selling a dress through Ebay

[serenastone]

If I do sell a costly dress on EBay, how can I be assured that the buyer will actually pay me for it?

[momcqueen]

As a seller, you are not expected to ship your item until payment is submit. New sellers may see a 21-day hold on their funds by PayPal but that's different; it's still paid. As a rule, however, it's better not to try to sell anything very valuable until you have a higher feedback count by your user ID. New sellers are prone to unethical buyers who may seek to exploit your inexperience. 

Be be sure to come back with any questions you have. Other members are happy to assist. 

[femmefan1946]

MJWL gives good advice.

When your customer pays you will be notified by Paypal that you can ship. Paypal also gives you a discount on many shipping services  (from 5%-17%) so you can print a label from there, even though the payment is being Held against your good service.

Most parcel services include Confirmation of Delivery. If your dress sells for more* than $750, or if it makes you feel more secure, you can pay $1.50 for Signature Delivery.

*First, yay! Second, don't sell anything you can't afford to lose until the Hold is lifted and you have at least 10 Detailed Seller Ratings. Trust us on this?