If you want to sell your wedding gown after your big day and are unsure how to place a value on your used dress, you have come to the right place! Here’s a summary of the used wedding gown market and the factors that affect the valuation of a dress that a bride may want to sell.
Several websites such as privatesellers.bridepower.com and www.preownedweddingdresses.com allow you to post your used gowns. Traditional selling sites such as Ebay.com and Craigslist.com are also great options, but putting a pricetag on your used gown can be tricky. Based on Internet site surveying, if you are posting a gown that has only been worn once and its still within a year from your wedding date, the starting price should be around 50 percent off what you paid for it. That is just a general starting point, and there are other important components of your gown you must also consider. Preownedweddingdresses.com even includes a value calculator to help you assess the price of your used gown.
Original Price of Your Gown
When selling your gown, your first step is to think about how much you originally paid for your gown. You would probably have trouble selling your used dress for almost the same price as you bought it for. As stated above, a good benchmark to work with is about 50 percent off the original price if your gown has only been worn once and it is within a year of your wedding. You may be thinking your gown is worth more than the 50-percent-off value or worth less, so just use your judgment when posting based on the various components that follow. Also, as stated on preownedweddingdresses.com, the original price of the gown does not include taxes or alterations.
Designer of the Gown
If your gown has a designer label, this will obviously affect the price. Just like street clothes, when a well-known designer has made a gown, it is going to cost more than one from an unknown designer. Many brides want to be able to say their gown is from someone who is well-known in the bridal industry, and this comes at a higher price. This is definitely a factor considered in the price calculator.
Condition of the Gown
If your gown has tears, rips, or missing beading and lace, you must note this when posting. Be honest! No bride deserves to buy a used gown only to find that it is in poor condition and needs alterations. Obviously, if your gown has a stain or tear or anything else that causes it to be unwearable, the price must reflect this. By no means am I saying that you shouldn’t sell your gown if this is the case, but every potential buyer is entitled to awareness of the gown’s true condition. Tip to the buyer: Make sure that you know the return policy when purchasing a used wedding gown just to err on the side of caution. If the gown does not meet your expectations and was not what you thought it was going to be, you should be able to send it back.
Length and Size of the Gown
The average height of a woman is 5 feet, 4 inches. Did you hem your gown to a length that is reasonable for most women to wear? If you are below 5-foot and your gown will only work for women who are also under 5-foot, this may decrease the value of the gown. When your potential buyer pool is reduced, your price has to change. Similarly to the length of the gown, if your gown size is considerably smaller or larger than the average size 8 or 10, you may have to alter your price.
So now that you have most of the gown value factors listed, get selling! Hopefully this helped you determine your used gown price and you are ready to post your dress.