s fair given that they didn’t change the design of the product? Are you surprised that so many people are having issues with pilling? Why do you think this is happening? It is due to the change in the fabric or is it perhaps an issue with fabric washing or care? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below!
I’m not surprised that Lululemon kept the older reviews, they tend to adjust the reviews to err on the more positive side.
This was most obviously noted during the first release of nulu tights – more than just a few low ratings were removed and substituted with 5 start ratings that suspiciously seemed disingenuous (some didnt even bother to change the language, so it ended up looking like cut-and-paste reviews). Of course, Lululemon has the right to do with those ratings as they wish soo….
Wow! Thanks for the info- such a well-reasoned comment! You’re right! I forgot about those Nulu tights reviews! Suspicious indeed. Good point though, they can do what they like with their website- that’s why we have bloggers like me and The Sweat Edit and Lulu Addict and Agent Athletica to help us make our shopping decisions. Thanks again for your comment!
To be honest, I don’t think that it is fair that lululemon kept old reviews, especially since the reviews could be 8 years old, where lululemon’s quality (could have) changed. They just kept them so their review average would be higher.
I can’t say I doubt their motivations. And the quality of the Luon has changed for sure. Thanks for your comment!
I have several of the ‘old’ defines (with the metal zipper pulls) which I love and have experienced minimal pilling, mostly only on my solid coloured Regal Plum one. I have tried on the newer release (with the different zipper pulls) and have to say, I am not impressed. The fit seemed off to me, I wear an 8 in Defines and Lulu bras, size 6 in everything else but with the new version I seemed to be ‘between’ size 6 and 8. The 6 was too short and the 8 was too loose under the arms and at the hem. Recently ordered my last Define on WMTM – coco pique with the metal zipper pulls. It will probably be my final Define purchase due to the fit issues.
Thanks for this comment! Interesting that you’ve noticed fit changes. I haven’t tried a new Define since they first came out. I ought to go do that.