5 Dangers to look for when buying Bridal Gowns online

1) Price: Consumers looking to avoid fake goods will, in some cases, ignore any too good to be true prices advertised on the internet; but counterfeiters are becoming wiser and realising that they have more chance of fooling shoppers the less they reduce the price. Therefore, it is important to know the genuine recommended retail price of the dress and then use this as a benchmark. If there is a discount of any significance – even if it’s just 10% or 20% off – it’s always worth doing some further research to see if these savings are legitimate.

2) The Website: Counterfeiters can be extremely good at creating fake websites that appear genuine, making it difficult for shoppers to make the right judgement call. In cases like this, it’s always worth looking at the websites ‘About’ section, as counterfeiters are usually less careful with the detail on these pages. If they do not include vita company information, for example the delivery details or where the company is based, it is best to steer clear.

3) Return and Privacy policies: Any legitimate website will make these policies clear to consumers, as they are important for those who wish to return an item that may be faulty or might not fit. If these policies are hard to find or don’t seem to exist, that should be a serious warning sign of counterfeit activity.

4) The Website URL: Often, counterfeiters will use URL addresses that are confusingly like those of genuine brands but include subtle spelling mistakes or typo errors, in the hope that customers unknowingly visit these types of sites – a method known as ‘cybersquatting’. Therefore, before buying anything, shoppers should check the URL address of the site they’re on to ensure it is 100% correct. It’s also useful to check the site has a ‘https://’ prefix, which indicates the website is secure.

5) Online Marketplaces: Finally, for those looking for a bargain through online marketplaces, shoppers should thoroughly check the reviews of the seller they are looking to buy from. It sounds obvious but if the reviews are overwhelmingly positive then you can assume the seller is trustworthy, but if reviews are mostly negative, it’s worth investigating the other options available.

Buying your wedding dress is a huge commitment and a large sum of money to invest, so, if in doubt it is best to buy in person from an independent boutique where you can be sure you are buying the real thing and you have a real person to help guide and advice you through the sales process.