Your Guide to Buying Pre-Loved Designer Bags
Are you dying for a classic Chanel Flap Bag, a cool Balenciaga City, or maybe a practical Louis Vuitton Neverfull? Whatever the answer may be finding and buying a pre-loved version of your dream bag at a fair price is totally possible by taking a few wise steps.
First- Know Your Style
No matter what bag you are looking for there are bound to be different size, color and leather options. Knowing exactly what you are looking for will make your hunt for the pre-loved version a lot easier. Personally, I like to visit bags at department stores to get a feel for them prior to ever purchasing one. If there are not any high end department stores or boutiques in your area head over to The Purse Forum for an in-depth look at nearly every kind of designer bag.
Second- Know Your Price
Fendi 2Jours from Barneys, The RealReal, and Tradesy
Not all pre-loved bags are priced equally. Season and wear and tear contribute greatly to the price of a used designer purse, but beyond that the retailer plays a huge part in the price of a used bag. Prices vary GREATLY between retailers so you have to shop around.
Be sure to bookmark the following: The RealReal, Yoogi’s Closet, Vestiaire Collective, The Luxury Closet, Snob Swap, Bag Borrow or Steal, Reebonz and of course… eBay!
Finding the right price for the bag is best done by searching for your dream bag on the above sites and finding the lowest price in the SOLD section. Even though the bag has been sold you can make that price a benchmark for what you can expect to purchase the bag for. This is also where you can gauge price difference for different conditions. In my experience even bags in poor conditions can fetch a high price- let the pictures do the talking for you. You will know what bags look acceptable to you.
Third- The Hunt
This is by far the hardest part of finding a pre-owned designer bag. Unlike a full priced customer those hoping to buy a beautiful designer bag that is pre-owned do not get the instant gratification of a same day purchase- at least not most of the time.
I recommend you bookmark search results for the websites you are interesting in purchasing from. Simply search on the retailer’s website for the designer and name of the bag and bookmark! Visit the links DAILY and you eventually will find the perfect bag.
Fourth (and Final)- The Purchase
You will know when you see the perfect bag. Maybe it will be on sale, maybe it will be new with tags (oh yes, this happens), or maybe it was simply the perfect style and price. When you find it make sure to thoroughly look at the pictures and read the description. The photos of used designer handbags are of the actual bag you are purchasing so you can get a real look at the condition by examining these photos. If the bag meets your qualifications go for it!
When your dream bag arrives be sure to inspect the bag carefully for authenticity. If the bag
isn’t everything you dreamed it would be fret not! Just as easy as it is to purchase from an online consignment website, it is just as easy to sell your items too.
Happy Hunting!
