Different Spending Limit on Ebay?

[odoreater]

Does anyone else have a different spending limit for suits from brick and mortar stores and from ebay? For example, at a brick and mortar store I might spend $1000 on a suit, whereas on ebay the most I'll spend for a suit is $200. Also, on ebay I only buy stuff that I know I can resell if I have to and still get a pretty good price. So, for example, I might buy a Zegna or a Hickey-Freeman suit from ebay, but I wouldn't buy something that might be really good quality, but has very little name recognition and might not sell for a lot unless somebody who really knows what they are looking at comes along when I list the item. Any thoughts?

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by odoreater

at a brick and mortar store I might spend $1000 on a suit, whereas on ebay the most I'll spend for a suit is $200.

It seems to me that the beauty of eBay is that one can acquire an Oxxford suit for less than $1000, something that will not happen at a bricks and mortar store. I use eBay for watch collecting and it has allowed me to get much more watch for my money.

 

[Get Smart]

It's natural to have a lower price limit on ebay since you cant see/wear the item and every purchase is a risk of some sort.

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

It seems to me that the beauty of eBay is that one can acquire an Oxxford suit for less than $1000, something that will not happen at a bricks and mortar store. I use eBay for watch collecting and it has allowed me to get much more watch for my money.


I know, and sometimes I see something on ebay that seems really tempting (for example, a NWT Oxxford Suit for less than $1000), but I just can't bring myself to spend that much money on something that I can't actually see and try on. Even when sellers provide measurements it's still difficult because you don't know how they are measuring (I find this to be especially true with shoulder measurements). Even when you have a suit that's the same size, it's hard to figure out how something will fit because even the same makers might change their cut slightly from year to year. Also, sometimes something that looks one way in a picture on ebay looks totally different when you have it in your hands. I dunno, maybe I should just bite the bullet and dish out more cash for stuff that looks good on ebay.

Here's an example though: at Saks Off-Fifth I bought a nice 42L Hickey-Freeman Collection suit for $499, yet I would not be willing to spend $499 on ebay even for a Brioni or an Oxxford.

 

[chorse123]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

It's natural to have a lower price limit on ebay since you cant see/wear the item and every purchase is a risk of some sort.

Agreed. I have a drastically lower limit for buying things on eBay. New shoes may be a little different, if I know my size in an identical pair. But on the whole, I see eBay as for my bargain shopping, and not for my serious shopping.

 

[Duveen]

Originally Posted by chorse123

I see eBay as for my bargain shopping, and not for my serious shopping.

That's how Ebay has evolved for me since joining this forum. I used to be a real Ebay addict, but one ends up with a lot of one-shot items. Things either look different online, or you get seduced by a tie pattern but don't think about how it will fit in to your wardrobe, etc.

I also use it for targeted, serious shopping. I'll definitely spend out for a coat or suit in a brand/style that I know fits me well.

But these days I take many fewer flyers in hopes of scoring the world's best deal, and am a bit more finicky about what I'll buy on the 'Bay.

 

[SGladwell]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

It seems to me that the beauty of eBay is that one can acquire an Oxxford suit for less than $1000, something that will not happen at a bricks and mortar store.

Actually, it can. I bought a beautiful grey chalk-stripe DB Oxxford suit at NM Last Call for all of $600 a few months ago.

As for eBay, I don't trust buying things I haven't tried on. Especially used things that may have been altered. (I have no qualm with good used clothing and love thrifting.) Even though my one mail-order clothing purchase (a new suede Bruno Magli sportcoat from Grapevinehill via eBay) worked out very well.

 

[pkincy]

I suppose Ebay is a changing experience or series of adventures.

It, like poker, is a bit expensive to learn, but once you learn can be profitable.

It also, like gambling, can be addictive.

However in moderation and with some experience and with a bit of work traveling to retail shops to understand how you wear different manufacturers sizes you can get quite good deals and quite good value.

Sizes: I wear a sleeve only alteration 42L in Hart, Hickey, Samuelsohn, and Abboud. I wear a 43T in Oxxford (but that is variable and I have both 42Ts and 44Ts that currently fit me). I wear a sleeve alteration and bit of a tuck in Brioni at 44L(which are I think US mismarked conversions of the e54L Italian size.) I wear a pretty standard e54L in Canali, Cornelieani, and Zegna.

But I learned all this through either US retail purchases or trying on the brand and size before buying on Ebay. Also I have learned to search for e54L on Ebay by looking for 44Ls since most Ebay sellers can't convert properly from e to US sizing. But be careful some are correct and you can buy a 44L Canali that turns out to be an e56L. I have done it.

Also Ebay is full of fraud and deceit, so treat it as a true Indian bazaar and realize neither PayPal nor Ebay have your interests at heart in any way. Caveat Emptor entirely.

Perry

 

[odoreater]

What are the etiquette considerations about going to a store just to try stuff on with no intent of actually buying it? I know using a salesperson to help you would probably be wrong, but what if you just go in and say that you don't need any help but still take stuff off of the rack to try it on? Some stuff I try on at factory stores, but there's two issues with that: first, some stuff that you can find on ebay is not available at outlets nearby and second, I'm not sure that stuff that's sold at these stores fits the same as the regulat stuff anyway.

 

[Duveen]

Originally Posted by odoreater

What are the etiquette considerations about going to a store just to try stuff on with no intent of actually buying it?

I try to limit times when I do this, but do go ahead and bite the bullet more than I'd like to say. I usually try to buy something at the store when I try things on - maybe a tie or at least a pocket square.

I feel better about it at Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren and Saks than I do at a small men's store. Those stores are so huge that I can usually brush off a salesperson without much effort.

 

[pkincy]

I have done a lot of my preEbay trying on at Nieman's, consistently using the same salesman. I will buy a Zegna from him this spring at retail. Mostly cause the staples you will never get at EBay and also to assuage my guilt for wasting his time several times.

I had a jeweler friend tell me years ago that one should never buy an artificial diamond unless you had lots of real ones to wear.

I think that it also true with clothes....If you only buy on Ebay you will probably look it. But if you mix it up with some taste noone need know.

I just got a beautiful silk Brioni with working buttonholes that needs no tailoring for all of $153 landed at my front door. Now I also have bought a couple of Brioni's at retail this year, so hopefully my overall look will not be "straight thrift" guy.

Perry

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by pkincy

I have done a lot of my preEbay trying on at Nieman's, consistently using the same salesman. I will buy a Zegna from him this spring at retail. Mostly cause the staples you will never get at EBay and also to assuage my guilt for wasting his time several times.

I had a jeweler friend tell me years ago that one should never buy an artificial diamond unless you had lots of real ones to wear.

I think that it also true with clothes....If you only buy on Ebay you will probably look it. But if you mix it up with some taste noone need know.

I just got a beautiful silk Brioni with working buttonholes that needs no tailoring for all of $153 landed at my front door. Now I also have bought a couple of Brioni's at retail this year, so hopefully my overall look will not be "straight thrift" guy.

Perry

I like this theory. I just bought 2 Hickey Freemans from ebay to be my "workhorse" kind of suits for under $200. I also bought a Corneliani from STP just five minutes ago. But I'm also planning on going to the Ralph Lauren store and picking up a new Polo Blue Label to throw into the mix.

 

[Huntsman]

LOL, yeah.

eBay = I can afford to buy stuff.
Brick and Mortar = not so much.