If you’re looking for designer clothes and luxury goods, a really good way to buy these items is through online resell websites. When buying online, there are many things you have to look out for, including the price, condition and authenticity.
As someone who has spent the last 5 years buying designer clothes and luxury items online, I’ve learned many tips, tricks and hard lessons along the way.
How to Buy Designer Clothes for Less
Websites like Depop, Grailed and Stock X are all great places to find designer clothes for affordable prices. When purchasing designer and luxury items online, being patient, watching the market and knowing the prices of items will ensure good deals. Verify seller location, as taxes and duties may be applied on international shipping.
In this post, I share a helpful resale buying guide that will run through all of the steps you need to know for buying luxury goods online including:
- Best resell fashion websites
- How to get started buying designer clothes for less
- How to avoid used buying fake designer items
- How to get the best deal on used designer and luxury items
Best Resell Fashion Websites
There are many different types of resell websites. There are websites for specific items, thrifted items, second hand luxury items and more.
Stock X and Goat
For very specific items Stock X and Goat will have a large inventory of authenticated items but these will come at a higher price. Stock X and Goat have nearly every item you can think of but generally the prices are higher compared to other websites.
Depop
Depop is a great website for buying thrifted and second hand clothing. There is also vintage designer clothing, handbags and shoes. Depop is a great way to get clothing for affordable prices but I would recommend only buying off reputable sellers.
Poshmark
Poshmark is one of the most popular resale websites when it comes to women’s clothing and luxury items. On Poshmark, they have an authentication process and they protect your payments. This is a great website if your looking for a second hand handbag.
Fashionphile
Fashionphile is one of the most popular and reputable websites for used designer handbags and other luxury items. They authenticate all their items and sell direct to consumers. The condition of the item, as well as many photos are shown online.
The RealReal
The RealReal is a good resell website to purchase designer luxury handbags, jewelry, clothing and shoes. They have an in-house authentication process which makes the website a good place to purchase from.
Grailed
My personal favourite resell website is Grailed. I have used it for years now and have found many great deals. On Grailed it is important to make sure that the items are real and only buy off reputable sellers.
In the past, I bought a product off of a new seller and it came in a lot worse condition than the pictures showed. I contacted Grailed and I was refunded because they have a buyers protection policy.
Buying Designer Items for Less – How to Get Started
There’s no better way to get designer clothes for cheap than buying used or second hand. However, it’s inly a good deal if the luxury item you buy is in good condition and at the right price.
Before starting to look for items, there are few things that you need to know in order to get the best deals possible.
Be Patient
Being patient is one of the most important things when trying to get good deals on used designer clothes. If you’re in a rush to get a specific item, it’s going to take a lot of luck to find an amazing deal.
It can take days, weeks or even months of checking resell websites regularly, but eventually you will stumble across a great deal on that luxury item you’ve been looking for.
Research Items
Research the items you may want to buy. If its clothing or shoes, you’re going to want to see how they fit especially when it comes to designer items. In my experience, luxury shoes will fit differently than the typical Nike or Adidas shoe.
Research the price of the item and see how much it is in stores. If you’re looking for an item on a resale website, it’s probably because you don’t want to pay full price for it. Research the price so you know how much the item is actually worth.
From there, you will have an idea on what’s a good deal and what’s not a good deal. The rest of it just comes down to watching the market.
Set a Budget
If you set a budget and stick to it, it will prevent you from spending way too much money on an item. When I’m purchasing second hand items, I always have to remember that I need to get a significantly better deal than the retail price for it to be worth it.
There are always going to be items that you want that will be out of your price range, and that’s ok. If you stick to your budget and do your research you will find good deals.
Used Designer Clothing and Luxury Goods: Avoiding Scams and Fakes
Unfortunately, there are scams in the designer clothes resell market, and some people will try to sell you fake items. I’ve been duped before, and now I’m much more careful.
Fake Items
The biggest thing to look out for on resell websites is fake items. Buying from reputable websites can help alleviate this. Some websites, like Fashionphile, actually authenticate and guarantee the item.
Websites like Stock X and Goat do in person authentications. Even with this, occasionally there are still reported cases of people receiving fake items. Since there is a guarantee, if this happens, you have recourse.
Many times you can tell if an item is fake because the price is too good to be true. If you think an item could be fake, ask the seller for more pictures, receipts and authentication tags.
If the seller can not provide you with any form of authentication, this is a huge red flag and you should pass.
No Reviews
If you can see the sellers reviews, make sure to read them. Only purchase off sellers who have made over 15 transactions and have great reviews.
Personally, I don’t even message anyone with no reviews, as it’s just not worth the risk of getting scammed. With time, you will find the item you like sold from a reputable buyer.
Seller Location
The location of the seller is super important as you will be charged duties and taxes on international shipping. This can end up costing you a lot more money than what you would get the item for in strores.
I learned the hard way when I ordered a Louis Vuitton belt off Grailed and had to pay an additional $140 in duties, and they damaged the box that it came in.
As a Canadian, I either order items to a family member’s address in the United States or I buy only from Canadian sellers.
Condition of Product
Before ordering anything, make sure you know what condition the product is in so you are not surprised when it arrives.
Ask the seller for additional pictures so you get a good idea on how used the product really is. Many times sellers will try to make the product look better in pictures, so feel free to ask for specific angles of the item.
How Recently the Product Was Posted
It’s important to see how recent a product was posted, as this will give you leverage when negotiating. If the item has been up for a while, ask for more recent pictures.
If an item has been up for more than 3 months, there’s a very good chance that the seller may have worn the item in between. It’s best to ask the seller for recent pictures so you can ensure that the product is still in good condition.
How to get the Best Deal on Used Designer Items
Watch the Market
Watching the market is one of the most important ways to find good deals on luxury goods and designer clothes. If you purchase the first item you see, there’s a good chance that you missed out on a really good deal.
Finding those great deals takes patience. If you’re looking for a specific product, pay attention to the market, see what the item typically sells for and wait for a good deal.
If you check resale websites consistently, eventually you will stumble across a deal and all the work you put into finding a good deal will be worth it.
Messaging the Buyer
Messaging the buyer, is one of the most important ways to get a good deal. A buyer who responds fast is always easier to deal with as you will be able to get a deal done more efficiently.
Reaching Out
I always reach out to sellers by first asking if the item is available. Most of the time, they will say yes and then I ask them for new pictures, to show proof of authentication (if it’s not provided) and if the price is negotiable.
Negotiating
After asking for pictures and making sure the item is in the condition you want, it’s a good idea to ask why the person is selling.
Based off their answer you can tell how desperate they are to sell the item. I always look to see what other items the seller has posted to see if they can throw something in the deal.
When negotiating, stick to your budget and try to get the best deal possible. If you really want an item and it’s a good deal, don’t miss out on it over a few dollars.
If you’re not desperate or in a rush to get a certain item, don’t be afraid to pass on it. There will always be other items posted and the more you wait, the more your chances increase of finding a great deal
Final Thoughts on How to Get Designer Clothes for Cheap – Resell Buying Guide
If it’s your first time buying clothes of a resell website, there are many things you’ll want to know in order to get the best deal and avoid buying fake items. In this post we went through the best resell fashion websites as well as the steps to finding great deals on designer items.
Have you bought designer clothing online? Please let me know your favorite resell website in the comments below.