Diane & Co - Bad Press

Re: Diane & Co - Bad Press

• goaliegirl member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  This story is really sad.  That lady is going to lose a lot of  business over this.  The girl wanted to give all the money from the dress to the boy's family for funeral expenses.  IT was a $1200 dress!   I would never step foot in that store now because of this she made some awful statements!

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• diamondx423

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I know! She was so heartless. I do understand a "no refunds" policy, but sometimes you need to bend rules in the event of a tragedy. Its just disgusting.

  
  
  

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• cindyn9178 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  OK, I do think that Diane's comments were uncalled for and rude.
  I do understand a no returns policy, and while this was a tragic circumstance, she doesn't have to bend the rules if she doesn't want to. In the end, she did accept a return with a store credit.
  
  However, I think it is a little ridiculous that the girl was trying to return her dress for a refund the morning after her boyfriend was killed. If I were in that situation, that would be the LAST thing I'd be thinking about. If the sight of the dress was bothering her that much, her mom could've put it away for her or something. While it was nice that she wanted to contribute the money towards the funeral costs, that really shouldn't be the concern of the store/owner.
  
  The fact that the girl then started a Facebook page to "boycott" the store is also a little ridiculous. One would think she would have more important things to worry about after her boyfriend just died. I can completely understand her not wanting to return to the store after the comments that Diane publicly made about her.
  
   I was engaged once before and tried to get refunds from vendors if possible. Had my FI died rather than us just breaking up, I wouldn't have expected the vendors to be any more accomodating. Some vendors gave refunds, others wouldn't. Stores have policies, and we can't expect everyone to bend the rules for us, whether it is a tragic situation or not. The family got a store credit, and they could've just left it at that.

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• TripleJTobe

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Id like to say I'm shocked... But I'm definitely not. Diane is notorious for being a jerk and being rude to customers. The best thing that ever happened to that store, was the show. Anyone ever see the old store? DUMP CITY!

  

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• diamondx423

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_diane-co-bad-press?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:1c2a3ca8-451c-46b9-9073-06ea386c2b7dPost:e1d5a370-757c-4672-b9eb-800d4788469f">Re: Diane & Co - Bad Press</a>:
  [QUOTE]. The fact that the girl then started a Facebook page to "boycott" the store is also a little ridiculous. One would think she would have more important things to worry about after her boyfriend just died. I can completely understand her not wanting to return to the store after the comments that Diane publicly made about her. Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]
  
  I'm pretty sure a friend started the facebook group. And I know from my grandparents, the upfront costs of funerals are insane so she might have just wanted to do whatever she could to help.

  
  
  

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• goaliegirl member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_diane-co-bad-press?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:1c2a3ca8-451c-46b9-9073-06ea386c2b7dPost:e1d5a370-757c-4672-b9eb-800d4788469f">Re: Diane & Co - Bad Press</a>:
  [QUOTE]OK, I do think that Diane's comments were uncalled for and rude. I do understand a no returns policy, and while this was a tragic circumstance, she doesn't have to bend the rules if she doesn't want to. In the end, she did accept a return with a store credit. However, I think it is a little ridiculous that the girl was trying to return her dress for a refund the morning after her boyfriend was killed. If I were in that situation, that would be the LAST thing I'd be thinking about. If the sight of the dress was bothering her that much, her mom could've put it away for her or something. While it was nice that she wanted to contribute the money towards the funeral costs, that really shouldn't be the concern of the store/owner. The fact that the girl then started a Facebook page to "boycott" the store is also a little ridiculous. One would think she would have more important things to worry about after her boyfriend just died. I can completely understand her not wanting to return to the store after the comments that Diane publicly made about her.  I was engaged once before and tried to get refunds from vendors if possible. Had my FI died rather than us just breaking up, I wouldn't have expected the vendors to be any more accomodating. Some vendors gave refunds, others wouldn't. Stores have policies, and we can't expect everyone to bend the rules for us, whether it is a tragic situation or not. The family got a store credit, and they could've just left it at that.
  Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]
  
  She wanted to give the money to family and since the funeral was in a few days, she went to return the dress right away, hence the reason she went the next afternoon to do it.  It was a $1200 dress and she wanted to give all the money to the family, I think that is a pretty great thing coming from a 16 year old kid!    I don't think there are many 16 year olds out there that would think to do that!
  
  As for the FB page, the girl had nothing to do with it, it was her friends that started it. 
  
  As for comparing a cancelled wedding to a young kid dying and his GF wanting to help, personally I think you can't even compare the two.   This girl was trying to do something good in the wake of this kid dying and this lady couldn't even work with her.  The woman is disgusting and has made some disgusting comments.  
  
  Local Businesses should try to support local people who keep their businesses alive.  I think in this situation the lady could have given a refund!

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• cindyn9178 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I wasn't comparing a broken relationship to someone dying. I was just saying that I would never expect anyone to bend the rules for me, regardless of how tragic the situation might be. While it might be nice if they did bend the rules, I don't think it makes anybody a bad person for not bending them. (As I said above, I agree that the comments Diane made were uncalled for, but that is a separate issue).
  
  I highly doubt that the 16 year old paid for her own dress.  I would think her parents paid for it, and it sounds to me like it was probably more the parents making a big deal about not getting back their money.
  
  Some people like to take advantage of tragic situations and I kind of smell that here.
  
  
  
  

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• goaliegirl member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  It is called having a heart and doing the right thing for a local kid as a local business owner, who probably relies on local people buying dresses in her store!  Sadly enough, because of this, she will probably lose a lot of business.   She wasn't going to lose any money on this because she could still sell the dress.   On top of that, her comments were disgusting!
  
  There is nobody taking advantage of a tragic situation, it was about a kid wanting to do something to help a family.    Funeral Expenses are crazy expensive and this girl and her mother were just trying to help.      Sad to think that there are people out there that think they are trying to take advantage of a tragic situation!!

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• TLuvT

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_diane-co-bad-press?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:1c2a3ca8-451c-46b9-9073-06ea386c2b7dPost:de5610d3-5cc8-4c8f-8e02-54303fb7ea2e">Re: Diane & Co - Bad Press</a>:
  [QUOTE]I wasn't comparing a broken relationship to someone dying. I was just saying that I would never expect anyone to bend the rules for me, regardless of how tragic the situation might be. While it might be nice if they did bend the rules, I don't think it makes anybody a bad person for not bending them. (As I said above, I agree that the comments Diane made were uncalled for, but that is a separate issue). I highly doubt that the 16 year old paid for her own dress.  I would think her parents paid for it, and it sounds to me like it was probably more the parents making a big deal about not getting back their money. Some people like to take advantage of tragic situations and I kind of smell that here.
  Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]
  Who cares if her parents paid for the dress! And sometimes you can choose to bend the rules for certain situations. I think since it was a death she could have bent the rules to be nice. I think it reflects very poorly on the store. They should treat people with the same kindness they would want to receive if the roles were reversed.

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• katetw member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I honestly can see nothing in the account that says she was trying to get her money back ASAP for greedy reasons. It sounds like she understood funerals are pricey and funerals happen quickly, with upfront costs -- what an awesome kid, by the way, to want to help. I think it's pretty unkind to immediately say she sounds greedy.

  
  

   Also, it was an off the rack dress with no alterations -- how does it hurt this woman to take it back? The business owner a) lied (about when she was first contacted) to make herself look better, and b) made really terrible comments about stressed/hurt people in a delicate situation. She deserves all the bad PR she gets.

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• peaches178

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Diane Scali is a heartless b*tch.  'Nuff said.

  
  

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• felicia220 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I think it is hard for anyone to put themselves in this girls situation, unless of course they have experienced it.  Whether or not the girl (and her parents) are taking advantage of the situation or not, actually doesn't matter.  The fact of the matter is that the business owner decided to enforce her "no return" policy and now its gonna cause backlash.  As a former business owner (who also had a no return policy) I had certainly made exceptions for a lot less of a reason.  Its important for local business owners to support the locals that keep them in business.  

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• WeLoveLilo05 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Went into that store looking for MoB dresses. We were treated like people waiting at the deli counter. We had to sign in and wait for our number to be called. After we signed in the lady next to us said she had been waiting for 2 hours for her daughter's prom dress. We were told we couldn't touch anythign either (yup imagine that a grown woman and her mom not allowed to touch anything). We walked out after 5 minutes.
  She is heartless, only care about 1 thing, the all mighyt dollar. Well, since she was so greedy I think many locals won't be visiting her store anytime soon.
  

  August 2011 May Siggy Challenge~ Honeymoon
  133 Invited to celebrate Jersey Shore style!
  85 Will be fist pumpin' on the dance floor!
  11 Won't be having any fun
  37 Can't Find their mailbox
  
  

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• afb124 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_diane-co-bad-press?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:1c2a3ca8-451c-46b9-9073-06ea386c2b7dPost:e1d5a370-757c-4672-b9eb-800d4788469f">Re: Diane & Co - Bad Press</a>:
  [QUOTE]OK, I do think that Diane's comments were uncalled for and rude. I do understand a no returns policy, and while this was a tragic circumstance, she doesn't have to bend the rules if she doesn't want to. <strong>In the end, she did accept a return with a store credit.</strong>
  Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]
  
  But they were also so rude to her & stated she was not welcome back in the store so really, at that point, what good is store credit when that's the last place this girl probably wants to ever go again?
  
  My mom did go there to look for a MOB dress. They asked up front how much she wanted to spend & when she indicated her price point (she didn't want to spend more than $300) they scoffed at her & told her that all THEIR dresses START at $500.  They're just rude & snotty.

  

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• cindyn9178 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I think the store, and Diane has a pretty well known reputation, so I really don't see why anybody would go there expecting anything else...

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• peaches178

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  FYI - When I got out of work today at 3:30, 101.5 was talking about the story.  I got home at 4:45 and they were still talking about it because everyone related to the story was calling in.  Every single caller (including the girl's father, stepfather and mother together, paternal grandmother, the woman who posted the Facebook page, and even the PR firm representing Diane & Co.) had a different story to tell.  The whole thing was sad to listen to (I feel so bad for the girl) but listening to Casey and Rossi talk to the callers, especially the PR guy, had me laughing like crazy because it's all just so absurd.

  
  

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• cindyn9178 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  that's interesting that everybody had a different story..

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• peaches178

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Yeah.  Some were more similar than others, but it was crazy hearing all of the different versions.  Casey blatantly didn't believe a word the father or the PR rep had to say.  In fact, I sat in my car for 5 extra minutes after pulling into my driveway because the conversation with the PR rep was so amusing.

  
  

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• afb124 member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Peaches - I was listening too on my way home from work!!!  I was cringing as the PR guy was talking and all I could think was "who is this sleezy guy they hired?"!!!!

  

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