Bridesmaid dresses are often expensive, and it's unlikely that you'll wear them more than once. So, if you're looking to make back some of the money you spent on a bridesmaid dress, there are several options for selling it online or in person.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Local shops | Local consignment shops, local bridal shops |
Social media | Facebook groups, Facebook Marketplace |
Pre-owned clothing websites | PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, WoreItOnce.com, Bridesmaid Trade, Forever the Bridesmaid, Etsy, Tradesy |
Buy and sell apps | Poshmark, ThreadUp |
Classified ads | Wedding Bee, Craigslist |
Word of mouth | Friends and family |
What You'll Learn
Local consignment shops
When calling local consignment shops, you can also ask if they have a section for selling used dresses at a lower price point. You might be able to sell your dress for 50% of the original price you paid.
If you want to sell your dress locally but don't want to go through a shop, you can turn to social media for help. There are Facebook groups where people buy and sell used bridesmaid dresses. Search for groups in your local area or ones with a general wedding theme. Share a photo of the dress, along with the size, style, and colour, and wait to hear back from interested buyers.
Consignment shops are a popular option for selling dresses because they allow you to take advantage of the company's marketing plan, which usually includes a large target audience, and use their secure payment process. Selling your dress this way will give it a second life and allow a new bride to shop gently used at a fraction of the cost.
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Facebook groups
When posting about your dress, be sure to include a photo of the dress, as well as details about the size, style, and color. You can also include the original price and the price you're selling it for. If you're posting in a local group, you may also want to include your location.
- Use clear and well-lit photos that show the dress from different angles.
- Include measurements and the original size, as well as any alterations you've made.
- Describe the dress in detail, including the style, color, fabric, and any unique features or embellishments.
- Mention the condition of the dress and be honest about any stains, tears, or other damage.
- Include the original price and your asking price. You can also mention if you're open to offers.
- Respond promptly to any comments or messages about the dress to increase your chances of making a sale.
By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to selling your bridesmaid dress through Facebook groups!
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Pre-owned clothing websites
If you're looking to sell your bridesmaid dress online, there are several pre-owned clothing websites that can help you turn your old dress into cash. Here are some options to consider:
PreOwned Wedding Dresses
This website caters to both bridal and bridesmaid dresses, so it's a great option if you're looking to sell your bridesmaid dress. One of the highlights of this website is the Wedding Dress Value Calculator, which helps you determine the current value of your dress, taking into account factors such as age and condition. There is a $5 listing fee for each dress you post for sale, but this is lower than the commission fees charged by other sites.
Bridesmaid Trade
Bridesmaid Trade is a user-friendly website that offers clear guidelines for sellers. There is no listing fee, but they charge a $15 fee if your dress sells. So, for example, if you want to make $75 from selling your dress, you should list it for $90.
Etsy
Etsy is a popular online marketplace with over 30.6 million active shoppers as of September 2017. It offers a wide range of wedding and bridesmaid dresses, and many users have shared positive experiences buying and selling dresses on this platform. Etsy charges 20 cents per item listed, along with a 3.5% transaction fee and a 3% + 25-cent payment processing fee. For example, if you listed a dress for $100, you would pay Etsy a total of $6.95 in fees.
Forever the Bridesmaid
Forever the Bridesmaid specializes in bridesmaid dresses and offers a comprehensive "Tips for Sellers" section, which provides valuable advice on dress upkeep, photos, descriptions, and pricing to maximize your chances of making a sale. They charge a 15% commission fee for each dress sold, rather than a specific dollar amount.
Tradesy
Tradesy is a convenient option for selling bridesmaid dresses, with 24/7 customer support and free shipping and return services. They take a 14.9% commission on sales over $50, or a flat rate of $7.50 for sales under $50. While Tradesy offers a wide range of high-quality bridesmaid dresses, they sell more than just wedding-related items, so buyers specifically looking for bridesmaid dresses may not think to search this website first.
Poshmark
Poshmark is a well-known marketplace for secondhand fashion, beauty, and home decor, and it also has a smaller selection of used wedding dresses. The listing process is straightforward, with no listing fees or approval process. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of the sale price, while Poshmark takes a 20% commission. Buyers cover shipping costs, and Poshmark provides a prepaid shipping label once the sale is finalized. However, it's important to note that all sales on Poshmark are final, and buyers cannot return items unless they don't receive them or they differ significantly from the listing description.
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Buy-and-sell apps
If you're looking to sell your bridesmaid dress, you can turn to buy-and-sell apps to help you find a buyer. Here are some apps you can use:
Poshmark
Poshmark is a popular online consignment store that allows you to sell used clothing, including wedding attire. Many items on Poshmark are discounted, with items available for up to 70% off, but you can still get a good value for your bridesmaid dress on the platform. You can expect to get anywhere from 20% to 85% of the dress's retail value. Poshmark charges a flat commission rate of $2.95 for sales under $15. For sales over $15, they take a 20% commission fee. For example, if you sell a $300 dress for $240 (80% of the retail value), you will earn $192 after the 20% commission fee.
ThreadUp
ThreadUp is another buy-and-sell app that gets a lot of users, making it a great place to list your bridesmaid dress. You can list the dress at your preferred price, and you will get to keep all the money from the sale as ThreadUp does not charge any commission fees.
PreOwned Wedding Dresses
PreOwned Wedding Dresses is a popular platform for selling both bridal and bridesmaid dresses. They charge a $5 listing fee, but there are no commission fees, so you get to keep all the profits from the sale. Many dresses on the site are sold for 10% to 50% off the retail value, but some sell for more than 50% off. So, you could potentially get up to 90% of the retail value of your dress. They also have a Wedding Dress Value Calculator to help you determine how much your dress is worth.
OnceWed
OnceWed is another popular site for buying and selling used wedding dresses and other types of dresses, including bridesmaid dresses. There is a $5 listing fee, but no commission fees, so you get to keep 100% of the profits. Dresses on OnceWed typically sell for 10% to 60% off the retail value, but some sell for bigger discounts. So, you could potentially get 40% to 90% of your dress's retail value back.
Tradesy
Tradesy is a popular platform for buying and selling used clothing, and you can also sell wedding attire, including bridesmaid dresses. Tradesy is known for offering huge discounts of up to 90% off retail value. While you can still get a decent amount of cashback, many bridesmaid dresses on Tradesy sell for 70% to 80% off, which means you would only get about 20% to 30% of your dress's value. The site charges a flat commission fee of $7.50 for items worth less than $50. For items worth more than $50, they charge a 19.8% commission fee. For example, if you sell a $200 dress on Tradesy, they will take a 19.8% commission fee, leaving you with $80.20.
Etsy
Etsy is a popular place for bridalwear, so it's a good option for selling your used bridesmaid dress. However, Etsy does charge fees for listing and selling items. It costs $0.20 to list an item, and when your dress sells, you will need to pay a 5% transaction fee, 3% payment processing fee, and $0.25 payment processing fee. Since new and used bridesmaid dresses are sold on Etsy, it's hard to determine how much you could expect to earn.
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Classified ads
Wedding Bee Classifieds
Wedding Bee is a wedding blog with a classifieds section. This is a great option as it is a well-trafficked site with lots of users looking to buy wedding-related items. There is no listing fee and Wedding Bee doesn't take any commission on sales.
Smart Bride Boutique
Smart Bride Boutique is another website that uses a classifieds model. It stands out by allowing buyers to search for dresses within their city. There are listings from sellers all over the US and Canada, and there is no listing fee or commission on sales.
The Gown Swap
The Gown Swap has more of a boutique-y look and feel, so if you're worried about your listing getting lost among many others, this is a good option. There's no listing fee and no commission on sales.
Recycle Your Wedding
This is the classifieds section of the popular wedding blog Ruffled. There's no fee to list your dress, and you can search the "wanted" section of the site to contact potential buyers directly. Recycle Your Wedding doesn't take any commission on sales.
SheepBuy.com
SheepBuy is an online marketplace that can be used to sell bridesmaid dresses. Although it's not a website specifically for wedding attire, its technology and search engine optimisation techniques allow for maximum exposure.
Wedding Bee
Wedding Bee is another website with a "classified" area that was initially developed as a community for soon-to-be weds to find ideas for wedding decorations. Despite not being conceived as a selling platform, Wedding Bee Classified is one of the top websites used to buy and resell bridesmaid dresses.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several online marketplaces that cater specifically to the sale of secondhand wedding attire, including PreOwned Wedding Dresses, OnceWed, and Stillwhite. General secondhand clothing sites like Tradesy, Poshmark, and Etsy are also good options.
It's important to present the dress well when selling it online. Take clear, full-length photos of the dress from every angle, and be sure to capture any intricate details. It can also be helpful to include photos of yourself wearing the dress. Additionally, provide a detailed description of the garment, including accurate measurements and information on any wear and tear.
On sites like PreOwned Wedding Dresses and OnceWed, dresses are often sold for anywhere from 10% to 60% off the retail value, though some sell for even more of a discount. So, depending on the site and the dress, you could potentially earn up to 90% of the dress's original price.
Yes, if you're looking for a faster or more convenient option, you could consider selling your dress to a local bridal resale shop or consignment salon. You could also donate your dress to a charity like Operation Glass Slipper, which provides prom dresses to girls who couldn't otherwise afford them.
To get the most from your sale, it's a good idea to have your dress professionally cleaned before listing it. This can help it sell twice as quickly, and sites like Wedding Dress Preservation by the Knot offer affordable cleaning packages.