Chinese Labor Shortage Affecting US Brides
Dear Bride to be,
As we feel it a necessary responsibility of all bridal stores to keep their clientele abreast of the latest on goings overseas we are providing you with most recent notification we have received from our vendors.
Please read below.
We strongly suggest that if you have intentions of purchasing a Robin Jillian private label gown or for that matter any of the other lines we carry that you contact our store to make arrangements to get measured and place your deposits in order to secure current pricing. We sorry to say that we absolutely can not make any exceptions if you do not secure your order before August 1st, 2010.
Lastly, as a friendly reminder and to those brides who have recently visited our store, there is now a 26 week wait for special order gowns. The manufactures we currently represent in the store have suspended rush orders until further notice.
Therefore, with the provided information we ask that you plan accordingly.
P.S. Shoes and headpieces are also being affected (since all are made in the same region in China).
Thank you for your time.
With sincerest regards,
Christina & Staff
A. Bridal Co.
828 State Route 15 South
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849
973-601-7272
www.abridalco.com
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CHINA?
Have you noticed that dresses are arriving late and you can’t get a good answer?
Have you noticed that many manufacturers are dropping rush orders?
I think the attached article from the NY Times will answer all your questions.
“The other new reality, perhaps harder to quantify, is this: young Chinese factory workers, raised in a country with rapidly rising expectations, are less willing to toil for hours for appallingly low wages like dutiful automatons.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/business/global/27yuan.html?_r=1
http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/daily-brief/2010/05/04/chinese-labor-shortage-us-problems
And you can expect prices to go up.
Here is a letter from the manufacturer announcing a price hike. Letters like this one are being sent out by all wedding gown vendors including names like Maggie Sottero, Casablanca, Allure, Melissa Sweet, House of Wu and Private Label by G.
July 6, 2010
To our dear and valued customers,
Due to the recent labor crisis in China and the devaluation of foreign currencies against the Chinese Yuan, our factory finds it necessary to increase the price to cover the increase in production costs.
Please be advised effective August 1, 2010 there will be a 20%-30% price increase across the board on all current styles prior to Spring 2011. Please also be advised that all Silk Dupioni fabric will be increased 85% due to weather conditions in India and China.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Robin Jillian Customer Service
