Posted on 05/22/2011 10:27:50 AM PDT by rawhide
MYFOXNY.COM - Sophomore Jackie Genovese, 16, of New Jersey, had the perfect prom dress and date. But tragedy struck last week when her boyfriend of two years was killed in a car accident.
Jackie's boyfriend, James, died on the way home from a baseball team dinner. He was a popular Jackson High School senior only weeks from graduation.
She bought her $1,200 dress at Freehold's Diane and Co., also known for their popular Oxygen show "Dress Coutoure."
She wanted a refund for her dress so she could help pay for her boyfriend's funeral. Jackie's mom asked the owners of the store for a refund, which is against store policy. Instead they offered credit. But Jackie's mom said when she showed up to bring the dress back, they were nasty and unsympathetic.
Now her friends have started a Facebook page to call on boycotting the dress store.
Diane and Co. denies the accusations. Over the phone, owners said "this terrible tragic situation has been spun out of control. It's not a matter of being vicious or uncompassionate, but we are faced with tragedy all the time. And we weren't given a chance to rectify the situation."
A woman with a dress store in Indiana saw the Facebook page and offered to give Jackie a dress.
She still has the $1,200 store credit, which she is not sure she will.
Diane and Co. is standing firm on the no refund policy, but has offered to make a donation to a memorial set up in James name.
Stupid management at the Dress Shoppe.
For $1200, they could have had a million dollars worth of good PR and goodwill.
Instead they come off as the Prom Dress Nazis.
The store has issued a store credit for the dress and has offered to make a donation to a memorial fund for the funeral.
Why won’t the girl and her mother accept that?
It is generous in light of the store’s no refund policy.
I buy clothing at a similar shop and would never think of asking them to make a special exception for me. Most of the sales are special order and fitted, they are custom for me. I am sure the prom dress was as well.
Something’s askew when a girl who has $1200 for a prom dress dates a boy whose family cannot afford a decent funeral.
Although I feel for the kid and think the dress shop should refund her money. No one gives refunds for formal dresses anymore. That stopped years ago because woman/teens would wear the dress for a one time occasion with the tag tucked into the dress and return the dress after. I’m sure the dress shop has heard many sob stories that weren’t true.
I agree.
Me either, seems a huge waste of money for a one time deal.
Perhaps they'd be more understanding if she attached a copy of the death certificate to the receipt.
Good idea!!! Wonder if you could transfer it like that?
The mark-up on a dress like this is $1000. They would have been out...what...$200 bucks? Damn crooks!
////But Jackie’s mom said when she showed up to bring the dress back, they were nasty and unsympathetic. /////
i think this is what got the dress shop in trouble.....
what did Julia say????.....BIG MISTAKE.....BIG....HUGE
I would have given her an exchange based on the materal but not the labor. My guess is the materal could be reused, but the labor is gone.
Some nice things here.:)
http://www.dianeandcoonline.com/sub.php?CatId=38204#subtitle
Look her date for the evening did not pan out, and she wanted her money back. In a calculated ploy to not appear greedy, she had to quickly think of a charity to hide behind, thus the need to help pay for the funeral. Cold and calculating.
If your child can afford a $1200 dress, all that follows is insanity. lol
The store bent their policy and offered more. They took the dress back and offered to make a donation to a memorial fund for the funeral. The girl took the store credit. She no longer has the dress hanging in her closet as a reminder of her loss. She or her mother can buy $1200 of clothes at the store AND a contribution has been offered for funeral expenses. Why won’t the mother and daughter accept that?
Also consider this, even though they have the dress back the store will not be able to sell it for the original price. Fitted, custom orders that are returned or not picked up go to a sale rack as they are no longer standard sized items and most likely are now last season’s merchandise.
Prom dress shopping season is over. This dress is now last year’s style.
I think the store has been generous.
Your right - I wasn’t even thinking about the mark up. Screw them.
Yes- I was also questioning why SHE would be paying for the boyfriend’s funeral. Sounds like she wants a refund for a dress she simply won’t be able to wear. Instead of going public, she should have put the dress on ebay with an explanation of why she was selling it. I think she is trying to strongarm the store into refunding her money.
This is a good lesson for that teenager. Never spend more than rent money on something you wear. But I think the lesson is lost as it is the ‘in’ thing to blame someone else for your mistakes.
Oh please.
She should also get her money back for that Big Mac she had at dinner?
Her sad story does not override the law/store policy. It’s actually irrelevent that her BF died.
Exactly. It didn’t say she had it on layaway.
And what kind of mother asks a child to help pay for a funeral??!!
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