Custom Orders Explained: Requesting and Selling Worn Items

Custom orders are where buying and selling worn items gets personal. Instead of picking from what’s already listed, a buyer asks for something made to order: a specific item, worn for a set number of days, perhaps during a gym session, with photos included. For sellers, custom orders are often the most rewarding part of the job. For buyers, they’re the best way to get exactly what you’re after.

Here’s how custom orders work, and how to make them go smoothly on both sides.

How custom orders work on Scent From Me

Each seller sets up a price menu listing the options they offer. Buyers choose what they want, and the total adds up as they go. That means no awkward haggling and no confusion about what something costs.

Once the buyer sends the request, the seller can:

• Accept it as it stands.
• Decline it, with no explanation needed.

Once a request is accepted, the buyer pays the seller directly using the seller’s chosen method. The seller’s payment details are only shown at that point, and the seller only starts or posts the order once they’ve been paid.

For sellers: building your price menu

A good price menu makes it easy for buyers to say yes. Think about what you’re genuinely happy to offer and price each option fairly. Common menu items include:

• Extra days of wear, priced per day.
• A gym session, run or other activity while wearing the item.
• A photo set of the item being worn, within the site’s no-explicit-photos rule.
• A specific brand, style or colour.
• A handwritten note.
• Postage, including tracked or international options.

Only include options you’re comfortable delivering every time. If you wouldn’t want to do something, leave it off the menu rather than declining it repeatedly.

Pricing your extras

Custom orders take more of your time and planning than a standard listing, so price them accordingly. Extra days, activities and photos all add value, and buyers expect to pay more for something made just for them. Look at what similar sellers charge, start somewhere sensible and adjust as you learn what’s popular.

Keep your menu up to date

Prices on Scent From Me are fixed: buyers pay what your menu says, and you accept or decline. If a request doesn’t work for you, decline it and update your menu so the next one does. If buyers keep asking for something you don’t list, add it.

Setting boundaries

Boundaries are what keep selling enjoyable and sustainable. Decide in advance what you will and won’t do, and stick to it. It can help to mention a few clear limits in your bio so buyers know before they ask.

On Scent From Me, a "no" is final. That’s a community rule, not just a suggestion. You never have to justify declining a request, and buyers aren’t allowed to keep pushing. If anyone does, you can stop replying and report them.

For buyers: how to request a custom order

Clear requests get faster replies and better results. Before you send one, read the seller’s bio and price menu carefully, so you’re asking for something they actually offer. Then be specific:

• The item: style, brand, colour and size if it matters to you.
• How many days of wear you’d like.
• Any activity, such as a gym session or a long walk.
• Whether you’d like photos.
• Your postage preference, including whether you need it sent abroad.
• Any timing you’re hoping for.

Keep your message polite and to the point. Sellers are real people fitting this around their lives, and a respectful buyer is far more likely to get a yes.

Handling a decline

If a seller declines, take it gracefully and move on. Every seller has different limits, and there are plenty of others who may offer what you’re looking for. You could also post your request on the wanted board, where sellers can see it and get in touch.

Keep it on the site

Keep all custom order conversations in Scent From Me’s private messaging. It keeps a clear record of what was agreed, protects your privacy, as your email is never shown, and makes it much easier to sort out any misunderstandings.

Wrapping up

Custom orders work best when everyone is clear, fair and respectful. Sellers set the menu and the boundaries; buyers choose what they’d like and ask nicely. Get that right and it’s a great experience for both. Ready to try it? Join Scent From Me for free and set up your price menu, or start browsing sellers who take custom requests.