Learn about the ins-and-outs of on-line shopping in this module. There are great deals to be had on the Internet, but you need to balance that with shopping smart. The resource document for this module gives you a list of discount shopping sites, including how to order your gown direct from China at a great discount.
The following article is an example of the content we have in our online wedding planning membership site HappyWeddings.ca under the heading of Wedding Gown. To learn more and get useful wedding planning tools for FREE click here!
No matter what anyone says about on-line shopping, it is a simple fact that you can get great deals on the Internet. Stories of brides who purchased a brand new designer gown on eBay for $250, or accessories for 50% less than a bridal salon are everywhere. But there are things you should be aware of if you venture onto the Internet for your wedding purchases. The best advice I can give is to check things out, and use your intuition. If you aren’t comfortable with something, keep looking.
As with any bricks and mortar bridal salon, always check the Better Business Bureau—you never know what you will find with on-line sellers. If you are purchasing at an on-line auction site like eBay, always check the rating of the seller, and see what kind of comments people have made about previous sales.
There are many local websites that sell product from major suppliers, and these products are almost always shipped directly from the major supplier. This is a common Internet practice that is win-win for both the local website and the major supplier, so don’t be concerned about a local website selling you products.
As with a bridal salon, check the return policy—you will find some on-line stores will take returns. So, if you see a dress on-line that you must have, check the sizing carefully. Measure yourself carefully. Size charts for bridal gowns don’t make a lot of sense, so go by the measurements. Purchase your dress so that it fits the biggest part of yourself—the rest can be taken in. Pay attention to the ordering policy and the amount of time needed to ship the dress to you. Some websites will even take rush orders, for an extra fee, of course.
Depending upon where you live, you might have monetary exchange rates to contend with, as well as customs and duty charges.
When you are shopping on-line, read all descriptions thoroughly, and look for weird wording or something that they are implying and not actually stating. If you have any questions, ask the seller to clarify details, or to send you more pictures.
Most on-line sellers are actually very honest. If they aren’t upfront, and clear, people will write about them all over the Internet, give them poor ratings, and so forth. If you have a seller’s name—-Google them and see what comes up. Purchase through reputable websites like eBay, which monitors their sellers to ensure they are honest. Anyone who is fraudulent is usually removed from sites quickly because they are hurting the reputation of the website.
Remember, some of the sellers on eBay are actually bridal salons. Make sure that you see enough pictures of the items and that all your questions are answered to your satisfaction. Purchasing on-line is no more risky than purchasing from a local bridal salon. Do your due diligence—ask questions, check the Better Business Bureau, and where possible speak to others who have purchased from them. There are great deals to be had out there—so enjoy shopping.
And before you make your final decision, check out the resource document with this module—it give you places to order direct from China as well as North American distributors who get their gowns direct from China and pass those savings on to you (for a small mark-up, of course). Enjoy looking.