The eBay Post

   Well, I guess it needed doing

Via www.itworldcanada.com

   This post is not meant to discuss the state of the nation at eBay, for indeed, I think it's in excellent health at the minute. Despite judicious editing and dwindling funds, I've actually swooped in on more auctions this year than last and the one before. Or at least I think I have

   What I am appreciating is that the offerings over the past 6 months have been better than they've been for some time, starting from the extremely cheap second hand Edward Green loafers that I missed out on due to an unlucky event befalling my proxy, to the Dries Van Noten jacket posted below. For the pursuit of elegance, eBay is an effective and bounteous treasure trove, and on assessment, I'd gamble that a fifth to a quarter of my most favoured pieces have been acquired through such an opportune channel

   Which brings me to my point: a lot of people of my acquaintance do not know what they're missing, due mostly to unknowingness and fear. For them, and for any passers-by who've wondered, here's a quick "How to eBay For Clothes Safely" guide:

1. Know your style. Like Armani trousers? Great. Know your size, know which colours you like and make sure you narrow down the options so you can navigate through a lot less womenswear while you're at it
2. Know your size. Worried that it won't fit? eBay a tape measure and find out exactly what you're working with where your figure is concerned. If you want added entertainment, do it in a mirror. Either way, know exactly what this year's chest, shoulders, waistline and inseam are, so you know whether to drop that otherwise impeccable Mackintosh from your watchlist. If the seller isn't providing enough information, send over a list of pointed questions about the garment post haste
3. Assess the seller's feedback. This is vastly self-evident. You are casting your money into the unknown should you choose to, and nothing helps the choice like getting an idea of a vendor's history, as well as those of his satisfied customers, just to make even more certain
4. Don't be afraid to cast the net wider. I've had next to no problems with American sellers, who I feel have the best to offer overall where my aesthetic is concerned, not to mention in terms of rarity and uniqueness in their wares. And they're nicer communicators. I just wish that shipping could be faster overall. A recent proxy purchase I undertook for a fellow StyleForum member in New York City arrived within 5 days of my posting it, which, to be honest, is roughly the same for an eBay purchase in a different part of the UK anyway. UK-to-US airmail is ostensibly rather swift, but I think the Son of God will return to the Earth before the reverse becomes reality
5. Fakes can be avoided. Ask pointed questions about style, material, close-up photographs, laundry tags even. If you've a collection of, or history with, particularly imitated items such as Ferragamo ties, for example, you should be familiar and astute enough to discern tell-tale signs of forgery. And if they dodge the issues, you'll definitely have your answer
6. Be critical of second hand goods. Yes, I am a booster for them and yes, it's riskier assessing them via computer than from the luxury of actual handling in a charity shop. But that doesn't mean you can't assess them via a computer, nor should you expect the worst just because they're not in a brand or as-new condition. I do wish more sellers would accept the dry cleaning costs themselves, but generally, the quality of the product is not greatly diminished, as long as it's a good product to start with
7. Finally, treat eBay as what it is - a tool with a wide variety of uses. You will find a lot of interesting, cool and useful things for your wardrobe, as long as you know what you're doing. And if you do, you'll also save a heck of a lot of money. And that's a thought that keeps me vaguely assured at night after indulging this addiction "just one last time"

   Happy eBaying