Pros & Cons of Ordering Tailored Suits Online

June 9, 2011 - PRLog -- While browsing through our competitors selling tailored men and women suits online, I realised the large number of tailoring businesses working over the internet. From India, Hong Kong, Thailand … Asia is offering cheap as chips suits while other customers are paying thousands when visiting their local tailor.
Should customers risk buying online to save? They might be making a huge saving ordering some suits in China for example however what happen if the garment doesn’t fit or comes in the wrong colour? Returning the suits to the seller or getting their cloth altered here, both are going to cost quite a lot. Also is the fabric initially ordered, is really what it says to be! China again is renowned to be the copycat country. I had a chat the other day with a Chinese friend living in mainland China and he told me that China was getting worse. Everything was copied, recopied and in his opinion, he would also expect his country to produce fake wools, fake cotton, fake silk…etc His last advice was to stay away! Having extensively travelled in South East Asia, I can add that Thailand, Vietnam, Burma and Cambodia are also selling lots of fakes therefore beware. If the price sounds too good to be true… you should know what it means!
I then focused on tailors online but located this time in Australia and in the US, I realised that many of them were actually making their suits, guess where? … in Asia.
I then went to some local tailors and checked their prices. Indeed they had beautiful fabrics to show, Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry… however their prices and also the wait to get a suit made, were for some, simply outrageous. Commonly it will cost you from $2500 to much more than that. I talked to a new customer who went to see one of those local tailors and who waited 2 years to get his suit ready after having paid $3500 for a 2 pieces, isn’t it shocking?
I got back in front my computer and this time, I decided to analyse the terms used by tailors in their ads. “Bespoke and made to measures” for example were very often found together. Are they selling both? Are they creating a “Frankenstein like” hybrid?
“Handmade” is another confusing term: $200 for a handmade suit? Isn’t it funny? Or does it mean that they are using their hands and not their feet to use their machines?
All this confusion proved me a lack of professionalism from many tailors out there and as a result I can easily understand how customers may feel apprehensive while ordering online some tailored suits, shirts etc...
I reconsidered the situation and raised the question, how can we improve trust in customers? The answer is simple. Offer them guarantees and it has been our policy for a while now.
1.   Indeed we are already offering free alterations; free fittings on customers’ items. Customers have their say on what fits and what it is not, we listen and fix any issues.
2.   We decided to visit some of the nearest capital cities to reach customers who were still against the whole process of ordering online. Customers are able to meet us in person not only to buy new items and get measured but also to get old ones fitted!
Checking our customer services and after sale services, I believe it would be difficult to offer more and if more efforts have to be made, it has to be prior to making customers’ items. What if we could offer as many advantages as any local tailors? What if we could create a real “Bespoke” tailoring service online?
The term “Bespoke” also means “Several fittings” prior, during and after the making of a suit, right? So here it goes. AustralianTailor.com is now offering a Test Suit before making the suit our customer is ordering. Let me give you an example, you order with us some suits, we are not going to work straight away on the fabric you have chosen, instead we are going to work on your measurement, make a first suit in a generic fabric (a wool blend), this suit will already be customised to your specifications. We are going to send you this suit and wait to hear from you. If the test suit fits then we get to work on your order. If the test suit doesn’t fit, we might ask you to send it back for us to make some adjustments … or we might just ask you what it’s not fitting and where we need to improve and alter your measurement for your comfort. You might think that the process might take a long time but not at all.
From the reception of your payment and your test suit delivery to final delivery of your items, we do it all within 40 days, hopefully even less. In terms of prices, for customers ordering for $1000 or over, our test suit is free of charge. For those ordering for less than that, our Test Suit will cost you just $80 delivered within Australia and deductible if you place your order shortly after. No obligation to order after reception of your Test Suit!
Let’s talk about our prices range. If local tailors are selling suits with renowned mills’ fabrics for way over $2000, expect to pay a lot less with us. Our suits made with fabrics from Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, J&J Mimmis, John G Hardy, Taylor & Lodge …start from just $900 (Half or full canvas + Free delivery). Depending on the fabric you have choosen, you might pay a bit more so the average will be $1200/$1500 still with free delivery, free Test Suit and free alterations. We are also tailoring sport coats, overcoats and we also have available more fabrics from Fox Brothers & Co (Fox Flannel), Martin Sons & Co. Savile Row, Hunt & Winterbotham. We should soon get fabrics from Vitale Barberis Canonico, Dugdale Bros & Thomas Fisher. Keep in touch. www.AustralianTailor.com

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Bespoke Tailor Online & Offline based in South Australia. Our items: Men suits, Women Suits, Dress Shirts, Overcoats, Sport Coats all fully tailored. Available fabrics from Dormeuil,Holland & Sherry,J&J Mimmis,Taylor & Lodge,Fox Flannel and more. We offer affordable prices, free & fast delivery, free test suit.