Ebay shopping tips - buying clothes

A lot of people might not want to buy second hand clothes. They'd be ok
hiring a suit but there's something about buying clothes secondhand that
makes some people think twice.

Smart shoppers know fashion is fickle and what's in last season is only
out this season if you hang out with people who know about fashion.
Otherwise for most people it's how you put together a set of clothes and
how you wear them. I just chuck on whatever and hope for the best but I
used to care about how I dressed. Chosing the right clothes to fit a
look can have great impact.

It's more risky with ebay because it's not possible to feel the fabrics
or check for little details as well as the risk of getting a well worn
item. Charity shop biying is a better way to get all the important
information. Getting size right is also a lot harder with ebay.
Thankfully I'm no longer fussy about this aspect either. It's rare
occassions where I have to look good where I have clothes which fit and
look smart. Those are culled from ewhatever else I buy from ebay and
wear everyday.

The trick is to find sellers who are selling a lot of their clothes. If
they're the right size then a lot of their clothes will be the same size
and if you pick something that you like then there's a good chance that
the seller has other similar items. Getting lots of items from one
seller means you can save on postage. This is the biggest problem with
buying clothes on ebay. Something which costs £1 on auction can cost a
few pounds to post. Getting lots of clothes from the same seller means
the postage can be combined and there's less packaging needed.

The usual tips apply. Buy from sellers with good feedback. Buy through
paypal. Use recorded delivery for larger purchases.

I might buy 4 or 5 items from the same seller of which I'd hope that all
are wearable and as described. One or two might not fit. I can still
wear them, resell them or drop them off in a charity shop. The savings
are huge. A lot of people take great care of their clothes and good
brands use good materials so the items look new. I tend to seek brans
because I expect they'll have better made clothing. Premium clothing
feels different. The materials are so much better. The designs can often
be better for my shape which is tall and thin rather than tall and
bigger which is what a lot of the very cheapest line of cloithing are
cut to, e.g. Asda-bought trousers. I can a good quality pair of trousers
for secondhand for the same price as I can get a pair of trousers from
Asda but the cut, material and look will be much better.

I was given a £200 Selfridges voucher as thanks for taking photos at a
mate of mine's wedding. I just couldn't spend it. I'd get so much
clothing for that money. In Selfridges, even in the sales, I'd walk out
with a few items. In the end I gave it to a charity to auction. Now I'm
just spending £20-30 to buy a few second hand tops which look ok and
probably fit.

It's also the most ethical form of shopping I think. It's best to
collect the clothing in person but since nothing new is created and the
only transport is post there's the least impact on the environment. It's
recycling rather than consumption.

I could buy from charity shops but few have the clothes I'm looking for.
They're often targeted at women though they can be a good place to get
mens suits if you know charity shops in the right area. Instead I give a
£1 donation for every purchase I make on Ebay, even for the smallest
item. Well, most purchases anyway. If I pay cash on collection I stick a
pound in the local newsagents charity box or give in other ways. This is
on top of all the other giving I do of course. It's just an added thing
with my purchases. I get such a bargain i don't feel bad giving some of
it to charity.

That's the great thing about EBay. Things can be so cheap if your
expectations shift slightly. The difference in function and form between
products a year or two behind the times and the latest ones, even with
technology, is small but appreciable. With clothing it's a lot smaller.
The cost difference between a brand new pair of designer jeans at retail
price and a bargain pair on Ebay is massive. I bought a FCUK suit jacket
that can't have been more than a few years old and was in excellent
conditon for £1 with £4 postage. The seller had put it in the vintage
section instead of the suit section. It's such a bargain that making a
small donation is rational.