why won't my wedding dress sell??

RainbowDrops

Hi – I’m an Editor, so I’ve taken the liberty of sprucing up your listing (only lightly though). Hope it helps

Maggie Sottero “Royal Romance” Wedding Dress
Size 14-16 (see below for detailed measurements)


A stunning 2 piece duchesse strapless satin dress with beautiful embroidery, beading and Swarovski crystals, cathedral length train and full skirt.
The colour is diamond white with pewter (the Maggie Sottero equivalent of a soft ivory) and the embroidery is similar with silvery accents.
The corseted top is incredibly flattering, very supportive, and comfortable, and the movement in the skirt is lovely. [Removed excess details to make easier to read]
It is an original Maggie Sottero (see label) and cost me £1,400 new. [I’ve removed the bit about Chinese copies as it might ad doubt]


It is sized as a 16, but I would suggest measurements are followed rather than the label. (I was a high street dress size 14 when I wore this, but the joy corseted back means that they will take a size up or down with no problems or alterations).
The waist size from approximately 32" to 36" and has a little more flexibility either way. (Hip measurements are not applicable as the skirt is full.)
The skirt has a hook fastening with 2 or 3 size options.
The bust is from 36" to 40" approximately at the fullest part.

The dress length was altered slightly.[How much? Lengthened /shortened?]. As a guide, I am 5ft 3" and wore 4" heels.
I can measure the dress if you need this [Why don’t you include the measurement?], but of course the exact length depends on the fullness of any underskirt and therefore can vary slightly.

The dress has inbuilt layers of netting, but this is for shape rather than fullness.
The photographs are shown with a loaned underskirt underneath (not included).


I am happy to include the professional acid-free storage box which I purchased separately for £30. The box is a little battered after moving house but good for carrying and storing the dress.
I will also include the waist length veil which was colour matched to the dress and cost me £45.

The dress was professionally cleaned after my wedding (£80) but was worn once again for no more than an hour for a photography session 6 months later.

Photos here include the dress with the train down which is hard to capture in full, and with the train bustled up (there is also a wrist loop, but I thought it looked beautiful bustled and much less trouble than carrying it) and detailed photographs of the embroidery on the top and the back of the corset.


I am also happy to allow a serious buyer to come and try this on if that helps you. There is a simple reason for this; I know when it is tried you will see first hand how flattering this is and there is no photograph or description that can convey this.

charliegirl_3

your dress is lovely, but I would use photo 3, 4 or 7 with the detailing as the main pic. also I'm not sure if many folk would search or know who Maggie Sottero was, I didnt, what about listing it as 'designer" and also including the colour as well, I would imagine people search for white or ivory etc.

good luck with selling it x

missy_moo_5

ahhh thank you rainbowdrops - that has helped enormously!!

Again all comments gratefully received - especially where people have commented they would buy it if it fitted as it reassures me that it's worthy of being sold!

Lexxi - yep, i'd be more than willing to sell the veil seperately and will perhaps list it as such next time - I'll take some better pics over the weekend. I would also sell my tiara (it's an Amanda Wyatt one) but the band is tarnished from hairspray so I don't suppose anyone would offer much for it unless I put in on there for a silly price? Daft really as you don't even see the band when it's in your hair!!

Lexxi

What about 'whole outfit' for the listing - you might need to think of a better way of putting it as there won't be a petti with it but if you could put something like that it might entice people a little more and you may get a higher price, especially if you put the retail of each bit?
Have you tried any other sites like preloved?

bubbles0169

if you have a BIN price as soon as someone starts bidding the BIN will disappear and if it doesnt reach your reserve it will not sell
seeing as youve listed it 5 times soon to be 6 IMO i would not have a reserve and i would start it at 99p not £99
if it sells for less than your reserve before then so be it,at least its something, but i really dont think you will get anywhere with that high a starting price

fuzzybear01

I couldn't sell my £1700 Carol Li Couture dress for £100 on Ebay. In the end I decided to keep it as I couldn't bear to sell it any cheaper. I think itwould make me feel better giving it to charity!

http://www.lahautecouture.com/fashion_week/uk/british_bridal_exhibition_harrogate/british_bridal_exhibition_spring_2006/images/PICT9595_300.jpg

Bonny1

OMG That's a beautiful dress.... stunning...

missy_moo_5

Fuzzy thats lovely - I'm amazed no one wanted it!!

I just can't keep mine.... it's a big frock and I don't have the room in our house, plus I will have a new H and I don't think it's appropriate.

I only kept it till now because I have very strong sentimental attachments... (weepy alert!) my grandma promised to buy my wedding dress for me in Spain when we were looking in the window of a wedding dress shop on holiday when I was little (about 8 or 9). She offered to take me back to stay true to her promise when I eventually got engaged but I knew she wasn't 100% sure about my future H2B (rightly so, as it turned out). Instead I pursuaded her to have a weekend here with me to choose but I knew she wasn't pleased (about the dress, or the man!) but after we had been in the dress shop she put the money in my bag in an envelope when I wasn't aware with a note about how she would never let me down after as a little girl we looked in that dress shop window in Spain. I was so choked up!! Even when my marriage didn't work out, I was loathed to part with the dress because of the sentiment.... but now it's time.

I told her my concerns now about parting with it (she has since been widowed herself) and she said the only thing she could do is give me something "more".... so this time (the last blummin time!!!) she has given me her wedding ring to have as mine..... I'm so honoured and happy and pleased, but now it's time for the dress to go to someone who will enjoy it as much as I did.....!

I'm so glad of everyones support - and quite rightly if I can't get anywhere near what I think it's worth it will go to charity (out of respect to my new H)..............

Thanks....x

_Mia__2

Your dress is so pretty. I do agree at starting wit a 99p listing prie (as daunting as that may be!)

I wish this dress was in my size as I would be more than happy to pay £185 for it.

missy_moo_5

Just to update everyone and say thank you..... but I still haven't sold it! I'm getting rather frustrated!!

I've taken on board all the advice and altered the listing goodness knows how many times now. I've advertised it on a couple of wedding sites, and in the local paper (which cost money). Funny enough, had 2 calls as a result, one of which wanted the dress (without seeing it or trying it on) but then said she couldn't even afford £50 at the moment and was there anything I could do..... I offered to take £150 for it in £50 installments and to let her have it when paid in full, but she didn't want to proceed - not sure what she expected - for me to give it away?? Another person called and wanted to come and try it, but never showed up (and stupidly I didn't take her number to chase her). I also tried supermarket for sale boards, and the local newsagents. Not a squeak.

So I dropped it to £170 on ebay, still no luck, and now dropped it again to BIN with £150. I've calculated that with the stupid "lising ending fees" they add on now (which in this case are £12 odd) plus the listing fees I've paid so far and the cost of the newspaper advert and so on, in the end I think I will end up if someone does BIN with roughly £80 in my bank, which is criminal!!!! But it must be sold, I just don't have the room and it's so big and it feels like such a waste!

Anyway, enough rambling from me, I just wanted to update anyone. If it doesn't sell this week, then it's going in my parents loft or to oxfam!

If anyone has any other bright ideas, I'd be happy to try them!

Missy