PDA

View Full Version : Low's Bridal in Brinkley, AR--horrible service, and they are tag rippers to boot!



samanthamarek
03-21-2006, 05:28 PM
It is best summed up in the letter than I wrote to them...

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment with my experience at Low’s. As most women do, I had longed dreamed about my wedding day and the joy that would surround such activities of shopping for my wedding gown. For several months after my engagement, I poured over bridal magazines, tearing out pictures of gowns that caught my eye. After a while, I noticed that most of them had something in common: Low’s bridal was featured as a retailer on almost all of their resource guides. So, as a Christmas gift to my maid of honor, Catherine (and myself), I bought her a plane ticket from Florida to Memphis, and I booked (and paid for) a reservation at Low’s for January 2nd, 2004. I was really looking forward to purchasing a wedding gown with the help of my best friend.
On Friday, January 2nd, Catherine and I made the 80 mile drive from Memphis to Brinkley. I was pleased to meet my “Bridal Consultant” but a bit concerned to learn that she was senior in high school—I just did not feel confident with a 17 year-old girl assisting me in making such an important purchase. I immediately pulled out all of my magazine clippings (about 20 dresses in all), and told my consultant that I understood that Low’s probably would not have all of these gowns, but that I would like to see the ones that they did have. In addition, if they did not have the exact gowns, I was still interested in seeing other gowns by the designers whose dresses I had shown her. Her response was: “If we have the gowns, we will see them when we go through your size.”
So we went through gown, after gown, after gown. First, I was confused that there were no designer’s tags in any of your gowns. The only tags that I saw read “Low’s Bridal.” Secondly, I became increasingly antsy as my allotted hour and a half drew to a close and I still had not seen any gowns by the designers I was interested in. I expressed my concern over and over to my consultant, telling her that I did not even care if the gowns I wanted to see were in my size since my gown would have to be ordered from the manufacturer anyhow. I had been to other salons and the consultants there had not problem holding the gown in place for me if it was too big or too small, so I could see what it would look like if it was in my size. However, all of this seemed to fall upon deaf ears as she continued to show me more gowns that I was not interested in. Ultimately, I left your establishment without a gown, and angry that I had driven 80 miles for nothing.
What made me even MORE angry is the fact that I called Low’s as soon as we got home and asked to speak to management. I had already pre-paid for another appointment the next day (in case I wanted to see more gowns) and wanted to air out my concerns—I was willing to give your store another chance at my business, and drive another 80 miles, if you could promise that I could see the gowns I was interested in. I was told that management was busy and someone would return my call. I still have never heard from anybody.
To that end, I will let you know of the steps that I have taken to ensure that other brides-to-be do not waste their time coming to your establishment. First, I contacted the Federal Trade Commission, as you may or may not know that by law, according to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, bridal gown are required to be properly labeled. Second, I contacted Wearkstatt, Amsale, Tomasina, Marisa and Demitrios (all designers whose gowns you claim to carry) to let them know that I specifically requested to see their gowns at your shop and was denied. Third, I posted messages to the boards of theknot.com, weddingchannel.com, bridesonline.com and bridalbargainsbook.com letting them know about my experience. Lastly, I bought a plane ticket to Atlanta and spent $6,200 on a couture gown at a salon where I was listened to and pampered, as ever bride-to-be should be—I guess my 3 carat ring did not clue your “bridal consultant” in to my expectations. I will keep telling everyone I see about my great experience there, and my horrible experience at Low’s.