Hi everyone! I haven’t been updating as often as I would like because October is a super crazy time due to midterms and assignments. Many readers have recently requested a tutorial for shopping on eBay. As you may know, I purchase a lot of my stuff, particularly designer goods, from eBay. Some examples of my very recent purchases are (all prices include shipping cost):
Salvatore Ferragamo Vara – $80
Tory Burch Reva in Dark Brown and Royal Tan – $120, $90 respectively
Elie Tahari Maddie Sandal – $40
Longchamp Pilage in White – $40
As you can probably tell, the prices for these items are outrageously cheap compared to their retail value. eBay has many great finds, but there are definitely some things to avoid and useful tricks to keep in mind.
Part I. The Basic Principles:
- Know specifically what you are looking for. This way, you won’t be buying items you may like just because it is cheap.
- Make sure you have seen the item in person or on another blogger before you purchase the item. For shoes in particular, if you cannot find a retail store nearby, you must google for reviews for the fit of the shoe (just in case it runs big or small). Many retail sites such as Zappos has a wealth of public reviews on shoes.
- If you have not seen the shoes in person or can’t find a review, make sure it is from it is from a brand that you know, or from reputable brand in terms of quality. Brands have shoes that tend to run in the same sizes, but this may change depending on the style of the shoe. I highly suggest avoiding the purchase of shoes from an unknown brand even if they look pretty online.
- When buying clothes on eBay, make sure to compare the item’s measurements to your own measurements. Also check the material of the item. I would avoid buying clothing in viscose or polyester because there is a lot of variation between the feel of the material even if their root material is the same. Again, I recommend buying from familiar or reputable brands to avoid unwelcome surprises.
- If you are hunting for vintage clothing, look for items that are 100% cotton, silk, wool or cashmere to ensure quality. A lot of vintage clothing also has variation in sizing, so make sure to double check the measurements!
- Bids (Auctions) are generally cheaper than “Buy it Now”s. However Bids usually require more commitment and it is not always certain that you will get the item (particularly if it is a popular bid).
- Carefully assess the condition of the items from the pictures provided. Look for stains, scratches, tears, etc. If you feel that there isn’t enough information, don’t hesitate to request the seller to privately message you with more pictures (most sellers are happy to do so).
- eBay favours the rights of the buyer compared to the seller. If you do not receive your item in a reasonable amount of time (30 days) and there is no tracking provided, you can open a dispute, and the seller will refund you cost of the item. (This has happened to me before with some iphone cases I ordered).
- Sellers from USA, UK, Australia have much faster and more reliable shipping times than Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Korea. Keep this in mind if you need the item within two weeks time. Additionally, you can always request for faster shipping with extra cost.
Simply Becca 