When your Dress or Sale Item Sells
Smart Bride International does not get
involved in the sales negotiation process at any stage.
The negotiation and exchange of any monies outstanding is
strictly between the vendor (the person selling the goods)
and the buyer.
Exercising Vendor Caution
Like any other transaction, you are going
to have to decide from the beginning which form of financial
transaction you will accept when selling your dress or sale
item.
You need to decide if you will accept
bank cheque, personal cheque, business cheque, direct credit,
or cash. You will also need to think about the deposit,
how it will be paid and how much you will accept.
Relinquishing your Sale item
Trusting a potential buyer is always
a challenging task for any vendor, and even more so with
items that are for private sale. Many potential buyers will
want to try-on or at least 'sight' the goods before purchasing.
Furthermore, a potential buyer will usually
have to travel some distance to see an item of particular
interest. This often means that the buyer has already made
some assumptions prior to purchasing or 'sighting' the goods.
Some of these assumptions are:
In most cases when a buyer arrives to
try-on, sample or view the goods, they will have (at very
least) a deposit. The deposit is of course determined by
the vendor.
The decision to hand-over the goods upon
receipt of 'just' a deposit, is another challenging question.
Remembering that there is a certain element of trust during
any sales negotiation. Whilst we have never experienced
a case at Smart Bride International where goods purchased
were not paid-in-full, we urge vendors to consider the ramifications
of handing-over goods until full payment is received.
Buyers are Wary Too
It may be worth noting that the vendor
(the person selling the goods) is not the only cautious
incumbent. The buyer is also skeptical, and often concerned
about purchasing something that may have hidden defects
or deceiving qualities.
The buyer may be reluctant to leave a
deposit, without actually being able to take the goods away.
The buyer may also have concerns about the type of financial
settlement that is being accepted or offered, ie. cheque,
cash, direct credit.
Remember that a buyer has exactly the
same concerns, fears and phobias that you would have if
in a similar circumstance. A buyer will be naturally cautious,
so it is the vendor's job to ensure that the buyer is comfortable
with the purchase and that there is clear and precise negotiation
and goods exchange instructions during the sales process.
Knowing when to Walk Away
This applies to the buyer as much as
it does to the vendor. If at any point during the sale process
either party is uncomfortable with either the goods, the
financial arrangement, or any other part of the sale, then
it is often best to 'walk-away' from the sale.
As mentioned above, there needs to be
complete discretion and trust between the vendor and buyer,
during the sales negotiation process. Having mentioned the
above, (and in order to achieve a positive sales outcome)
both parties will need to remain 'flexible'. This may mean
that the vendor lowers the price, or that the buyer picks-up
the goods in person (to save on postal), or that the vendor
offers a discount for faster payment etc.
Finalising Your Sale
The sale of goods can be considered complete,
when the vendor has received full-payment, and the goods
have been delivered to (in good condition) and accepted
by the buyer. At this point the sale can be considered to
be finalised or closed.
