There are so many places to buy pre-loved luxury goods. Buying pre-owned is great for saving hundreds if not THOUSANDS of dollars on something pre-loved that would have cost you so much more when buying new. It’s daunting nowadays with how many places there are to buy and sell, PLUS the constant worry of unknowingly buying a counterfeit item.
Where I Buy Pre-Owned Designer Handbags
Yoogi’s Closet, based in Seattle, WA, is my go-to for buying pre-loved luxury. They authenticate all items in-house and provide all kinds of details about every item–from the year it was made to every flaw on the bag. As far as pictures and descriptions go, they are THE BEST. Every angle, every nook and cranny is shown and discussed in their descriptions–which I really appreciate when I’m buying something that’s thousands of dollars online. Every item in their store comes with an AUTHENTICITY PROMISE, and if you have any doubts, you can just return it, no questions asked. In addition, their customer service is outstanding and I’ve had responses within MINUTES from their customer service. Most of my handbag collection is from Yoogi’s Closet and I love the variety of rare and limited edition bags on this site.
Fashionphile, based in Carlsbad, CA, is one of my favorite places to browse bags–they truly have the best selection of luxury goods. Their prices are a little high sometimes, but their selection makes them standout because you can find something you really love. I’ve never sold to Fashionphile but I wouldn’t hesitate to get a quote from them.
TheRealReal is somewhere I’ve never purchased from, but I really, really like their website. They have a HUGE variety of items from handbags to clothes to fine jewelry and home decor. It seems like every time I try to shop on their site I get so overwhelmed at everything they have available that I just give up. They provide detailed information and photography for every listing.
Peer-to-Peer Buying and Selling
Tradesy is a site I’ve both bought and sold from. This is a peer-to-peer marketplace, similar to Craigslist or Facebook marketplace, but every item comes with a Tradesy Promise.
Of the two main p2p apps, I have had the best luck selling on Tradesy, plus I really like their selling user interface. The Tradesy Commission fee is 19.8% plus an additional small fee that they call a “safe transfer fee” of 2.9%. I really appreciate that Tradesy offers three shipping options for sellers:
- Tradesy sends you a Shipping Kit with a Tradesy branded box, dust bag or polybag and shipping label–that way, when your buyer receives the item, it’s packaged really nicely in a Tradesy box. If you elect this option, they charge the buyer for this fee but it comes out of your final payout.
- Print a pre-paid label and ship using your own materials. If you elect this option, they charge the buyer for this fee but it comes out of your final payout.
- Use your own materials and submit tracking once you ship.
Poshmark is another peer-to-peer marketplace and app. I’ve listed items on Poshmark and was pleasantly surprised with the ease of their app and the social component of it, but I have never actually sold or purchased anything on Poshmark.
Facebook Buy & Sell Groups
Recently, I started using Facebook groups for researching, buying and selling. You can make the most money by selling in these groups, but there is a larger risk of getting scammed. There are groups for every designer, but the LV and Chanel groups are the ones I browse the most. I was able to sell a Louis Vuitton Epi Petit Noe for almost exactly what I paid for it ($895), and a vintage Chanel Camera Case for a small profit. When you post an item for sale in a group, Facebook automatically posts it on Facebook Marketplace so you may get messages from people in your local area too!
Louis Vuitton Addicted – Buy Sell & Chat
Chanel Addicted – Buy Sell & Chat
You can also post ISO (in search of) posts with a budget included and people will comment with similar items for sale. Many members are also active in other handbag groups and on Instagram. An added benefit is that you can connect with lots of handbag loving folks too, and maybe even make some friends!
Depop is another peer-to-peer marketplace that’s more geared towards fast fashion and less towards designer goods–but people keep telling me to give it a try. I downloaded the app last night and I can’t stand the typeface they use in their app so I might delete it.
Tips For Buying Pre-Owned Designer Bags Online
- Set your budget.
- Got a bag in mind already? Use Google Search or any of the sites I listed above to find it.
- Not sure what bag you have in mind? Start by looking on Pinterest for the style you want–shoulders bags/clutches, etc. Look at Instagram Hashtags for ideas, i.e. #LouisVuittonSpeedy will bring up over 100k of posts featuring Speedy bags.
- Do your research. If the bag is current, how much does the bag sell for at full retail? My rule of thumb for current styles is that if I’m not getting more than 20% off retail, it’s not worth it to buy pre-owned. If the bag isn’t a current style, how much did it sell for when it was in stores, and how much is the same bag selling for on other sites? Is it a rare/limited edition item?
Tips For Selling Designer Bags Online
- Know some basic information about your item: the proper style name, date code/serial number, year it was made, original retail price, etc. This will help you get a better quote or more money for it. If you have questions about how to identify your bag, let me know in the comments and I’m happy to help.
- Take a lot of photos of your item. The more angles, the better. Make sure to get a picture of any logos, labels, or tags on or inside the bag.
- Describe the condition of the bag. Accurate descriptions can help the buyer know exactly what they’re getting or for the company you’re trying to sell to give you the most accurate quote. The bottom corners and handles carry the most wear, so be sure to look those over and describe any wear and tear.
- Get a few quotes from a variety of places. You may find that one site gives you a better quote but wants you to pay for your own shipping, and another pays for shipping and offers you added benefits like getting more money if you opt for payment in store credit.
- If you decide to sell through a FB Group, I recommend using PayPal because they can help you if something shady happens. If you’re selling, make sure you take pictures of every step of the shipping process and create an invoice for your records.
