I am seeing that someone who is not a bridal retailer has gained access to an industry site and posted the information for public scrutiny.
Frankly, I am not sorry that brides get to see what bridal shops really think. If the customer out there really knew what a full-service bridal salon has to do to survive and make a profit, I think she would be more sympathetic like one of those posts I saw.
Most consumers do not realize that their everyday clothing and jewelry are marked up four to ten or more times wholesale. No one bats an eye. But a bridal salon is not supposed to mark up their product even one times wholesale? How is this fair? How is a full-service store supposed to make any money at all this way? It's simple math and business, so why do brides think that we are cheating them?
As to ordering dresses in the wrong size on purpose, please. If bridal gowns and bridesmaids came ready-to-wear with no alterations necessary, do you know how much a bridal shop would celebrate???? No need to pay seamstresses, no need to deal with unhappy fittings and imperfect bodies who want to look perfect? That would be a bridal shop's DREAM!!! The problem is that most manufacturer's make dresses symmetrical on top and bottom. Most women are heavier on the bottom. Ask the manufacturer's why they don't make more pear-shaped dresses, don't blame the bridal shop for trying to accommodate your hips!!!!
I have even thought of writing a book about what goes on behind the scenes, because there is so much mis-information out there. The biggest problem full-service shops have is that customers will come to their store and spend up to two hours or more, making their consultant carry gowns, help them accessorize, and gaining knowledge and personal assistance, without paying for it. And then that bride may well walk out of the shop, buy from a discounter, or from Susy Wholesale down the street.
We live in a capitalist society. A customer has every right to shop around, find the cheapest price and buy wherever they want. However, I think that a bridal shop also has every right to do what is legally necessary to protect their life's work, years of experience, services and labor.
For those of you who work for a living, just sit and think about it for a minute. How much money do you make in an hour? Why is it so unfair to pay a bridal consultant for her time? Is her time worth nothing? It's common sense here.
