PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com recommends Escrow.com for all transactions because it offers the most protection for the buyer and the seller.  We really believe it is the safest way to pay for both parties.  Here’s why:

Buyers are protected:

• Escrow.com tracks the shipped merchandise and verifies it was delivered (assuring the wedding dress will ship before the seller receives the money).

• The Seller isn’t paid until the Buyer accepts the merchandise, or the inspection period expires (assuring that the item is as described).

Sellers are protected:

• Escrow.com confirms when the Buyer receives merchandise.

• The Seller is authorized to ship only after Escrow.com verifies good funds (assuring the seller will get her money).

Here is what the escrow.com process looks like.

Step 1:

Either the buyer or the seller starts the process by signing up for a free account and initiating the transaction:

The inspection period is the length of time a buyer has to inspect the dress.  It can be set  from 1-30 days and is the time the buyer is allotted to inspect the merchandise.   At the end of the inspection period, the buyer can accept or reject the merchandise.  (It is important to note that a buyer can reject a dress for any reason.)

If the buyer rejects the merchandise, she most return it to the seller at her expense.  If the merchandise is not returned to the seller in the same condition it was sent, the seller can reject the return.   (This means that a seller doesn’t have to worry that the gown won’t come back the way it was sent out).

Step 2:

The buyer or seller enters the description and price of the item.

Step 3:

Escrow.com summarizes the transaction and asks the initiator to accept it.  It is then sent to the other party for review.   The other party can accept the contract or revise it and send it back for agreement.

Note: Escrow.com offers a standard and premier service. (The premier service offers more speed and convenience.)  See the difference between the two levels here.

Step 4:

The buyer or seller selects how payment will be made:

Note: for wedding gown/apparel transactions, payment can only be made via check or wire transfer.  Escrow.com will not accept credit cards for wedding gowns.

One thing I’ve always recommend to buyers and sellers is that a seller can charge a “restocking” fee for a return.  This helps ensure that only serious buyers try on the dress.  And it helps compensate a seller for her time and effort of shipping her dress and accepting a return.

Here’s how you would set that up in an escrow.com transaction:

If you were selling your dress for $1500 (dress) + $50 shipping.  You would set it up in escrow.com for $1300  (dress)+ $250 shipping. ($50 for shipping and $200 for restocking).

That way, if the buyer returned the dress, she would be refunded $1300 and the seller would be paid $250 on the return.

Have any questions about how escrow.com works for wedding dress transactions.  Email them to us and we’ll answer them here.

I really believe that escrow.com is the safest payment method for our buyers and sellers to use.  It provides protection for both parties (significantly more than paypal), and is simple and straightforward process.

When I learned that Shannon, a recently seller, used the service, I asked her to write a few words about her experience so I could post it on our blog.  Here is what she said:

“When I first listed my dress on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com I wasn’t sure how I would handle the payment if I found a buyer. I figured I had a little time to look into it, but when I had a buyer only one week later I decided to look into using the site that PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com had recommended: escrow.com.

From that point on the transaction was simple, straight-forward, and best of all, stress free. Escrow.com is great because it protects everyone involved…the seller and the buyer.

I benefited because the funds are guaranteed and held by escrow.com before the dress even gets shipped, which means I knew I would get my payment.

My buyer was protected because the payment is not released to me until she received and accepted the dress, which means she gets to make sure the dress is exactly what I said it would be.

There is a fee for the service, but it’s a small percentage of the selling price, and I think it was well worth it to ensure protection for everyone involved.

Escrow.com was also wonderful because they walk both the seller and the buyer through every step of the process.

1. I created the agreement,
2. the buyer accepted,
3. the buyer paid,
4. escrow confirmed and held the funds and prompted me to ship,
5. escrow tracked the shipment (and even sent me an email when it had arrived-I didn’t even have to check the tracking myself!),
6. the buyer had three days to accept the goods, after which the funds were released to me.

At each step in the process escrow.com sent me an email confirming both mine and the buyer’s actions and let both of us know when we needed to do something further. At every point in the transaction both parties know exactly what’s going on.

It really couldn’t have been easier. It meant that I wasn’t worried about the details of the transaction and was able to email my buyer and share in the excitement of the transaction rather than worry about getting ripped off.

It’s your wedding dress after all…something that means a lot to you, something you’re going to share with another bride. You want that interaction to be as positive as possible. Weddings can be really stressful, but if you are going to buy or sell your wedding dress online, escrow.com ensures that at least that part of the wedding will be stress free.”

Thanks very much Shannon, for taking the time to outline the escrow.com process!

And just as a note, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is not affliated with escrow.com in any way.