Now I don’t know about you, but I love shopping preloved. It’s more sustainable, at times it’s more affordable and it means you can sometimes get that hard to find item that’s been on your wishlist forever. But it’s not without it’s challenges. You can run the risk of buying a bag that isn’t authentic. It might not be in the best condition. And it probably won’t have the original packaging or dust bag. So as someone who has shopped preloved for a while now, let me share with you my tips on buying preloved luxury.
BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE
If you’re going to buy preloved, then make sure it’s from a trusted source who can guarantee that what you’re buying, is the real deal. Each preloved site works differently. Some sellers ship directly to you, and some sellers ship their pre-owned bags to a bigger retailer to be hosted on their site for sale. Make sure you’re reading as many reviews as possible to see if your seller is reputable and whether you’re comfortable with the way the purchase will take place.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
Buying preloved can be a minefield at times. Unlike the experience of buying new where you can go onto a website, browse the new collection and then add it to your basket. The preloved market is full of every season that’s ever been – there’s so much to choose from! So to make your search easier, ensure you know exactly what it is you’re looking for, so you can narrow down your dream item.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Once you know what you want, it’s time to do your research on that product. Some brands like Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton retain their value. Which means you could find yourself paying the same as retail, or maybe more for that dream item. So use the internet to find the average price for your dream product, as well as what kind of condition you can expect it to be in. And then work out how much you’d be willing to pay for it.
TRUST YOUR GUT
This is a really important tip. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And if the seller has bad reviews or won’t answer your questions, then it’s probably not worth purchasing from them. Unfortunately some resellers and websites can try and take advantage of you by either pricing items way too high or sending a fake bag. So always trust your gut.
So those are my tips on buying preloved luxury. You can read more about the pros and cons of buying preloved luxury here. Let me know in the comments any other tips you want to share for buying preloved.