Buying used clothes from ebay?

thegirlintheattic

Need to replace some damaged clothing and have very little money to spend so I've been looking on ebay. Any experiences/tips to share?

hock79

I've bought quite a few used clothes from ebay, my best tip would be stick with the brands/stores you usually wear, and go for something similar to what you already have/have had/tried on, because it's such a waste of money if when you get it, it doesn't fit! IMO it'll be cheaper to go to Primark, but for higher end brands you will get more value for money. Plus if you go for better brands, it'll then sell better if it doesn't fit!

Another tip would be to ask the seller for the precise waist, bust, length measurements of the garments so you can measure up and gauge if they will fit.

thegirlintheattic

Thanks. Our nearest primark is over 3 hours away - otherwise I would be heading there.

hock79

I find it really good if I have, say, a nice dress from Warehouse, a few months down the line I'll be able to get it in another colour, used, on ebay for about a quarter of the price.

tillyvision

I second Hock79, always ask for precise measurements of the garment to compare with things you already own/your own actual measurements. Create a big watch list of everyhing that catches your eyethen go back and edit it so you aren't tempted to go overboard. Also look for misspellings of brand names. I have bought the most beautiful British made second-hand Doc Marten boots for a couple of quid because the brand name was spelled incorrectly. happens all the time! Look for good feedback, and if something isn't as described, you have every right to contact the seller and tell them. I recently bought a skirt for£26 (I really wanted it, and I was being naughty that day) but when it arrived it had a hole in it. I emailed her and she offered for me to either return it, or for her to refund most of the cost. Since I knew I could fix the hole (by turning up the hem which was too long anyway) I asked her to refund most of it instead. It ended up costing me £5 including postage! Don't be afraid to say if you feel it's been mis-sold, and make sure you ask questions.
Good luck!

sharpee

I've taken to recycling my clothes on ebay, buying and selling.

I have been fortunate enought to get some gorgeous pieces for a lot less.

I would stick with brands you know, so that you know they will definately fit so save wasting any money.

It can be hit and miss but if I buy something that then doesn't fit or I don't like it then I pop it on and sell it on ebay.

You can have some fun and it can get quite addictive!

j.e.j.

I tend to buy clothes on EBay these days. You can pick up good quality stuff for a fraction of the price if you're not fussed about it being the latest season and it can be a lot less hassle than trawling around charity shops. The down side is that you haven't got the garment there in front of you, so it can sometimes be a bit tricky to gauge whether or not a garment will fit/look ok.

I second the advice given above about sticking to brands you know will fit you, especially if the seller won't take returns.

Also, I find that the colour in the photographs is more often than not inaccurate, so go by the description as well as the image. I was looking at something this morning that I thought from the photo was brown, but was in fact navy blue according to the product details!

reggie_lampert

I buy quite a lot of my clothes on eBay and for the most I've been happy with my purchases.

As the other posters have said I look for brands that I would normally wear or for items that I've seen in store and liked.

I would say when you're reading a listing, make sure it tells you a bit of detail about the condition rather than just 'used'. I always look for 'freshly laundered' or equivalent as I bought a blouse recently that despite it saying worn once and in excellent condition, not only smelled like it had spent a few nights on the razzle but had make up stains around the neck and quite a few fabric pulls...lovely!

Alisha2008

I buy & sell lots of clothes on ebay.. also on Charity shops (great brands at a fraction of the price). With ebay I also do some sort of recycling I guess, sell things I don't wear anymore, and use the money to buy different stuff, so I don't spend anything reallly, and I like to think my clothes are good for someone else.

As recommended they key is to stick to well-known brands, and always check the measurements. When I buy something and it doesn't fit (trousers and shoes are particulary tricky!), I just sell it again...

busiscoming2

I've bought a few items from ebay and have learned from bitter experience that buying your usual brands is the best option. I have bought things I like which appear to be my size, even with the measurements, but then find they either don't fit or don't sit right. Maybe I'm an odd shape

Oh and you have to be sure of the colour as things can be a lot different than the photo.

busiscoming2

Also if you are anti smoking or pet smell, make sure you ask if its a pet/smoke free home.