Online Bridal Shopping – Pros and Cons

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Online shopping is a rage these days. From celebrities to a college-goers, everybody is bitten by the online-shopping-bug. Brides/grooms-to-be are also not setting this latest trend of buying things aside. Rather, the Gen Y brides and grooms are taking things a step further and actually finishing their complete bridal shopping online. After all, who has the time to go to saree and jewellery stores everyday? Hence, the idea of sitting at home and finishing one’s complete wedding shopping with just a few clicks has appealed to many minds. Moreover, many lifestyle channels like TLC or Good Times have already done a couple of shows on this subject making the idea even more popular. So, if your wedding day is not far away and if your work schedule is not letting you enjoy the luxury of taking time off for wedding preparation, then this is what you might be want to consider.

However, and understandably so, you still might be having some doubts. You might even have some questions about the process. Is online shopping the ultimate bridal shopping solution? Should you try it too?

Worry no more! We are enlisting some pros and cons of bridal shopping-

bridal shopping

Pros

1. Save time, save money: Browse through 5-10 your favorite online stores for bridal wear etc, check the best deals online, finish shopping if you find out what you are looking for. Total time taken – max. 2 hours. Now. compare it with your friends’ months long wedding shopping.

2. Customizing is cool: Whether it’s your dream lehenga-choli or the blouse of your wedding saree, the online stores offer customization of the piece you are going to buy for free or a very nominal charge. Just give them your size and they will do the rest.

bridal shopping

3. Quick turnaround: Get your all your stuff delivered in 2-3 business days. After all, you have to look after a lot of other important things too.

4. Cash on delivery: So that you can check the saree or shoes or accessories or jewelleries you have ordered for before paying the bill.

5. Live chat: Chat with the experts and get your confusions cleared. You can ask them about the material or the size/color etc. You can ask their expert advice also.

Cons

1. Material issue: Well, sometimes, the product that you see online may not match the product you get delivered. The silk sarees you have bought for huge grands may end up being anything but silk.

2. Fitting issues: Unlike the regular tailors, these sites won’t take your body’s exact measurements. It’s a big risk especially for shoes.

3. No trial before you buy: This is the most serious issue with online bridal shopping. And, it’s surely hard to determine how the dress/shoes/jewellery will look on you. Some products might even have restrictions on returns.

bridal shopping

4. Alterations, a big headache: From the experiences of a number of brides who opted for online bridal shopping, it is clear that the chain of alterations could eat up all your energy before the D-day.

5. Lack of brands: Certainly, your (or your family’s) favourite bridal shop might not have an online presence. The designers though tend to have one, but you’d prefer to visit their stores physically. As far as other stores that have a physical presence, one can never be 100% sure about them.

In conclusion:

Yes: when it comes to online bridal shopping things are still rather confusing and risky. That being said; with the perfect guidance, references and research, one could get the best deal out of it.

Image courtesy:

Bhaven Jani

Dhanika Choski

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