What is a "Special-Order"?
Almost
all garments are
by special order
(exceptions would
be Clearance items and
some baby styles).
All items providing
availability dates
and requiring requested
delivery dates are
by special order
and state so in
the description.
Special order items require you to input a requested
delivery date when you order.
Special
order items are ordered or purchased specifically
for you. It is the same system as ordering
in a bridal salon -- you select the style, color and
size and place an order. We transmit your order to
the manufacturer and it is either purchased on your behalf while
in production (rush
order) or placed on their production schedule where it
will be cut and constructed along with other similar items in
the normal course of production.
Why
by Special Order?
Special
ordering allows us to offer a vast selection of styles,
colors and sizes that wouldn't be possible any other
way. Just one dress in particular comes in 3 colors
with your choice of 14 accent colors and 14 sizes in
2 versions (with and without flowerettes or sleeves)
- 1176 choices - and that's just one dress style while
we offer several
hundred dresses
gowns and suits! We can
offer the additional
options of plus
sizes, extra length
and adding
sleeves, very customized
color combinations (not
all are available
on all styles, of
course) - these are
just some of the
extended possibilities
that special ordering
allows. It's
all about bringing
you choices
- lots and lots
of choice - conveniently
at your finger tips,
on your own schedule
from the comfort
of your home or
office.
A major difference between Perfect
Occasions from
The Perfect Pear
and most bridal salons is the amount of time it takes - we work
very hard to ship within a 4-8 week time frame
(often less), while
most salons require 12 weeks to
6 months to
fill an order. Read the full description of your garment for
time frames from that company.
Will it Fit?
A size chart is
provided for each item - measure carefully and use the size chart
shown with the item you are ordering. Tools
are
provided under Need
Help? to help
you select
the correct size. Your
garment will fit the measurements
on the size chart shown
with the style. This
step is critical
before placing your
order.
Never
order size based
on assumption or
because the
person wears that
size from another
company. Every manufacturer has a different sizing
standard; the correct
chart is shown with each garment.
For
tips on measuring, click
here. If the
individual
is beyond the measurements in the size chart, please do not try
to force a fit. Nobody
is an exact ready-to-wear
size; it is very reasonable to expect that formal items will require alterations for a perfect fit.
If
you need assistance, we're
only an email away. We will
help guide you through
the process but
cannot select
the size for you
because, after all, we cannot
see or measure the
wearer.
Any
style can be altered
locally to be made
smaller or shorter,
but only
styles beginning
with an "SW"
prefix are made
in a way to allow
them to be let out
a bit - perhaps
up to 2" in
width (but not length).
This is a unique
feature of the Sweetie
Pie line; no others
can be expected
to be let out.
When
Will It Arrive?
An
approximate time frame necessary to make up your garment(s) is included
on the feature page with every special order garment. These dates
change daily. We
cannot take an order
for delivery earlier
than availability
shown on line (makes
sense, right? but
we get asked every
day). The Requested Delivery
Date can NOT be changed after the order is placed. A projected or
guaranteed delivery date is NOT available by email.
Unless
discontinued - dresses, gowns
and suits are always available
on standard order
time frames plus six
(6) additional weeks.
We do our best to include the most accurate information
about the anticipated amount of time it should take for special
order items on
each feature page. This is not a guarantee or an exact time frame.
Garments can deliver earlier or later than your requested
delivery date. Please do not wait until
the last possible moment to order. If a style's availability date
is so close to the
actual wear date
that it will cause
you stress and anxiety
or if a bit of a
delay will render
it too late, you
should select a
style that is available
sooner. Small delays can happen even
on a confirmed order. Allow yourself breathing room - and time to
alter if necessary.
Once
the order is placed
with the manufacturer, we do
not hear about your
order again until
it arrives here
to ship to you.
Note
that we do not receive
updates as to when
the dress is cut,
sewn, hemmed, etc.
- the only time
we will hear from
the manufacturer
about your order
before it arrives
here for you is
when there is a major
problem (and we
contact you immediately
if that happens).
Items
ship from here almost immediately after inspection.
An email is
sent promptly to
you at that time
and will contain
a tracking url so
you can be watching
for delivery. You
receive the information at the same time our system
is updated - often times, sooner. Many customers try to
coerce a delivery
date prior to that
time, but it is
information we simply
do not have available.
We understand that
you are very excited
about receiving
your beautiful creation
but will not make
up information about
delivery that isn't
factual. Simply
- your approximate
delivery date has
been accepted and
we will notify you
as soon as it ships
out to you.
Rush
Orders
To
get a garment as
a rush order, it
has to already be
in production. Some
manufacturers
do their best to
predict what styles,
sizes and colors
will be needed in
the next few weeks
and often have several
in production that
have not yet been
committed to a customer.
These
are the garments
that we can "nab
in production"
to fill a rush order;
they are on a first-come/first-get
it basis.
Dresses in production
can be committed
many months in advance;
once a size/color
in production is
completely sold,
a rush order
will not be possible.
It
is always best when ordering as a rush to have a 2nd
and even a 3rd choice ready in case your 1st choice
cannot be expected to be available in time. This
can be a different size, a different color or a completely
different style.
Be sure to include expedited
shipping at check out on rush orders - it is not automatically
included.
Can we check on
availability before
you place your order?
Simply -- no.
The information
is good for that
moment and that
moment only -- yet
we cannot commit
to purchase that
garment in production
for you until you
have placed your
order. If you place your
order minutes, hours
or days later, the
garment may not be available
any longer. We require
that you place your
order first so if we can
get it for you on
a rush basis as
you need it, we
will
lock in the purchase
immediately.
That's the only
way we can be sure
of getting that
garment for you
and is the only
way we can tell
you if it is available
with any certainty.
It's also why your
first choice may
not be available
on a rush order
basis.
Can
I Change Something
About the Style?
All
available options
regarding color,
style and sizing
are provided in
the full-page description
and drop-down menus
for ordering. You
will find far more
choices here than
anywhere else! Manufacturers
cannot customize
a dress beyond what
is offered there.
You are, of course,
encouraged to make
any changes to the
dress after you
receive it that
would make it "your
own".
Is
it Returnable?
No.
A
special order item is made/purchased specifically for you to fulfill your
order based on size, color and style you order. It is not returnable
or exchangeable.
Changes in a Special Order
Check your order over carefully before placing it. By placing your order, you are making a firm commitment that everything on the order - quantity, style, size and color - is exactly what you intend to receive. Special orders can not be changed after the order
is processed. Cancellation of a special order in production by the customer will incur a 50% cancellation penalty. NO cancellations can be accepted for styles with customized details such as dying, adding sleeves, extra length, extra crinoline or combined colors (such as white/blue or cashmere/pink) after the order has been processed.
Colors
Colors
will vary by
dye lot. It
is not a peculiarity
of our company - it
is a fact in the
fabric and garment
industry. We do
our utmost to provide
the most accurate
representation of
colors possible
on line but have
no control over
dye lot or
how your monitor
displays them.
If
you want several
garments to
match they must
be ordered together:
(a) from the
same manufacturer
and (b) from the
same dye lot. The
two-letter prefix
on every item number
is the manufacturer;
an "ST"
dress is not likely
to match an "AG"
dress, for instance.
There is no
guarantee that garments ordered
separately from
the same company
will be from the
same dye lot, which
is why we recommend
that you order them
all together. Yes,
they will all have
to ship to the same
location that way,
but it will be worth
it.
Do
not expect to
match the color of
a garment purchased
elsewhere
(such as a bride's
maid's dress). Even
dresses by the same
company but from
different dye lots
may not go together.
Much information
is provided on this
subject under Need
Help?
in the top horizontal
navigation bar -
review FAQs (Frequently
Asked Questions),
Articles, and be
sure to request
your free
Wedding Tips - suggestions
are provided there
on how to coordinate
lovely
wedding parties.
How
the Process Works
- What to Expect
An
order confirmation
will automatically be sent to
the email address
you provide on your
order
- within minutes.
Check over
the details on your
order before placing
it and immediately
afterward on your
order detail confirmation.
Notify us by email
immediately (within
the hour) if something
is incorrect. Remember
- details of a special
order can not be
changed once the
order is processed
because it is in
production.
An
additional confirmation
is sent within one business day
(Mon-Friday, closed
holidays) highlighting the
special order nature
of the garment(s)
ordered and your
requested delivery
date.
During
this time, your
order is placed
with the manufacturer.
If they are
not able to accept
your requirements
(such as a rush
order), you will
be notified by email.
If they accept your
order it is
processed and in
production.
Your
order is inspected
before it ships
to us - often twice
by two separate people.. It is shipped
to you as soon as it
arrives and
passes additional
inspection. An
email will be sent
from UPS at that
time and will contain
a tracking url so
you can be watching
for delivery.
Only
problems will be
reported to us between
the time when your
order is processed
and when it is received.
If we are notified
of a problem, you
will be notified
promptly by email.
Small delays are
not something that
would be reported,
while major problems
would be. In the
vast majority of
orders, the next
time we will have
information for
you is when your
order ships to you.
Watch your email in case we need to contact you for any reason.
It is not 'Custom'
A
special order is not custom
dressmaking. What is the difference? A custom dressmaker
can make any changes to a style that you would like,
drafts an individual pattern just for you with your measurements, then cuts and sews
garments one at a time making adjustments on the wearer until it
fits perfectly. In contrast, manufacturers use quantity production
methods and offers specific styles in specific colors and sizes,
which is far more cost effective. The final fitting and alterations
are up to you after you receive your order.
Whether
or not you select special features does not affect the
special order nature of the garment; all items requesting
an approximate delivery date on the order are special
order, and these items are clearly identified in the
on-line description as well.
We Must Rely on You
We must rely on our customers to select the
correct quantity, style,
color and size. Placing an order is making that commitment.
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