STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Emilie · BCBG

I've just discovered ebay!

Cortney1982 · Chanel

You have been missing out! Here are my tips:

Never buy designer items from ebay (unless you are sure they are legit), a lot of them are fake. Today I was browsing bags and there was Coach ones from China. Yeah right!

Only buy from people with lots of feedback, and who have been registered for at least 6 months. If there feedback is private, that's a red flag. What are they hiding?

Skip auctions that don't accept Paypal. If you don't get your goods, Paypal will reverse payment.

For clothing, if it doesn't have tags on it, and they say it's brand new, it probably isn't. I once bought a supposedly new without tags dry clean only cardigan. When I got it, I could smell the armpit stink when I opened the package!

I know there is more things, but these are important ones for me.

lynnie · Chanel

For newer items and jeans- I try to find the exact item that I've already tried on so that I know it fits. For vintage items or items I randomly fall in love with- I try to get all measurements and don't buy pants- only tops, skirts and dresses. If you REALLY want something, there is only one that you will be kicking yourself if you don't win, and there is a bidding war, bid more than you think you should in the last 10 seconds. Most of the time (70% I would guess) I win the item for less then I was willing to pay and I am ecstatic (I once won a pair of Madras Abercrombie shorts for $10 when my max bid was $40- I was willing to pay retail almost because they were sold out and I knew they fit.) Some of the time (maybe 15% of the time,) I have to pay more than I wanted, but in the end, I am happy I have the item. The rest of the time, I lose and I am sort of sad, but I knew that I wasn't willing to pay the winner's maximum bid, so I'm ok. I've found wonderful and random things on eBay- I don't know what I would do without it!

blink · Coach

When I was pregnant, I wanted Seven maternity jeans but I balked at paying the retail price. There were tons of them on Ebay and I loved the jeans I puchased!

my biggest piece of advice is don't do last minute Christmas shopping on ebay. I bought a camera for my mother on ebay in late November. I had lost two previous auctions, so I got greedy and competitive and ended up overpaying by probably 40% (not full retail) because I didn't want to have to wait for another week long auction. Plus everyone during that time of the year is doing the same thing and prices get inflated because of demand. Don't shop when you feel rushed.

I always leave prompt feedback when the transaction is done, even if the seller/buyer hasn't left it for me yet, it doesn't bother me. All potential sellers and buyers can read what you left for others and it makes you look better if you have been kind.

For sellers with LONG descriptions on their item (which I can't stand), read the entire thing before bidding. So often an item is actually damaged or not exactly as pictured, or other times there is a high shipping and handling fee you will miss.

-- Edited by lorelei at 12:27, 2005-07-06

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Oh yes, very long terms of sale descriptions annoy me. If it's an auction with a few minutes left on it with a long TOS, I usually won't bid on those auctions if I can't read every word they print.

Definintly know how much shipping will cost. Some sellers don't even post it. I assume it's just in case the item didn't go for how much they wanted it to, they will inflate shipping. Once I bought a sweater and didn't check shipping price, it was $9! You know it only took $3.85 for priority which has no packaging costs since those are provided by the post office for free! Some sellers will have a low Buy it Now price so they pay less in sellers fees, but will have high shipping to get the money they want for the item.

laken1 · Hermes

Be very careful not to go crazy young lady!! (ok, mom talk over) - seriously, i am ALWAYS watching something on ebay. i kind of forgot about this when i went on my shopping ban, so i had my DH delete everything I was watching because I swear I don't know what it was!! But suddenly I feel that i really NEED that crazy vintage pair of red mules that i never knew existed. I have gotten some really cool / original pieces there & all from the comfort of my home in my pjs - I just love it!!!

I always watch my items & bid at the last minute and never before because I don't want to push the price up ahead of time - I get bidding on a newly listed item, but I never understand people that bid on an item in the middle of the listing when others have days & days to outbid you. But I have also missed many auctions this way because I forget about them. Case in point, I missed out on some FABULOUS Via Spiga boots that I was drooling over & the ended up going for $1.99 (probably were somewhere around $300 retail)- WHAT???? I was heartbroken, I am still shaking my head over it.