Frequently Asked Questions"

Is your web site secure?

What's the best way to find what I want?

We have written a specific document titled "Wanted Page". Take a couple of minutes to put down what you are looking for and we will get back to you within the hour by phone or email. or you could use the search at the top left hand side of the web page to put in what you would like and try and find it that way. if you can not find what you are looking for then please phone 01924259774 or use the wanted page and we will do our best to find it for you.

How can I tell if an item is in stock?

All our site is updated by hand, so some items may be out of stock at the time of ordering, if you require more info on this please phone 01924259774 or email info@waggysfancydress.co.uk

Any item that can not be got for you within 2 days we refund all moneys owed..

I do not know what size to order, what do you recommend?

Costumes, unlike every day and 'fashion' clothing, are designed and constructed to accommodate a wide variety of sizes. Many have elastic waistbands and utilise stretch fabrics for a comfortable fitting. Some costumes like robes or gowns will have a waist tie or rope for figure definition while some lady's lines include waist ties or corset design for an hour glass figure.

As we have many product suppliers, we take extra care to ensure that we size per individual costume as like the High Street fashion stores, lines from different manufactures can differ.

In summary, if you or your child are in an in-between size or if you are unsure about size, we recommend that you buy one size larger. You can always easily adjust to be smaller rather than struggle to make larger or return for exchange. please refer to the size chart for more details on sizing.

How long will my order take to arrive?

We endeavour to ship all orders on the day of receipt (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays) if placed before 1.00pm. Therefore and depending on your chosen delivery SIZE, you should typically expect receipt within one to five days.

In times of peak business throughout the year and especially Halloween and Christmas, shipment may take an additional day or two. We therefore ask that if your order is urgent and if you have chosen either Royal Mail Special Delivery or ParcelForce 24 'priority delivery' SIZEs, that you telephone us on 01924259774 with your order number so we may escalate though the system for you. Please read our Customer Services section for full details.

What is the cost of postage and shipping?

This is dependent on where you are located within both the UK and what delivery SIZE you select. Prices for shipping are highlighted within our delivery SIZEs and pricing page.

What payment methods do you accept?

We presently have a relationship with Paypal who accept debit and credit card transactions online including Switch, Solo, Maestro, Delta, Electron, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, We happily accept payments via PayPal or via post for postal orders, personal and company cheques. We will soon happily take credit and debit card payments over the telephone should you require.

Do you accept the Euro or other International currencies?

Yes. Although all prices are published in UK Pounds Sterling, if you checkout with paypal, you will be given the SIZE to pay in either UK Pounds Sterling, the Euro or American Dollars. Your card will be debited in your chosen currency at the prevailing conversation rate at time of order placement.

The price of a product I have just bought is now lower. Can I have a refund?

All prices are correct at time of publication. Waggy's Fancy Dress reserve the right to change, alter or amend any price at any time without notice. Should a product price decrease since an original purchase, contractually we are not obligated to refund the difference.

Since I last looked, the price has gone up. Can I buy at the old lower price?

Prices do vary for many reasons and should an increase occur prior to purchase, we are not obligated to sell at the previous lower price.

Can I order two or more costumes to try on and return unwanted ones?

In honesty, although we appreciate reasons for this requirement, not only does this process cost us in administration time, but additional banking charges to accept the order and then process a refund. As such we do not proactively invite this style of shopping. As a preference, we ask if you would telephone us and we will be happy to measure any costume for you to provide accurate measurements and talk with you about the style and fit. If you would still prefer to order two or more costumes, we may ask for an additional small fee to cover banking costs. Also, this approach will also save you time and effort of returning the goods to us, plus any postage fees you too will incur.

Can I cancel an order if it is no longer required?

Yes. If the product has not been shipped, simply telephone us in the first instance and then send a confirmation email. We will cancel the order (or part thereof) with no charge to you with all moneys being refunded in full. If however the goods have left the warehouse, then you may still cancel the order up to 7 calendar days from receipt of goods. So long as they are returned (at your own cost) and we are informed within 7 days, we will happily refund the cost of the goods, excluding shipping.

What happens if the product I buy does not fit?

We make best practice to give correct sizing information by individual product at time of purchase to negate the requirement for return or exchange. Indeed, the majority of costumes are manufactured with elasticated waistbands by example, so that they fit a broad as possible population. Nonetheless, sometimes you may not feel comfortable in a size ordered and in such, we are more than happy for you to return the product either for exchange or refund. A small additional postage fee may apply, please see our Terms & Conditions section for more details.

What are the washing instructions and what care should I take?

Common sense should prevail. Our product portfolio contains many qualities of costume material such as velvet, leather, plush fur and vinyl. Many more are trimmed with lace, fur, brocade and metal studs, some with printed emblems and indicia. Although washing instructions may include a machine wash, it is our recommendation that all garments are dry cleaned only. Unfortunately we will not be able to remedy any product fault that results from any machine wash cycle no matter what the manufacturer instructions within the garment or packaging.

What if the product is faulty?

Should a product be faulty, you should let us know immediately as we will happily refund or exchange. Please read sections 17, 18 & 20 of our Terms and Conditions for more information in addition to our Returns Policy.

What are the rules and how do you manage on VAT?

All the prices in the store are shown inclusive and exclusive of VAT where applicable at the prevailing rates. We sell in UK Pounds Sterling ( £) although different payment currency SIZEs are available (please see above). Please see our delivery page for more on the vat and postage.

How come I can buy the same item cheaper from the USA?

This is a good question, although to give a better answer, perhaps we can change it to "What differences are there in buying a costume from the USA compared from Waggy's Fancy Dress in the UK?". In answer, there are four elements:

[1] Halloween is a big seasonal tradition in the USA, with many costume companies based there. Some costumes and accessories will be manufactured in the USA and some manufactured in Asia, the Far East, Mexico and imported into the USA. Depending on where the garment or item is manufactured, a UK import duty is applied, varying in percentage rate based on the 'country of origin'. If you buy direct to from the USA, you will be charged this import duty upon your parcel entry to the UK. Any import duties are already calculated into our selling price.

[2] In addition to the price of the goods and aforementioned UK import duties, you will need to pay transport costs. It is obvious and although we will charge you postage and shipping, costs of transport from the USA are going to be higher. We too have to pay transport costs, which are included within our sale price.

[3] With the exception of many child costumes, VAT is included within our sale price. All prices shown on any USA website will be in US Dollars and exclusive of VAT. When you buy and thus import goods from any country and including the USA, you will need to add VAT. It is important to note that VAT is added to the price of the costume, the import duty and the transport cost.

In summary and based on a 1.65 conversation rate, a $20.00 item on a USA website could cost you anywhere between £25.00 to £35.00 depending on which State the item will be shipped from and the delivery method chosen.

[4] This final and important point is based on UK Consumer Protection Laws. When you buy from Waggy's Fancy Dress, we contract under UK sales laws. If the item we sell you is faulty or you simply do not like it, we can accept it back for exchange or refund. Most USA based online retailers state their sales as "final". This means that once you complete the sales transaction, the item belongs to you. Indeed and when delivered, if you do not like it for any reason, they'll argue "But sorry, it's yours". In addition, any remedy for faulty goods would be costly and liable to be fraught with argument.

In conclusion, it may seem cheaper on the face of it, but buying from a non-UK website has both hidden costs and Consumer Protection issues. Nonetheless, the choice is yours.