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Ebay

Ranjeev

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I have read here that many of the posters on this forum purchase suits and what not from Ebay. Â Many times I have browsed Ebay and found items I would like to purchase but I have decided not to bid in fear of not receiving the item in question. Â To the posters that do purchase from Ebay, what are the names of some trusted vendors? Â Has anyone used Higheroller$$$ (link below)? Â How have your experiences been on Ebay? Â Thanks in advance. P.S. Â What a great forum. Â I have learned a lot about style and various products from the posters. Â Keep up the good work guys. Highroller$$$
 

davei

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That's what a seller's feedback history is for. It's hardly perfect, but you can get a good idea of what buyer's past experiences have been. Avoid sellers with a private feedback rating (why would you hide the very thing that is supposed to bolster your trust level as a seller?.?.?.) or sellers who mark their auctions "private", so you can't see the auction number in the feedback rating (IMHO there is absolutely no reason for a seller to completely disclose their past sales. If you've got something to hide, that makes me suspicious.)

Don't trust feedback completely, as it can be easily faked. Or in the case of authenticity, naive buyers who don't know what they're getting. For example, there is this one eBay seller with a high feedback rating (1000+, one negative for every 150 positives) whose merchandise is so obviously fake, yet he continues to sell because of a seemingly high trust level due to a high feedback rating.

Ask sellers questions. Discounted merchandise has to come from somewhere. Most often, it's an outlet if it's advertised "new with tags". Sometimes you can find buyer/runway samples. Other sources include estate sales, liquidations, etc. Be wary if you hear a story similar to the proverbial "guy selling in an alley in the back of a van" - i.e. I know a guy who works with a guy who works with a factory's janitor and they got some extras made with the ends of cloth. In general, I've found reputable sellers will answer questions thoroughly, professionally, and without a run around.

Also, take the time to track a seller's activities for a few days/weeks. A seller posting up the same item over and over again (maybe in different sizes) is a bit fishy IMHO. Learn how to recognize tags/labels, which can change from year to year.

That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure everyone else will pipe in with ideas/comments.
 

A Harris

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I've been selling clothing on ebay for three years now (currently as seller world*class*consignment.) And during that time I've probably bought at least 500 items. Overall it's been a wonderful experience but there are a few things to keep in mind:

Do look at the feedback record. If a person has a low feedback rating it does not necessarily mean that you are going to get ripped off but it does increase the risk. Almost all of my really great buys (meaning I got the item for far less than it was worth) have been from low-feedback sellers. But I bought from them knowing there was a possibility that I would be disappointed. It certainly is best to buy high-dollar items from established sellers though. If I'm going to pay $750 for a Kiton suit it's going to have to be from someone I trust.

Also just because a seller has a high feedback rating does not necessarily mean they are reputable. There are an amazing number of ebay sellers that are outright lying about their merchandise (and a few who are just ignorant) and who still have great feedback. They can sell worn suits that retailed for $250 as "a $4000 suit" or as "bespoke" and get away with it because there are so many men out there who don't know the difference. Also many people are hesitant to leave negative feedback because they fear retaliation. So a lot of their customers could have been dissatisfied and never expressed it. In general though, if a seller has several hundred positive feedback and maybe only 2 or 3 negatives they are very likely honest.

It is important to be an educated customer. The more you know about the item you are going to buy the less likely it is someone will decieve you. Also you need to accurately measure garments that fit you and compare those with the measurements in the auctions. (If you are unsure about how to measure them contact me and I'll provide some tips.) DO NOT rely on a tagged size. A size 42, for instance, can vary a huge degree from maker to maker and from season to season. Sometimes a sellers measurements can be off too. Generally you can spot that though. If he is selling the suit as a size 42 but the pants are a size 30 then it's likely he doesn't know how to measure.  

Always look at the sellers' other auctions for the sake of comparison. For instance, a seller may describe the item as being in "good" condition and all his other items as being in "excellent" condition. What he probably means is that the "good"  item is wearable and is in good condition for it's age but it's never going to mistaken for new. Basically every seller has his own scale so it is best to get a feel for it. Looking over all the sellers auctions (even completed ones) can tell you a lot of other things too. If he says all the items are "from his personal wardrobe" but he is selling items in 17 different sizes then he is obviously lying. Maybe he is selling a suit you have never heard of says it "retails for $4000." But then you look at his other auctions and you see Sears special that he also says "retails for $4000." Obviously he is lying. You can learn a lot this way.

The preceding tips may seem a bit overwhelming but believe me, once you get a feel for it, ebay will pay off. I'd much rather deal with an ebay seller than a large company because in almost every case you are dealing directly with the person who took the pictures, wrote the auction etc. They have a personal stake in the transaction.

All that being said here are a few sellers I have personally had good success with or that seem to be very reputable judging from their auctions:sandypac, suitsall, sartoriale, weissbier, black*label*resale,  auspiciousone and discostu004.

I completely AVOID pcevans(at)gte.net (I replaced the @ sign with (at) so that the name doesn't turn into an email link.)

How about the rest of you ebay guys? Who are your favorite sellers?
 

davei

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Other other thing to add: make sure you know (or have) all shipping details spelled out up front. Most auctions these days will have something like "shipping based on zip code from xxxxx" or "flat rate $10". If costs are not stated up front, always email the seller. Ask about packaging as well. While most sellers are pretty good about packaging (folded with tissue paper, then put in a clear plastic bag, then boxed would be ideal) I just received a very nice white shirt from a seller that was packed in NEWSPAPER. Needless to say, they won't be getting any business from me ever again.

Another thing, ask if the seller smokes or has pets. I've received otherwise excellent items that have reeked of smoke/pets and/or covered in pet hair.
 

aybojs

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I'm still fairly inexperienced at ebay myself, but I've done a few transactions lately and am starting to get an idea of how things work. I know the majority of people here already know this but it's still worth mentioning that you develop an awareness of the brands you're looking at and how their different lines are made up. The more obvious examples include people advertising diffusion line stuff like Mani and Zegna Soft as high-end Armani and Zegna products (I've seen what appear to be some low end or generic suits being advertised as Zegna because they apparently use Zegna fabrics). It's also good to find out what country the item was made in because of all the variance that occurs within different labels. Most of the clothes offered on ebay are probably authentic, but as a rule of thumb if you don't want to be worried about getting a fake it's generally wise to avoid logowear and flashy name brands like Prada, Gucci, Versace etc. (at least until you're familiar with someone selling them). I'll add more thoughts if any come up.
 

MikeF

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I completely AVOID pcevans(at)gte.net (I replaced the @ sign with (at) so that the name doesn't turn into an email link.)

That cracks me up -- I cannot stand that guy either. Besides his being prone to hyperbole, I don't understand how every ******* suit can be "[t]ailored for a client who never took final delivery."

My eBay experiences have been generally good, despite my being the type that likes to cruise for deep, deep discounts before buying (I generally prefer 80-90% off retail). However, I just had a bizarre experience: I purchased two different suits, new with tags, from two different sellers. One was a Zegna Trofeo (Super 130s) and the other a Corneliani. Both are gorgeous -- and both have ever-so-slightly mismatched pants (something I've never in all my years seen on a suit). It sounds like both sellers are letting me do a return, but man, what a pain **********.
 

bengal-stripe

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That cracks me up -- I cannot stand that guy either.  Besides his being prone to hyperbole, I don't understand how every ******* suit can be "[t]ailored for a client who never took final delivery."  
I don't want to comment on this particular dealer, but it he might be, what they used to call in Savile Row a "Pigman".
Pig: An unclaimed garment;
Pork: A misfit rejected by a customer, but which might be sold elsewhere, usually to a
Pigman: Person who buys pigs and pork usually at a minimal cost and resells them on the cheap.

Apparently there used to be quite a few around where students and other poverty-stricken folks could get their sartorial elegance at a fraction of the cost.
 

MikeF

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I don't want to comment on this particular dealer, but it he might be, what they used to call in Savile Row a "Pigman".
Pig: An unclaimed garment;
Pork: A misfit rejected by a customer, but which might be sold elsewhere, usually to a
Pigman: Person who buys pigs and pork usually at a minimal cost and resells them on the cheap.
I ran across a "Pigman" type shop while walking around the Tech-type district of San Francisco. Absolutely lovely clothes (Armani Classico, Borelli, Kiton, etc.), almost all of which had been altered in some bizarre way or another (think 26" sleeves on a 40R jacket).
 

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