Last week I posted my 'How I Purchase Pre-Loved Luxury' guide but now, I think it's a good idea to talk about how I purchase off eBay.

I mentioned in that post that eBay is my favorite place to shop for pre-loved luxury items, mostly because you can get the most bang for your buck, you're super protected if anything goes wrong, and I've learned how to shop there.

At first, I was apprehensive about shopping on eBay because you hear horror stories and mostly because eBay has a reputation for not being reliable. That is so not true! eBay has come such a long way and if you know how to shop the site, you'll have a great experience!

How to Shop on eBay

Pay attention to people's ratings

If someone has a 0% rating do not buy from them! Especially if the price + product looks too good to be true. I've come across so many good deals only to see that someone has a nonexistent rating and that usually means its a fake account.

Go with your gut

If something doesn't look right about a listing or a bag, get it authenticated. There are so many online authenticators that cost $5 and are very trusted in the luxury community. You can send them the link and within 24 hours you have written proof if something is real or fake.

Use Paypal

I always use Paypal when shopping on eBay and try to use it wherever I shop if it's an option. eBay protects its buyers very well so if something goes wrong, you can get your money back but I just feel like Paypal adds that extra layer of protection.

It's not just luxury

Yes, I mostly use eBay for luxury items from Louis Vuitton but I've gotten so many amazing deals on contemporary brands like Kate Spade and Tory Burch. When I want something that isn't available in stores anymore or just wants a deal on, I turn to eBay. I just got my new Kate Spade mini backpack from eBay for around 50% off the retail price and it was new with tags! If you want to try your hand at eBay buying, try something less expensive and less of an investment! 

eBay Authenticators

eBay has made strides in the past year or so to offer the best of the best to their customers and to earn your trust in the buying process. That's why they've introduced eBay Authenticators which provides you with certified authentic handbags. eBay has authenticated all the bags so you can purchase safely knowing everything is real -- no guessing games here! You aren't dealing with individual sellers but eBay themselves so it provides an extra layer of safety which is great. If you're iffy about buying from eBay, try the Authenticators because it's similar to buying from sites like Fashionphile and The Real Real.

Have you ever purchased anything from eBay? What was your experience?
xoxo
B

I got my first designer bag around the age of 8 and it was a Coach bag. Every year after that I got a new bag for my birthday of Christmas, usually Coach or Dooney and Burke. My mom was a lover of Louis Vuitton when I was younger so it was always the bag I saw and grew up on.

That stayed with me for years and when I was 16, I got my first Louis Vuitton bag from my grandmother. I felt so incredibly cool, chic and grateful that I had finally gotten a real designer bag. I didn't know when I would be able to afford another one, until a few years ago when I discovered the beauty of pre-loved items.

I do not care if an item is pre-loved. If I could save thousands of dollars by buying something gently used rather than buying it new, then so be it. 

All my designer goods, expect my Speedy, is pre-loved, and I love it! It allows me the luxury to buy these nice things without spending a stupid amount of money.

The most expensive thing I've purchased is my Damier Ebene Neverfull, and I still saved about 50% of the retail price.

I've highlighted my pre-loved journey on the blog before (here and here) but I wanted to explain how I actually BUY them.

When I first started buying pre-loved, I relied heavily on Tradesy because I trusted the site and I was able to use Affirm to pay off the purchases. However, once I started to really familiarize myself with the pre-loved market, I turned to eBay.

If you know the ins and outs of the brand you're buying (I'm pretty good at finding the fakes), eBay is the way to go. Find a few good trusted sellers, stalk your items and bid your heart out!

If eBay is not your thing, you can try other sites like FashionPhile and TheRealReal. They authenticate their items before putting them up for sale so you can guarantee that everything is real before you buy it. The reason I haven't bought anything from those sites is that I find they mark up the prices. I find much better deals on eBay.

My favorite shops to buy from on eBay are the Japan consignment shops. They have incredible prices and pieces that are in beautiful condition! I trust them so much and sometimes only look at the Japanese consignment shops because I trust them so much. A few of my favorites are next innovation, brandjapan, and brand street Toyko. 

After I buy something, no matter where it came from, I try to clean it with leather cleaner if it's dirty and if there is a smell, I'll do my best to take the smell out (usually I use dryer sheets and just keep the sheets in the bag/accessory for a few days.)

All in all, I really loved buying pre-loved items. I don't think of them as 'used' but truly as pre-loved. They have a story to tell and have been places but now they are mine and it's my turn to use and love them. I do not care if they look used because yes, it's not new but no one knows that the item was pre-loved. When I carry my Louis Vuitton Monogram Neverfull and people see the shape it's in, they don't know that I didn't do that...not that I care what people think but you know what I mean!

Anyways, what are your thoughts on pre-loved items? Have you ever bought one? Let me know!

xoxo
B