Selling Safely

We’re big believers in trust, but in the online world it’s always a good idea to take extra steps to ensure a smooth and safe transaction.

Start by following these two important rules; not only on our site, but anytime you sell something online: 

1. Never ship your item until full payment is received
2. Only use a secure service like Escrow.com or PayPal for payment. (You can read more about these services here).

By following these principles you can feel secure knowing you are selling your item safely and not falling victim to scam attempts that can be common in the resale industry.

How to Identify Common Online Scams

The most popular scam is a "buyer" offering to pay you with a check in an amount higher than the sale price. S/He then asks you to cash the check, and forward the dress and the additional funds to him. The check sent to you is counterfeit and will bounce - even if it clears your bank originally. You will then be held responsible for the full amount of the bogus check and any added fees your bank will charge.

These emails are recognized by a few common characteristics:

1. Typically (but not always) sent from abroad
2. Use of poor grammar and spelling
3. Indicates urgency in purchasing your dress, but does not ask any specific questions about the dress other than price and how payment can be made
4. Want to make payment via cashier's check, wire transfer or money order and want to use a shipper/ third party for sending the dress

One of the clearest ways to identify the scam is via the excess payment and the use of a third party shipper. And usually (but not always) the buyer seems only interested in the purchase/price and a fast transaction, but does not ask specific questions about the item itself.

If you EVER receive an excess payment, you should IMMEDIATELY stop your transaction.  It is absolutely a scam.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com filters initial buyer emails to help prevent scams inquiries from ever reaching your inbox.  We are also happy to review any correspondence to help you verify its legitimacy. (Just send us an email and we'll get back to your right away).

The majority of online buyers and sellers are honest people, so don’t be discouraged, simply be aware - and you won’t be disappointed.