My future daughter-in-law, an Army MP, one of America's brightest and bravest young women, is marrying my son, one of America's brightest and bravest young men, who is also an Army MP. They are presently stationed in Germany awaiting deployment to Iraq. They met in Germany a year ago, and planned to come home on leave this Christmas to get married.
Today is December 13. They will arrive stateside December 15, and their wedding is December 23rd.
The bride is from Ohio, so that is where she shipped her dress. I live outside of Chicago, and their wedding will be here. This is also where HOB.com is located.
When I spoke to the mother of bride today, she told me that she had received the dress, but that there was dye on the dress and snags all over. The kind of snags that pull strings of fabric from the cloth.
I called the local number for hob.com, and I was put through to a customer service hag, I mean rep, named Gay (Her name is obviously an alias. Many companies use them... As an example all off shore companies, think India, use American names like we are going to be fooled into believing he was named Kevin). Gas, I mean Gay was so very abrasive and unhelpful that when I hung up I was trembling.
Gay told me that she had to speak to a manager named Joan who was away from her desk. Gay did called me back but she told me that I had to ship the dress back to their warehouse at my own expense. That's when I asked to speak to Joan personally. I was told I would not be allowed to speak to Joan. I would have to send her an e-mail. I asked for Joan's last name. I was told that I was not going to get a last name. What was actually said was, you are NOT going to get that information. That's when I knew that Joan was a fake name for a person that didn't exist. (This is also common practice with many companies including a company I once worked for.)
Then I asked to speak to Joan's supervisor, and I was told, 'that's not going to happen either.'
I was told that I had been given all the information I needed, and after I sent the dress back to Houseofbrides.com at my expense, they would examine it.
I asked what their time frame was for getting a resolution to this crisis. I was put on hold for a moment. When Gay came back on the line, I was told that they would take things, 'one step at a time.'
I asked if it was possible to get another dress by the time of wedding; 10 days away. I was told that there were no guarantees.
I asked what would happen if time ran out. Gay hesitated and then she reiterated that there were no guarantees.
I have been searching the internet trying to find a name for a CEO or President or anyone who runs this dreadful company... Anyone... Who would be able to help expedite matters and get a fresh, clean, undamaged dress delivered in time for this wedding.
I also want to warn anyone buying something from houseofbrides.com. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY.
No bride should have to go through this kind of disappointment, but this particular bride was unable to go shopping at her leisure because she is busy defending her country. A country that lets weasel companies like HOB.com stay in business. It's not fair and it's not nice. And it shouldn't be possible that companies like this exist and can hold us hostage simply because 10 days before a wedding we have no recourse.
So, her mother will take the dress to a tailor in Ohio and hopefully it will be able to be salvaged. If not, we will have to try to find another gown, and our sweet brave soldier will not be able to have the wedding dress of her dreams. The beautiful day that she has waited for will be compromised.
House of Brides will have taken something precious from her and turned it to ashes.
I hope they remember this the next time they see a soldier and know that she is defending them with her life even though they are all despicable low life pond scum.
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