How much $$ Did You Lose

[MAD GROOM]

We are out 481 and some change

[JoAnne Schnepp]

As a dealer, I only had one bride with an order not delivered. I am out about $300 on that one, and she is out about the same amount, as I worked out splitting the costs of getting the gown, such that she would only lose her 'savings' over the retail price.

I could not afford to do more for her.

But, we dealers also need to consider this: How much FUTURE business have we also lost? I cannot offer gowns to a bride any longer, unless I can find some manufacturers that will sell to me as a home based business with no minimums. I have found one: AngelQ Bridals in California will do that with me. I had an arrangement with them BEFORE they contracted with DBS so they will still honor that. I am also contacting some of the overseas manufacturers who sell on EBay to see if they will work with me. The other regular manufacturers here in the states that I have emailed have not even responded.

I am hoping they will figure out how much they stand to lose that DBS was bringing in to them, and make us offers or something. We need to shake up this industry so brides have choices!!

[Desperate]

I am out $2000.

[Carolyn Bodner]

I'm considering myself lucky - I'm only out $441.

[Kalinda]

As a FSBS, I am out countless thousands of dollars. Thousands of dollars over the past 15 years in added wear on my inventory, payroll, and all of the other business expenses that I pay to run a legitimate business and maintain accounts in good standings with the designers. All lost because of the sleazy recommendations of Alan and Denise Fields and all DBS dealers who encouraged their brides to come in and use my services knowing full well they would not be supporting me.

I have a very good reputation in my area. I never turn a bride away. I even insist that my staff treat all brides equally, despite the situations where they openly discuss that they are only in my store utilizing my resources to confirm that this is "the dress" so they can order elsewhere to save $50.

Overall, my shop has swayed many of these brides to support us instead because of our reputation, my fair prices, and the experience they had when they initially came in to "use" us. Those that I've lost, well, most of them had an "I want something for nothing" attitude and I'm probably better off without the hassles of working with them through the duration of their engagement.

However, what about all of the other potential brides that I've lost over the years because of Alan and Denise Fields' and some DBS dealers' slanderous statements grouping all FSBS into one category of money grubbing, overcharging creeps. How many brides never even gave me a chance because of the generalized attacks on my industry?

We aren't all like that. Some of us charge very fair prices that will never make us rich, but rather allow us to remain in business and make an honest living and provide a comfortable (middle class) life for our families. Some of us even struggle at times during the low seasons.

So do your really want everyone to list how much money they are out? Because I guarantee you some of us in the FSB industry will win the contest.

[KJ]

Yah Know What? Nobody here cares. In fact, I'm sick of listing to you all whine on this board. This was started as a support board for DBS brides and dealers. So perhaps you should go gloat on the FSBS board. I for one own a brick and mortor store. I have brides go in and out of my store every day and never buy from me either!!!

[Jean dbsqueen]

Dear KJ
I think this is the first time I've laughed in days. Thank you and good luck in all you do. You're so right, this was all supposed to be support and mostly it's just been venting. Everyone needs to vent but it really is time for the rest of us to get over ourselves. Myself and the rest of the staff will help as much as we can but our hands are tied for the most part. We'll try.

Jean dbsqueen

[JoAnne Schnepp]

First of all, I didn't know this was a contest????

Secondly, the forum is for DBS Dealers and brides to vent.

Thirdly, the first and foremost concern here, should be for the brides who don't have their gowns.

Almost all brick and mortar businesses have a rough time. And probably most of us know that when you get to the NET income, you barely have a good middle class income there. It's fragile...and it's the reason some of us were working from home!

BUT...I still maintain, the reason for a storefront, is so people can come in and look around, try things on and decide what they want. Not everyone will buy something at all...and not everyone will buy the day they first come in either, but may be back if they get treated nicely.

Again, I remind you, DBS dealers were carefully taught and it was in the paperwork we signed, that we DID NOT tell brides to go to the local bridal shop to try on gowns and then come back and order from us. If DBS had found out that any of us did that, we would have lost our dealership immediately. We helped the brides AFTER they knew which dress they wanted a quote on. Most of the brides that came to me, it started with a phone call saying, "I want to know if you can get a gown from such and such a manufacturer and how much will it cost me..." That's when I 'met' my bride...when I gave them the quote. They had already found the gown. What they said in the store, didn't mean any DBS dealer TOLD them to go there!

[KJ]

Hi Jean,
Just wanted to thank you and Marika for all that you did on the Dunten/Raylia wedding the week of June 25th.
I sent you all cookies from the most awesome bakery down the road.
Just curious as to if you received them?
In retrospect I can now see the stress you must have been under.
KJ

[Left Holding the Bag]

I agree. Dealers need to stop venting on this board and vent to an attorney. We are having our bank accounts pillaged by chargebacks, we face liabilities that far exceed any sort of earning potential we had with DBS, and it's all because we thought DBS was paying for our orders up-front when in fact they were just holding our cash. There is a paper trail and we need to start following it.

[Out of Money]

Let's start a post of how much money we are out. One person so far is out $10,000. Let's show them how much damage they have done to us.

I am out $3,000