Kleinfeld's Problems

[pearlr2]

I recently looked for a bridal gown at Kleinfeld's and had the most unpleasant experience. Below is a list of my complaints:

1) I went there for an early appointment and was kept waiting over half an hour. I will note that by the time my appointment was over, the wait had extended. Obviously, Kleinfeld's had counted on at least 25 no shows which is ridiculous considering
they charge $50 if you do not give them 48 hours notice for a cancellation, you must leave a credit card number when scheduling the appointment.

2) They refused to tell me the name of the manufacturer of the dress I liked. They instructed me that they offer this information only after the purchase is made. They had torn the tag out, too. (I found out the maker through me own detective work later and alerted them, Christos, that this was happening.) I found this strange especially since they offer manufacturer information on their website for dresses that are photographed. The dress I liked was not on the website so I did not have this information. (They said, "We will not tell you the name until you purchase the dress." I retorted, "I will not purchase the dress unless you tell me the name.")

3) The sales associate tried to pressure me into making a purchase that day after I made it clear multiple times that I would make no purchase until my mother saw the dress. The sales associate even told me that the dress may not be there on Tuesday, two days later, when I planned to return with my mother.

4) I described the type of dress I was looking for and was told that only two fit my description. When I found the website after I left, there were many dresses displayed that fit my specifications (A line, minimal beading, sleeveless w/straps). Perhaps once I said that I was not interested in buying that day, the sales associate lost interest in me.

5) Kleinfeld's reported incorrectly their problems w/St. Pucci. I had read on this site later that St. Pucci had taken Kleinfeld's to court for unpaid bills. When I asked to see a St. Pucci dress that I likes (I had a picture), I was told that St. Pucci had a poor delivery record so Kleinfeld's had cut off business with them.

Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere. I went to a great shop in Hoboken called Elizabeth's Bridal Couture where I was given time, space, great service and full disclosure of both the name and model number of the St, Pucci dress I purchased.


Rachel

[Mrs_ Porter]

On a trip to NYC from Washington, D.C., I also checked out some NYC-based bridal salons including Kleinfeld's. I experienced problems similar to those experienced by Rachel.

First, I had to wait for over a half an hour to be helped, even though I had an appointment. In other salons, if the bridal consultant I was scheduled to meet with was tied up, other consultants or the store manager would make an effort to make me feel comfortable and show me dresses on the rack. However, due to how Kleinfeld's is set up -- kind of like an assembly line -- there aren't salespeople available to make sure that the brides are comfortable and you can't check out dresses on your own because the dresses are in the back.

I was armed with print-outs from Kleinfeld's website of the dresses that I wanted to try on. Despite repeated requests to see particular dresses, the bridal consultant would only bring dresses she thought that I should try on (i.e., dresses in the high end or higher than my stated price range). This was particularly frustrating because I was from out-of-town and couldn't just stop by any time I wanted. Additionally, I was not permitted to browse through the racks to see other dresses.

I was generally unimpressed with the salon itself. It was dark and dirty. I wouldn't have minded that so much if the inferior atmosphere meant discounted dresses, but I didn't see any bargains to be had.

Additionally, the quoted alternations charges were extremely high and there may have even been a fixed charge for alterations (I can't remember for certain though).

Personally, I'm only going to award a store with my business if the store provides excellent customer service. Every bride wants to feel good about purchasing her wedding dress and I just didn't feel good about giving Kleinfeld's my business. Barring the dresses that are Kleinfeld's "exclusives", a bride can find all the dresses offered by Kleinfeld's somewhere else.

Mrs. Porter

[meow624]

I actually had a good experience at Kleinfeld's. I did have to wait about 20 minutes, though. My consultant (Maria T.) was very helpful and knowledgeable. She brought me the dresses that I requested to try on and she told me the designer for each dress. She did not pressure me at all to make a purchase. I ordered my dress from them. There is a flat fee of $395 for alterations.