Be Honest About The Condition
Take clear pictures of your dress so buyers know exactly what it looks like. You need to be completely upfront about any damage, including tears or stains. Pictures sell products, so be sure to include different angles, close-ups of unique design patterns, and even pictures of you in the gown. Good lighting is critical to getting good photos, so try to find a place with great natural light when taking photos of the dress.
Other Websites To Buy And Sell Used Wedding Dresses
Tradesy: A fashion-forward website geared toward designer brands, Tradesy offers a streamlined interface with a quick listing process. The website is curated like a high-end retailer site . Users can search used wedding dresses by label, size, style and more.
Review: Tradesy takes roughly 20 percent commission on sales, and promises prompt payment. Be aware Tradesy covers shipping and returns for most fashion items, but used wedding dresses are not included. If you’re buying, Tradesy comes with a money back guarantee if wedding items are inauthentic, taking some of the worry out of the used wedding dress buying process.
Still White: A marketplace specifically for used wedding dresses, Still White may not look as fancy as other preowned wedding dress websites, but it offers a wide range of used wedding dresses, from Vera Wang and Pronovias to Essense of Australia and Maggie Sottero.
Review: This straightforward website gets down to the nitty gritty and lets users browse by dress condition, taking the mystery out of the secondhand wedding dress buying process . Sellers can create a listing for $20 or upgrade to a premium listing for $30that means their dress will be promoted on the site. While it’s an initial fee to create a listing, the website takes no commission, meaning sellers keep pretty much all of their sales.
Want to buy or sell in-person? Search for local consignment salons in your area.
How Much Can I Sell My Used Wedding Dress For
How much you can sell your used wedding dress for depends on a number of factors.
As a general rule of thumb, a used wedding dress in great condition and under two years old can usually sell for 50% of the retail price. If your dress is a designer brand such as Vera Wang, you can get closer to 60% of the retail value.
There are calculators that can estimate how much you can get for your wedding dress. Enter some general information such as your dresss brand, condition, size, etc. and you can get an estimate for the value of your gown.
Here are a few calculators to help you determine the best price to sell your wedding dress:
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Reputable Wedding Dress Resale Sites
We took the guesswork out of this process and came up with a list of reputable sites to sell a preowned wedding dress. Keep in mind that these websites are also great resources to peruse if youre interested in buying a used wedding dress. Theyre literal goldmines for buyers and sellers.
Most importantly, reselling your wedding items after the big day is one of our favorite wedding budget hacks! Its worth noting that while selling your wedding dress online can absolutely help you recoup some of your costs, its not typically an easy, quick, or convenient task to tackle. These sites each have different benefits and costs involved, depending on the level of work youre looking to do yourself.
Weve outlined all the details below. Whether you want to sell your wedding dress locally or resell your wedding dress online, this thorough guide will empower you to choose the option thats best for you!
Is It Bad Luck To Get Rid Of Your Wedding Dress
Although selling your wedding dress is probably not actually bad luck, like many brides, you may want to keep it as a cherished memory for yourself. Keeping it can allow you to pass it on to a family member later. At a minimum, you will want to have your dress professionally cleaned as soon as possible.
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Who Usually Pays For A Wedding
Traditionally, the bride and her family are responsible for paying for all wedding planning expenses, the brides attire, all floral arrangements, transportation on the wedding day, photo and video fees, travel and lodgings for the officiant if he comes from out of town, lodging for the bridesmaids (if you have offered
Best Places To Sell Your Wedding Dress
There are a few different options you can consider when looking for a place to sell your gown. Many people sell their wedding dresses online on marketplaces that sell used wedding items, while others focus on selling locally. Wherever you decide to sell your gown, there are many tactics you can try to get the price you want.
Also Check: Can You Plan A Wedding In 2 Months
Things To Consider Before Selling Your Wedding Dress
Often when brides ask us about selling a wedding dress, it’s because they’ve found a dress they love that’s outside of their budget, and they’re considering spending a little extra in the hope of making some of the money back after the wedding. It’s a good plan, in theory, but there are a few factors to bear in mind before you hand over that credit card.
- The kind of wedding dress you’ve got in mind – is it a popular style and size?
- The style of wedding you’re having – is the dress likely to be in good condition after the wedding? This is particularly important if you’re having your ceremony in a forest, taking your portraits on a beach etc.
- Your plans for immediately after the wedding – is there time to get the dress dry cleaned and put it up for sale? Many’s the bride who tossed her dress in a bag as she headed off on honeymoon, only to forget all about it upon return!
- How motivated you are to sell your wedding dress – are you an organisational marvel? Or the kind of person who tends to shove problems in the cupboard and hope they’ll go away
Before you buy an over-budget dress with the idea of selling it after the wedding, ask yourself if you afford to buy the dress if you don’t sell it afterwards? Things happen, red wine spills, dresses tear, dry cleaners mess up, dresses fail to sell. If, for whatever reason, you can’t sell your dress, can you take the hit for the full cost?
Photo by IG Studio via One Fab Day
What If You Said Yes To The Wrong Dress
They say its a womans prerogative to change her mind. But when it comes to wedding dresses, changing your mind can be costly.
What few brides realize until its too late is that the moment you say yes to a particular dress, a wedding consultant will whip out a purchase contract. Once signed, you are contractually obligated to buy that dress and whatever accessories you picked to go with it, including alterations even if you never take it out of the store.
That and the fact that some newlyweds would rather have cash than a $5,000 gown yellowing in a closet has spawned a whole industry focused on selling previously owned wedding gowns and accessories. SideHusl.com found nine different sites able to sell wedding gowns, including four sites that do almost nothing else.
In your mothers day, you were supposed to keep your wedding dress forever. It was a sentimental thing, says Josie Daga, founder of PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. But theres been a mindset shift.
Brides are selling their dresses sometimes even before the wedding for both money and personal satisfaction, she says.
In a December survey, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com found two main reasons why consumers re-sell wedding gowns: They want another bride to share a dress that they loved and considered special, and because they need the money.
Also Check: How To Plan A Wedding On A Budget Of 5000
Buy Or Sell Locally In A County Near You
Since Bride2bride is a marketplace of local listings, you can search for a bride selling her dress near you. Cut down on travel, avoid problems with postage and find a local seller using our search tools to see dresses for sale near your town, city or country and within a few miles radius of your home.
How Long Does It Usually Take To Sell A Wedding Dress
If you own a wedding dress, you know from experience that the sales cycle for buying a wedding dress is much longer than buying a pair of shoes or jeans. It is often a once in a lifetime investment that buyers want to ensure they get right.
Because of this, it can take a while to sell a dress. According to Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses, the average time a dress is listed on their site is 70 days.
If time is important to you, there are things you can do to accelerate the process. Setting the price of your dress lower than the competition could speed things up. You could even advertise your dress on multiple platforms, assuming the terms and conditions of the sites you use allow this.
If your dress is from a designer brand, it may sell faster assuming you have priced it well. Additionally, dresses that are in a popular style and a common size may take less time to sell than ones that are more niche.
Also Check: How To Use A Wedding Hashtag
Can A Yellowed Wedding Dress Be Whitened
Can a Yellowed Wedding Dress Be Whitened? The good news is there is hope for your yellowed wedding dress. Professional wedding gown restoration companies are experienced in treating and whitening every type of delicate fabric found in your yellowed wedding gown, from satin, to fine lace, and even silk.
Where To Sell Unworn/unaltered Wedding Dress
Posted in Wedding Attire0
I bought a wedding dress but am needing to sell it. It is a beautiful dress but the cost I was quoted to alter it to my size was more expensive than the dress itself and we have since changed plans and are privately marrying so I no longer need this dress. I am struggling selling it! The shop I bought it from will not give me a refund. I’ve posted it on Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, and a few local wedding Facebook groups. There are some wedding websites that I would have to pay to post it for sale, which I’m not interested in doing because I don’t want to lose any additional money. Any suggestions?
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Tips For Selling Online
Selling online offers many benefits and can be a lot easier than selling in person. You have access to a nationwide audience, which increases the chance of someone liking your dress and buying it for the price you want.
Online sites also offer selling and shipping assistance and seller protection. Some sites even handle any refunds that may happen if the dress is returned and let you keep the money you earned from the sale.
The disadvantage of selling online is that competition is stronger. Because there are more dresses for people to choose from, it may take longer to sell your dress. You also usually wont meet your buyer in person, so they are more likely to return your dress and request a refund if it doesnt fit or look right.
The Best Places To Buy Or Sell Used Wedding Dresses Online
This post is the ultimate guide to selling a wedding dress online. If youre considering selling your wedding dress, weve rounded up the best information to help you decide the where, how, and why so you can turn your used dress into cash! If youre not sure what to do with your dress after the wedding day is over, why not consider selling it to another bride?
Read Also: How Much To Insure A Wedding Ring
Selling My Wedding Dress
Posted in Wedding Attire0
I was originally going to get married on 11/23/18 but FH and I decided to elope and get married in Las Vegas in May 2018. I purchased a wedding dress from David’s Bridal it has not be altered at all. I was looking for suggestion on where I can sell the dress I will getting a less expensive dress for the elopement. Thanks in advance.
- on January 22, 2018 at 8:15 PM Preownedweddingdresses.com. Or see if Davids will exchange it for some fun cocktail dresses!!!!we just decided to elope too!! Im with you! Reply
- on January 22, 2018 at 8:18 PM
Tradesy.com
- on January 22, 2018 at 8:41 PM Facebook might have some local buy sell trade groups in your area. Reply
- on January 22, 2018 at 9:18 PM View Quoted CommentI work at David’s, and it’s only basically even exchange. If your new dress is less then your originally dress, the difference will go towards store credit. So your best bet would be to try to sell it on your own. Reply
Tips For Selling Used Wedding Dresses
Whether you aren’t the sentimental type or you’re just savvy, selling your used wedding dress is an easy way to recoup some money from your wedding. If your dress is in good condition, consider listing it online over selling it to a thrift store, where the piece will reach a greater volume of potential buyers and can be more easily shared and promoted.
A used wedding dress in great condition and under two years old can usually sell for 50 percent of the retail price. And, if your dress is by a more recognizable brand like Oscar de la Renta or Vera Wang, you could make closer to 60 percent of its retail value. Some consignment websites also offer tools to help you decide what to charge.
Since there’s a large demand for all kinds of secondhand wedding dresses, a designer label doesn’t necessarily mean your dress will sell faster. But presentation does matter. Put your best foot photos forward to show off how amazing the garment really is. And consider getting it professionally cleanedNearly Newlywed, a leading used wedding dress resale site, says it could sell twice as fast.
IVKateFoto/Shutterstock.com
Recommended Reading: Making Your Own Wedding Bouquet With Fake Flowers
Local Wedding Consignment Shops
If you want to sell your wedding dress locally, the best option is a wedding dress consignment shop.
Since these shops specifically focus on selling wedding-related items like wedding gowns, accessories, and shoes, this is your best chance for getting your dress in front of local buyers looking specifically for a wedding dress.
One of the big downsides of local wedding dress consignment shops is that they charge fairly steep fees for helping you sell your wedding dress, similar to some sites on this list.
Many shops charge a commission rate in the range of 40% to 60% of the final sale price of the dress.
Related: How to Start an Online Thrift Store or Consignment Shop
