The Cautionary Blog: Scams to your left...

... and scams to your right. Every catalog, every website, every store front puts its best foot forward in promotions, but the proof really is in the pudding. You order or buy and see what arrives. Sometimes that pudding has the fine film of scum on top.
You with me? It looks amazing; in fact is looks too good to be true because it is. 

Photo credit and credit for the rather disappointing news that scammers are EVERYWHERE goes to Bridalbeware.com. You owe it to yourself to visit their site as you choose your dress and make your own smart moves..

This..... above..... will make a grown woman cry. 

Here's ​an excerpt from a BridalWire.com article:    

When Aiste Ray found her dream dress, which usually retailed for $1,300, for sale online for only $320, she jumped at the chance to save hundreds of dollars. But as she told ABC News, the dress that arrived looked nothing like she expected – the wrong beading and the wrong color.
“It looked like a high school project,” she said.

First, although these discount websites may include photos of real designer dresses, the photos were likely stolen off the designers’ websites. Customers are led to believe they’ll be receiving an exact copy of the dress in the picture, without realizing the photos don’t depict the gown the manufacturer will create.

What you actually receive can be scary. ....the lace, beading, and even color can be completely different than the original design. It’s often not even sewn together properly. The dresses are usually manufactured in China and cannot be returned for a refund or for alterations. “Once you give them your credit card, I don’t even know if the credit card company will stand behind you,” 

​Things to consider and red flags to look for:​
– There’s no money back guarantee. There might not even be any contact information or return policy listed on the website; or, if there is, the website may not actually respond or honor returns. Seek out customer reviews of the website to see what other shoppers’ experiences have been like.
– The company doesn’t have an alterations department or brick-and-mortar store you can visit to see the dresses in person. If you buy online from a legitimate seller, like BHLDN or J. Crew, you can always go to the store if you have problems or complaints.
– The website isn’t listed on the designer’s website as an authorized retailer. Authorized retailers are the only stores allowed to sell a designer’s gowns. Anyone else claiming to sell them is likely selling counterfeits.
– The price sounds too good to be true. A $3,000 dress for $400? It’s probably not the real thing! Read the entire article....

Our team at BT can help you avoid buying cheap and buying knockoff. We offer gowns and dresses that are less expensive because the creators and distributors have decided not to spend hundreds of thousands on advertising. They make excellent and well-made products and deliver them to boutiques like ours where we can help clients like you find the perfect fit.
We welcome the opportunity to show you the difference and help you navigate until you find the right gown.

This is only the first in the Knock Off series. Stay tuned, ladies!