Over the past few years, I have been shopping off of ebay for assorted
items from parts for my old trucks to Christmas gifts for an Anime fan to
padding the wardrobe with menswear. Based on fiding good prices and interesting
items I completely vouch for the strategy of shopping on-line; kind of a
Digital Dandy.
It is possible to challenge the sensibility of buying clothing or just about anything from a stranger. Going digital removes your opportunity to handle or try on a piece of clothing that we know is so important to deciding if the piece is right for you.
Early on in my shopping I definitely experienced some missed expectation and some downright failures. The most memorable purchase that started looking so good involves a pair a black wingtips I ordered. The ebay ad displayed multiple photos of shoes that were in great condition possessing only slightly worn rubber soles. Once in my hands I determined that the shoes were of good quality and fit just about perfect. The first night I got out with them on my feet we were off to a wedding. I had on my “Marry’em and Burry’em” grey suit. That evening we had fun drinking and dancing up a storm in my new comfy shoes.
Once it was time to leave, I walked to the car with Mrs on my arm when suddenly I had the sensation of something was stuck to the sole of my right shoe just under the toe. Each step increased the pronounced feeling to where I stopped to complete an inspection. My instinct was accurate. The rubber sole of the shoe had separated slightly. I touch pissed off I marched another 30 steps while experiencing the entire sole separating to became caught up under my foot accompanied by a clear flap-flap sound. Once we were in the car, I had to pull the sole and shoe apart so I could use the accelerator pedal.
Being completely dissatisfied with the purchase, I wrote the seller explaining that the shoes I had paid $50 for were now costing me an additional $20 to repair. My request for damages received no response from the seller. It then came as no surprise that the next time I wore the shoes the left sole separated. The negative experience has doomed me from ever putting the shoes on again
That was not my last ebay purchase, but I did decide to take a break for a few months. The new style resolution (and this blog) have turned me back to the web as the best source for finding pieces at a budget friendly price.
I do watch ebay routinely, just in case I find a low risk purchase with a good price; such as my black merino wool sweater. Instead of ebay I have turned to on-line stores of brands I can trust. The Gap Canada and Nordstrom’s Rack are sites which have collected all my most recent spending.
Here are my On-line shopping tips that come from some great buys and some shitty ones:
Commit to your search
Not everyone will have this problem, but I certainly did. When I am physically in a store at the mall my shopping is as focused as a Navy Seal watching their target through a gun scope. If my shopping list says “Black slacks” I discard all other distractions so that I see and stop for only black slacks.
On the web, I am a victim of my ADHD; which can be trigger at the sight of the variety of options you find out there. Click….click….click, click, click and I start to fill my “cart” with shirts, socks, underwear!?!?
My tip is: If you’re after jeans then buy jeans! If you are looking to spend $300 then spend $300! In either case straying too far from the initial objective can cost you big.
It is possible to challenge the sensibility of buying clothing or just about anything from a stranger. Going digital removes your opportunity to handle or try on a piece of clothing that we know is so important to deciding if the piece is right for you.
Early on in my shopping I definitely experienced some missed expectation and some downright failures. The most memorable purchase that started looking so good involves a pair a black wingtips I ordered. The ebay ad displayed multiple photos of shoes that were in great condition possessing only slightly worn rubber soles. Once in my hands I determined that the shoes were of good quality and fit just about perfect. The first night I got out with them on my feet we were off to a wedding. I had on my “Marry’em and Burry’em” grey suit. That evening we had fun drinking and dancing up a storm in my new comfy shoes.
Once it was time to leave, I walked to the car with Mrs on my arm when suddenly I had the sensation of something was stuck to the sole of my right shoe just under the toe. Each step increased the pronounced feeling to where I stopped to complete an inspection. My instinct was accurate. The rubber sole of the shoe had separated slightly. I touch pissed off I marched another 30 steps while experiencing the entire sole separating to became caught up under my foot accompanied by a clear flap-flap sound. Once we were in the car, I had to pull the sole and shoe apart so I could use the accelerator pedal.
Being completely dissatisfied with the purchase, I wrote the seller explaining that the shoes I had paid $50 for were now costing me an additional $20 to repair. My request for damages received no response from the seller. It then came as no surprise that the next time I wore the shoes the left sole separated. The negative experience has doomed me from ever putting the shoes on again
That was not my last ebay purchase, but I did decide to take a break for a few months. The new style resolution (and this blog) have turned me back to the web as the best source for finding pieces at a budget friendly price.
I do watch ebay routinely, just in case I find a low risk purchase with a good price; such as my black merino wool sweater. Instead of ebay I have turned to on-line stores of brands I can trust. The Gap Canada and Nordstrom’s Rack are sites which have collected all my most recent spending.
Here are my On-line shopping tips that come from some great buys and some shitty ones:
Commit to your search
Not everyone will have this problem, but I certainly did. When I am physically in a store at the mall my shopping is as focused as a Navy Seal watching their target through a gun scope. If my shopping list says “Black slacks” I discard all other distractions so that I see and stop for only black slacks.
On the web, I am a victim of my ADHD; which can be trigger at the sight of the variety of options you find out there. Click….click….click, click, click and I start to fill my “cart” with shirts, socks, underwear!?!?
My tip is: If you’re after jeans then buy jeans! If you are looking to spend $300 then spend $300! In either case straying too far from the initial objective can cost you big.
Find a fit and stick with it
Sticking with real sizing has helped me with getting the right sizes the first time. Dress shirts are the easiest since the sizing 16-32 should be the same no matter the brand you buy.
“Slim fit” is recent description of a fit and it is becoming more common on ebay, and in stores. By missing the difference between regular and slim has caused me to own poorly fitting pieces.
Going into a store’s location is the best way to understand their sizes. Go to their retail, or factory outlet location; try on an armful of shirts to understand what feels and looks the best. Go with that size whenever you are on-line.
My best example is discovering Levis 508 jeans, which are not available in Canada. I found this cut/model at the factory outlet store in Nashville. It is a “boys cut” and they fit me great. I now order them from ebay for about $25 a pair; that is 70% off the price of Levis 511 available at home
Once you like a style or store use it, but remember you need variety
Shopping at an online
store like the Gap, or Brooks Brothers because you trust the sizing is great,
but you might become a walking advertisement when you have on their jeans,
shirt and jacket.
I notice that in Esquire magazine the well dressed models are in a combination of clothing brands, and styles are mixed for impact purposes. When I get better at the fashion experience to understand how to assemble edgier looks I’ll have the confidence to pull together different brands. For now I make sure, I have more than Polo ponies on my chest.
I notice that in Esquire magazine the well dressed models are in a combination of clothing brands, and styles are mixed for impact purposes. When I get better at the fashion experience to understand how to assemble edgier looks I’ll have the confidence to pull together different brands. For now I make sure, I have more than Polo ponies on my chest.
Get your basics
on-line to save moneyOriginally, my ebay shopping was approached in the same way as I approached shopping for Ford truck parts. I was looking for the unique and pieces not easily found locally. In the end, I owned a number of unique clothing pieces that I rarely wore.
My revised approach has been to build the wardrobe from the ground up and use the web for the essential basics. White button down. Indigo blue “denimy” shirt. Jeans. Knowing that I had the sizing right made it easy to find good quality basics at great prices.
Looking for vintage? Remember vintage fit
Vintage fashion can get me the retro look I want sometimes. Who doesn’t want a burgundy silk tuxedo jacket?
Since my general style choice is “modern preppy” all the basics I need can be found brand new in on-line stores. I can now venture out to add the vintage twist.
Watch out though! There is a serious fit risk with buying vintage on-line. Take a look at these photos of how a fashionable suit has fit over the decades.
Vintage fashion can get me the retro look I want sometimes. Who doesn’t want a burgundy silk tuxedo jacket?
Since my general style choice is “modern preppy” all the basics I need can be found brand new in on-line stores. I can now venture out to add the vintage twist.
Watch out though! There is a serious fit risk with buying vintage on-line. Take a look at these photos of how a fashionable suit has fit over the decades.
Now
think about your shape. The shape of a fit person today is very different than
in the past. Your shoulders might be swimming or tightly constricted in the
jacket you pick based on when it was made. The best way around this is to only
buy pieces that the seller includes measurements of the length, or chest. It’s
not a guarantee, but if you compare to something in your closet you should find
something awesome.
Returning bad decisions or fit could be important
A major advantage to online stores like Gap Canada, or American Eagle is that they accept returns at their local retail stores. You might find better sales online, and more inventory of your size, but if they are not right then knowing a return for full credit is available at the mall reduces the online risk.
Shipping: Saving time and money
Saving money with shipping is not always the case when buying from ebay in the
US. I figure that shipping should max out at $20 if you are buying a couple
items; so when I find the seller to be offering $15 shipping for a $20 shirt
make sure the total price is still acceptable to your budget. That was the case
for my black merino sweater. With shipping, I paid US$60 so it was still in
budget and much less than I found here.
A sub-tip is to have a budget before you pick an item to ship, or go deep by buying lots to take advantage of free or flat fee shipping.
Using a US ship to location and then a mule is a serious online shopping advantage. I have found with my frequent trips to the US that free shipping in the US to a friend’s house has saved me lots of money.
A sub-tip is to have a budget before you pick an item to ship, or go deep by buying lots to take advantage of free or flat fee shipping.
Using a US ship to location and then a mule is a serious online shopping advantage. I have found with my frequent trips to the US that free shipping in the US to a friend’s house has saved me lots of money.
Sales and sales alerts
On-line there are plenty of sales. The stores I have checked out literally,
update their sales every day. Coupon codes or free shipping will usually be
highlighted in homepage banner to entice someone just surfing by. A recent Gap
purchase of mine included a 20% off sale priced item, with an online coupon
code for 30% more off, plus free shipping AND since my total order was over
$100 I received two
$25 coupons for my next purchases. Not bad, eh?
A really cool tip I found researching this post, was a way to use Google alerts
to find sales for you. I have not tested it, but have a look here. http://mydapperself.com/how-to-use-google-alerts-to-save-money-shopping/
One more thing
One more thing
I will add a caveat to my “save time” comment above. Once you are shopping
online, you might not shop at the mall very often, so there's no guarantee your total shopping time is reduced when your on-line every day. In fact, over time you might spend
more total time shopping as you check sales or search for that perfect pair of
pinstriped trousers. But what will happen if you "stick with the search" is you
will become better and faster at finding what you want; also all your work will
teach you about the market you have came to play in.
As I am still a relative novice to shopping on-line I can’t say I’ve had success with these expert sites. Maybe they will work for you.
§ Grailed
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