How many refuse to buy clothes on eBay?

[Broadus]

Tons of clothes are bought on eBay, as evidenced by the threads here. It seems, though, that to buy successfully on eBay, you really have to know what you are doing, and I'm just not that familiar with what to look for and perhaps do not want to invest the amount of time necessary to do it well. Good deals can doubtlessly be found, but I suspect a lot of those deals find their way back to eBay or the local thrift store.

What are your thoughts on eBay--yes, no, sometimes?

 

[jluu6r]

buying on ebay is ok, but always read the entire listing and look closely at the pictures. if anything is unclear then ask the seller.

 

[Sebastian Melmoth]

I used to. Not worth the trouble anymore.

 

[SpooPoker]

Whats eBay?

 

[officeboy]

Knowing what your doing is very important...

/me does not...
wonders how his new eBay suit pants can have a 14 inch rise...

At least it was a good deal for 5+ yards of glen plaid.

 

[Redwoood]

stick to NWT of stuff you know irl, and things might not be quite as painful.

 

[otc]

I don't buy a lot...but it doesn't seem so bad.

Obviously if you stick with NWT stuff (usually ends up being older stock but the sizing doesn't change that much) it is hard to mess up.

Suits are doable as long as you have a seller who looks experienced (since there are pretty defined ways of taking measurements on suits).

Shoes are pretty easy if you are comfortable with your sizing since there aren't a lot of measurments and a few good pictures can tell you everything you need to know...pretty similar to buying from a store except you can't return if it doesn't fit.

 

[gladhands]

I used to look for bargains on used suits on eBay. Fortunately, I was never able to find one to my liking. It's amazing how many men buy 42L suits and hem the pants at 30in. Who the hell is built like that?

 

[Holdfast]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I used to look for bargains on used suits on eBay. Fortunately, I was never able to find one to my liking. It's amazing how many men buy 42L suits and hem the pants at 30in. Who the hell is built like that?

SFers going for the negative break look.

 

[niidawg3]

Originally Posted by Redwoood

stick to NWT of stuff you know irl, and things might not be quite as painful.

+1

Originally Posted by gladhands

It's amazing how many men buy 42L suits and hem the pants at 30in. Who the hell is built like that?

 

[Achilles_]

Originally Posted by gladhands

It's amazing how many men buy 42L suits and hem the pants at 30in. Who the hell is built like that?

It's the same with size 44R/L suits

 

[ter1413]

Never have....Big timers like me shop at Hermes for breast wallets or have my minions deal with internet sites such as ebay.

 

[saiyar1]

I assume we're talking about tailored clothes?

One of the biggest problems is people aren't realistic when they buy something on eBay. First, you need to have had physical contact with the clothes. Everyone who's spent time here knows how a 40r from Brooks could fit terribly, while a 40r from Zegna could be perfect. If people stopped buying something in "their size" just because it's a "good brand" at a great price, I think it would substantially reduce the complaints.

Also, it's eBay. There's going to be a good amount of people who bought clothes a while back and are now selling. The style may be outdated. You need to be asking for pictures of tags/being worn/etc.

 

[VMan]

It doesn't take a lot of knowledge to buy successfully, just go into it with a few basic rules in mind:

1) Know your own measurements, and stick with sellers who know how to measure/have a diagram of how measurements are taken. Don't rely on tagged sizes alone, as they can vary drastically from maker to maker, and even between different models from the same maker.

2) Do your homework - know which labels are current, and which are older. This can make all the difference in terms of fit, fabric, and how much wear an item has seen.

3) Buy from sellers that accept returns in case an item doesn't work out - at worst, you'll just be out the cost of shipping.

 

[Metlin]

Yes to cuff links and new ties and pocket squares. Maybe/on occasion for new sport coats. No to everything else.