It was the shock heard around the to-be-wed world:
Discount Bridal Services (DBS), a personal buying service that provides
gowns and other wedding day wear at discounted prices, has gone out of
business. In a press release issued on July 13, 2005, DBS cited
“substantial financial losses for a number of years” as its reason for
closing. As a result, the company stopped conducting business on July 2
to prepare for the filings.
Waiting for a dress from DBS? Thought you were going to buy one with
them? We’ll answer your burning questions and tell you what your best
options are now.
Q: “I already ordered my dress from a DBS representative! What do I
do now?”
A: For brides with outstanding orders that DBS has not yet
fulfilled, the company will ship either the gown you’ve requested, or a
gown of equal or greater value in a similar style and the correct size
and color. If you don’t get your exact dress, call the manufacturer with
your order number and account number in hand to see if they’ll exchange
the gown for the exact gown you ordered.
Q: “They sent me the wrong dress. What can I do?”
A: The DBS press release, which can be found at
www.windsorpeak.com/bridalbargains/dbs911.html , along with lots of
other helpful information, does not indicate how manufacturers, when
contacted directly by customers seeking to exchange their dresses, will
respond. The answer is sure to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer,
so definitely call as soon as possible. Check here:
www.windsorpeak.com/bridalbargains/dbs5.html for a list of
designers to contact. DBS also suggests that brides sell their
replacement gowns to help them afford their originals at retail value.
We suggest getting on the
message boards to see if you can swap a style you don’t want for a
style you do.
Q: “What can I do if I have to start finding my dream dress from
square one?”
A: There is a slew of disappointed brides and brides-to-be out
there who were banking on a bargain from DBS. Take some time to
commiserate on our
message boards,
where brides are sharing a lot of creative solutions. If you have caviar
taste, but don’t have the budget to match, consider other ways to get
luxe for less.
|
|
|
