An open letter from Denise & Alan Fields, authors BRIDAL BARGAINS & BRIDAL PASSPORT

[alandenisefields]

To all the readers of our books, BRIDAL BARGAINS & BRIDAL PASSPORT.

Today we learned the country's largest discounter of bridal apparel---a company we have recommended for 15 years---has declared bankruptcy. With no notice, Discount Bridal Service is quitting business and leaving thousands of brides without gowns.

As authors and consumer advocates, we can say this disaster is unprecedented. We have been writing books since 1988 and have never faced a crisis like this. We have received over 200 phone calls today and another 300 emails---we are answering all of them and are working around the clock.

A bit of background: we first heard about Discount Bridal Service when we wrote our very first book, AUSTIN WEDDINGS back in 1988. We met their local rep in Austin, Texas and were impressed with their service: basically, DBS offered 20% to 40% off name-brand bridal apparel. The references checked out and we included them in our book.

DBS started out as Martins Bridal of Baltimore back in 1970. The company branched out to mail-order sales (DBS) in 1984. So, basically, we have a 21 year old company that has probably saved 100,000+ brides some tens of millions of dollars over the years. That doesn't excuse the owners for what they have done now, but it gives you some background.

When we released our first national book, BRIDAL BARGAINS, we included a recommendation for DBS. That book came out in 1990. Yes, we have sold over 500,000 copies of BRIDAL BARGAINS and that is due in no small part to the hard work of discounters like DBS (among the many other companies we have recommended). We are thankful to the thousands of readers who recommended our books to their friends and relatives. We realize readers recommended BRIDAL BARGAINS to other brides because they found it credible and helpful in planning their wedding.

Did DBS ever have complaints? Sure, they did. What impressed us about DBS was how the company's owners handled any problems---DBS (and their dealers) went to great lengths to take care of its brides. During the North Dakota flood of 1997, DBS donated thousands of dollars in dresses to help those brides whose gowns were damaged or destroyed. In an ironic twist, when other full-service bridal shops went out of business, DBS stepped in and offered to rescue brides' gowns caught in limbo at manufacturers' warehouses AT THEIR COST (that is, no profit). All in all, DBS generated few complaints and took care of their customers.

All this is cold comfort to those victims of DBS' bankruptcy: the brides, bridesmaids and dealers who will be out many dollars. We have talked with many of you on the phone and understand your anger and frustration.

As readers of our books, we pledge to you our help in this time of crisis. We will answer your emails and take your phone calls---if you get our voice mail, we are on the other line, so leave a message.

Here's our advice: FIRST, contact your dealer and see if she can help. We have heard some amazing stories about DBS dealers today . . . some are seamstresses and are sewing custom gowns for their brides for free. Others are contacting manufacturers and trying to get goods released by paying for them AGAIN with funds from their own pockets.

If you have paid with a credit card, contact your credit card company immediately and dispute the charge. Use this web site as a reference. You may be able to get a full refund on any payments.

If you paid by check, we don't have good news. Your payment will become part of the bankruptcy case---file a claim (we will have news on where to do this shortly). We would not hold out much hope you will see your money, however. You may be able to deduct the loss off your tax return (consult with your tax preparer).

IF YOUR WEDDING IS WITHIN 30 days: contact us immediately at 303-442-8792 or [email protected]. If your wedding is further out, contact your dealer and see what can be done about your gowns or a refund from your credit card company. You can always email us or call as well.

And if you work in the bridal industry, we need your help. Bridal Designers and Manufacturers, we ask you to release gowns (after payment, of course) directly to DBS dealers or consumers who show you proof of the order. We ask manufacturers to sell these goods at regular wholesale prices (that is, the price they'd expect from DBS) and not add surcharges or fees. We have faith that bridal designers and manufacturers will not take advantage of consumers in this time of crisis. We thank those retailers and internet sites that have offered to help DBS customers get their gowns.

We thank you for your understanding. We won't offer you any excuses---we recommended a company that is now gone. That is our mistake. We stand by here to help you as best we can.

Alan & Denise
authors, BRIDAL BARGAINS & BRIDAL PASSPORT
303-442-8792
[email protected]

[Impressed]

Alan & Denise,

I commend you for your proactive role in the damage control, and if any DBS management is reading this board, they should take a page from your playbook. Acting quickly, openly and honestly is absolutely the right way to respond to a bad situation. Letting a problem fester unmanaged, faking a two-week vacation, then slinking off into the night and letting someone else issue the press statement is NOT the way to respond to a bad situation. I hope you will be rewarded for your courage and good work.

[thankful bride]

Thank you so much for covering Martin's bankruptcy. Without you, dozens (hundreds?) of brides would be completely in the dark. Martin's has yet to even issue a statement to the local press regarding their bankruptcy and the only information brides have is what has come through you.

Your actions over the past few days only re-enforces what I thought as I read through my copy of Bridal Bargains months ago. You are terrific people doing all of us a much needed and much appreciated service.

[Toldyaso]

All I have to say SHHAME ON YOU for recommending a company that has always prided themselves on undercutting all of the legitimate brick and mortar stores over the last years. And SHAME ON THEM for being so deceitful.

There are many ways to save on your wedding -- but recommending that brides take such a risk on the most important thing that they will buy for their wedding -- THEIR BRIDAL GOWN -- that is WRONG!

I always thought it was rotten that you would recommend that brides go into stores who LEGITIMATLY carried the lines and waste their time trying on the samples that they paid lots of money for -- and then call DBS to order their gown. That just plain sucks!!

While I feel somewhat bad for the brides who are out of luck -- I also think -- what did you expect -- you were stupid enough to pay all of the money up front to a company that is not even an authorized dealer for the gown you want -- just to save a couple of bucks and in the process screw the stores that make it possible for you to even try on the gown. You deserve to pay more for your gown than you would have – if you had just ordered it legally. It is quite ironic actually!!!

I have been telling brides for years not to trust a company who says they will order a bridal for cheaper than the legitimate store. When you call the designer and they say – we have never heard of that company – that should be a red flag. DBS was a house of cards – it is no wonder that it fell.

TOLDYASO -- A bridal gown consutlant of 8 years

[Impressed]

Oh c'mon. The company was around for 21 years...that's hardly a "house of cards". I'm disgusted with the way they exited the industry, and I think it does show some absence of character, but DBS obviously filled some sort of NEED in the market. Maybe not all brides can afford the 100% markups at their local retailer. No one is "entitled" to a big, fat profit margin. Your are only entitled to the margin that the market will bear. So if the market is telling you that you are too expensive, respond by changing the way you operate. Don't kick & scream about the low-cost provider who is filling a need.

[HIGH FIVE]

AMEN!! I couldn't agree more!!

[HIGH FIVE]

It "filled the need" at the expense of the LEGITIMATE RETAILER

It was not a stand alone business but PARASITE

[Impressed]

If the market isn't paying you for what you are doing -- buying samples, maintaining a showroom, whatever -- then change what you are doing. That's how a free market works. If you want protection from law-abiding, profit-seeking competition, move to France.

[Summer Del Prete]

I just found out about this disaster through my matron of honor. I am waiting for my 8 bridesmaids dresses through Impressions Bridal. I have not been able to be in contact them but can not fathom having my bridesmaids PAY AGAIN for their already expensive, yet discounted bridesmaid dresses, even if they will offer the same price. And most of mine paid via check. I can not afford to pay for all of them either. Luckily, my wonderful matron of honor reminded me that I bought wedding insurance! I have left a message with my loss adjuster but after reading my policy, it looks like I should be able to be reimbursed for these charges, I will keep others updated to see if it works and recommend buying wedding insurance for times like these...

[Toldyaso]

Definitions of house of cards on the Web:

a speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control; "his proposal was nothing but a house of cards";

The reason I called it a house of cards - is that it was based on getting bridal gowns from companies that it did not have legitimate accounts with. Most DBS Consultants had a store front or did it out of their homes -- they had no stock, they did not have direct accounts with the designers... there was no legitimate claims to getting these bridal gowns -- it was inevitable that it would fall eventually. I am surprised that it lasted 20 years.

The market does pay for what FSBS offer – the problem is discounters. They make you believe that you are overpaying. Example – the designer sells a gown say at $500 wholesale and tells the FSBS to sell for no less than $700. well transhippers such as DBS will buy from someone who has a store for say $550 and sell for $600, so that each only makes $50 but undercuts what the legitimate FSBS can sell for. The reason that they can do this… they don’t have storefronts, samples…. – the problem is that you are adding another middleman and surpassing the rules set up by the manufacturer., and of course eventually you will go out of business if your business is based on a lie

Thanks HI FIVE

Parasite – that is exactly what it is!!

[Impressed]

Toldyaso, I have to credit you with an interesting repsonse. I think DBS Dealers were led to believe that DBS was buying its gowns via a relationship with the manufacturers. If this not the case -- if DBS was actually just buying discounted gowns from retailers and having their Dealers sell them under the misconception of a "realtionship" with the manufacturer, well, it seems like a claim could be made regarding criminal activity. And I think if a business owner has engaged in criminal activity, their liability extends beyond their business assets and into their personal assets. I am not a lawyer nor an expert on these matters, but that sounds familiar.

[Rosielyn Pulmano]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/money/4715005/detail.html?rss=bal&psp=news

My DBS representative called me yesterday and told me a little about the situation. I found this story on the Internet tonight.

Rosielyn Pulmano
[email protected]

[thankful bride]

are you serious? this is in no way any bride's, nor the Fields' fault.

perhaps if your industry didn't charge a ridiculous mark up on cheap polyester dresses, brides wouldn't be forced into that situation. For the record, I ordered 4 bridesmaids' dresses through Martin's actual storefront and lost the order. And you know who has come to my rescue to fulfill the order? Netbride.com, and I would highly recommend them to any brides still waiting for their dresses.

[Stacey S - Montana]

to TOLDYASO,
You're the one who sucks!! save your tirade for another venue. there's enough stress going on with this situation without your ignorant, shallow, insensitive, thoughtless comments.

To Bridal Bargains: I'd like to thank Bridal Bargains and DBS. I was married this past October and thanks to them, I was able to afford to have the wedding (and dress) of my dreams!! I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

Just as I was at a point in my life to be able to consider a career with DBS, I found this extremely disappointing. I think it should've been one of the most successful businesses out there.

Hopefully, someone out there can pick up the ball and run with it. It's a fantastic business concept!

~stacey s - montana

[stacij]

Just to clarify, DBS and Martin's Bridal were owned by the same people. Most of the gowns sold by DBS, through dealers, were purchased from the manufacturer directly under the Martin's Bridal account. (You can check most manufactuers websites and find that Martin's Bridal WAS an authorized retailer). DBS dealers were just like employees in a bridal shop - we were paid a commission for the gowns we sold and nothing more. It is true that we were scattered across the country and had a broader reach than a traditional bridal shop. The problem with this set-up was NOT the dealers, but was with business decisions made by the owners of DBS and Martin's Bridal.