Refund policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to every order placed through Encore, whether it is shipped or handed over in person. It covers bridesmaid dresses, wedding party bundles, and wedding gowns. Arrangements made outside Encore, including cash, electronic transfers, and direct messaging on another platform, are not covered by this policy and cannot be refunded by us.

2. The 24 hour check

Every shipped order opens a 24 hour check the moment the courier marks it delivered. During that time the buyer can confirm the order or raise a problem. If neither happens, funds release automatically to the seller when the time is up, and the order is treated as accepted.

This time is intended for checking the dress against the listing: size and fit, designer and style, colour under ordinary light, condition, alterations, and any disclosed flaws. It is not a change of mind period.

3. When a refund is issued

A claim is upheld and a refund issued when any of the following are true:

• The item never arrives, or arrives outside the seller’s stated shipping window.
• The seller does not hand the dress to the courier within 12 hours of the balance being paid. This is refunded in full, automatically.
• The size, designer, colour, or condition materially differs from the listing.
• Damage, staining, or alterations were not disclosed in the photos or description.
• The item is counterfeit, or a gown fails independent authentication.
• The seller cancels after a deposit has been placed.

4. When a refund is not issued

• Change of mind, a changed wedding date, or a changed colour scheme.
• Fit issues where the listed measurements were accurate.
• Wear, marks, or alterations that were disclosed on the listing.
• Minor colour variation caused by screen calibration rather than the garment.
• Damage that occurred after delivery, including damage during alteration or cleaning.
• Claims raised after the 24 hour check has closed.

5. Deposits

The deposit is twenty five percent of the order total on every listing, whatever the dress costs. It takes the item off the market and is refundable whenever a claim is upheld or a seller cancels. The balance is charged before the dress is sent, not at reservation.

If a buyer abandons a confirmed reservation without cause, the deposit may be retained in whole or in part to compensate the seller for time off market. Buyers are told the exact deposit amount and its terms before payment is taken.

6. Local pickup

During an in person meetup, the buyer inspects the dress before sharing the single use pickup code. Choosing “Something’s wrong” releases nothing and refunds the deposit in full. Confirming releases payment immediately and closes the order. There is no 24 hour check after an in person confirmation because the inspection has already happened.

7. Returning the dress after an upheld claim

Where a claim is upheld, the dress goes back to the seller before any money moves. The buyer posts it back and adds the return tracking number to the order, and the seller confirms when it arrives. The refund is then sent: everything the buyer paid, less a ten percent facilitation fee on the dress price, which Encore keeps for handling the sale and the return. The seller can then update the dress and put it back on the shop. Where a claim is not upheld, the buyer keeps the item and the funds release to the seller.

8. Fees on every order

Encore charges the seller a commission of eighteen percent of the dress price, not of the total charged to the buyer. Tax and delivery are excluded from that calculation. The commission is shown in the order summary before a dress is listed and on every receipt, and it is taken when the money is released to the seller.

Where a claim is upheld and the dress is returned, Encore keeps a facilitation fee of ten percent of the dress price for handling the sale and the return. Everything else the buyer paid, including tax and their deposit, goes back to them once the seller confirms the dress has arrived. There is no facilitation fee when the seller cancels, when the dress never arrives, or when the seller misses the twelve hour shipping window: those are refunded in full.

Delivery is priced live by the courier at checkout and paid by the buyer; Encore buys the prepaid label and never marks it up. Card processing costs are included in the fees above and are never charged to a buyer separately.

9. How to raise a claim

Claims are opened from the order record inside the app so photos, messages, and timestamps stay attached to the transaction. Include clear photographs of the issue and, where relevant, of the packaging as received. Most claims are decided within three business days; claims requiring authentication may take longer.

10. Timing of refunds

Approved refunds are released to the original payment method. Depending on the bank or card issuer, funds usually appear within five to ten business days.

11. Disputes and changes

If a buyer or seller disagrees with an outcome, they may ask for a single review of the decision from the order record. We may update this policy as the marketplace evolves; the policy in force at the time of an order governs that order.