How & what do you shop on ebay? - YouLookFab Forum

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How & what do you shop on ebay?

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I've very little experience with online thrifting and shopping. To dare exploring eBay and place orders there, what should I be aware of?

Sizing
Prizing
Shipping

What are you looking for if you shop on ebay, and how do you decide what price is right for the item, or how much to bid?

I'm grateful for your thoughts on this.

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from ironkurtin

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I'm still a newbie on eBay but for me, the first thing I look for is the return policy. If the seller does not accept returns, that can influence my decision to bid/buy. For example, the Express Editor black trousers I bought off eBay were such a good price, I decided to buy anyway even though the seller did not offer returns. Personally I felt it was a risk I could afford to take. But the Helmut Lang dress I ordered was still quite expensive even on eBay and originally the seller did not offer returns, but through emails back and forth decided to offer me a return in the event the dress did not fit.

I also ask for measurements every single time (unless specific measurements are already listed in the ad). I will sometimes email the seller questions regarding laundry instructions, rise measurement and fabric content if those aren't already listed.

I also look at the seller's overall rating and will read comments/reviews to ensure I trust who I'm buying from.

That's about it for my eBay knowledge - many others here will have great information for you.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, Shannon. I really appreciate it!

Diana

Veteran

I mostly use it for:
--things I already own and want to duplicate/replace worn out one. Price is not a huge issue here.
--things I have already tried on IRL but either sold out or are too expensive in normal stores.
--very occasionally, certain brands that I know well or that I know I can resell on eBay if they don't fit. I'm not willing to pay as much in this category.

The above applies to clothing and shoes only. I sometimes buy jewelry or accessories as well since there are fewer fit issues there. And knitting stuff.

My best advice would be to ask for actual garment measurements,, and tell them exactly which ones. (I.e. bust, thigh, inseam, etc). Also don't hesitate to ask for more pictures.

Eta: oh, and I only use PayPal. I'm not even sure you can pay by other methods anymore, but pp has good protections in case the item is not as described, seller is bad, etc.

Liz A.

Veteran

I shop on ebay a lot, but I don't buy a lot after being burned in the past. A big problem I have with ebay is sellers that either don't accept returns or don't have free shipping. Usually it's worth it to absorb the cost of shipping to me since I get such a good deal on the item in the first place, but return shipping really irks me.

Ok, so what do I buy on ebay? I'm a really serious online/bargain shopper, so often when I find something I like I'll do a google search for the item before I pull the trigger on whatever site I happen to be on. Google shopping will pull in items from ebay as well, and you can sort according to price. So occasionally I will buy new items from ebay this way. I have also been known to buy something in the store, then find it on ebay for cheaper and return it back to the store.

Other items I buy on ebay are the ones I can't afford or am not willing to pay at full price, like premium denim for example. In that case, I try to go in knowing my size already, and it's even better if you know what style you want. I have to know specifics in order to search on ebay. Like for instance, I would search red coach purse, but I would never search red purse. I shudder to think of all the garbage I would have to sort through to find something decent. Items like premium denim or designer bags I am also willing to buy used.

One other caveat, I hardly ever by at auction anymore. I generally only do "buy it now." This is because I am impatient, and I can't stand to lose something I really want. Happy shopping!

Glory

Veteran

When I shop ebay it is usually for an item that is sold out locally or simply not available.

The first thing I check is the star rating, and I read the bad reviews if there are any.
I check the items and ensure they have stated any issues if it is used. And, I make sure it comes from a smoke free home.

Years ago one of my children was obsessed with Barney and puppets - which I found online. It was not from a smoke free home and I ended up disposing of the sought after item because I could not get the smell out.

I also check postage because sometimes it is so high the item is simply not worth it.

Overall I have purchased about 30 items and am happy to report no issues except for poor Barney.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Oh, this is really helpful! Thanks, fabbers.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Every item I was wearing yesterday was bought online. The pants and shoes from UO and Macy's, but the rest off ebay. Jacket, shirt, cuff, bra even.
I ask measurements and also consider if non returnability is worth the financial lay out. For instance, my jacket was only $10, so if it didn't fit I wasn't out too much and could just give it to a friend.

Missey

Veteran

1. If I know my size in a brand I will shop for it on ebay.
2. I often buy higher end shoes on ebay and have gotten some really great pairs for a fraction of the cost.
3. I like a seller to have a good feedback rating (98% or better).
4. Often I will only buy new, but have purchased used if there are a lot of photos.
5. I don't like to pay a lot on shipping.
6. When in doubt, ask questions, sellers with good communication are usually reliable.
7. I have been stuck with items that don't fit...usually this has been my fault for not reading the description properly or assuming the item would fit because it was listed in my size. Ask for measurements!
8. I never buy clothing or shoes from Asian (China, Hong Kong, Singapore,etc) listings, I've been burned every time by either counterfeit items or sizing problems.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I mostly shop vintage on eBay, silk square scarves, 60's turquoise necklace and a vintage Bally clutch bag are some of my favourite lots to date. The scarves I have usually picked up with using Buy it Now and paid approximately £10.00 plus shipping.

I did find a really good sports jacket on eBay (Sergio Tachini), brand new with tags which I picked up for £5.00. I was really lucky with this purchase because the seller did not title the sale very well and therefore it was not being picked up by the eBay search features so my low bid was unchallenged. Actually, although this was my best bargain and most used piece it also plays on my conscience because I have a niggling doubt the jacket was stolen.

In terms of finding a price to bid consider how much you would pay for a piece if it were on sale in a consignment shop, know your top price and don't go over it. Don't show your hand too quickly, most bids happen in the last thirty seconds but don't leave it too late - you have to enter your bid and then confirm it, five seconds is not enough (that one still smarts as it was a Wall-e costume for DD).

shedev

Veteran

I buy a lot of stuff on ebay. I ask a lot of questions and if I dont get an answer or not a good answer I dont buy. I'm usually familiar with the things I buy but not always.

Thistle

Veteran

I don't really buy much from eBay. I wouldn't buy clothes on eBay as sizing is way too much of an issue for me. I would love to splurge on more designer purses and become a "bag lady", but I am too afraid of buying counterfeit goods. I really don't know how to tell if the goods are legitimate or not.

Honestly, I tend to prefer Etsy. Even then, I only buy from shops in the US and Canada.

I hope Rae and MaryK sees this and chimes in. I kno Rae is the bargain queen, and I think maryK gets some of her purses from eBay.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Oh, this is a lot of wisdom. Thanks, everyone. I'm not seeing myself as a ebay hoarder at all, particularly since I have to pay a lot more than you normally would to get the pieces shipped to Norway. Things are further complicated because I need to stay below the free import limit ($34) to avoid additional tax and VAT on arrival. Lots of sellers don't ship internationally either. However, the occasional bargain or special item will be of interest. Your experience is of great value to me, and I will buy in accordance to what you've said.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I use it a lot because I'm a canuck, and you know our sore state of shipping/purchasing up here.

I use it to stalk things. For example, one of my saved searches are ... "Anthropologie Notched Dots Dress 4" and if they get one, they email me about it Yay!

I am very careful about ratings, and the quality of the item (I need to have actual pictures of the item, not stock photos).

One way you can get really cheap good stuff is ... if you have a lot of time, just browse. A lot of the great deals I've gotten (>80% off) is things that people have mislabelled or spelled incorrectly - For example, a Fossil Weekender Navy could go for $148 to $220, depending, but if someone called it a "Fossil Navy Satchel" it's impossible to find unless your'e just browsing Fossil stuff - the Weekender crowd wont' see it, and I snagged it for $40. New. From Vegas. Whoooo!

For sizing, I know my measurements and always request them! I have had good luck, and if things are a smidgen too big, that's fine, I can get it tailored.

Marley

Veteran

I just bought something for the very first time on eBay a couple of weeks ago. It was a pair of new, with tags, True Religion Cameron white BF jeans - which I love! There was no BIN price so I had to go through the bidding process. I did not even start bidding until the last hour of the posting - and I had set (n my mind) what the highest I would go for the item ahead of time, so that I would be sure and not get caught up in the adrenaline rush of competing for the item! As it turned out, the other bidders stopped bidding with about 30 minutes left - and those jeans were mine! We have a TR store in our mall - I had gone in ahead of time and scouted out the jeans (I think this is a good idea, because you can try them on and get your size sorted out ) - they were selling for $298.00 - I got them on eBay (brand new, with tags!) for $66.00 - and I had 14 days to return if they didn't work out. I couldnt' have been more pleased!

Speaking as someone who sells lots and lots of things on eBay, I think it is important to check the rating of the seller - but keep in mind also, that there are a lot of buyers out there who give negative ratings for issues that could easily be resolved if they only would have contacted the seller instead of going straight to the ratings page and giving a negative rating. It can be very frustrating for the seller! Also - one time I had a buyer give me a negative rating - and I contacted him and asked him about it, and as it turned out, he had got the item he had bought from me confused with an item he had bought from someone else - and given me the negative rating, rather than the other person. It never got changed, and so to this day, I have this really bad rating on my page - which doesn't belong to me! So frustrating!

I think you can tell alot about a seller by how well they communicate with you - so, my advice is to ask a lot of questions ahead of time and see how quickly they get back to you and how helpful they are in accomodating any requests you may have.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Lyn and Marley! Lyn, I share your situation in regards of living disconnected from a lot of the fashion action! Marley, I'm sorry that you've got a bad review you didn't deserve. It certainly is annoying. I'm going to spend some time browsing before I commit to buy much. As bidding is concerned, many auctions end in the middle of the night where I live (3-4 am), so clearly it would have to be very special if i should stay up for that. Anyway, this seems to be a fun and a possibly rewarding way to shop.

Lantana

Veteran

Ingunn, you have great advice here which I endorse based on my own experience.
There is a tool or a service available which bids on your behalf. It is called sniping. I have not used this myself but it might be worth checking it out. Just google ebay sniping. I gather sniping automatically updates your bids ahead of others to the limit you have set. That way you don't miss out on your most coveted items.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

I haven't bought clothes, but scarves, vintage hats, a handbag, some vintage jewelry, mostly items under $20. I got sick of losing auctions at the last minute, and started using auctionsniper.com to place my last minute bids. I set my max price and walk away. So far, I've won all 4 auctions I sniped. There are other sniping services, that's just the one I've tried. They give three free snipes, then you pay 1%, which is pennies on a $20 item. What I like is that I don't get swept up in the drama of winning. If it goes over my price, oh well, there will be more sparkly stuff tomorrow.

Lantana

Veteran

That's great info on sniping, thanks RamblingAnn. I missed something yesterday in the last 5 seconds and for the first time seriously thought about the sniping service. I was put off by the prospect of putting my contact details on yet another site but from what you say it sounds pretty straightforward.

Vildy

Veteran

I hate like poison to pay for returns, so I disregard the aspect of purchases where I have to pay for the return shipping. I do pay attention to the items with eBay buyer protection plan. I just used that. I bought a cardigan that was the same as one I have only in a different colorway. I did check the reviews the seller had and noted there were one or two complaints. I should've been more wary. Even more, it was a relatively new seller, so that might have made it more likely they didn't care all that much about their ultimate seller reputation.

Anyway, it never arrived. I attempted to contact the seller and it automatically got turned into a "case." After giving the seller a few days to respond, they refunded my money, including the shipping I'd paid. I do use Paypal.

I'm more and more skittish about eBay for my own needs. I tend to shop by color and you can't tell that on a monitor. Plus I really care about how something hangs and moves and feels to the hand. So I have the best luck
in duplicating something I already own but choosing another color. That said, I do a lot of looking on eBay because I thrift a lot and am curious about brands I
acquired but don't know. But I buy very, very little. I guess most of my items that I took a flyer on were successful in some ways but ultimately not, since I ended up purging them for one reason or another - most usually because I didn't like the way they fit on the shoulder (would ride up against my throat) or how they felt when I moved.

I did have pretty good luck getting older models of Bass Weejuns, which I love.

I also hate Make an Offer listings - which I sometimes have used - when I find the personality of the seller unpleasantly aggressive. I guess when they are I conclude that they have plenty to be defensive about and stop bidding.

ironkurtin

Veteran

Almost everything I own I bought on eBay. I know my size and the brands I like, and I look carefully at the pictures. TBH I ignore the no returns policy, because
1) if there is something wrong with the item PayPal almost always rules in favor of the buyer and I can return it for a full refund
and
2) I *never* spend more than I can afford to lose. You are taking a chance on eBay. It is like a big swap meet in my mind. So if the jeans I purchased show up and the color is lighter/darker than on my monitor, caveat emptor.

Everyone I know has horror stories about eBay (mine are mostly about buyers, not sellers - buyers on ebay can be SO unmannered and rude!), but I must say my experience has been 99% positive and I have bought some really lovely items I could never afford full retail.