Those who know me will know that I love my designer goods. I’ve been collecting designer bags for years now. To me their an investment and also represent a time or achievement in my life. My Mulberry Bayswater for example was a treat to myself for securing my first proper job out of University. But not all the bags in my collection are brand new. Some of them are pre-owned and I’ve also sold my own bags to fund new additions to my growing collection.
Obviously it’s an amazing feeling being able to walk into your favourite designer store and buy the bag you’ve been lusting over for months, but it’s not the only way to purchase designer goods. Buying pre-owned designer bags, watches or jewellery is a great opportunity to bag yourself a good deal and find items that you may have missed from previous seasons.
So here’s my beginner’s guide to buying pre-owned designer goods:
Know the original price
Whether you’re buying a Hermes Birkin, a pre-owned Cartier Watch or Chanel pearls it helps to know the original price before buying a pre-owned version. Some accessories retain their value and actually increase over time. So do your research. For some others, buying pre-owned means you’re getting a great deal. If a particular style of watch or bag proved to be really popular then there could be a lot of pre-owned styles on the market which could force the price down . However, if the products was limited edition or hard to get hold of originally, then expect a mark-up on the price.
Set your expectations
If you’re buying brand new from the store then you expect perfection. However, if you’re dream bag or watch is half the original price then it could be because of the wear and tear that you would expect from everyday use. If you’re happy with that then you’re probably set to get a great deal on your lusted item. However, if you’re not then you need to be careful not to set your expectations too high when buying pre-owned designer goods.
Know who you’re buying from
You really need to trust your instincts with this one. I would always recommend buying second hand designer goods from a reputable site like Xupes or Fashionphile. You need to be sure of the authenticity when buying pre-owned designer goods. you don’t want to be caught spending money on an item that then turns out to be a fake.
Would you every buy pre-owned designer goods?
I’m an avid fan of buying secondhand for sustainable purposes, but I’ve never bought designer secondhand. I’ve been after a Burberry trench and scarf forever now, so I’ll definitely look into Xupes & Fashionphile in case I chance across any bargains!
You can get some amazing bargains by buying second hand – give it a go x
I’ve never brought pre-owned before but I do keep thinking about it as I’d love a really old style 80s red Chanel bag!
Victoria x
FlorenceandMary.com
That would look amazing! Hope you find one! x
I don’t think I would, I feel like buying something designer is an investment so you are better off buying something new if you want it to go the distance, but never say never. I can never say no to a good deal, so if the right item caught my eye would snatch it up in a heartbeat. Great post, thanks for sharing x
ALittleKiran | Bloglovin | Instagram
Sometimes the vintage second hand bags are more of an investment then new bags – I know some older Chanel’s cost more than new ones! x
Yea maybe. Not sure. May buy second hand designer bags. Never done that before though.
Always a first for everything, you can get some great deals on second hand bags x
I think I’d always be worried about fakes, but if I knew a site was reputable then I’d definitely give second hand a go 🙂
Claire | Vanity Claire xx
I’ve always worried about fakes but as you say, get it from a reputable site then you have nothing to worry about x