Frequently Asked Questions

Dance Seconds is a marketplace for buying and selling pre-loved dance costumes. Listings are organized by dance style, tagged size, condition, price, and shipping details.

Use the marketplace filters to narrow costumes by age range, style, tagged size, condition, and price. Open a listing to review its photos, description, color, shipping details, and seller information before reserving it.

Start with the tagged size shown on the costume label and use the Costume Size Guide as a general reference. Costume sizing varies by brand, so review the tag photo and any fit information the seller provides.

Offers are available on approved community listings. Open the costume, select Make an offer, and enter the amount you would like the seller to consider.

An order is paid only after Dance Seconds checkout confirms the card payment and the seller's order center shows Paid — Ready to ship. A reservation that says no payment is not a paid transaction. Sellers must not ship from a reservation, screenshot, email, or buyer message alone.

Before a paid order is confirmed, checkout will show the costume price, shipping, Dance Seconds service fee, applicable sales tax, and the complete total. A seller may not add an undisclosed charge or request payment outside Dance Seconds.

The seller should ship only after the order center shows Paid — Ready to ship. The package must go to the exact address on the Dance Seconds order, within the promised handling time, using a carrier service that provides an acceptance scan and end-to-end tracking.

For an eligible paid order, Dance Seconds normally authorizes payout after carrier-confirmed delivery and the three-calendar-day inspection window. Bank processing can take additional business days. Payout stays on hold while an on-time issue, identity check, refund, payment dispute, or legal review is open.

A buyer may request cancellation before shipment, but the seller should use the order center rather than making a side agreement. If the seller misses the promised ship date, the buyer must be offered the legally required delay choice or cancellation and a prompt refund. After shipment, cancellation is limited to an approved return, carrier loss, or another qualifying protection issue.

Create a seller account, select Start selling, and add clear photos of the actual costume. Enter the exact tagged size, condition, listing price, shipping cost, handling time, and an honest description of the item.

Show the front, back, label, closures, embellishments, accessories, and every visible flaw. You can upload up to six photos and choose the first photo as the marketplace cover.

Yes. Seller-submitted listings are reviewed before they become active on the marketplace. A listing may be rejected or removed if it is incomplete, misleading, unsafe, recalled, counterfeit, or prohibited by marketplace policy.

Choose the label that honestly matches the costume and explain every stain, odor, pull, missing stone, repair, alteration, cut tag, or other issue in the description and photos.

Keep the original listing photos, close-up photos of disclosed flaws, a dated photo of the costume immediately before packing, photos of the packed item and sealed package, the shipping receipt, tracking number, and all order-center messages until at least 90 days after payout or until every dispute is closed.

Seller Protection gives an eligible seller a fair evidence review when a buyer reports damage, non-delivery, a materially inaccurate listing, an altered or different return, or files a payment dispute. A buyer report does not automatically create a refund or make the seller responsible. Fit, change of mind, disclosed wear, buyer-caused damage, and unsupported claims are not normally charged to a compliant seller.

The payment must be completed through Dance Seconds; the listing must be accurate and use photos of the actual item; every flaw and included piece must be disclosed; the seller must ship on time to the exact order address with carrier acceptance and tracking; and the seller must keep evidence and respond to a protection request within 48 hours. Off-platform payments, address changes, or untracked shipping are not covered.

The buyer must report the issue within three calendar days of delivery and provide clear photos of the shipping label, outer packaging, inner packaging, entire costume, and claimed damage. The buyer must keep the item and packaging and must not wear, perform in, wash, alter, repair, resell, or return the costume while review is open. The seller receives the claim and normally has 48 hours to provide listing, pre-shipment, packing, receipt, tracking, and message evidence. Dance Seconds reviews both sides before deciding a resolution.

No. Dance Seconds considers whether the damage existed before shipment, was disclosed, resulted from inadequate packaging, occurred in carrier transit despite reasonable packaging, or happened after delivery. A compliant seller is not penalized merely because a buyer reports damage. Carrier-claim responsibility and any refund or payout adjustment depend on the evidence, shipping coverage, and payment-provider rules.

Tracking showing delivery to the exact Dance Seconds order address is strong seller evidence and a buyer statement alone does not automatically reverse the payout. Dance Seconds may ask the buyer to check the address, household, delivery location, and carrier and may request carrier documentation. The final decision depends on the complete record and any payment-provider decision.

An approved return must use the provided tracked return method and include the same costume, accessories, tags, and components in the condition received. The seller should inspect the return promptly and report any substitution, missing piece, new odor, wear, alteration, or damage with photos within 48 hours of delivery. Dance Seconds may deny or reduce the refund, release the seller's payout, restrict the buyer account, or take other action supported by the evidence and law.

Dance Seconds will notify the seller, preserve the accepted policies and order record, and request relevant listing, delivery, and communication evidence. The seller must respond by the stated deadline. Dance Seconds or its payment provider may submit that evidence to the buyer's bank, but the bank or card network makes the final chargeback decision. Seller Protection improves the defense; it cannot guarantee that a bank will decide in the seller's favor.

No. Cash, payment apps, direct invoices, local side deals, shipping to an address sent by message, and any transaction not paid through Dance Seconds are outside Seller Protection. Keeping payment, addresses, messages, shipping, returns, and refunds inside the order record protects both parties.

Each listing shows its shipping cost and the city and state it ships from. Sellers choose their shipping charge and handling time when they create the listing.

The seller should ship within the handling time shown on the listing and use tracked shipping. Buyers can view order updates in My orders.

Fit or a change of mind is not normally covered when the costume was accurately described. A return may be reviewed when an item is damaged, unsafe, counterfeit, missing a promised major piece, or materially different from its listing.

When Dance Seconds confirms that the seller materially misrepresented the costume or sent an undisclosed damaged, unsafe, counterfeit, or incomplete item, the seller is normally responsible for the approved return cost. If a seller voluntarily accepts a fit or change-of-mind return, the buyer normally pays return shipping and any original shipping or service fee remains nonrefundable to the extent allowed by law. The order decision will state the exact allocation.

Order Protection keeps the accepted listing, payment, shipping, delivery, messages, and evidence together. It gives the buyer a way to report a qualifying problem and gives the seller notice and a fair opportunity to respond before Dance Seconds decides a platform resolution. It is not an automatic buyer refund, a product warranty, or a guarantee against every bank or carrier decision.

You can browse without an account. An account is required to save favorites, submit an offer, reserve a listing, sell a costume, and manage orders.

Your dashboard shows the tools that match your account. Buyers can review favorites and purchases, while sellers can manage listings, offers, and orders.

Use Report this listing from an approved community listing or visit Trust & Support. Include the listing or order number and enough detail for the Dance Seconds team to review the issue.

Visit Trust & Support to submit a request or email support@danceseconds.com for buyer, seller, account, safety, privacy, or order help.