After the Big Day: How to Sell Your Wedding Dress Part 2

   Hello brides and wives! Last entry I talked about consignment in a brick and mortar store, this entry will address online consignment and online bridal gown sites that list your gown for you. I have personally used a few different sites to feel them out. I have used http://www.recycledbride.com/, http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/, and http://www.oncewed.com/.
   First off, although there are some sites that are legitimate and honest, be wary of any that ask you to send the dress to them. If you are not in the immediate area, you may not ever see your dress again or get paid for it and as I covered in the Buying Online piece, you never know if those "reviews" are from real customers or fake ID's.
   The biggest draw back to online consignment is that it can take a long time for your dress to sell. As far as I can tell from trying the three listed websites above for 6 months each (and selling none of the gowns I listed despite the listing prices being between $100-$450), more brides selling their gown are visiting than soon-to-be brides are buying.
   You have a much better chance of selling designer gowns that are current or recently discontinued, than a 2 year old David's Bridal dress. Think of it this way, if a bride-to-be sees the gown she wants on Say Yes to the Dress, but it is $3200 and beyond her budget, she is going to hit the internet. Whereas a bride-to-be that is searching for a David's dress online is looking for a deal and will probably look to Ebay first since new and current gowns that sell in the store for $500, go on Ebay for as little as $75.
   On the upside, you can reach more areas with an online site than a brick and mortar consignment shop. Again, you still have to be realistic with your pricing:

• If your dress is 3 years or older, used (and needs cleaning), and is a brand name (Alfred Angelo for example,) but not a designer name (like Vera Wang) don't expect much. You will honestly be lucky to get $100 out of it. Brides are already taking a major chance buying online, they don't want to add to that by having to pay the costs of having it cleaned only to find out the stains won't come out.
• Don't expect more than $100 for Chinese replica knock-offs - whether they are used or not. In fact, if it is used and needs to be cleaned, you will be lucky to sell it at all.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and needs to be cleaned expect to get up to 1/4 of the original price.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and is used but completely clean, you could ask up to 1/3 of the original price and expect to get it.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and is new, you can probably get 1/2 of the original price.

There are exceptions:

• If your dress is new and plus sized, you are far more likely to ask and get about 75% of what you paid for it - as long as it is a brand name. 
• If the dress is used and plus sized, but clean, you are likely to get 1/2 of the original price.
• If your dress is a designer label and it is used, you can easily get 30-40% of the original price.
• If your dress is a designer label and unworn, you can ask up to 75% of the original price as long as it is a recent design.
• Maggie Sottero is a hot name right now, whether new or used, you can price it like a designer label rules.

Keep in mind that vintage does not necessarily translate to cash. Sell vintage and dresses from the last 3 decades on Ebay. Trendy, budget savvy brides are searching these online "consignment" sites, not collectors. Good luck ladies!

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

After the Big Day: How to Sell Your Wedding Dress Part 1

   Your wedding has come and gone and now your dress is hanging in the closet. I get at least 2-3 calls a week asking our advice on where and how to sell a used gown.

   First off, let's talk about the gown itself. You really have to be realistic about what you can get out of the gown, price wise, according to the condition, the designer, age, and the means of selling it. Over the next couple weeks I will be breaking down each of the typical ways brides generally sell their gowns.

   Consignment: This is probably the best way to get the most money out of your gown, but can take the longest. If there is a reputable, consignment bridal salon in your area, this is the best way to go. Here are some things to consider about where to consign your dress.

• Don't leave your gown with a new business. According to NIBA (New Business Incubator Association), 80% of new businesses fail in the first year. I have heard of many people that have never gotten their items back after a store closed. 
• Don't leave your gown with a consignment shop that sells items other than formal wear. You could end up with people that have no interest in buying a wedding dress trying it on "just for fun." Not to mention, you want a shop that knows brands, what is in, and the best price for your dress.
• Read the contract carefully and ask for a copy! If there is no formal contract, don't use them; you'll have no proof that you even left the dress with the store.
• Ask any questions about the contract before signing it. Once your signature is on that dotted line, the deal is legally binding and "I didn't know that" or "I didn't understand that"  is not a valid excuse when you have a problem later. Most common issues:

1. Dress became damaged/dirty when being tried on - This, unfortunately, happens a lot and most shops will write into the contract that they can not be held responsible. 
2. Shop has a sale - Your dress may be included in that sale, lowering the final price you get from it.
3. Contract ends and your garment(s) is never picked up - This is the number one issue I read about on message boards both from the store and the customer. Most places will set a time limit that your dress is on their rack (usually 6 months to a year) and it is your responsibility to come and resign that contract or take the garment home. There is usually a grace period and then the item is treated as abandoned. It is really important to know if the contract states that they will remind you when the contract on your unsold item is going to expire or if it is your responsibility to know the date.

• Make sure the agreed upon price is written on the contract and you know what your cut is before signing.
• Check back in periodically and make sure your gown is still there and the price tag reflects the price you agreed on. Accidents can happen, but so can shady business dealings.

  The great thing about consignment is that you can leave your dress with a business that brings brides to your item instead of having to place ads and take pictures to get brides to contact you.
   Just make sure the shop you choose is knowledgeable, reputable, and gives you a copy of your contract! Good luck!

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

Hello, My Name is....

   So, my husband pointed out that I really just threw a blog up on the web without an introduction to myself or our store. Once in a while, he is right and this is one of those times :)

  

    First off, my name is Holli and my husband, James, and I own the bridal salon Dream Dress Bridal located in Brewer, Maine. I have loved the bridal world since I was a child and always dreamed of owning a bridal related business.

    I went to college for Business Management and for my marketing class, we were asked on the first day to come up with a business that we would use for all projects through out the semester. Since I was engaged and  had been looking at wedding gowns the day before with my girls, it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Over the next couple months, I had developed a business plan, floor lay-outs, advertisements, and had found amazing ways to provide gowns at incredibly low prices.

    When the class was over, I had an A on the books and hours and hours of research that were bound for the trash, but my fiance decided that it deserved to be more than just papers. He sold the house he had inherited from his grandparents and we scaled way back on our wedding expenses and used 3/4 of our wedding fund to make Dream Dress Bridal a reality.

    I work at our salon 5 days a week from open to close (6 days a week from January to July) and hand pick every gown that our store purchases. My brides love to find they are dealing with the owner because I have a personal interest in making sure they have the best experience possible. Too many of our competitor's hire local teens with no basic idea of materials, styles, or silhouettes and since they are paid minimum wage, they don't care whether you buy or not and if they are making commission, they will most likely steer you past your budget even if a less expensive gown looks best on you.

    We specialize in bridal gowns bought from closing salons or direct from the manufacturer when they are discontinued. We never know what we are going to find when we decide to work with a closing salon. We have had gowns from Reem Acra, Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier, and so many other designers. We have sold them all for between $500-$1000 each.  We currently have a Jim Hjelm that originally retailed for $3200 that we are selling for $1000. All of the gowns we offer are brand new!

    We also have regular lines that allow our brides to come in, try on, and order in the size and color they want and, of course, all of our bridesmaid dresses are available for order. We try to only offer lines that offer excellent quality with reasonable prices. After all, everyone's budgets are different.

    If there is a dress out there that you love and you would like to see if you can save some money on it, don't be afraid to contact us with the maker and style number. We have developed many contacts that traditional bridal stores do not have. In this economy, every penny really does count :)

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog.