LIKE most non-filthy-rich people, I’m always looking for a bargain – especially when it comes to fashion.
But trawling through the piles of designer castoffs at Century 21 and battling the claustrophobia-inducing crowds at the Barneys warehouse sale holds little appeal.
Instead, what my cheapskate, lazy self truly wants is money-saving, high-end fashion gratification in a civilized shopping environment – preferably within walking distance of my couch.
That’s where eBay comes in.
“I’ve been shopping on eBay since I became computer literate and I’ve bought about 50 items,” says Marilyn Kirschner, former fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar.
“I bought an amazing vintage red coat for $20 – it’s trimmed with what feels like black mink!”
There are certainly steals to be found on the auction site – according to a company rep, there are more than 1 million listings for clothing, shoes and accessories on eBay at any given time, with top-selling brands ranging from Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs to Diesel and J.Crew.
The site also holds promise of elusive, exclusive labels.
“I bought half of a pair of Martin Margiela denim cuffs from a woman in Hong Kong,” says Jane Nisselson, a commercial film director.
“And I bought thigh-high Margiela platform boots from New Zealand.”
With fall arriving, I decided to take my control of my wardrobe by filling it only with beautiful designer things – and try my hand at eBay.
A recent browse through eBay uncovered some incredible deals: A Gucci handbag that retails for $750 was bought for just $200; $500 Prada shoes were sold for $30-$50; and a $20,000 Gianfranco Ferre coat was auctioned off at $3,500 – nearly 85 percent off.
Though most things on the site are incredibly cheap – between 40 percent and 90 percent off retail – be forwarned: the latest styles for the season are definitely not cheap.
The Prada tweed coat that has been featured in every fashion magazine was listed on eBay for $1,700 – $200 more than its pricetag in the SoHo boutique.
And the hot new Gucci shoulder bag for fall was listed for $850 – but it only costs $650 at the shop on Fifth Avenue.
Why the price difference? “People who live in parts of the country where they can’t easily get to a Prada store will be willing to pay more for the hot new thing,” explained an eBay rep.
But the site still has plenty to offer foragers from New York City who are within striking distance of the real thing.
“I’m not a label person, but I have been doing the vintage thing forever,” says former fashion editor Kirschner.
“Once I got an amazing Pucci shirt and bag in the same pattern from two different sellers!”
Adds Nisselson, “it’s great for finding things from collections you missed out on.”
And while high-end designer boutiques carry few sizes over 8, eBay offers a mucher broad spectrum of sizes.
But before you start surfing, be warned: You’ll need an abundance of patience.
The biggest obstacle to finding what you want on eBay is the sellers – who list their items haphazardly.
Searching for key words (like Gucci) in both auction titles as well as descriptions will generally yield far too many results, so you might want to search in titles only.
But because many sellers fill their headlines with “WOW!” and “SO COOL!” you might miss some hidden gems.
And then there are the sellers who add extraneous designer names to their auctions – “Used bag from Conway! PRADA, GUCCI, VUITTON!” – in the vain hope that whomever is searching for a Prada handbag will opt for Conway instead.
Others misspell the brand name on their “authentic” item – witness “Guci,” “Viutton” and “Mui Mui.”
If you’re concerned about a seller’s legitimacy, just check their feedback ratings, which are posted by previous customers. It’s like getting personal character references for everyone you’re dealing with.
“We’re very strict,” says the company rep, “If someone has more than two negative feedbacks within six months, the account is removed from the site.”
After three weeks of sifting through hundreds of items every day, I managed to compile two head-to-toe outfits.
To be honest, it wasn’t easy: I spent hours on the site each morning, and became slightly crazed one day when someone bid on a pair of Manolos before I could “Buy Them Now.”
In the end, I saved a huge amount of money buying on eBay instead of in the shops – but not time.
The hours I spent ended up being about as long it would have taken scouring the racks at off-price stores – though without the crowds and insanity.
But that made it all worth it.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Giorgio Armani dress
Retail price: $2,000
We paid: $229.99
We saved: $1,770.01
Helmut Lang tuxedo
Retail price: $1,695
We paid: $299.99
We saved: $1,395.01
Hermes scarf
Retail price: $95
We paid: $115
We overspent: $20
Jack Spade bag
Retail price: $310
We paid: $220
We saved: $90
Louis Vuitton bag
Retail price: $825
We paid: $500
We saved: $325
Manolo Blahnik boots
Retail price: $730
We paid: $295
We saved: $435
Moschino Jeans coat
Retail price: about $450
We paid: $120
We saved: $330
Noir sunglasses
Retail price: $168
We paid: $75
We saved: $93
Stuart Weitzman shoes
Retail price: about $300
We paid: $155
We saved: $145
Thierry Mugler jumpsuit
Retail price: $1,810
We paid: $279.99
We saved: $1,530.01
TOTAL SAVED: $6,093.03
