I found what I think is 'the dress' and a store that doesn't normally carry the manufacturer I chose offered to order it for me. It seemed like a great idea as I wasn't wild about working with the store that I originally tried 'the dress' on at (they were a little too salesman like for my taste and I've read some unnerving reviews about their alterations). The store I did like even offered to match the price I was getting. There is one small problem... I called the manufacturer and they confirmed that the store I want to use is not an 'authorized retailer' - has anyone else ran into this? The manufacturer wouldn't tell me anything else, just recommended the store I had already been to. So now I'm confused. Do I run the risk of getting a knock-off dress just to feel better about the store (and alterations people) that I'll be dealing with for the next few months??
Chaz
Posted:
Member since
Dress Shopping
I feel like when you actually look on the designer's website for 'authorized retailers' there are SO MANY stores missing from that list!
Have you tried contacting the authorized retailers? I bought my first dress from a store I didn't trust and literally couldn't sleep at night because I was so worried about the million ways my dress could've been messed up.
Is the second store (the unauthorized dealer) an established dress shop? Maybe try to stick with more popular well-reputed bridal stores to avoid any issues.
sgf2
Posted:
Member since
Dress Shopping
If the store isn't 'authorized', the designer won't sell the dress to them, so you'd definitely be getting a knockoff.
Did you ask the manufacturer if they'd still sell the dress to the store? My dress is a Tara Keely, which is a jlm line, but there are many stores that carry the rest of the jlm designers, but not Tara Keely. Since it's the same brand, these stores could still order the dress even though they're not 'authorized retailers', because they've already been vetted by jlm.
I'm not sure if that made any sense at all, let me know if it did. LOL
sgf2
Posted:
Member since
Dress Shopping
If the store isn't 'authorized', the designer won't sell the dress to them, so you'd definitely be getting a knockoff.
Did you ask the manufacturer if they'd still sell the dress to the store? My dress is a Tara Keely, which is a jlm line, but there are many stores that carry the rest of the jlm designers, but not Tara Keely. Since it's the same brand, these stores could still order the dress even though they're not 'authorized retailers', because they've already been vetted by jlm.
I'm not sure if that made any sense at all, let me know if it did. LOL
