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CB Clothing and Accessories Review of Romanticgowns.com (Bridal Online)
Romanticgowns.com (Bridal Online)

Romanticgowns.com (Bridal Online) review: Bad customer service 23

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Author of the review
5:13 pm EST
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HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. They claim that they are the best to order from because of their generous return policy (they offer a refund of the dress price minus 10% restocking fee)...crap. I paid $350 for my dress and got free shipping. Before that dress came in, I found another that I liked more...so I ordered that and chose to cancel my order. Because of the $75 charge for canceling the order, I thought maybe I would wait and just send the order back and pay the 10% restocking fee. When I called they insisted on charging a $25 shipping fee (in addition to the restocking fee)...even though my invoice clearly stated that the price of the dress was $350 with FREE SHIPPING. I will never every recommend them to anyone. They are incredibly unethical. Not to mention, they have a reliablility rating of a C- with the Better Business Bureau...I wish I would have seen that before my purchase. Also, turns out, the dress I ordered was a copy (pretty much exact) of a Maggie Sottero dress but were passing it off as their own. I wonder if Maggie Sottero knows about it. DON'T SHOP HERE.

23 comments
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blady
Chicago, US
Feb 09, 2012 8:35 pm EST

wats-there-number

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ClassyQueen
, US
Oct 17, 2011 9:58 pm EDT

i am trying to contact them now about a dress i want to order but all of the numbers are off. so what is really going on

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angieclarke
Manhattan, US
Oct 17, 2011 4:11 am EDT

I bought a dress from this site and I was positively amazed how beautiful it was. I made payments and as soon as I was paid in full I received my dress about 2 weeks later! My maid of honor bought her dress from this site as well. She had an issue with the sash being the wrong color when she received her dress so she called them and they shipped out a new one right away. She received it 5 days later! They told her to keep the original one and sent the right one to her with no additional charge. They were always very polite and I must say very patient. I must have talked to someone from the company at least 5 times in one week to get questions I had answered and they were always very helpful! My wedding day was amazing due to the man I was renewing my vows with and my wonderful dress!

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EKCanada
Montreal, CA
Oct 03, 2011 4:30 pm EDT

I bought my wedding dress there, which is lovely, but I am not happy with one aspect of their service: refund! When I was looking at their site, I asked the sales rep, Kim, about alterations to the dress. Kim said they didn't offer alterations, so I said I would only THINK about buying the dress because I really needed alteration. However, when I continued to surf the site, I saw that they have a page saying they offer alterations, so I went back and asked Kim about the alteration page. Kim quickly said she was mistaken before and that they did offer alterations. With this happy news, I bought the hem alteration in addition to the dress. However, the day after I made my purchase, Kim e-mailed me to say the seamstress was leaving the company, so they do not offer alterations after all. She offered me a refund or a veil. I told her I already have the veil, so I asked for a refund, which she said would come in 14-16 days. After 16 days, I e-mailed, and Kim said it would take till the end of the month (i.e. 30 days) for the refund to go through because they had a new accounting system. At the end of the month, I did not get my refund. I e-mailed and e-mailed, but the company no longer responds to me. It is my belief that the company (or the company rep) purposely misled me into purchasing a service they do not offer (because that was what made me to decide to buy the dress) and then made me wait over 30 days for a refund that was never going to come (so that disputes through Paypal becomes extremely difficult). The rep was all nice and reassuring before the 30 days, but, right after that, the company completely ignores me. The company still has the alteration page up (Why would they if they no longer offer the service?), and they have not responded to my complaints through Paypal or the Better Business Bureau (I complained only after they started ignoring my e-mails, and I was very polite in each e-mail that I sent them). If you go to the BBB website, you will see that the company has a rating of F:

http://www.bbb.org/dayton/business-reviews/bridal-shops/international-bridal-in-centerville-oh-7005975

So far, there are 46 complaints, 8 having to do with delivery and 38 having to do with their product/service. I think that company has no business ethics. You can make purchases easily, but heaven help you if there is an issue with what you've purchased.

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RachMC
Indianapolis, US
Jul 21, 2011 10:29 pm EDT

My step mother told me of the website and I decided to check it out, since she had great luck. I loved a dress that was online, and wanted to go into the store to check it out. I ended up ordering the dress. The major problems started when I wanted to get a swatch for my dress. It took them 5 months to send me a swatch, with a different excuse every time as to why I had not yet received it. When my mom (who paid for the dress) called and pressured them, they miraculously had the swatch in hand at 9am the next morning, after they had blamed it on the designer who is on the west coast and they are located in Ohio. Out of curiosity, I called a store close by (as I drove a few hours to get to this store) who carries the same designer to check their story and the swatch. I was told that all the stories about the designer being difficult to work with, hard to get a hold of, or obtain the swatch were lies. When it came time for my dress to be here (end of July), I get a phone call last week telling me that my dress was supposed to arrive this week, but it would be late, and I would get a call 3-4 days later. 6 days later, I get a phone call telling me that they have the dress in the right color, but don't have a part of the dress and it won't be here in time for my wedding in October. My mother then called, and they told her it was ordered in the wrong color (however, the swatch was correct). They offered us the floor model, which was stretched out and stained last year when I tried it on, and would not offer a portion of the money back if we bought it. They also gave us a story about how the owner gave the store up and products could not be released for a while...it was paid in FULL in January. Supposedly we are being told they may have filed bankruptcy. If I can't get a dress from them or a refund, there will be no wedding. This is by far the worst experience I've been through, and it is ruining what is supposed to be a happy time for our family, now we don't even know if we will have a wedding.

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cnoods17
Hollywood, US
Jul 19, 2011 7:38 pm EDT

My sister ordered a dress April 30 was told it was in stock and guranteed it be here by June 30 (ordered over live chat with LISA200)...called when it didnt come and LISA200 (again, sale manager) said oh it will be here in 2 more weeks now contact them on live chat today and Cherie1900 says they found out late friday they wouldn't be able to get the dress and I couldnt speak to manager (LISA200) because she was out until Friday?...If the dress was in the making by May how do you find out 2 months later it is not available...today she had to choose another style she is not happy with because she will only get it on time if its in the warehouse if it comes from the factory she wont get it in time. And Cherie also said if she doesnt want to pick another dress from them then to dispute the credit card company for the refund cause its faster than them giving one. To top it off it is less than 8 weeks from her wedding so no other bridal company will have a dress ready in time for her so she had to choose an alternate they have available:(

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zelanova
New Hartford, US
Jun 08, 2011 6:13 pm EDT

I have to agree! Their customer service policies are horrible! I ordered a dress in March on their layaway program, the dress was paid off by the first week of April. I was told then that the dress would arrive in the end of April, then the begining of May, then the end of May, when I called in the middle of May I was told the first week of June by one person and a few hours later told it could be the end of June. Sorry, but I got a little tired of all the conflicting answers. I ended up cancelling my order and asking for a refund minus the $75 non-refundable deposit. (Not a thief!) They sent me an e-mail that day stating that the refund was placed in their computers and it COULD take up 10-14 days to see a refund in my account. Now, they said COULD, which to me means that it should take less time but in the event it doesn't, my refund SHOULD be in my account by 14 business days. Knowing how these people work, I decided to be proactive about my refund. I called after 10 business days to find out the status of my refund. The lady I spoke to looked at my account and told me it should be another 7-10 business days to see my refund. Putting it well past the original time I was told in an e-mail from the returns department. I told her I was not satisfied with that as I was told different earlier. She then said she would send a letter to accounting to spend up the process for me. About a week later, nothing. I called again and the new lady told me it could take up to 30 business days to process a refund! WHAT!?!?!? I was not told that at all! I decided then that enough was enough. I went to my bank and filed a dispute to get a chargeback. I was refunded, but temporarily. I gave the bank a copy of the original e-mail stating that they cancelled my order and were going to give me a refund in a certain time frame but have failed to. Of course they have a right to dispute my dispute. But I can't imagine why they would. It is my money. Beware this company!

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windel
Rushden, GB
Jun 08, 2011 5:45 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

If I stop only you from being a victim of this company's incredibly bad customer service then it makes it worthwhile that I took the time out to write a reveiw, by the way I have sent another e mail to them and they are being true to form by ignoring it!

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lynn0511
, US
Jun 06, 2011 10:40 pm EDT

I am lucky that for some reason i decided to investgate complaints for every website i window shop a gown for . for some reason i visited romantic gowns earlier today and browsed their incredible looking product line at value prices FOR UP TO TWO HOURS AND WAS BLOWN AWAY.. On a very tight wed plan ( 3 months) and tight budget as well. i can understand empathise with the frustration of many who have come to wits end because of their experience with romantic gowns.
In hindisght, my experience was that as soon as you touch the browse buttons, their online assistants jump on you like hawks but for some nagging reason i found this intrusive and probably anticipated pressure selling as i briefly chatted with one who made a few suggestions of dresses...i excused myself so i can browse at ease.. i gave my wed date in August and when i expressed worry would not get dress in time, the conversation seemed to end and hours later i land on this website hence i hope have escaped becoming a victim...

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windel
Rushden, GB
Jun 03, 2011 12:02 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i ordered my Kelsey wedding dress with jacket from them, i am in the UK and on a tight budget, the shipping was £80, but i had to pay £95 on top of that before they would deliver it almost doubling the cost of the ! The dress is a US size 14 instead of the UK size 14 that i ordered so i will have to have it altered, but the jacket is an 18 (US), i have e mailed 3 times and still no one has answered me, i am at my wits end! how do you get them to deal with your complaints? Is it a case of going to watchdog? The anoying thing is that i saw this dress on a Chinese site but got it from here because i trusted the American site more and the consultant seemed so caring, i feel as though all they care about is getting your money, there is no after sales help at all-and guess what- the dress is made in China after all, the quality of the jacket is very poor, and although i received a complementry bag and shawl my dress is ivory and they are white so i can't use them!

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TAREVA
Phoenix, US
May 25, 2011 5:58 pm EDT

DO NOT BY FROM THEM! I purchased a dress on the 17th of February...it is May 25th and I still have no dress! After promising me the dress at the end of April, the rude customer service people told me that the dress would be here at the beginning of May...Then the end of May... and now they are telling me that it will be here at the beginning of June. THIS SITE IS HORRIBLE! I have a wedding coming up and no dress. What kind of bridal website would have the bride stressing like this? FIX YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUIT THE LIES

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thesweetestweddings
, JM
May 19, 2011 9:13 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sweetest-FashionWeddings-Jamaica/113282905419750

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ginafromtampa
St. Petersburg, US
Feb 11, 2011 2:46 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I received my dress although it was 10 days past the promised date (total was 5 and a half weeks). But it's beautiful and looks exactly like the photo (ruby red Mia Solano wedding gown).

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ginafromtampa
St. Petersburg, US
Feb 02, 2011 6:43 pm EST
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Your comment is awaiting moderation.
I ordered my $800 Mia Solano wedding dress on December 29, 2010 from Romanticgowns.com. They assured me it would arrive in 4 weeks (by January 31, 2011). I contacted them at 4 weeks and they said it hasn’t been shipped from Mia Solano yet and should be sent to me by the first week of February. I called on February 2, and they said it hasn’t been shipped from Mia Solano and should be here by February 14! Another person came on the line and said they would call Mia Solano and find out what the delay is. I’m getting pretty worried now.

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autumnnosbisch
Guttenberg, US
Jan 17, 2011 10:05 pm EST

I love this bridal store. In the first place when you are getting a gown custom made and brand new you need to allow 6 months. I ordered my gown in April 2010 from them and recieved it in October 2010 which is the time they told me it would take 6 months! It is gown 8006 and I had to have mine custom made because Iam bigger than thier largest size by a couple of inches and it came and it fits perfectly. Wonderful quality it is pure heaven to look at it and feel on my skin so soft, as our day isn't until July 23rd, 2011. Plus I'm a bit of a phsyco so I called like every week a few days in a row the last month and they were always nice and understanding; you just can't beat it. Oh and my gown was $159.00 + $99.00 for custom measurements and they threw in a purse, shawl, and gown bag free.

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Isabel1979
, US
Dec 12, 2010 8:28 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

The site clearly states the policies! I received my gown overnight shipping and it was absolutely stunning! It says at checkout if your wedding is within 12 weeks you MUST CALL TO CHECK STOCK! If the gown is IN stock, you will get it within a week depending on where you are located. IF the gown is NOT in stock, it also states it takes 12 to 14 weeks to receive! If your wedding is soon you would think YOU would call to verify wether the gown is in stock or not! Why would you want to chance it! Dont assume anything! ASK Questins and READ the details! Romanticgowns.com is an absolutely incredible place to purchase a gown, prices are amazing, there return policy is very generous and local bridal shops dont even offer a return policy ALL SALES ARE FINAL when you go into a local bridal shop! I wouldn't shop anywhere but Romanticgowns.com for my wedding, they offer everything you need under one roof! Accessory packages at 50% off and ONE LOW PRICE SHIPPING Amount no matter how much you order! They deliver EXACTLY what they say they will and they will tell you the exact time frame you will receive your gown - ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK! And my consultant was very friendly and helped me with everything, she went above & beyond to make my day special, thank you Cherie1900 at romantic gowns!

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Barb1355
Eagleville, US
Nov 02, 2010 2:46 pm EDT

I love Romantic Bride. I ordered my dress in a different color than it showed available... just ask the online assistant, they can tell you which ones can come in a different color. The only issue I had is that I requested sleeves be added and they were not. I was charged for them though, so I called the manager and he assured me that the cost would be refunded. I have still not received my money back and will need to follow up with them. My dress took a couple weeks longer than expected, but I allowed plenty of time. It is absolutely gorgeous and a steal for what I paid for it. I also got a tiara, the slip, and "Cinderella" shoes. It was great going to one source for everything - and, again, at very reasonable prices! I will be going back to order my undergarments now too. Thank you RB for making this part of my planning simple, easy and successful.

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lidlust
glasgow, GB
Oct 05, 2010 11:15 am EDT
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well i totally disagree i contacted romantic gown through the live chat service and they were fantastic i could ask them whatever i needed to ask and they were very heplful and really put my mind at rest about everything.
i order the dress of my dreams but was still a bit scared about the whole internet thing as i live in scotland and didnt even know if the company was real but i took my chances and ordered it on thursday night at 4pm and i was told i would probably recieve it in 14 working days well to my complete amazement my dress was delivered on monday morning so it just took 2 working days to get here all the way from ohio to scotland so thankyou soooo much andrea 1100 at romantic gowns you are and absolute star xxxx

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BewareOnlineNightmare
Seattle, US
Aug 19, 2010 3:27 am EDT

Do not order any items from this online store. One false story after another, some different excuse every time you call of why your dress is delayed... I was charged 3 times when I ordered online through their checkout with PayPal (error message so I resubmitted my info 3, still another error message so I called the toll free number) and was told it was "Pay Pal's" fault..and that Pay Pal " had an error in their database."
My now husband works for PayPal...and that is a boldface LIE! It is their network error and negligence, that's how clueless or uncaring they are. I had to wait 15 days for my overcharges to be credited back to my bank account ( I used a debit card) and suffered over 15o.oo in overdraft fees! When I called numerous times to talk to one person, after another and another... no one could give me a honest response. I told them that they are responsible for paying my overdraft fees, because it was not PayPal's fault... Again, why did PayPal not refund the multiple purchases... but THEY DID?
Long story short...after talking with PayPal, I was not the only victim but one of over hundreds... And PayPal have been strongly advised, to drop their merchant account because of their "lies, and blame" they posed them for their errors!
...and the icing on the cake?... I never received my dress when I was told I was going to, but was going to receive it 5 days before my wedding as opposed to 3 months...

BEWARE!
CAUTION!

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Chezzie
Nottingham, GB
Jul 19, 2010 4:03 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Wow! I have seen the perfect gown on this site and now i really don't know what to do! When I initially spoke to these people they said that their gowns are small and i should order bigger than my normal size - can anyone confirm this please? Also, i need it posting to the UK, is it likely to get here or not?

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Samanthalvschris
Miamisburg, US
Jun 22, 2010 9:16 pm EDT

WOW lady chill out. 1. all designers feed the designs off of another. As long as there is a slight difference designers cannot sue them. DUH! 2. it states in the policy the fee's. Its not their fault you cannot learn to look at the policy and FAQ's.

I received my gown and it is amazing. It was the sonora gown. I couldnt be happier with them. The consultants were friendly. It took a little while to get it however i did hear that they are changing management and due to the many many natual disasters and china getting their stimulus checks and bailing on their jobs i can understand why it took so long. I am getting married August 7th. I will upload some pics! YAY!

The only complaint i have is that the bridesmaids gowns are not pictured in all the colors. But i guess you cant have it all. its not burger king.

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HScura
Calhan, US
Apr 27, 2010 12:41 pm EDT

Here's my concern and frustration. Though their product line is incredible - and their customer service is enthusiastic - I'm becoming a Bridezilla in a nutshell.

I ordered my gown on January 11th, 2010 - in order to have ample time for alterations and to have the gown to inspire me to lose weight and work with the dress to purchase the perfect accessories.

Here it is, April 27th - and still no dang gown! I have spoke with representatives on four occasions now; their chipper zeal is pleasurable...however, that does not answer my question why every time I contact them - they are moving my receive date back.

I ordered a beautiful gown and some accessories which cost over $500.00...and they've had that money in their pocket for 14 weeks now...

It's pretty disappointing really. However, I will continue to put my sunny personality into the universe and pray that the dress is flawless :)

So, note to those looking for a wedding gown online: Either lie :( and say that your wedding date is only a month out from the order time - so that you get your dress in at a reasonable time-frame...or just anticipate it could take literally MONTHS before you get to even see your purchase.

Disappointed for now -

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Zhenya
, US
Apr 12, 2010 12:27 am EDT

Well, I think they cannot be called unethical only because they charged you so much. They clearly state all the fees on their website and it's your choice to go ahead and order or shop somewhere else. It's just the way they do business. I don't know if the dress is a copy of a designer one, but hey, that's why you pay only $300 or $400 instead of thousands of dollars for a designer gown.

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