Selling second hand costumes

[Pups_mum]

I know this is probably an impossible question to answer as it will depend on many factors, but roughly what percentage of the original price do those of you who sell your DC's old costumes charge?

My policy has usually been that unless they are noticeably damaged, I ask about half of what I originally paid. Usually I am selling on festival costumes which have been worn a maximum of a dozen or so times,often less, so they are not usually heavily worn.

However, in recent times I have had people tell me that I'm expecting too much, but on the other hand I have seen costumes that have been DD's in the past being sold on again for pretty much what I sold them for, having had a couple of different owners in between. I don't want to rip anybody off, but at the same time, I don't want to be taken advantage of myself so I thought I would canvas opinion here. What does everyone else do?

[Jan McNulty]

Nothing to do with costumes but my niece recently put a pair on Converse (a still available design) on ebay and they sold for more than the new price plus the postage! 

 

What you ask for sounds eminently reasonable to me.

[Aurora]

Yep sounds reasonable to me too. 2nd hand with minimal wear I would ask about half the original cost.

[Fiz]

I tried to sell a pair of adult tap shoes, worn once,for £15. No one wanted them and the dance school said one person had offered £5.00. I gave them to a charity shop.

[Aurora]

I personally wouldn't buy 2nd hand shoes for me or dd but I've got a bit of a thing about sweaty feet and shared shoes lol. I even have my own bowling shoes and ice skates - not because I go a lot but because I can't bear to wear the hire ones!!

[Lifeafterballet?]

We have an unspoken policy of 50% too. I do add on cost of any accessories or props I have that go with dance.

[t_rose]

I think it depends on what it is & how commonly found second hand. I never get much for dance shoes (even unworn ballet shoes), some costumes only get a few pounds second hand but others I've sold for almost full price. I've also bought second hand when my dd did competitions. The price i was willing to pay was dependant on how urgently i needed it & how much I needed to do to make it fit / right for the dance.

[Huddsballetmum]

Our dance school has an unwritten policy of 50% of the original cost of costumes and I have never had an issue with this.  The only costume we tend to struggle with is ballet tutu's which often cost £100 plus new and you will get between £10 - £30 second hand.

I never sell or buy shoes as I prefer not to have second hand shoes and therefore assume others will be the same.

Hope that helps.

[dramascientist]

I agree 50% is definitely reasonable, if costumes have been made well and kept well they can be sold on again as you said. My ballet teaching mum is still using my costumes that I wore in class A in the comps And they are over 40! yikes I'm so old!