Thursday, May 26, 2011

Replica Gowns

Replica gowns have been a hot topic this spring in the bridal and special occasion industry. Designers are stepping out to protect their designs from copy-cats websites. Customers are complaining about being ripped off with dressing not arriving or poorly constructed gowns that look nothing like the picture they were ordered from.
Of course, everyone wants to believe the best when they see a beautiful gown online at a much reduced rate. Many customers feel it is worth the risk. But one blogger doesn't agree and will even go as far as calling out the reputable sites. Below is only one of the many articles found on the subject.


Five Wedding Dress Sites Slammed by SiteJabber.com



WEdding dress sites scamSpring may mean fishing or baseball season to men, but to countless women planning a traditional spring wedding, the most important catch -- besides their spouse -- is undoubtedly their wedding dress.

Since increasing numbers of couples are meeting online, its should come as no surprise that many brides-to-be are turning to the web to find that perfect wedding dress, and Consumer Ally partner SiteJabber.com has reviewed a number of those sites.

SiteJabber.com
helps consumers avoid bad websites and steers them toward good ones through positive or negative user reviews. The SiteJabber community shared some eye-opening comments about five wedding dress sites in particular.

The sites -- all of which are based in China -- received poor reviews due to a number of complaints, including wrong sizes and styles delivered to brides, cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, terrible customer service and one dress that reeked of fish.

Here are the SiteJabber reviews, including comments from readers, some of which we've edited for space constraints:

Beautifulbridaldress.com

Despite the name, Beautifulbridaldress.com take users to a site named "Kissbrides.com." The site received 5 reviews and just one star from SiteJabber users.

Here's what Virginia L. had to say:

Don't buy anything from this website! Caution with (beautifulbridaldress) bought a dress for my daughter, got a totally different dress than the one we picked and she loved, it smelled of fish, wrinkled beyond belief! And they sized it wrong, i have pictures of the dress i picked versus what i got. I am disputing it through Pay Pal because they only wanna give me a $50 refund versus the $160 i paid. i will continue to dispute and give comments every day for the rest of my life if i don''t get my refund. My daughter is so upset and her wedding is june 11. This is close. Never again! These are the type of companies that ruin it for others!

Milanoo.com

Milanoo.com
received 52 reviews from SiteJabber users -- including a couple who posted their entire, unsatisfactory chat sessions with customer service reps -- and two stars. Here's what Carly F. had to say:

I ordered my maid of honor's bridesmaid dress on this website and did not realize they were in China until I got my order confirmation. Several weeks after ordering the dress, I read reviews on the milanoo.com website and became terrified of what the dress was going to look like when I got it. Good thing I prepared myself!! The dress's hem line was crooked, and it had a sewing pin sewed inside!! Also, the bottom half of the skirt wasn't sewed on, so I had to take it to a seamstress. I will NEVER order from this site again, and I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS WEBSITE TO ANYONE, EVER!!!!!!

Eastbridal.com

Eastbridal.com
received six reviews and two stars from SiteJabber users. Here's what Beth V. had to say about them:

Please do NOT order from this site!!! They do not even have HALF the colors their color chart says they have. This is a company in China and cannot be trusted. I ordered bridesmaid dresses which came wrong size and color and was told I would get a 30% refund that I never received. Trust me, look elsewhere or borrow from a friend.

Fashionlande.com

Fashionlade.com
received 19 reviews and two stars from the SiteJabber community. Here's what Alysam Y. had to say about her experience with them:

Waited 8 weeks for my order of a green mother-of-bride dress to arrive. It came all tightly rolled and bundled up and wrapped in paper. What I got was absolutely disgusting - the stitching was amateurish, the sleeves were uneven, the embroidery and beading were a ghastly silver rather than green as advertised on their Website. Furthermore, they had not followed the measurements that I had given them. I emailed Fashionlande.com immediately with supporting photos and a request for a return authorization and the return address, but they never respsonded, even after 5 emails. Their 7-day return policy is bogus.

Dresstimes.com

Dresstimes.com
received 13 reviews and two stars. Here's what Deb C. had to say:

I ordered my wedding dress from this website. All I have to say is "DONT DO IT" Thank God I have kept my composure and not turned into Bridezilla. I ordered for 2 months because my wedding is not until April of 2011. I got it within 3 weeks and it was delivered in a USPS bag, not a box. But folded tightly and stuff in a bag. I paid $345 for a "replica" of an Alfred Angelo dress and I got a VERY POORLY made party dress, not a bridal gown in my opinion. I understand I wasn't getting the exact same dress but was expecting the promised 90% look-alike stated on their website.


While not all sites will provide this substandard level of service or product, let this be a warning to shop carefully for your special day. Be sure to check online reviews -- including those from the Better Business Bureau -- of any site before making a purchases.
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sjhejza

Sorry but I don't feel sorry for anyone that orders on line. The problem with our country is that so many people have stopped shopping local. When we don't shop local people loss jobs and our economy falls apart. And yes I know most of the things you by in stores at not made locally or even in this country but the people working in these stores are local. BUY LOCAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tammy is so hot

ever heard the saying" you get what you paid for"? just saying...

Monday at 2:01 PM
1 reply to dnjaidd's comment
Ruth

Nice, you paid a company to steal someone else's intellectual property.

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