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?