The Ultimate Vass (Footwear) Thread (Pictures, reviews, sizing, etc...)

[Potatoe]

though $340 for a used pair of Vass is not exactly the best deal he'll ever get in his lifetime, or anyone else will ever get in their lifetimes. These days you also have to paid sales tax on eBay. So effectively including tax and shipping he paid $400.

If you ask me, he actually overpaid. I would never pay this much. Consider yourself lucky.

I don't understand the used shoe market at all.

It's one thing if they shoe was worn once and then sold because it didn't fit the first buyer but when people sell well worn shoes for 300+ it sort of blows my mind. Not only is it a bit gross but the shoes will have loads of flaws and will be formed to a differently shaped foot.

Why not just buy seconds or cheaper shoes ?

 

[Guccinski L.V.]

I don't understand the used shoe market at all.

It's one thing if they shoe was worn once and then sold because it didn't fit the first buyer but when people sell well worn shoes for 300+ it sort of blows my mind. Not only is it a bit gross but the shoes will have loads of flaws and will be formed to a differently shaped foot.

Why not just buy seconds or cheaper shoes ?

He clearly stated he accepted much lower offer than his asking price. You are looking at original asking price of 340. That is not what the buyer paid.

 

[Potatoe]

He clearly stated he accepted much lower offer than his asking price. You are looking at original asking price of 340. That is not what the buyer paid.

I was speaking about the market as a whole, not this particular transaction.

 

[sforum1]

He clearly stated he accepted much lower offer than his asking price. You are looking at original asking price of 340. That is not what the buyer paid.

That's what the buyer paid

 

[sforum1]

It is unreal what sort of deals one can get just because Vass does not do marketing.

not true at all.

Try any other brand. BRAND SPANKING NEW IN ITS BOX. Try EG, Try G&G.

You will have extremely hard time recovering 50% of the original price. And I am talking about, again, brand new shoes. Most of the time, historically, I could get no more than 60%. These days, not so much.

I maintain, I wish I could get the kind of money the seller above got on his used shoes.

 

[willyto]

not true at all.

Try any other brand. BRAND SPANKING NEW IN ITS BOX. Try EG, Try G&G.

You will have extremely hard time recovering 50% of the original price. And I am talking about, again, brand new shoes. Most of the time, historically, I could get no more than 60%. These days, not so much.

I maintain, I wish I could get the kind of money the seller above got on his used shoes.

Agree but you see some weird things too. I have seen on ebay a mint pair of G&G fresco loafers sell for just a 175GBP or so bid then the buyer polished them and is selling them for 499GBP on Ebay.

Some treat shoes like they're made of gold or something. With vintage shoes it's even worse! People trying to sell unpolished, dry, heavily abused, with tears,etc shoes for like $500 and more. They're dreaming.

 

[sforum1]

Agree but you see some weird things too. I have seen on ebay a mint pair of G&G fresco loafers sell for just a 175GBP or so bid then the buyer polished them and is selling them for 499GBP on Ebay.

Some treat shoes like they're made of gold or something. With vintage shoes it's even worse! People trying to sell unpolished, dry, heavily abused, with tears,etc shoes for like $500 and more. They're dreaming.

I know exactly what you are saying. You see this only in auction-style sales. This is the principle of social proof. Very very powerful stuff. It's not really about the shoes being polished, this might be what's starting it. You can have that exact same pair for $300 buy it now price and the shoes don't sell for 3 years. But if you start the deal at $1, a bidding war starts and that exact same pair ends up selling for $700. When it was $300 I did not want it because if it's so good I am thinking, why is noone else buying it? But when they have already bid up the price to $600, that means it's something special and then I am willing to pay $700 for it.

Now where in here is the distinction between brand new and used shoes? The distinction is that the seller is usually not willing to start a sale at $1 on a brand new pair that cost originally $1300. They don't want to risk seeing the thing selling for $134. But the used pair, it's a different story.

I've seen brand new pairs selling for above retail too. That's rare but the only conclusion you get out of that at the end, when that happens, is that these people bidding on them are pure idiots.

I've also seen over and over and over and over again items that are starting at say $30 auction-style and they expire week after week and noone bids on them and the listing renews. This can go on for 2 years. And as soon as someone places a bid on it, then the second bid comes, then the third etc and the damn thing sells for $190. And the interesting thing is that the people who bid on it are people who were aware of the listing all this time and they never pulled the trigger and who certainly had the chance the whole time to buy it for just $30.

 

[stephenaf2003]

Agree but you see some weird things too. I have seen on ebay a mint pair of G&G fresco loafers sell for just a 175GBP or so bid then the buyer polished them and is selling them for 499GBP on Ebay.

Some treat shoes like they're made of gold or something. With vintage shoes it's even worse! People trying to sell unpolished, dry, heavily abused, with tears,etc shoes for like $500 and more. They're dreaming.

In my experience resell is all about brand name+specific shoe+location of seller to potential buyers. For example, an EG Galway rosewood will be snapped up fairly quickly. The price one one gets for the highly sought models of course depends on condition of the shoe, and the ease of shipping from seller to buyer. But highly sought after makers & models tend to have no problems selling.

 

[Jan Capek]

Not only is it a bit gross but the shoes will have loads of flaws and will be formed to a differently shaped foot.

It is more than a bit gross. I can understand why someone pays for Michael Jackson's moccasins or Michael Johnson's golden spikes, but pre-loved dress shoes intended to be worn should be a useless concept to any man of taste.

 

[ajd578]

It is more than a bit gross. I can understand why someone pays for Michael Jackson's moccasins or Michael Johnson's golden spikes, but pre-loved dress shoes intended to be worn should be a useless concept to any man of taste.

It is not hard to find barely used shoes that are not formed or broken in. Sizing mistakes, parts of large collections, etc.

 

[sforum1]

Maybe if they were worn 1 or 2 times and you get to buy them at 50% off, then maybe since the shoes are effectively still brand new.

But something like this?

John Lobb Sz 9.5? Chestnut Medium Brown Smooth Leather F19 Oxford Shoes 850Z | eBay

John Lobb Sz 9.5? Chestnut Medium Brown Smooth Leather F19 Oxford Shoes 850Z in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, Men, Men's Shoes, Dress Shoes | eBay

cgi.ebay.com

Who in their right minds would pay $400 for something disgusting like this? Actually this is a good pair relative to other things I've seen.

 

[ajd578]

Maybe if they were worn 1 or 2 times and you get to buy them at 50% off, then maybe since the shoes are effectively still brand new.

But something like this?

John Lobb Sz 9.5? Chestnut Medium Brown Smooth Leather F19 Oxford Shoes 850Z | eBay

John Lobb Sz 9.5? Chestnut Medium Brown Smooth Leather F19 Oxford Shoes 850Z in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, Men, Men's Shoes, Dress Shoes | eBay

cgi.ebay.com

Who in their right minds would pay $400 for something disgusting like this? Actually this is a good pair relative to other things I've seen.

Oh yeah that's a hard pass at any price.

 

[gte872h]

Oh yeah that's a hard pass at any price.

That rubber sole is horrendous.

 

[stephenaf2003]

It is more than a bit gross. I can understand why someone pays for Michael Jackson's moccasins or Michael Johnson's golden spikes, but pre-loved dress shoes intended to be worn should be a useless concept to any man of taste.

Yours in an interesting take.

When I first got the shoe bug, used shoes were the only way I felt I could afford to satisfy my shoe jones. At that time I had a few however flawed but still rules, never buy loafers because folks tend to wear them with no socks. Only buy used ones that passed my particular, “ok those look like they haven’t been worn too much,” test. Paying more $250 for a pair of shoes was insane to me then.

Flash forward a few years to a man that now, has a dedicated exclusively for storage bedroom full of purchased brand new shoes, some approaching a cost of $3000.
For me it was an evolutionary journey to developing my tastes. Also for me, your characterization of tastes is moot, as taste is merely subjective. I find it comical for one to stand atop their hill looking down at others and declaring, you have no taste....lol

 

[sforum1]

Oh yeah that's a hard pass at any price.

The interesting part is that someone made an offer on that pair and the seller turned it down. They are both sick people. Of course I'm kidding but you clearly know what I mean.