This is copied from my daughters step mother and rather than create my own rant...since she did such a wonderful job taking the time to explain this...I stole it from her. This is what we are dealing with...My daughter is aware of what is going on now so I can post this rant.
Mae Tate Ferguson
2 hrs ยท
Long, angry rant ahead.
*I have purposely kept my Daughter from being able to see this post, because I do not in any way want her to feel like any of this is on her. It is not. PLEASE, do not share it with her, as she needs no further stress about her wedding. This is to warn other people, and quite honestly, for me to get this anger out of my system.*
Attention anyone who is getting married anytime in the future:
Do NOT...I repeat...DO NOT get your gown from David's Bridal. While I cannot attest to all the locations, I'm assuming they all run approximately the same scams. Our dealings have been solely with the Sunset Hills Plaza, St. Louis location.
The day we went shopping for Danika's dress was agreed upon because 1. Almost everyone she wanted there could be there and 2. It fell within the dates of the infamous "$99" sale at David's Bridal. We were met by Danika's consultant, and were told that the first two racks we saw contained the current collection, and further back were sales racks. When we told her that we were on a tight schedule (wedding date of March 3rd) and were basically there for the $99 sale, she said "Oh, ok, well let me show you where those dresses are", which she did, and then promptly abandoned us. Only AFTER we took several dresses off the sale rack (and a couple off the non-sale rack, being transparent here), did she show back up and show us to the fitting room.
Once we were at the fitting room, she decided to ask what our budget was, what Danika was looking for in a dress, etc. At no time did she bother to look at the dresses we pulled from the racks. Here, again, she disappeared.
Julie and I helped Danika into dresses in the fitting room. I had to find another consultant and ask for the clips that are used to give the bride an idea of how the gown is supposed to fit. She showed up twice during the time Danika was trying on dresses....about an hour and a half.
Once the appointment time was ending, she showed up and asked if Danika had found a dress. She had. Now, full disclosure, this was one that was not pulled from the sales rack. I did not know that at the time. So, when she checked the price, it was over double what the stated budget was (the budget was not the $99 sale price, just to be clear). At that point, Danika asked her to check the price of her second choice (which I personally saw Danika pull off of the $99 rack). It rang up at $499. NOT $99, $499. STILL over the stated budget. TWO more dresses that I personally pulled off the $99 rack rang up at a "sale price" of WELL OVER $99. Bait and switch much??
SO...after some discussion with Julie, we decided our little girl only gets married once, and we would pull together and purchase her first choice. Our consultant had to get approval from the store manager for us to place it in lay away, which was given. An alterations appointment was made for the day after the gown would be paid off. We asked for a rough "guesstimate" of the price of alterations on the gown. We were told probably no more than $200, most likely $120 - $180. Ok, we could suck that up too, though it would not be easy. Down payment was made on the gown, everyone went home happy that Danika was getting a beautiful gown she was elated with.
Gown was paid off. We go to the first alterations appointment, aware that there would be a rush charge due to the short turn around time. We completely understand that, and have no issue with it. To be honest, the rush charge is minimal.
So, the seamstress pins the dress, and begins adding up the charges....to almost $400. While I understand that what we were told was a very rough estimate, to be off nearly $200 is a bit of a stretch. So, Julie and I discuss our options, between the two of us, we can have it paid off by Feb. 21st. We let the seamstress know, and she said it would all have to be paid before they could start alterations....we ask if there is any way they can work with us, as I was able to pay off the gown the day before the appointment and am in no way able to come up with another large amount at that time. She says she will talk to the store manager. She comes back and says the store manager has agreed to let them go ahead and start alterations as long as a down payment is made that will cover at least one aspect of the alterations...ok.....we each make a payment that will let them start the alterations, give the exact dates of the remaining payments, leave stressed, but relieved that she will have a beautiful dress that fits her beautifully. short length wedding garments in white color
This afternoon, Julie calls me, after having been on the phone with David's Bridal. She had called to ask that they save the material being taken off the dress, as she wants to make something out of it for Danika. She was asked when the alterations would be paid off, and told them, and was then told that NONE of the alterations would be started until it was all paid off, and that the last payment date did not leave enough time for it to be done. WTF??
So, before I could call them, they called me. The store manager called, identified herself, and in an extremely rude tone, told me the same thing she had told Julie. When I tried to speak to tell her what we had been told by the seamstress, she talked over me and repeated herself. When I tried to speak again, she talked over me again. The next time I tried to speak, she started to speak over me again, and I actually yelled "Hey, let me speak!" into the phone. When I explained what we were told, she said "well I was the manager who was there last night, and approved the arrangements, said that is not what I signed off on, my notes are in the system."
I said "I don't know what you said, because you didn't bother to speak to us directly, but I am telling you, that is NOT what we were told. We were told..." at which point she started talking over me again. Her last line was "if it is not paid off by the 16th, we will remove the pins and you will take the dress as it is." To which I replied "Well, you really haven't given us any other option, have you? I so appreciate your rudeness and excellent customer service." and hung up.
Now, we will make sure, somehow, that it is paid off by the 16th so that my daughter will have a dress that fits and that she loves when she gets married. But....I will make sure when we have that finished dress that better fit perfectly and not be missing a single damn sequin, that everyone in that store knows exactly how I feel about their "customer service". I will also tell anyone I hear is getting married to stay as far away as possible from that store, lest they go through the same stress as we have.