David’s Story passes Martha Stewart dump of Wedding Wire stock and Still Rising

Posted on June 14, 2012 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

 

Martha move over, here comes David’s Bridal. In less than four days the eWedNewz David’s Bridal story overtook Martha Stewart’s dump of shares in Wedding Wire, that released six-months ago. The story is still rising, as discussions fill chat rooms and members post eWNz coverage to give fellow-members information about what’s happening.

 

 

Martha smiled after her company stock rose 4% after announcing they were getting rid of Wedding Wire.  The story was big newZ in late 2011 but The David’s Bridal story blew past Martha in less than a week.

 

 

eWedNewz story coverage ranks high in internet searches, as brides hear of Leonard Green, owner of David’s Bridal, decision to shop the largest US dress retailer. So far, apart from some tire kickers,  no serious takers are reported.

Privately vendors that who worked with David’s Back in the Day say they were awful to deal with. One vendor said he was constantly chastised, belittled and threatened.

“They always told me they could do it better, faster and cheaper in China. One day, I called their bluff and walked away,” according to one vendor.

Sources say they find it ironic how David’s is under pressure by the Chinese, competing over price and sale of goods over the internet.

“David’s– and all other American Dress manufacturers– taught them how to build factories, make merchandise and how to do business. When the American companies could no longer give them the orders they needed to fill their factories and keep workers employed, they put up websites and went direct to consumers.

Because David’s service is so bad in the stores, there’s no wonder brides would rather take their chances and buy online,” say sources following the coverage.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Dresses, Bridal Shops, Economic news, eWedNewz, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, Top Stories for the Year, Wedding Dresses, wedding industry, Wedding Industry Events, wedding websites, Wedding Wire Tagged: , , , , , ,

No Surprise; David’s Bridal on the Auction Block

Posted on June 10, 2012 Written by 14 Comments

By Paul Pannone

The New York Post piece about Leonard Green putting David’s Bridal up for sale comes as no surprise, as most investment companies know when it’s time to leave. Guided strictly by hard data and facts the decision reportedly comes from the realization the formal wedding business is failing.

 

The growth of David’s Bridal has slowed over the past few years and now its owners are getting out.

 

Sources, including the respected Pew Research data center, suggest irreparable aversion towards marriage in the way it’s traditionally viewed. While there are probably just as many unions that include simple, civil, same-sex, interracial, destination, etc. marriages, to walk down the aisle and run to a catering facility for freezer-tasting meals– for $30,000+– is no longer the standard of today’s couples.

According to sources familiar with the story David’s and its owners are not blind to the facts and series of events leading to their decision to sell. In the past year we’ve seen the Knot run to China looking for a broader market, admitting the competition in the United States makes it difficult, if not impossible to grow. The wedding business saw the predicted failure of Get Married, despite efforts by their owners to try to find creative ways of sustaining a profitable level of operation.

The steady decline of newsstand magazine sales, particularly Brides, who remains in the business despite shrinking advertiser support and a recent revamp of their magazine cover, shows a level of tenacity. But even with thicker, more eye-appealing paper and a slightly different cover, a shrinking magazine can only mean shrinking dollars. Followers of Brides say they’re amazed at how they still exist. Some say they’re on a deathwatch.

Currently, an ongoing eWedNewz poll shows 55% of wedding business respondents say they are keeping their heads above water, hoping for things to get better. But with David’s owners decision to dump the retailer and the steady lament of wedding business owners coupled together leads to one conclusion for the business-minded: get out.

Sources say David’s and its owners are following the move of Martha Stewart who recently abandoned their direct stake in the wedding business, selling their stock in Wedding Wire to a group called Catalyst. Martha took the money, ran and forged a deal with the review website, funneling local traffic to them.

Last year David’s shut down Priscilla of Boston, yielding to the high cost of operating the stores and a less willing consumer to spend for merchandise they offered. Sources told eWedNewz the company was encouraged by the growing interest and success of their Vera Wang partnership, banking that the savings of shutting down Priscilla stores and higher ticket prices delivered by Wang products would improve margins.

Even David’s Bridal that leveraged off-shore manufacturing in China to cripple their competition has found they’re losing sales to online pirates that bypass them and all American gown makers, leaving them at a price disadvantage, as consumers go direct.

While at another news format in 2010 I learned, David’s was hopeful at some flippy-floppy numbers and reports by the Wedding Report that encouraged them to stay in the game. Encouraging numbers that rose after the steep decline in wedding planning and spending during the 2008 market collapse that now falter,  growing indicators say a wounded wedding market will not rebound, as hoped.

Crediting a close collaboration between David’s Bridal and Men’s Wearhouse, Vera Wang tuxedos were added for the 2012 season. Online searches for Vera Wang products, including tuxedos, are high on the scale this season, behind Calvin Klein, only because of their longstanding track record in the category.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Dresses, Bridal Magazines, Bridal Shops, Calvin Klein, Current Events, Data, Economic news, eWedNewz, General News, Men's formal wear, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, Paul Pannone, Publications, Research, retail, Same-sex marriage, The Groom, The Knot, tuxedos, Vera Wang, Wedding Dresses, wedding industry, wedding websites, Wedding Wire Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Samantha Slaps Sonny; Mentions Martha and Calls out Catalyst

Posted on June 5, 2012 Written by 2 Comments

By Paul Pannone

In yet another War & Peace type statement, Samantha Goldberg continued her relentless rant against Wedding Wire and their practices this week that have come under fire by the wedding industry. In an ongoing eWedNewz poll 44% of respondents so far feel the review website is horrible or flawed; 34% say Wedding Wire is great. But only 2% say they’re trying to improve.

 

Would Wedding Wire list and rate itself? If they did, what would their score be?

 

In a protracted response to Wedding Wire’s decision of  expunging a solid business in Oklahoma, Goldberg mercilessly recaps months of information involving the website, the name synonymous with the website and now, the new owners. In the prepared statement Goldberg speaks directly to Sonny Ganguly throughout her writing but calls out the new owners, the Catalyst Group, wondering if they are aware of what’s happening.

“Sonny, I know you must be reading this…Catalyst, they may not have, and I am sure they will question the many unethical things you have caused. Why they bought the 40% of Martha’s shares, I’ve no idea) There’s a great reason why Martha did. She is an amazing woman and certainly was a BIG percentage of why people stayed longer than they should. That despite her business decisions, she is right back up there being successful and changing as she needs to… She’s an “icon” of our world…and more. http://www.examiner.com/article/martha-stewart-sells-wedding-wire-for-5-million-dollars.”

Goldberg’s latest statement was released to the Wedding Water Cooler group. Members of the group recently stopped following the discussion, turning off alert emails. Others requested a more clear, concise type of response from Goldberg– but none will say her campaign is completely unwarranted.

In WWC discussions, David Fuhrer, suggested Wedding Wire add itself as a vendor to their listing service;

“Why doesn’t Wedding Wire list itself under the “Wedding Planning” category upon its website? It could then be reviewed in a likewise manner as its listing-population-base (I don’t refer to them as clients…we don’t know who paid, who paid more, who didn’t pay, who paid less, etc).

Heck they could start today & upload a WW listing in this category, and they could be be tested for how legit & “hands off they are” ’cause Samantha would be among the first reviewers. WW could perhaps learn some stuff from the listing-population-base that would better WW & the industries online efforts overall. Who loses w/ this suggestion? Win-win, no?” according to Fuhrer.

Other members of the group called Führer’s suggestion brilliant and see no reason Wedding Wires shouldn’t be listed and subjected to the same scrutiny they’ve created for other wedding industry organizations.

A copy of Samantha Goldberg’s statement was sent to Ganguly/Wedding Wire/Catalyst for comment. No response came by the time of this story’s release.

Download a copy of Goldberg’s release in its entirety.

 

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Filed Under: Celebrity, eWedNewz, General News, Martha Stewart, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, The Groom, wedding industry, Wedding planners, Wedding Water Cooler, wedding websites, Wedding Wire Tagged: , , , , ,

2011 Story about Wedding Wire gets a boost

Posted on May 7, 2012 Written by 1 Comment

By Paul Pannone

A December, 2011 story about Samantha Goldberg trashing Wedding Wire is trending, boosted by an event in New Jersey last week with the United Way. New eWedNewz followers sent the story back up the charts, as more disgruntled vendors say they’re not happy with how Wedding Wire manages its reviews. The ongoing story sent readers back in the archives, getting some up to speed.

Round two for Wedding Wire, as Samantha Goldberg takes up her fight again.

 

In a statement responding to the coverage, Samantha Goldberg wrote:

“Finally I can now share hundreds of unhappy customers…It’s not opinion, I am not a bitch I am only protecting my friends and those who may not be my friends but don’t deserve this…”

Goldberg told eWedNewz she’s taken up the fight again after being forced to regroup and for personal health reasons. Since the Goldberg trash, Martha Stewart sold their interest in Wedding Wire to a company called Catalyst. Through the winter both sides went to their neutral corners but with last week’s event, the bell may again sounded.

Some objection from less-than open-minded members of the Wedding Water Cooler expressed their concern for dredging up the past. The comments led to some name-calling and usual childish antics in a place that has no rules. The exchange prompted respected wedding analyst, Christine Boulton, founder of the group, to say the following:

“The reason something from the past would suddenly trend has to do with the way his site is set up. eWedNewz runs a plug in called Related posts. At the end of each post the plugin post a list of 4 post that in some way relate to the days post. An algorithm controls it. Now, having said that, just because a post shows up in the “related post” section is not enough to make it trend. What makes it trend is people clicking on it. Consequently, this old post trended because it is still of interest.”

Despite the objections the Wedding Wire story is again exploding. eWedNewz is there to cover the facts.

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, Celebrity, Charity Work, Current Events, eWedNewz, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, wedding industry, wedding websites Tagged: , , , , , ,

Brides Magazine Expected to get a boost in May after steady Downturn

Posted on April 9, 2012 Written by 3 Comments

 

By Paul Pannone

Brides Magazine gets set for a revamp in May, expected to bump business but not before facing some serious scrutiny from the industry. In February eWedNewz reported the changes and has kept close watch over the progress.

 

According to Media Life Newsstand sale of bridal magazines continue to slide.

 

Year to date, Brides total page volume is down by 148 pages. Sources familiar with the story say the next issue, May, will be healthy because of their planned redesign. But sources add the May issue won’t be be healthy enough to make up for all of the first quarter losses. Sources also pointed out the April issue had no JLM ad pages.  There also were no regional ad pages in this issue. “This is the first time that I can recall when no JLM pages appeared in Brides,”  said one source.

An ongoing eWedNewz watch shows steady loss of newsstand sale of Brides and a (nearly) equal rise in subscription sales. Onlookers say it’s amazing no one calls them out on the activity.

eWedNewz continues to watch this story closely.

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Filed Under: Advertising and Marketing, Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Magazines, Data, Economic news, facts and figures, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, The Internet, wedding industry, wedding websites Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Communication is Key when fighting the Enemy; Lang keeps the world updated

Posted on March 21, 2012 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

Transparency and up-to-date information are the keys to success, as shown by the leadership of Steve Lang at Mon Cheri. Lang never skips a beat when it comes to grabbing a telephone, microphone or a keyboard to communicate with partners, staff and even reporters; answering any and all questions with total accuracy and openness, whether the news is good or bad. If the progress is good, he moves on. If the news isn’t so good, he stops and fixes the problem in real-time.

 

Companies outside the dress manufacturing business are pledging their support to Lang’s Campaign.

 

In an ongoing eWedNewz story, Steve Lang has risen to the top of the wedding gown business because of his ability to rally resources and skip over stupidity. Lang admitted his discomfort with the IBMA structure and inept nature: to talk for years while foreign intruders destroy the industry.

In his latest update to the business he writes:

Dear Industry Partners,

This is an update on what has happened recently

1. Meeting with Head of Legal at FedExTook place today at 11am Attended by me and attorney Craig Hilliard. FedEx has committed that as soon as we receive a court or a Customs ruling that these sites are breaking the law, within a day all these shippers will be closed off and their accounts closed. We expect the same cooperation from UPS and that meeting should take place this week. DHL and other common carriers will have to respond in kind.

2. Mr Hilliard will be in contact with US Customs and the courts to generate the protection we need to enforce the shippers and the pay sources such as Paypal, etc., to comply.

3. Stark and Stark will have a website set up by the meeting in Chicago that all parties will be able to utilize to help in this effort. It will update what is happening and be a clearing house for the effort.

4. A meeting has been set up for April 4 in my NY showroom for the press. Conde Nast,  For  the Bride, Bridal Guide, The Knot, Martha Stewart, Munalucci Bride , Hearst have been invited and most have already confirmed.Today I will invite other press as I did not have all emails of everyone at home last night.

Today BrideClick,  Wedding Wire and others will be invited.  I will help the press create uniform messages to put in the field in print and digitally to educate the consumer.  We will spread the work out to as many places as possible including news sources out side of our industry.  I will ask the press to use a consistent message and dedicate space to prom, bridals and other categories.I will bring a layout artist from my art department to help with concept sketches for ads.  I will add PR support through my PR agency.

5. Donations continue to come in from manufacturers, retailers and sales people.  Pleased about this.

6. Stark and Stark will also help with reaching out to political figures.  I suggest everyone contact their local representatives and congressmen as well informing them of the need for attention to this matter. It all helps as you never know who in congress is on a commission with customs officials.

7. I will continue this effort and will keep everyone informed.

Please make a point of attending the meeting at 11 am Monday of next week in Chicago. If you cannot attend the meeting, send someone please. It is on the eight floor , same as the show, and there will be signs.

Thanks,

Steve Lang

 

Lang’s campaign continues to take shape and grow at a faster pace than anyone could have imagined. Because of  his succinct actions Lang’s war chest grows daily, supported by some of the biggest wedding dress manufacturers in the country. Now, eWedNewz watches, as business entities that service the wedding and prom markets side with Lang.

 

David Knapp of Top 10 Prom responded to Lang’s campaign saying:

Steve,

Thank you for taking a leading position in this important matter and for helping to bring it to the forefront.  The events unfolding in our industry are following the exact pattern predicted in the Industry Review we had commissioned three years ago as part of our longer term planning for the Top 10 Prom group.  Unfortunately these are unfolding even faster than we had first thought which is VERY fast.  This does not bode well for many of the current prom and bridal vendors, especially those that have not focused on relationships with the brick and mortar stores.  The structure of the final outcome has already been set in motion and is unlikely to change very much, but which businesses are left standing within that structure is still very much undetermined.

As in other consumer driven industries that are already well ahead of us on this curve, the steps taken must be equally strong on two fronts.  It seems you are moving quickly on the first front which is more legal and political attacking the supply side.  This is an important front to take action on, but as you pointed out it is a game of whack-a-mole.  Legal processes as well as government protection and customs enforcement will likely take time and the vendors are certainly in the best position to work together doing so.

The second front is consumer education to attack the demand side.  This is an area that we can all likely work together very effectively.  Jane Fort, David Liu, Peter Grimes and others have taken a lead by offering to help with possible editorial and/or PSA ad space.  The Top 10 Prom publications and website reach several million girls across the country as well.  All book groups, all vendors, all retailers and all advertisers (magazines, websites, etc) should include a consistent professionally created PSA educational campaign.  This would be included on all print materials and advertising, mailers, websites, in-store materials from localized press releases to dressing room posters all the way down to information printed on each hangtag on every dress and more.  Doing so would make a major impact with quite literally hundreds of millions of impressions.

The consumer education should include strong why-not and what-can-go-wrong components to protect the consumer from the downsides of how they may be cheated, lose their money or ruin their own prom night.  The use of strong emotional testimonials is recommended.  This type of consistent marketing across all platforms at this rate of gross impressions would make a significant impact to the demand side through consumer education.

We started committing more space to this message in recent years and believe working together is in everyone’s best interest.  We would be glad to work with everyone in the industry, vendors, stores, groups and advertisers to help protect all of the vendors’s valuable tradenames and products, not just those in the Top 10 Prom group but everyone.  What is best for the industry as a whole is certainly best for our 100+ stores as well.  While a rising tide raises all boats, a falling tide hurts us all just as much.

Again, thank you for taking a leading position on this important topic.  There will be parts of this topic in which some affected parties will have opposing goals, but the areas where we share common goals are significant and those items should remain the focus to make real progress and will help the industry while protecting the consumer.  Top 10 Prom is in a strong position to dedicate our marketing resources to the consumer education front and stand ready to do so.

-dave knapp

Top 10 Prom

 

eWedNewz continues our investigation into this story, including allegations and suspicions that some of the manufacturers and personalities that have not stepped forward to support the move could be harboring and aiding foreign companies involved with websites that sell direct to consumers.

 

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Dresses, eWedNewz, General News, Ongoing Story Investigation, retail, The Internet, wedding industry, wedding websites Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Brides Magazine to get Fatter

Posted on February 29, 2012 Written by 5 Comments

By Paul Pannone

eWedNewz is watching the action at Conde’ Nast, as the company tweaks changes made back in 2009 when they closed Modern Bride and other iconic magazines. Included in the changes was making Brides magazine monthly; a move that resulted in lower sales at the newsstand and declining support from advertisers.

 

Sources say Conde’ Nast is on a weight gaining mission for their Brides publication.

 

According to sources, Conde’ Nast missed the warning signs and now scrambles to recover lost market share to competitors. In an effort to reclaim some of the revenue eWedNewz has learned Brides is planning a redesign that could come as soon as its May Issue.  Information and details are hard to come by but sources familiar with the move say the bridal book’s measurements will become similar or the same size as W.  In addition sources say improved paper stock will also be more like W or even Martha Stewart Weddings. Experts say the changes could cost roughly one million dollars more annually  than what’s now being spent on production.

The requirements to execute the changes are not said to serve the magazine well. Estimates say Brides is already losing money with each issue; down by a substantial number of pages– and advertising revenue– within the first three issues of the year.

“This isn’t typical behavior for Condé Nast,”  according to onlookers that say Conde’s recent moves are not consistent with past behavior when they would shutter any property that was not in the top of their group. Additionally sources say by increasing the book’s measurements they’ll have to deal with logistical problems, including the magazine won’t fit into traditional slots at the newsstand.

“Just like W, rack space will be difficult to acquire because of the size.  Because book stores no longer are a primary spot for magazine distribution–because of book store closings– newsstand sales may fall even lower.  This will make it impossible for Brides to compete with Bridal Guide, Martha Stewart, The Knot, and anyone else that comes along,” it is speculated.

 

eWedNewz continues to watch this story and report further findings.

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The Price of Paper to Rise as the use of Magazines Drop

Posted on February 9, 2012 Written by 1 Comment

By Paul Pannone

As if the print business doesn’t have enough worries the very material it relies on could see an increase in cost, as closures and consolidation leaves less competition to keep prices stable.

Magazines and printed formats are already dying and face higher cost of production including Bridal. Bridal Guide is also dying but at a slower rate, according to the latest circulation numbers.

 

This week members of the Wedding Water Cooler with backgrounds in print media talked about the lower newsstand sales figures showing the drop in the overall sale of magazines. Members with backgrounds that include bridal publications say they’re watching the entire print business tanking, not just bridal publications.

According to Folio:

While the rising use of tablets and e-readers is sure to drive down the already weaning demand for print, no one is sure how fast and wide-ranging a complete digital migration will be. And even though a drop in demand might ordinarily mean a drop in price, the paper industry has become increasingly unstable, and such a fall in demand might lead to additional mill consolidation and closures, as well as greater underutilization of machines—all of which, many publishers fear, could lead to dramatic price increases and severe paper shortages.

Besides paper, ink is also a rising cost concern for the industry. While the price of ink is not as big a concern as paper prices, it also experienced large increases over the last year, say industry observers.

Members of the the WWC provided the background information and the most current ABC Circulation numbers as follows:

Bridal Guide. 96,105. Down 13.5 
Brides. 64,143 down 25.8 
Martha Stewart 171,101 down 15.7 

Source.  ABC. Audit bureau of circulations 

 

eWedNewz continues to investigate the dropping sales figures of all print materials. We welcome your thoughts and ask you take the following poll:

 

 

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Filed Under: General News, Ongoing Story Investigation, Publications, Uncategorized, wedding industry, Wedding Water Cooler Tagged: , , , ,

Martha in the Mud again: Macy’s Cries Foul

Posted on January 24, 2012 Written by Leave a Comment

 

By Paul Pannone

 

Martha Stewart is getting sued by Macy’s for allegedly violating an exclusive agreement prohibiting the sale of Martha Stewart branded products anywhere else. In December JC Penny bought a nearly 17% stake in Martha Stewart Living getting the two companies together in the first place. But now with Martha Stewart products set to appear in JC Penny stores, Macy’s has seen enough.

According to eWedNewz sources near the story Martha Stewart, the company, is trying to raise revenue and cut costs in all segments of its operation.

One source told eWedNewz, “They know how to bend the rules better than anyone. They expected to get sued and are well-prepared. Whatever the outcome, they (MS) will be in both locations for the cost of litigation.”

 

Stripes are in but will they be available at Macy’s or JC Penny? Or both?

courtesy Lords of Lexicon

 

 

According to our source the company is trying to re-negotiate existing agreements to include the ability to work with other companies and expand the brand’s reach.

Moves by Martha since last year include cutting staff, selling off stalled projects for a profit and operating more efficiently by going to a digital format.

An attempt to reach Martha Stewart’s PR department was not acknowledged by the time of this story’s release.

 

 

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Martha Magazine goes Digital

Posted on January 10, 2012 Written by 1 Comment

By Paul Pannone

Martha Stewart and Adobe teamed up in 2011 to save a tree, taking the popular magazine, Living, digital. The move is taking root in 2012, as eWedNewz talks to advertisers that say they’re excited about the new format and will support it going forward.

According to a promotional video, excited advertisers say they’re thrilled about the interaction offered by the move. So far the positive benefits includes sending the company stock price soaring over 25% in December, 2011, leveling off in January, 2012.

The company could use some good news after months of layoffs, cutbacks and recent exit from their stake in Wedding Wire. Martha also lost her television show with Hallmark.

Sources near the story say the company is undergoing the expected restructuring to make them more profitable for the future. Some cited the advantages of going digital, cutting out the added cost of a printed format.

 

Reviews of the app are less than flattering, as debugging takes place. But we’re sure the future of print magazine rests squarely on the ongoing improvement of technology, as the world of media moves away from paper.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Bridal Magazines, Celebrity, General News, Ongoing Story Investigation, Publications, Wedding Water Cooler, wedding websites Tagged: , ,
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