A few weeks ago I was contacted by a customer who had purchased a 'Mother of the Bride' dress on-line. As is usual with garments like this, there are many factors that cannot be seen '
in the hand' & as a result, only the written information provided on the web-site can be used as a guide to ascertain the quality of the garment. Additionally, only on-line information can determine certain aspects regarding the company who is supplying the garment.
In this example, my customer purchased the dress after reading all the on-line company guidelines and seeing descriptions such as "
hand stitched .... by experienced tailors ... personally made to your measurements" available on the web-site in question. She was extremely disappointed when the dress finally arrived & looked nothing like the garment she was expecting (incidentally full payment was requested when ordered). She tried to return the garment & obtain a refund but unfortunately, like many companies like this one, '
returns for poor workmanship were not catered for' ! She showed the dress to me for my opinion - here briefly outlined are just a few of the problems described in a report I sent to her:
- only a single front view of the garment was displayed on-line with no explicit description for it
- specific garment detail did not exactly match with the on-line image
- no fabric content label was evident for the garment - a legality for the UK
- various basic garment measurements/shapings were not identical on left & right sides of the garment
- all visible seams had been poorly stitched with extra long stitch lengths being used
- pleating at the waistline's centre back/front was excessively bulky & uneven
The moral of this?
If you are thinking of purchasing your garment on-line, CHECK & DOUBLE-CHECK all the information being provided .... especially regarding fabric, any descriptions & all company details. Also look at customer reviews - not just the first ones listed but look at many. And check on the SKU code ... see if the garment is listed anywhere else for sale.
Otherwise you too could be the proud owner of a badly fitting & unflattering garment
In my customer's case, the dress was listed at another 8 sites (with different names but all having similar prices) - all displaying an identical web-company format !! & no doubt having the same returns policy!
Incidentally, there are many companies who have a reputable & trustworthy on-line business ...
just make sure you purchase from one.
