I'm ready to buy this, what's the next step?

Congrats! Finding the item you want to buy is exciting.

We are a listing service, so you'll deal directly with the seller for the transaction (making everything faster and less expensive).  Read below for tips on buying safely, and what your next steps look like.

Tips for Buying Safely

There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself during a transaction:

  • Buy Within Your Size Range
    It is important that you buy a dress within your size range. It is much easier to take a dress in a size or two than to try and let it out.  Especially if the dress has already been altered; most manufacturers only leave 1/2-1" of materials to allow for letting a dress out. 

    If a dress does not fit when you receive it you will not be able to return it for a refund via PayPal unless the seller misrepresented the tag size or alterations done.
  • Look Up The Designer's Sizing Chart
    Every designer will fit differently - try to find the size chart for the dress you are buying to confirm if an unaltered version of the size you are looking to buy would fit, then consider the alterations the seller has done and determine if the dress will work for your body.
  • Use a Protected Payment Method 
    We recommend Paypal and have integrated it directly into our messaging inbox! The seller can invoice directly inside your conversation and  you'll be fully protected if your item doesn't ship, arrives damaged, or arrives and isn't exactly as described. Learn more here about safe payment methods.
  • Get All of The Details 
    • Ask Questions. Confirm the authenticity and condition of your item. Ask the seller lots of questions about its current condition, the size & alterations done, the color, and ask if they offer a return policy and HOW the return policy works.
    • Ask for Pictures. SO IMPORTANT! You need to see the dress in its current condition as of today. An honest seller won’t mind – a scammer will make up a reason they can’t send you pictures of the item as it looks right now in their hands.
  • Take Pictures of The Box and Your Item The Moment It Arrives
    • When you receive the dress take pictures of you unpacking the box and of the dress's front/back/fine details while you inspect it.
    • Try it on! If you receive a dress that was not as described (damaged or different size/designer than listed etc) we recommend attempting to resolve it with the seller. If they are not willing to resolve it directly with you, you’ll want to navigate to the resolution center on PayPal to begin the process of getting a refund. 

Read our Tips for Buyers on How to Avoid Online Scams When Buying Wedding Dresses

Buyers Next Steps

Here are your next steps for a safe and smooth transaction:

  1. Contact The Seller - Get All of the Details
    1. When you find an item you'd like to buy you click on the EMAIL SELLER button on the listing. 
    2. NEVER communicate off the site. Our system allows pictures to be sent. Do not believe sellers who say they cannot send pictures on our site!
  2. Agree on Pricing and Shipping
    Agree with the seller on the price, the dress condition, and the shipping terms. (See our  shipping tips and shipping cost calculators). The seller will need to get a shipping quote for the weight/dimensions of the packaged item. 

    PayPal is integrated into our site so the seller will send you a PayPal invoice directly inside the message thread (and will add the cost of shipping there).
  3. Get A Tracking Number
    Once the seller confirms payment has been received they will ship the item. Make sure to get a tracking number from them so that you can monitor the progress of your shipment
  4. ...Try It On and Fall In Love!

If the item does not arrive, arrives damaged, or different than described/sold as, you will have protection with PayPal's Purchase Protection, which you can read more about here: https://www.oncewed.com/shop-guide/recommended-payment-methods

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