Buying used clothes from ebay?

thegirlintheattic

Thanks all! Placed my first bid - have to wait an hour till the auction ends.

terra_ferma

To this I would add to check the seller's feedback, not just the %, but what the negative comments say.
I'd stay away if there is a problem with description, a lot of stuff not turning up etc. Also reading their reply will tell you the sort of person you are dealing with, recently I've seen a top rated seller (supposed to be very good) calling several buyers all sorts of names because they were not happy with their item.
Also it will tell you how they deal with problems, some refuse to accept that the item can be faulty/damage and will not let you return it without opening a claim.

ellay864

Do you have any charity shops near you? There's some great bargains to be had there and you have the advantage of being able to see the item and probably try it on as well. I've bought stuff on ebay, some great, some not so good but there's always that wondering just what it will be like. Charity shops take all that away and there's usually better bargains there. I'm still celebrating my gorgoeus long £85 Per Una dress that I picked up for £8.50 for my Christmas do last month

bacardi66

I think its a great way of buying new clothes. I had some trousers from River Island I loved and they stopped selling them in the shops but I got a pair of (barely) worn ones in a different colour from ebay for £1.99! I love Mexx & Esprit clothes and know exactly what size fits me and Ive had some fantastic bargains from Ebay.

I would echo other posters and buy stuff from a shop where you know what size fits you - and make sure you ask for specific measurements, bust size, leg length etc

And if you do buy something that doesn't fit you can just resell it!

richardvc

I have bought loads of good quality clothes on ebay.

I'm a fan of M&S / Next and often buy stuff that I have tried on in the shop !!

Tips : Measurements - know yours accurately. For men, shirts can vary in sizes but I know my armpit to armpit measurement so it isn't a big deal.

Best deal : Next moleskin jacket that I tried on one Saturday afternoon @ £99, went home and won an auction for the same one for ........ £18 !!

thegirlintheattic

ellay864 wrote: »

Do you have any charity shops near you? There's some great bargains to be had there and you have the advantage of being able to see the item and probably try it on as well. I've bought stuff on ebay, some great, some not so good but there's always that wondering just what it will be like. Charity shops take all that away and there's usually better bargains there. I'm still celebrating my gorgoeus long £85 Per Una dress that I picked up for £8.50 for my Christmas do last month

I popped in the nearest charity shop a few days ago and the selection was dire - I'm in my mid-20s and most of the stuff my nan wouldn't even be seen dead in. Travelling to the nearest city Sunday so will try to pop in to some charity shops then.

Thanks for all the advice everyone - have just won two tops after checking measurements and have bids in on several other items. If I win on max. bid it will be about £20 for 5 items, instead of £20 for 2 which is what I usually pay in the shops.

shanleyallen

It’s a good idea for buying clothes because most of the people are looking for branded dresses. I hv bought some dresses from your store. Now I want to resell them so I think it can be a good option for me to sell my clothes.

krlyr

If you can get online during the day on weekdays, make the most of it! I can get online during the day at work so I would find auctions that ended during the day and "snipe" a bid in last minute. Got so many River Island pieces for 99p, jeans from £2-5 (bit more expensive as postage is more for the extra weight) including some CK ones, you have hardly any "competition" at those times.

Do check that the original item isn't cheaper to buy new though - a few times I saw stuff like River Island's basic vest tops going for £15+ on Ebay, secondhand, but they're about £12 brand new!

I tend to pick a price I'm willing to pay and enter that in the last 5 mins or so. If I don't win it, no biggy, I'll find something else. Try not to get caught up in a bidding war and paying more than you wanted to.

anatomical

-Consider the fabric the item is made of. Especially if it is from a cheaper store as it is, a few wears and washes could mean the garment doesn't have much life left in it. In that case you would be better off paying a little more for one that hasn't been worn and will last you longer.
-There are lots of items which are barely worn or new without the tags that are still very cheap on ebay, you just have to spend the time looking for them.
-Make sure they include their own pictures and not just ones from the website. That way you can more accurately judge if you want the item and if you would wear it.
-Buy from brands you already know and like. That way you know what to expect from the quality and sizing.

You can find some lovely things on ebay for very cheap prices, you just have to spend a little time looking for them.

smeeth

I agree with all the advice you've already been given:
-check feedback rating AND comments
-check the description to make sure it matches your interpretation of the photo
-try and stick to clothes, brands etc that you know, as it can be expensive if things don't fit quite right!

I found a hole in my jeans the other day, trawled around all the shops to find some new ones, I didn't like any that I found, so I searched the brand and the size on ebay and found my exact jeans for a tiny price! Very happy!