Amid worries about the reduced number of appointments and lower closing ratios many boutiques experienced this past season, it was the state of the industry that garnered most of the conversations heard outside showrooms and in hallways at Markets. . . most often about a few boutique owners’ unethical pricing policy that has recently gone viral and created a backlash from brides that threatens the reputation of the entire US bridal retail industry.
   Case in point: several retailers were caught by brides selling the same gown at different prices based solely on the bride’s stated budget and on what the stylist/owner believed the bride was capable of paying. . . an action easily taken as prices for this particular gown, and all gowns within the boutique, were not listed on tags.
   Obviously this is not an established, acceptable nor condoned industry practice. Thousands of boutiques provide brides a much different, professional and honest experience in their stores. . . and several posted in response their abhorrence to this treatment.
   But in today’s hypersensitive and near-immediate reactive social-media universe the actions of very few bad apples take on a much larger online presence that can add a layer of distrust in our brides and potentially and unjustifiably erode the reputations of the rest of us…unfortunately an effect that even the most logical and precise response does little to mitigate.
   In some cases this pricing approach is not limited to private label gowns, though this category does offer greater margins and pricing flexibility needed to address rising costs within the boutique. But this flexibility in pricing individual gowns must be transparent and based on their perceived market value, not on what individual brides can bear.
   I understand advocating for pricing transparency will generate a pushback as some boutiques will legitimately claim that listing prices on gown tags makes it too easy for the bride to shop around for what she hopes will be a better price.
   But there is also the real prospect of losing the bride’s trust and ultimately a boutique’s and designer’s reputation by not letting her see the price of the gowns stylists are pulling for her.
   Consumers are accustomed to and demand seeing prices in each of their retail/shopping environments. Bridal is different from general retail by the heightened emotions of the buying experience. . . which makes pricing transparency even more critical.
   To read my full article, refer to Pricing Transparency? in the Tidbits section.