The Invitation Business in Turmoil

 

By Paul Pannone

The wedding business continues to evolve and change, moving away from traditional and costly methods that no longer appeal to today’s couples. Several areas of the wedding business have been hard hit including invitations, replaced by DIY and less costly products.

Simple but elegant?

 

Distress in the business is being watched after the sudden failure and closure of Encore Studios in September. eWedNewz reported the company would not exhibit at the National Stationery Show back in May, sending up a red flag to the health of the company that ended in the failure. Unofficial statements from Brian Lawrence, a former employee of the company, told eWedNewz the owners would divert the money that normally was spent at the show to other more productive programs for their accounts. The statement proved false and eventually left accounts and consumers in the lurch.

eWedNewz has now learned other companies did not participate in the show over the past few seasons. Producers of the show are reaching out trying to recruit supporters to help bring back some of the lost exhibitors. eWedNewz obtained this letter appealing for help: 

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of the Delegates during the May 2011 edition of the National Stationery Show. Your deep commitment to the Show and passion for our industry is inspiring, and it is a true privilege to have your advocacy.
 
     Looking ahead to the 2012 National Stationery Show, it is our goal to re-engage many of the companies that have taken time off so that NSS can continue to showcase the breadth and depth of the social stationery category.   Past experience has proven that when we partner with our loyal retail friends to work toward this goal, the mutual influence heeds results!
 
      May I call upon you to be an ambassador in our efforts either through phone calls, e-mails or face to face conversations?
 
      If you are willing to assist, I would provide a list of key vendors, contact information for them and some general talking points as a tool.  I would ask you to identify the companies on the list with whom you have a relationship and would be comfortable calling.  A quick phone call is all it takes to plant the seeds in these early planning stages. My team and I will follow up with each vendor in the coming weeks and months after we know the outcome of your effort.
        I know how busy you are, particularly at this time of year.  Let me say thank you in advance if you are able assist and accept my invitation to attend our flagship educational program “Future Conference” on Sunday morning May 20th.  
 

eWedNewz is following up this story and welcomes your views.

 

 

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2011

Impostors Keep Coming to the Wedding Business for Refuge

By Paul Pannone

Since 2008 wedding spending has slowly rebounded as the economy stabilizes, yet the loss of jobs remains a concern to most economists. As more people chase after fewer jobs many are starting their own business and a portion are looking to the wedding industry as their golden goose.

According to an article by the Fiscal Times written earlier this year, “Right now more than 9.8 percent of all workers are self-employed, and more than a quarter of people laid off in the first six months of 2010 who hadn’t found jobs considered starting their own businesses, according to a CareerBuilder survey.”

There is an overage of wedding businesses to service a shrinking market.

 

Most entrepreneurs believe the wedding business is resilient and recession proof, supported by happy, free-spending couples. Many never bother to check the facts that say formal weddings are falling out of favor among young couples or there is an overage of businesses serving the declining numbers.

Wedding analyst, Christine Boulton, just wrote a story about one case where a hot dog marketer looks to build her future in the wedding business:

“More and more people get displaced from the corporate world and as a traditionally non-corporate industry made of primarily mom & pop businesses bridal looks like a great place to land. ~sigh~ I am sorry, but if you haven’t been in the trenches, you just don’t understand it.”

Boulton told eWedNewz she’s concerned at the sudden disappearance of companies that on the outside, look very healthy and are frontrunners in their category. Boulton mentions the Encore Studio failure and worries about the long-term ramifications to the rest of the industry. But Boulton’s main concern is and has always been for the consumer.

Boulton recently commented on the most recent information regarding the Encore failure saying:

“I have to question how far down the list are the numerous brides that lost money by choosing Encore Invitations? What do you want to bet that by the time they get to the brides (the REAL consumers) the money has run out.

Boulton told eWedNewz, “This was a company that was well-established, well-funded and knew what they were doing. I would caution every bride to vet each vendor and ask a lot of questions before signing on the bottom line.”

In our own experience we’ve interviewed countless wedding business upstarts and websites deemed unsustainable businesses by experts that departed the business. eWNz found most of the decision makers of the failures never worked directly with wedding couples or stressing brides. Our interviews with CEOs of wedding websites found they’re well-educated but again, have little or no interaction, experience or desire to deal directly with brides.

eWedNewz is contacted by new businesses weekly to review web sites or to give our opinion of how to get into the wedding business. From now on, we will simply refer them to this story.

 

 

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2011

The Week of September 26th in Review

By Paul Pannone

The Chicago Bridal Market was the focus of attention for the wedding business leading up the DEBI awards on Monday night. The market was dominated by Mon Cheri where the company unveiled David Tutera on a runway show that highlighted all Mon Cheri’s designers. Mon Cheri took three out of three DEBI awards for which they were nominated.

 

Tony Bowls accepts the second DEBI award for Mon Cheri.

 

The still unexplained closure of Encore Studios that left stranded brides and vendors out in the cold is sending shock waves around the world. Accounts as far as the United Kingdom say they have been affected.

A new way of advertising has tuxedo business owners scared to death, realizing they can no longer hold manufacturers hostage or keep great products away from consumers. A marketing deal between FLOW Formal and The Situation has broken down the barriers of what buyers think and is getting the word out to average consumers; tuxedos have been updated. eWedNewz is following the story that cannot deny that both Situation supporters and haters are suddenly aware– tuxedos exist.

 

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2011

More Encore Studio Invitation Victims Come Forward to say they’re Sickened

By Paul Pannone

More information regarding the shutdown of Encore Studio Invitations comes to light from unhappy vendors that say the company continued to take orders and solicit money for prefered listings on their website.

Shelly Tunis of Occasionally Yours told eWedNewz,” I am very interested in the Encore story.  My last order was shipped over the summer with no problems. I have 7 current books of theirs.  And, they were soliciting money from dealers to get priority listing online & in print.  I passed on that.”

Other vendors contacting eWedNewz say they are not as lucky as Shelly.

Candy Stern said, “As recently as last week they were promoting advertising on their website for $100 for the year.  I signed up and mailed a check last monday.  I tried to stop payment on friday; too late, they cashed it on thursday!  Also, I approved a proof on 9/6/2011 for a large wedding order.  It would be great to know if mine was one of the last orders they were trying to finish and ship last Tuesday.  
 
I do feel sad they closed but this is really terrible how they have been handling it.  I have done business with them for the past 17 years! 

Thank you!” 

Candi Stern Stationers

 

Shelly, Candi and other jilted vendors  are coming forward, searching for any information involving Encore.

 

Since 1997, Lani prides herself on offering the highest quality customer service. Lani said she’s been working with Encore for many years and trusted them but was let down.

 

Lani of Write Occasions told eWedNewz, “Please add the many Bar and Bat Mitzvah families who are also scrambling to figure out “plan B”. Since Wednesday, I’ve been trying to assist several clients whose proofs had already been approved and were SUPPOSED to be in process. My clients entrusted me and for 14 years, I had entrusted Encore; and there was never an issue with their customer service or follow-through.

I am sickened, on so many levels, to take 11 books off of my shelf. The lack of integrity on the part of the Encore owners is remarkable. Their faithful employees, vendors and clients have all been negatively affected. They should be ASHAMED of their behavior, but then again, that would require them to have a conscience, which, clearly, they lack.”

Since the story broke and being interviewed Brian Lawrence, an ex-executive at Encore and current owner of Local Traffic Builder has not returned attempts for more information by this newz source. Lawrence asked for understanding and patience for Robert Bloom, the ower of Encore.

Efforts to find more details of what is happening at Encore are ongoing. Help for brides and vendors is being offered by wedding experts and members of the Wedding Water Cooler.

For additional help and information please contact us at

 Paul@ewednewz.com or 516-312-0090

 

 

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2011