A Word About Ebay

People ask me all the time if I shop on Ebay, and the answer is yes.  I enjoy Ebay and I have been able to suss out some very good bargains using the site.  I have gotten burned a couple of times, but only a couple.  The one that stands out most in my mind was a pair of "Prada" casual shoes.  It was early in my use of Ebay and I didn't think much of the fact that the item was shipping from China.  When the shoes arrived they were NOT Prada casual shoes, rather fairly good knock-offs.  I am not a fan of the knock-off!  I was disappointed in the shoes and in myself for falling for the scam of it.  I made a promise to myself never to purchase anything that is being shipped from China or Singapore. I just don't trust that it is going to be the real deal.  That may be naive but I haven't had that problem since.  I most often find that Ebay is a great resource when shopping consignment.  I can look up a designer, or a specific item to see if the price I am noting in the store is a good value or not.

So let's talk buying on Ebay.  I am not telling anyone what to do and do not take what I say as total truth.  These are my experiences.  I try to stick with sellers that have had a lot of feedback, new sellers can be problematic, not bad, but problematic. Once I purchased a sweater from a first time seller and it took no less than 6 weeks to receive the sweater... from Illinois!!! I live in Indiana.  The seller just didn't have a good system.  Free shipping is another biggie.  I always add the shipping cost to the cost of the item whether I am bidding or using the buy it now option.  If I think I can do better at local consignment or a similar item on a sale rack I let it go.

I have a particular taste for expensive shoes... Chie Mihara, Prada and Marc Jacobs to be specific!  These I approach differently.  I WILL NOT go over $125 for a pair of shoes, especially shoes that have been worn a couple times and most times not over $50 unless I have been stalking a specific style.  On these type of items I use the proxy bid feature.  I plug in the absolute highest dollar amount I would be willing to spend figuring in the shipping if necessary and let it ride.  This way I don't get sucked into the "it's only one more dollar or only five more dollars, cycle"

As most of you know I love Anthropologie clothing.  I track Anthropologie items on my Ebay watch list.  This is particularly effective if there is a piece that "got away" a season or two ago.  I get the best prices when someone lists a heavy sweater in July or a sundress in November.  Makes sense doesn't it shop for items in the off season.  Cardinal rule of the bargain professional.

I rarely bid on items that have a reserve.  The only time I have was when I was bidding on a piece of furniture and as it turned out the price went so high so fast it was out of my reach nearly immediately.  Most sellers set the bidding to start fairly low $.99 isn't odd... but this doesn't mean that the item will sell at a low price.  I have seen bidding begin at $.99 and end over $200! Most items begin between $9.99 and $19.99!

As a resource Ebay can't be beat.  I have looked up an untold number of items on Ebay to determine if the cost that I am contemplating is, in fact a good deal or if the item I am contemplating is the real thing.  I have looked up purses, designer dresses and art work just to name a few.  It probably won't be a surprise to any of you that my sister is also a bargain professional.  We often play the "who got the best deal" game and usually she wins.  Lisa, my sister lives in Gainesville, FL which I have come to believe may be the thrift/consignment center of the universe.   She will sometimes call me from one of her favorite haunts asking, "Are you online right now?  Could you look on Ebay to see what a (fill in the blank item) is going for?"  She is very good and unbelievably lucky... you simply have no idea!  She once purchased a pair of barely worn, sliver, Louboutin kitten heels at The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Gainesville for $1.98!!!!!  They would have been $4.00 but she had a 50% off coupon!

The real deal for $1.98!!!!! I believe!  I believe!

I bow down in awe of her powers!!!!   I will tell you all about some of her scores in later posts and since I am going to Florida at the end of this week (woo hoo)  I may ask her to do a guest blog post for me.  She tells me she has a bag of Anthropologie and Free People items gleaned from the same Salvation Army Thrift Store!  I am soooo freakin' excited about it!  Silly isn't it? It's a sickness, really it is.

Enjoy the evening...