How to Sell a Used Wedding Gown

I'm looking for things to write about, and coming up blank. Not usual for me. I've been doing some writing at http://www.helium.com/ They have a huge list of topics, and you pick one and write about it. I've used some of the stuff I've written here, so I thought I might swap something back. Helium is kind of fun. They have you rate others' articles as well, but that gets a bit depressing, sometimes, although there are some good writers there.

To sell a used wedding gown online, I would use eBay. Here are a few tips for making a good presentation.

1) Appearance. When you set up your sale page on eBay, you will be given a lot of options from which to choose. Choose a pretty background and opt for a Gallery pic. It costs a little more, but you are selling a pricey item, so you want to give it the best presentation you can.

2) Photographs. Get good digital photos of your gown. Either wear it and have somebody else take the pictures (you can cut the pics off below your face if you like), find somebody that it fits perfectly to model it for you, or put it on a dress form, sized to fit. Give it a pretty background-a nice garden, or drapes, or a view behind it. Experiment with backgrounds. Photos of a dress just hanging will never do it justice. Neither will laying it down on a bed. Take lots of pics, showing all its features. Pics from the back, closeups of the train, if it has one, closeups of any marks or damaged spots. If you feel comfortable displaying your wedding picture, do so, especially if you have one that shows the gown well.

3) Measurements. Take precise measurements of: bust, waist, hip (if it's tight), sleeve length, shoulder to shoulder, shoulder to hem, waist to hem, length of train, circumference of hem.

4) Description. Write a good description of the gown. Be precise about the colour and style. If it has an Empire waist, describe it as such. Use words that make the gown sound romantic: "Skirt is a gossamer nimbus of delicate net" sounds better than "It has a full net skirt." Tell a story about your gown. Make it sound as if the gown is loaded with good luck. If you're selling it to pay for the divorce, don't mention that. At the bottom of your description, thank people for looking.

5) Shipping. Pack it very well. Put it in a box, with some sort of stuffing, and wrapped in tissue. Crush up balls of tissue between the gown and the edge of the box. Put that box in a larger box, with styrofoam packing peanuts underneath and around and on top of the inner box. When the whole is taped up, it should not shift around inside when shaken. Always include insurance with the shipping fees. The Post Office website has a feature that enables you to calculate shipping cost, knowing the zip code it's going to, plus the size and weight of the package. You can take it to the Post Office and get it weighed, so you can provide the shipping cost to the buyer as soon as the auction is over.

6) Open a PayPal account, if you haven't already. It's the quickest way to get paid for your gown.

7) Don't forget to leave feedback after the transaction is over.

I hope this is helpful. I have been buying and selling on eBay for years, and have never had a problem.