Why there are so many new & unused bags for consignment

pinktulle09

Member
Nov 29, 2012
29
4
I've been following a few Canadian consignment stores on Instagram. What I noticed recently is the amount of new and unused designer bags (like Dior, Gucci, YSL, etc) all unused, brand new, put up for sale, priced lower than retail. Some even have tags and the plastic sticker on the hardware still on it. I know some designers do go on sale, but not a brands. I just saw a Lady Dior posted for less than retail. I'm just wondering if anyone knows why people are buying them brand new and at full price and then selling them unused. And there seems to be a lot of them. On top of that, the consignment store takes a percentage as commission, meaning they would get even less money back when it's sold.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RT1
I think the lady dior owners have taken advantage of the price increase which is why some are up for sale. Maybe they’re all looking looking to fund a new bag?
I’ve realized the buying and selling cycle is actually very popular :smile:
 
  • Like
Reactions: RT1
I've been following a few Canadian consignment stores on Instagram. What I noticed recently is the amount of new and unused designer bags (like Dior, Gucci, YSL, etc) all unused, brand new, put up for sale, priced lower than retail. Some even have tags and the plastic sticker on the hardware still on it. I know some designers do go on sale, but not a brands. I just saw a Lady Dior posted for less than retail. I'm just wondering if anyone knows why people are buying them brand new and at full price and then selling them unused. And there seems to be a lot of them. On top of that, the consignment store takes a percentage as commission, meaning they would get even less money back when it's sold.

I live in an area where there are a lot of footballers, their wives and girlfriends tend to go and buy stuff they then never wear, the other day I overheard 2 of them talking and one mentioning why she buys that bag again, she has one, her reply was that she had forgotten she had it. I would assume quite a few of them are people with more money than sense who need to get rid of stuff? Some of the bags might have been bought by shops who went out of business and now need to get rid of stock?

Only happened with a bag once, seemed like a great idea in the shop, then I don't know why, I never used it, just didn't call to me, I deliberated a bit and then rather sold it on, but it does happen with shoes and clothes sometimes, and my new rule is anything I haven't worn within a few months has to go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RT1 and IntheOcean
IMO many unused bags were bought spontaneously, especially in the sale or while there was a discount.

Although sales are great for saving money if you always wanted a bag/item they can also lure people into buying things they otherwise would not have. In many cases (at least in my country) this can also mean no returns too.
 
I don't know about your area in Canada but Covid has crippled the job market where I am. Some ppl may sell to use the money for important bills.
Sadly, I agree. I would add I think a lot of people are reprioritizing their lives, especially for the next 6 to 12 months. With covid many folks are staying home for many reasons: they are not going to work due to layoffs or furloughs, or working from home, not shopping in malls, or dining out any time soon etc. I know I am not, and will not for the foreseeable future. A think a lot of people are coming to realize they won't be using a lot of their bags, work or party clothing, accessories, etc for awhile. I think this is across many parts of the world. Just my sad two cents.
 
Sadly, I agree. I would add I think a lot of people are reprioritizing their lives, especially for the next 6 to 12 months. With covid many folks are staying home for many reasons: they are not going to work due to layoffs or furloughs, or working from home, not shopping in malls, or dining out any time soon etc. I know I am not, and will not for the foreseeable future. A think a lot of people are coming to realize they won't be using a lot of their bags, work or party clothing, accessories, etc for awhile. I think this is across many parts of the world. Just my sad two cents.

The thing that stunned me was when I put a bunch of evening dresses up and heels up, I thought "Gosh with the lock down and all, they might not sell" and they were snapped up really quick. Made me wonder a bit if they think it will be over soon or what is going on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jetstream7 and RT1
I think it[s a mix of a few things first like others have posted due to COVID people are reprioritizing what’s important financially. They may have carelessly bought tons of bags they never used and now have hit hard times due to loss of income. So they’re downsizing to pay their bills and stay a float in hard times. Also with so many people staying at home with their mass accumulation of stuff they realize they don’t really need are cleaning house to rid themselves of the excess. When our Goodwill reopened they legit had a 5-6 car pile up in their drive through drop off all day long, and all of their drop off parking spots were also taken with people taking the bins to their cars to load them up. I have never seen so many people donating stuff in my life, the best thing I saw was a lime green sofa and love seat lol. The other catch is with how things are going realistically we won’t be seeing a sense of normalcy any time soon maybe mid 2021 but probably more towards the end of 2021. So why have a bunch of fancy clothing, shoes, and handbags that you won’t be using any time soon? People want to get rid of what they can’t use because it depressing them to see stuff they can’t use. They miss being able to go out and it’s a reminder that they can’t. Also sadly at least here in the US we’ve has mass looting mixed in with the BLM protests and I’m sure some of the stuff on the market is stolen merchandise.
 
I think it[s a mix of a few things first like others have posted due to COVID people are reprioritizing what’s important financially. They may have carelessly bought tons of bags they never used and now have hit hard times due to loss of income. So they’re downsizing to pay their bills and stay a float in hard times. Also with so many people staying at home with their mass accumulation of stuff they realize they don’t really need are cleaning house to rid themselves of the excess. When our Goodwill reopened they legit had a 5-6 car pile up in their drive through drop off all day long, and all of their drop off parking spots were also taken with people taking the bins to their cars to load them up. I have never seen so many people donating stuff in my life, the best thing I saw was a lime green sofa and love seat lol. The other catch is with how things are going realistically we won’t be seeing a sense of normalcy any time soon maybe mid 2021 but probably more towards the end of 2021. So why have a bunch of fancy clothing, shoes, and handbags that you won’t be using any time soon? People want to get rid of what they can’t use because it depressing them to see stuff they can’t use. They miss being able to go out and it’s a reminder that they can’t. Also sadly at least here in the US we’ve has mass looting mixed in with the BLM protests and I’m sure some of the stuff on the market is stolen merchandise.

I think you are jumping the gun a bit, high end bags are numbered, any consignment store worth their salt would check if the number shows up as a stolen property to stop a ton of legal trouble and money loss happening to them. Also stores who have bags that usually sell for between 2 and 50K WILL have massive security as their inventory is in the millions
 
I think you are jumping the gun a bit, high end bags are numbered, any consignment store worth their salt would check if the number shows up as a stolen property to stop a ton of legal trouble and money loss happening to them. Also stores who have bags that usually sell for between 2 and 50K WILL have massive security as their inventory is in the millions

So I am in Chicago and can confirm that every single designer store from Michigan Ave to Oak and Rush streets were hit and hit hard before CPD was given new direction to protect the tourism areas using more aggressive measures. Our Gucci was hit at least twice. My local Target was hit five times.

None of the stores have private security capable of fending off a mob of hundreds of people. The stores’ best defense was honestly thick plywood boarding up all windows and doors.

The serial numbers are for your own insurance purposes. It would be burdensome on the retail employees to log thousands of items into a spreadsheet to track each individual item beyond an inventory SKU.

CPD has satellites to track caravans coming in. Before the May 30 riot, they logged 3600 cars driving in from Indiana. A lot of the looters aren’t from Chicago so it can be stolen goods with a location listed out of state.

So buyer, beware. If it’s Gucci, LV, Chanel, Dior, YSL, Burberry, or Nike it’s very possible it’s stolen.
 
I think you are jumping the gun a bit, high end bags are numbered, any consignment store worth their salt would check if the number shows up as a stolen property to stop a ton of legal trouble and money loss happening to them. Also stores who have bags that usually sell for between 2 and 50K WILL have massive security as their inventory is in the millions

I’m from the suburbs of Chicago and like @Gimmethebag said EVERY SINGLE high end store was looted during the BLM protests and beyond high end stores as well pretty much any store or restaurant in the vicinity was fair game and broken into. People were literally driving up too or backing up to the stores and loading up their cars with anything they could get their hands on. So no I am not jumping the gun on this. I guarantee that the majority of what was stolen is being resold. Yes stores with hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise do have security to protect them. However it is generally private security system/company and a handful of hourly guards. Do you know what the security system dose during a break in? They call the police for their client. Even if they had guards on hand during the looting 1-2 people against a raging mob of hundreds of people is no comparison because they’re grossly outnumbered and will loose their lives if they tried to stand up against the mob. Sorry but my life is worth more than a Gucci handbag. As far as serial numbers go it really doesn’t mean much as far as resale goes, some resale stores will care but not all. And the majority of resale is private sales via a variety of platforms eBay, bonanza, poshmark, tradsy, the real real. None of these platforms verify or check serial numbers on said items.
 
I’m from the suburbs of Chicago and like @Gimmethebag said EVERY SINGLE high end store was looted during the BLM protests and beyond high end stores as well pretty much any store or restaurant in the vicinity was fair game and broken into. People were literally driving up too or backing up to the stores and loading up their cars with anything they could get their hands on. So no I am not jumping the gun on this. I guarantee that the majority of what was stolen is being resold. Yes stores with hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise do have security to protect them. However it is generally private security system/company and a handful of hourly guards. Do you know what the security system dose during a break in? They call the police for their client. Even if they had guards on hand during the looting 1-2 people against a raging mob of hundreds of people is no comparison because they’re grossly outnumbered and will loose their lives if they tried to stand up against the mob. Sorry but my life is worth more than a Gucci handbag. As far as serial numbers go it really doesn’t mean much as far as resale goes, some resale stores will care but not all. And the majority of resale is private sales via a variety of platforms eBay, bonanza, poshmark, tradsy, the real real. None of these platforms verify or check serial numbers on said items.
So let me get this straight- because of a BLM PROTEST, the luxury stores in your area were looted and vandalized? OR is it because crazy, greedy, thieves took opportunity during something that they could careless to be involved in to execute their malicious intent...