All items on The Volte are available to be shipped Australia-wide. Several of our lenders ship overseas also, however it is at a lender’s discretion as to whether or not they would like to offer this.
Lenders on the Volte operate through either Standard or Express Australia Post. All lenders endeavour to have your item with you in time for your event, however make sure that you confirm with the lender directly the exact date you need the item by and your proximity to the metro are (rural borrowers need to factor in extra time).
If you need a dress for an event that is within 72 hours – trying to lock in an item that is sent via Standard Post may not make it in time. For the best chance of locking in the perfect piece, filter your ‘Borrow’ options by your closest city to browse through the items and lender that are close to you. Once you’ve found a listing you love, liaise with the lender directly to either confirm express postage, or a pickup arrangement.
You are able to see if an item is available via the live calendar.
Of course! You are able to send a booking request through and lock in the perfect outfit as early as you like.
Provided the listing is 100% accurate in terms of sizing, and the lender has answered any questions regarding fit honestly and to the best of their ability, we will be unable to offer refunds for dresses that do not fit perfectly.
Our lenders take incredible care when packing their designer items to send, however some fabrics are naturally more prone to creasing than others. If you receive a dress with some creasing, please hand it in a steamy bathroom as this will naturally remove these. Please do not iron or steam the dress unless you have received permission from the lender to do so.
Should you wish to return the dress, you must liaise with your lender to get approval for a refund. If the lender does not wish to refund the hire at the last minute, they are within their right to refuse to do so.
If a dress falls below your feet, it is your responsibility to make sure that the dress does not become damaged throughout the hire. Alterations are strictly prohibited, and excessive staining or damage will result in further charges.
Simply repack your dress in the included pre-addressed post-bag that arrived with your hire. Please always post express parcels through yellow post boxes, or the express return will not be carried out.
It is the Lender's responsibility to dry clean each item before sending it to the borrower. This allows the Lender to control the process, set the pricing and take it to the dry cleaner of their choice.
We understand that accidents happen, including staining and damage of items form times to time. If this occurs during your hire, you must contact the lender immediately to arrange a resolution. You will be charged for any specialist dry-cleaning or repairs necessary. If a dispute between the lender and the borrower arises, The Volte must be contacted immediately.
Here at the Volte we are all about trust and honesty - so we encourage all lenders and borrowers to review each other to build positive lender/borrower relationships. All reviews must be completed constructively and in good faith, and any reviews that are found to violate our Review Policy will be removed.
If you are under 18 you will need a parent or guardian to rent items on your behalf, and all liability for damage or late return will be accepted by them.
The Volte is designed to give you a reliable and secure online platform through which to hire. Through transacting off the platform, you will no longer be covered by our support, security processes or safeguards. It is a strict violation of The Volte's terms and conditions to do so, and if a lender asks you to pay outside of the platform, please report them immediately for your own security.
Through the Volte, you have the option of hiring for 4 Days (standard hire) or 8 days (extended hire). All lenders will have the standard hire option available. We recommend that for a standard hire, you have your event fall on the third day to decrease the risk of late arrival, and for extended hires that you have it arrive at least two days before your occasion.
Once you place a booking request, a pre-authorisation will be held on your card. You will be charged the full amount once the lender confirms the booking. If an order is declined, the funds should be immediately available on your card.
If you receive a payment issue message, this generally means that there are insufficient funds in the account that you have linked to The Volte. If this is not the case, make sure that all details entered are correct before reprocessing the order.
Couriers and Australia Post do not generally operate on Sundays and public holidays, if your return date falls on one of these, please post your item back by 12pm the next business day.
The Volte as a platform relies on borrowers and lenders working together to make the hire process work simply and efficiently. When a borrower returns an item late it impacts the lender’s ability to clean and prepare the item for the next borrower. In these situations, borrowers will be charged $25 per day via their credit card to reimburse their lender for the disruption for each day that the item is late in being returned. In the event that a borrower fails to make late fees or adequate contact when required to do so, the matter will be passed on to an external debt-collection agency for recovery.
We understand that plans can change, so you are able to cancel your hire if it is more than 14 days prior to the rental start date, with a full refund less 12% hire fee automatically returned to you. If your request to cancel falls inside the 14 days before your hire period, you must liaise with your lender directly to have the cancellation and refund approved.
All borrowers who live more than 50km outside of a metro-area must let their lender’s know, so that they are able to take this into account when calculating sending times.
Although extremely rare, circumstances do arise in which lenders are unable to hire an item out at the last minute, perhaps due to a late return from a previous borrower or damage. In this situation, contact support@thevolte.com as soon as you find out, so that we are able help you find the perfect piece as a backup. With 24 hours notice, we are in most instances able to find a local lender with a piece that you love, and have it couriered to you so you are not left without for your event.
Our message privacy filters will automatically remove any number sequences, to protect the privacy of both our borrowers and lenders. To send through the tracking number, simply send it through as a screenshot attachment.
All lenders endeavour to have your item with you in time for your event, in the event that your item does not arrive in time for you to wear to your event, a full refund is due. Please note however, that you must post the dress back to your lender by the next business day after receipt and must be returned unworn, otherwise your refund will be forfeited.
Sometimes plans just don’t go the way we hope - and this includes parcels occasionally being delayed or lost with Australia Post. If a lender informs you that this is the case, contact support@thevolte.com immediately and we’ll help make sure you are not left without the perfect piece for your event!
If your chosen dress is booked for your chosen dates please contact our friendly team at suppport@thevolte.com and they will assist with finding you another option.
Try-on option is no longer available. If you have questions regarding an item's size or fit, please contact our customer support team at support@thevolte.com with the link to the listing so they can inquire with the lender for you.
Covid Policy
If your event is affected by COVID-19, you will be eligible for a refund prior to any items being dispatched. If the lender has already posted the item please note that you will not be eligible for a refund. Please contact your lender and support@thevolte.com if you need to apply for a refund due to COVID-19.
If you are under the age of 18, you will need a parent or guardian to lend and liaise on your behalf. All liability will be accepted by them.
It is absolutely free to list all of your designer items with the Volte! Once you accept a booking request you will be charged a service fee of 15%. This service fee is taken off the hire price only, and does not impact upon the shipping amount that you receive.
Of course! We have a tech team here to help with high volume uploads to take the pressure off listing your stock with us. Simply send an email request through to support@thevolte.com with your website URL or Instagram, and include any pricing adjustments you would like make (accounting for return satchels, service fees, etc).
Uploading of full listing at $5 per listing
Editing of listing at $1 + $0.50 per attribute
Once you have created your Volte Lending Account, simply click on your Account Name (in the top-right corner), head to 'My Listings' and click 'List new Item'. Make sure you thoroughly fill in all criteria, including captioning your images as the item name.
All items must be listed in Australian sizing, with the designer stipulated equivalent given where they use a different numbering system. For instance, if an item is a Zimmermann size 1, you must list this as an Australian 10 as this is what the Zimmerman size guide states. If you believe a piece runs larger or smaller, you have the option of inputting this information in the listing also, however lenders are not to list items as the size they believe a piece fits best, as this can cause interpretation issues for borrowers.
If you are a corporate lender that has multiple sizes of the same item, always create an individual listing for each. This is so that when borrowers search by their size, your listing comes up for them.
The rental price of your listings is completely up to you. We suggest that you take into account the condition and age of the item when determining the rental fee. It is also a good idea to search comparable listings to get a feel for the market price your specific item is going for. Generally if an item is in ‘near new’ condition, the hire price is approximately 25% of the RRP. Please ensure that the price you list for includes the cost of dry-cleaning, and a return postal satchel with tracking to send to your borrower.
The most common issue when inputting bank details is actually in relation to the uploading of ID to verify your account. Our payment gateway has very strong anti-fraud mechanisms, so in order to successfully input your payment details, make sure your upload qualifies the following criteria:
• JPEG format
• Colour image
• High resolution image
• All edges of the ID in picture
• No fingers! (in case you are holding your licence to take a picture)
If the designer of your item isn't listed in the drop-down menu, simply send an email to support who will complete this for you, and select 'other' in the meantime'
To establish yourself as a trusted and easily recognised lender, we require all lenders to attach a profile picture to their account. This does not have to be of yourself - it can be a fun logo or another appropriate image - however it must be
Here is a list of the type of photos that are appropriate to attach to your item listing:
• Photos of you wearing the dress at an event
• Clean, well lit photos
• Professional photos
The following photos are unacceptable:
• Photos with multiple people in it. This is confusing for Borrowers to know which dress is actually available
• Photos of your dress on a coat hanger, floor, rack etc.
• Photos of the same dress but in a different colour
• Photos of a similar dress
• Photos with watermark/logo that advertise businesses or brands
Please always make sure that the front of the item is the first picture you upload as this will be the face of the listing.
Due to copyright you cannot use designer advertising imagery - the images you upload must be your own images. Copyright-free images sources online of the dress may be used.
The Volte exists to allow users to tap into their under-utilised high-end designer clothing, therefore most designer dresses, outerwear, handbags, accessories and millinery are accepted, provided they meet the following criteria:
• Minimum RRP (Recommended Retail Price) is above $100
• The item is in excellent condition
The following are not able to be listed:
• Casualwear
• Items with an RRP below $100
• Items in poor condition
• Items with noticeable stains, pulls or tears
• Item infringes on the copyright of any person or product including fake designer names and replicas
• Items from fast fashion brands
The Volte reserves the right to remove listings they do not feel meet the above.
We are currently having a bigger, better and much cooler availability tool developed to make your lending experience much easier.
All relevant hire details, including the borrower’s address, can be found under your account dashboard, in the ‘Lending’ tab.
Our message privacy filter will automatically remove any number sequences, to protect the privacy of both borrowers and lenders. To send through the tracking number you may simply add it on the shipping details tab on the order. This is done on your lender dashboard.
An unfulfilled order must be updated with a tracking number to mark the order as fulfilled. If the item was dropped off or picked up by your borrower, please contact our customer support team at support@thevolte.com so they can update the order for you.
Your order confirmation will provide a rough estimate as to when you item should be sent. This delivery calculator is strictly a guide working off metro to metro delivery. It is essential that you contact Australia Post well in advance of every hire, to make sure that you have a clear and accurate idea of when the parcel must be sent in order to be delivered to the borrower on time. In the event that your item gets to the borrower too late for them to wear to their event, a full refund is due.
All lenders are paid out 7 days (in business days) after the agreed hire period. This is to ensure that the item arrives on time and in good condition prior to the lender being paid out (so as to protect the borrower) and to allow for a period in which we are able to complete refunds on your behalf, to prevent lender from having to transact from personal bank accounts. If you feel there has been a delay in you hire being paid out to you, please contact the Support Team. All lenders are paid out 14 days (in business days) after the agreed sale date.
Please pack your designer items with care and attention - to minimise the risk of damage or creasing. We recommend using yellow Australia Post express satchels for all hires. Please keep a record of all tracking numbers and proactively monitor the delivery.
The Volte requires all lenders to include a tracked return postal satchel to borrowers, in order to minimise the risk of late or impeded return.
There is no limit to how many items you list with the Volte, as long as they meet all of the appropriate criteria.
Of course! All listings are able to have a 'Buy Now' option filled in, whereby you include the price for which you would be willing to sell the item. Please only include a Buy Now price on your item if you are willing to sell.
For lenders who are hiring out items of a significant value, The Volte advises you to always pay for postal insurance, ensure a signature is required upon delivery and cover these under your personal contents insurance also. You are also able to opt-in to Volte insurance for $5, which will cover your items (excluding bags) for an additional $500 in the case of theft, however is meant as a backup and not a sole insurance pathway. All lenders understand that they hire out these items are their own risk, and The Volte is not accountable for any loss, damage of theft.
Yes – we are a national marketplace and you can borrow and lend designer items from all over Australia. As a user you must take into consideration the interstate timing factor in relation to delivery times. For Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory we recommend allowing 2 days for Express Post Parcels. Please check Australia Post for regional and remote timing.
Borrowers automatically receive an email reminding them of when their item must be returned - so it is most likely on its way back to you already. If you wish to receive further confirmation that an item has been posted for return, you must contact the borrower through your Volte messages. If you have attempted to contact the borrower but have not received a reply for 48hours, please contact the Support Team.
The Volte’s $5 opt-in insurance covers lenders in the event of theft or loss to the value of $500 for listings, excluding bags. This amount is paid out at the conclusion of any internal/external investigations that take place.
Please allow 48hours for a borrower to reply to your message. If the contact is urgent, please contact the Support Team who will liaise with the borrower on your behalf.
It is the Lender's responsibility to dry clean each item before sending it to the borrower. This allows the Lender to control the process, set the pricing and take it to the dry cleaner of their choice.
If your item has been returned damaged, The Volte will work with you to have you reimbursed for the cost of either repair or replacement. We always recommend that you take pictures of your items before each hire, so you have an accurate record of when damage was sustained. Please note that The Volte does not take responsibility for loss or damage of items rented out through the platform. The Volte simply provides an online marketplace for lenders and borrower to connect. Although the Volte will work in every way possible to make sure these reimbursements are received, we are not liable for the payment of these. The lender needs to report damage to support@thevolte.com within 24 hours after receipt of the dress.
In the event of a dispute between a borrower and a lender, they must first liaise extensively to attempt to come to a resolution together in good faith. If this is not able to resolve the issue, Support must be contacted within 48 hours of a dispute arising and provided with the details of the dispute, and clear evidence of attempts to resolve it. If Support are contacted before both parties have liaised with each other, they will be instructed to do so before we are able to intervene.
In the event that a borrower refuses to pay late/damage fees due, we will give them 14 days to make this payment in good faith. If they resist further, the account will be passed on to a debt-collection service.
From time to time, Australia Post may misplace or lose your parcel either on its way to or from your borrower. If this is the case, launch an investigation with Australia Post, including the tracking number, to get the ball rolling on locating the item. In almost all situations, the parcel is found, however if not you are eligible for compensation from Australia Post, and any other insurance pathways you have taken out. You are able to contact support@thevolte.com at any time for assistance.
If you purchase through a designer partner your item will automatically appear on your lender dashboard, all you need to do is complete the sign up process and publish your listing.
If you are new to The Volte, you will receive an email to set up your account details. Your listing will automatically appear on your lender dashboard, you will then be able to publish your listing. If you are already a Volte member, your listing will automatically appear on your lender dashboard, you will then be able to publish your listing.
When you set up your Volte account you will be prompted to add your banking details via our payout gateway Stripe, all payouts will be sent there.
Yes, you keep the item and send it out when you receive a booking.
Yes, the item that you purchase will be sent to you.
It is absolutely free to list all of your designer items with the Volte! Once you accept a booking request you will be charged a service fee of 15%. This service fee is taken off the hire price only, and does not impact upon the shipping amount that you receive.
If you purchase through a designer partner your item will automatically appear on your lender dashboard, all you need to do is complete the sign up process and publish your listing.
All lenders are paid out 7 days (in business days) after the agreed hire period. This is to ensure that the item arrives on time and in good condition prior to the lender being paid out (so as to protect the borrower) and to allow for a period in which we are able to complete refunds on your behalf, to prevent lender from having to transact from personal bank accounts. If you feel there has been a delay in you hire being paid out to you, please contact the Support Team. All lenders are paid out 14 days (in business days) after the agreed sale date.
You can list as many products as you would like!
Yes of course! All Volte partners will receive royalties for each order via the plug-in.