Spotting Counterfeits

How to Spot a Counterfeit Prom Dress Website

We've all heard the counterfeit dress horror stories. You order your perfect prom dress at a steeply discounted price from a site that had a designer image and even lets you have it custom made to your size to avoid costly alterations! Suddenly, it's mere days before prom and there's still no sign of your dress, or it arrives looking like something your little cousin glued together for a school project. Avoid the stress, aggravation, and potential loss of money by taking the time to check out a trusted dress site when you shop online. Authentic designer prom dresses always come from an authorized prom dress retailer, so it's important to do some research before placing an online order. A little time now can save you from heartache before the big night. For more tips on how to protect your prom night dreams (Oh! And your money and identity!), check out these FAQs about avoiding counterfeit prom dress sites.

How Do I Know if a Site is an Authorized Prom Dress Retailer?

You know you've found an authentic prom dress site if you can find it listed as an authorized retailer on popular designer websites, including Sherri Hill, La Femme, and Jovani. You should also be able to find a mix of positive and negative customer reviews for a legitimate business, which you can then use to judge how well the company is handling successful orders and resolving problem orders (because, let's face it, problems can arise even with established retailers). Once you've found a trusted prom dress site, you can shop with ease and confidence for your dream dress. Be sure to also check out the company's shipping times, dress availability, and return policies to make sure you have plenty of time before your special night to do any alterations or exchanges. Make your perfect prom dress dreams come true by shopping online with authorized designer dress retailers and avoiding the nightmarish scenarios that ordering from a counterfeit dress site can bring.

Spotting a counterfeit dress site versus an authorized prom dress retailer is easily done with a little browsing of the seller's website. Consider the following questions while you explore the website:

1. When you check out the dress information, does it offer custom sizes and colors? If the dress is offered in made-to-order sizes and has even more color options available than what's offered on the designer's website, chances are that it's a counterfeit site offering cheap, knock-off dresses.

2. How does the price of the prom dress compare to the price listed on other websites? You know how the saying goes: "If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is." There might be some slight differences in price between authentic prom dress sites, but if there is a steep difference, then that dress may not be a designer original.

3. What can you learn about the business? Check the "Contact Us" page to see where the business is located. If the company is located outside of the US and doesn't offer a phone number for you to speak with a representative, then there's a good chance you've found a counterfeit dress site.

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