Wedding Dress Industry -- A Scam All Women are Buying Into

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e

Hey Ladies:

Are you REALLY okay with these Bridal shops robbing your money if you buy a dress and a few days, later, for whatever reason, you decide to return it in its impeccable state. Because this is EXACTLY what happened to me with La Vie en Blanc -- another one of these scam stores dressed-up as a fairy-tale for all brides. I am not okay with this sort of merchant behaviour. $3000 is a lot of money. That feeds hundreds of families in Syria.

For those of us not in this scam of an industry -- and by scam I mean, a company whose sole intent is to squeeze a huge profit out of your fairy tale dreams. For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug. Shrug it off as, "Oh, that's crappy but I can't change this crappy industry."

Oh but you can. Vote with your dollar. Ask about their return or exchange policy if the dress has not be altered or worn. And if there is none, move on. Make the damn dress. I would have done that.

It's time we all say -- NO. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

And while I'm at it, The Knot is complicit when it suggests we sell our brand new dresses on NearlyNewlyWed. I wonder -- what stake does The Knot have in the online wedding dress company? Scams, I tell you.

Be mindful and vigilant, ladies. Don't fall for the fairy tale crap story.

LondonLisa

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

Hey Ladies:

Are you REALLY okay with these Bridal shops robbing your money if you buy a dress and a few days, later, for whatever reason, you decide to return it in its impeccable state. Because this is EXACTLY what happened to me with La Vie en Blanc -- another one of these scam stores dressed-up as a fairy-tale for all brides. I am not okay with this sort of merchant behaviour. $3000 is a lot of money. That feeds hundreds of families in Syria.

For those of us not in this scam of an industry -- and by scam I mean, a company whose sole intent is to squeeze a huge profit out of your fairy tale dreams. For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug. Shrug it off as, "Oh, that's crappy but I can't change this crappy industry."

Oh but you can. Vote with your dollar. Ask about their return or exchange policy if the dress has not be altered or worn. And if there is none, move on. Make the damn dress. I would have done that.

It's time we all say -- NO. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

And while I'm at it, The Knot is complicit when it suggests we sell our brand new dresses on NearlyNewlyWed. I wonder -- what stake does The Knot have in the online wedding dress company? Scams, I tell you.

Be mindful and vigilant, ladies. Don't fall for the fairy tale crap story.

I mean, there are several large purchases that don't have returns. I'm sorry this happened to you but it's just bad drills to spend £3,000 without asking about the returns policy. It's hardly a scam. 

It's like a car. Once it's off the lot it's considered used. 

Heffalump

Me, with this post:

LondonLisa

Heffalump said:

Me, with this post:

Hahaha! This is hilarious!

I mean, maybe be concerned about giving money to children in Syria BEFORE you spend the money on the dress. It just seems so emotionally manipulative to say 'Give me my money back or else you are stealing from refugee children. ' 

justsie

southernbelle0915

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

$3000 is a lot of money. That feeds hundreds of families in Syria.

So why didn't you donate that money to feed families in Syria instead of buying a $3,000 dress? Because "dreams" and "fairy tales"?  Perhaps the wedding dress industry is not the largest problem our culture faces....

lnixon8

"Make the damn dress. I would have done that."

But... you didn't.

bleve0821

I don't understand your statement of, "For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug."  I didn't grow up with "fairy tales" in my head (well, I did want to be an astronaut, but that's beside the point), and I don't know what "bad behavior" you're referring to, since the first thing I do before I make ANY purchase, big or small, is check the store's return policy...

Also, regardless of how much a traditional frou-frou wedding gown costs, it's still probably only going to be worn once, so there's also that.  So.... I also don't understand your "feeding families in Syria" is at all applicable to.... any of this. Because, let's be honest here, that money was never earmarked for a charitable cause.  You're just sour grapes because you spent money you can't get back now.

southernbelle0915

atomicblonde said:

I don't understand your statement of, "For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug."  I didn't grow up with "fairy tales" in my head (well, I did want to be an astronaut, but that's beside the point), and I don't know what "bad behavior" you're referring to, since the first thing I do before I make ANY purchase, big or small, is check the store's return policy...

Also, regardless of how much a traditional frou-frou wedding gown costs, it's still probably only going to be worn once, so there's also that.  So.... I also don't understand your "feeding families in Syria" is at all applicable to.... any of this. Because, let's be honest here, that money was never earmarked for a charitable cause.  You're just sour grapes because you spent money you can't get back now.

THIS. 

Also, the Syria comment had me thinking of OP like:

levioosa

Yeah, the Syria thing rubs me the wrong way.  Don't try to be all philanthropic and shame-y about spending money on a wedding dress instead of food when YOU SPENT THE MONEY ON A $3000 WEDDING DRESS.  People can spend their money on whatever they like, that doesn't make them terrible people. But I am side-eyeing appropriating a cause.  

I think you'll find very few people here who have bought into the "fairy tale." 

@southernbelle0915 your siggy gif has never been more appropriate.

OurWildKingdom

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

Hey Ladies:

Are you REALLY okay with these Bridal shops robbing your money if you buy a dress and a few days, later, for whatever reason, you decide to return it in its impeccable state. Because this is EXACTLY what happened to me with La Vie en Blanc -- another one of these scam stores dressed-up as a fairy-tale for all brides. I am not okay with this sort of merchant behaviour. $3000 is a lot of money. That feeds hundreds of families in Syria.

For those of us not in this scam of an industry -- and by scam I mean, a company whose sole intent is to squeeze a huge profit out of your fairy tale dreams. For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug. Shrug it off as, "Oh, that's crappy but I can't change this crappy industry."

Oh but you can. Vote with your dollar. Ask about their return or exchange policy if the dress has not be altered or worn. And if there is none, move on. Make the damn dress. I would have done that.

It's time we all say -- NO. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

And while I'm at it, The Knot is complicit when it suggests we sell our brand new dresses on NearlyNewlyWed. I wonder -- what stake does The Knot have in the online wedding dress company? Scams, I tell you.

Be mindful and vigilant, ladies. Don't fall for the fairy tale crap story.

Someone's pissed that she was foolish enough to spend $3,000 on a dress.

CMGragain

I think it is well known that all sales are final on wedding dresses.  Except for David's Bridal (who does NOT sell $3000 dresses), a dress is ordered for you in your size from the factory.  It is not simply hanging in a warehouse for someone to order.  If you change your mind, the shop is stuck with it, and $3000 dresses are not easy to sell.
Didn't you read the paperwork before you signed?  I know car salespeople who would love to talk to you!

climbingsingle

On what planet has anyone ever purchased a wedding dress and been allowed to return it? And why didn't you just donate your money to an aid group instead of spending it on a dress? 

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e

Lots of snarky remarks here. Quite hilarious; now I see where all the bride humor/insanity comes from. There was no printed receipt - for the record -- that was the biggest issue. It was electronic, which when I read after said no returns or cancellations, etc. Good day to you all too.

levioosa

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

Lots of snarky remarks here. Quite hilarious; now I see where all the bride humor/insanity comes from. There was no printed receipt - for the record -- that was the biggest issue. It was electronic, which when I read after said no returns or cancellations, etc. Good day to you all too.

This is hilarious.  You brought up the "no returns" policy as one of your biggest problems, despite the fact that it is quite common.  Then you appropriated a cause to justify your anger.  What good would a printed receipt have been? You still read the policy AFTER you purchased the dress, not before. You still MADE THE PERSONAL CHOICE to buy a $3000 wedding dress instead of donating that money to an aid group. The onus was on you to be informed about your purchase.  Everything PPs said was logical and based in common sense.  Your comment about it reflecting "bride humor/insanity" is also nonsensical, just like trying to pretend you're outraged about Syria and the wedding dress industry.  

southernbelle0915

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

Lots of snarky remarks here. Quite hilarious; now I see where all the bride humor/insanity comes from. There was no printed receipt - for the record -- that was the biggest issue. It was electronic, which when I read after said no returns or cancellations, etc. Good day to you all too.

Wedding dresses being non-returnable is basically industry standard. I've never heard of a boutique where you can order a $3,000 wedding dress in your custom size and return it for a full refund, no questions asked.

I'm not a betting woman, but I'll bet you ignored physical signs, conversations, and language in the contract when you signed the form that had your measurements and information. THEN you pay/get a receipt. If a high-end shop like the one you're talking about was shady or non-transparent about their returns, they'd have way worse reviews online.

I'm curious though. Now that your attention has been turned to Syria, how much money have you donated? 

LondonLisa

Maybe the bridal shop gave you an e-receipt because they donated their printer to refugees in Syria.

CMGragain

OP, there are plenty of things you can buy that are not returnable.  In most states, you have 24 hours to change your mind.  Try returning a car that you purchased for a refund.  Is that a reason to rant about the auto industry?
Your problem is one that was created by YOU.  You chose the order an outrageously expensive wedding dress.  You chose to spend a large amount of money on a custom ordered item without inquiring about a return policy.  The shop did nothing wrong.
It is OK to vent, but you are refusing to accept responsibility for your own actions.  Using Syrian children as an excuse to justify your actions is incredibly delusional.  Go take a hard look in the mirror.  Not a pretty sight.

lovesclimbing

Not knowing a return policy is no excuse. The first thing I do when I shop is check the return policy. And like Cmg said, lots of things can't be returned. Mattresses can't be and those have a similar price range to wedding dresses. 

I don't understand the receipt issue. Receipts are given after the purchase as proof you paid for x item, so seeing it after you've paid wouldn't do much good. 

flantastic

Okay, well since you're so concerned about the fact that we're not validating you solely because we have bought into the industry values - how about the common sense that PPs have offered? The economics? If you are going to make a large purchase of something that is custom made, it is generally not going to be returnable. That is how the business of having to pay people to custom make something that they likely won't be able to resell because it is custom to you works. If you don't like that idea, it's still on you to ask about the return policy up front.

Feel free to rant about how the wedding industry makes people feel like they need a $3000 custom dress, but your complaint about not getting a refund has nothing to do with bad business practice.

It also has nothing to do with charity, since you weren't donating that money anyway. You intended to spend it on a dress. You just had second thoughts about the custom product you ordered. That's too bad, but it's no one's problem but yours, and I'm pretty confident that the change of heart you had about the dress didn't involve feeling the impulse to take your refund and donate it straight to charity.

By the way, my mom made my dress, so I have no stake in your bridal salon ripoff claims.

lovesclimbing

Knottieed33d369ac42b39e said:

snip

For those of us not in this scam of an industry -- and by scam I mean, a company whose sole intent is to squeeze a huge profit out of your fairy tale dreams. For those of us who never grew up with those fairy tales in our heads, it's disgraceful and shameful to sweep this bad behaviour under the rug. Shrug it off as, "Oh, that's crappy but I can't change this crappy industry."

Snip

Forgot this earlier. In regards to the bolded, you do realize this is literally everyone in retail ever, right? Every single industry out there is out to part you from as much of your hard-earned money as possible. It's why when you give a budget, places typically show you stuff at the very top end or slightly above your budget (or sometimes stuff significantly above your budget) as well as stuff within your budget. It's why all sorts of companies offer stuff on payment plans and "no interest for one year!!!!" It's because they want to get you to spend more than you want to. And if (general) you buy into it, that's on you.