Searching for anything online is a hassle, as so many options exist and picking the right business is difficult. This is especially true for something as important as formal wear.
When searching for a place to purchase your army dress uniform, you should take numerous things into consideration.
#1: Make sure that the company in question is reputable
While not quite as odious as stolen valor, companies exist that do not produce army uniforms to appropriate standards. If you feel you are too smart to fall for a fake, understand that the government has occasionally been tricked into buying counterfeit military outfits, as evidenced in 2019 when the Justice Department found a California supply company had given it numerous faulty suits.
Since you are buying individually, however, you can do more research than the US government could do. So, be sure to take a close look at whatever seller you consider when it comes to buying your ASU.
When considering buying online, make sure you visit that seller’s website. While you’re on the website, keep an eye out for spelling and grammar errors. While one or two spelling errors can be expected, and honest people don’t always use perfect grammar, fraudulent websites are often written by people who do not speak English as a first language.
If you see obviously bad spelling, nonsensical grammar, or punctuation that makes no sense, you may have a scam website on your hands, and you should approach with caution.
While it goes without saying, you should also keep an eye out to make sure a company is using the appropriate standards to make its uniforms.
#2: A low price is a good thing, but quality will always be most important.
You may have devoted a large chunk of your life to military service, but you need not show the same devotion to a company from whom you are purchasing uniforms. If you find that one company is giving you a better deal than another company, you don’t need to worry about hurting the other company’s feelings when you opt not to buy from them.
But again, keep in mind that customer service is important, too. If you have issues with an ASU that has been sent to you, you’ll want to know that you can get in touch with a person at the company who sold it to you.
Other qualities to seek in an online retailer are high customization options, a solid understanding of military protocols in regards to dress, and if that seller can offer other things in the future, such as if you get a promotion, or you go to the field and earn some ribbons for the fruit salad.
While you don’t need to show loyalty to a company, you may want to consider whether a company can offer you more later, if you are satisfied with how they design your ASU.
#3: Customer service should be key to a company getting your money.
Gauging whether or not a company offers stellar customer service requires some research. This is, however, a crucial step in ensuring that you will not get duped.
Use customer reviews for whatever seller you are considering to help you make your decision. Don’t rely on the highest or lowest scores, however; look at scores in the middle. These are likely to be honest reviews, which point out both the good and bad of a company, rather than being reviews by sycophants for or detractors for a given website.
Also, consider sending some correspondence to the website in question. Most websites will offer some sort of email to use to speak with a rep. A company whose reps respond to emails quickly is likely a company that will give you good customer service.
You can also use social media to attempt to contact a seller. Regardless of which method you use, you should be able to contact somebody about purchasing an ASU within a reasonable amount of time. If they are willing to talk to you quickly when they don’t have your money, they will likely be willing to talk with you after you’ve made your purchase.
