I think they're a fairly new site that allow people to trade bags (and clothing and shoes) with other users. Seems like a good concept and just wanted to see if anyone else was on it!
Any TPF-ers on HauteTrader?
- Thread starter alyssalenore
- Start date
I like the idea of the 'Lame Girl' list. I can see problems arising from authentication issues as they 'may deem something inauthentic' but it didn't inspire confidence in me. I think time will tell. If they are requiring an item be in a members possession, they should require a name is posted in the photo.
Not sure I like the point system vs the $$$.
Not sure I like the point system vs the $$$.
Yeah I had concerns about that too. Then I understand that some people also get very low offers for certain bags that were way more than that. What's good about it is that I have the option to decline so I think if both parties are fair and the products being traded are around the same value, it's a good way to get something new in your collection while replacing something that may not have gotten as much love lately.
It seems kind of fishy that both parties have to pay a fee if one party only gets points. Do you know if this is the case? Also, the site is tough to navigate. They seem like they want to be like shop-hers. And, I think $25-50 per transaction is pretty steep; especially if both parties pay.
I have used it and really enjoy it so far. To answer the last question - Once your trade delivery is confirmed by both parties, BOTH members get the currency "HautePoints" - not just one. You can then use your currency "HautePoints", to trade for something else on the site.
It's cool that the points allow you to get another fashion item, but they also create a system, which makes trading there safer. For example - if one person doesn't ship their item, the site can then compensate you for your loss with the currency. Also, the $25 trade fee covers shipping and handling and because you also get the currency with your trade, you are in a win win! If you trade anywhere else and the other person doesn't ship. You are basically screwed.
It's cool that the points allow you to get another fashion item, but they also create a system, which makes trading there safer. For example - if one person doesn't ship their item, the site can then compensate you for your loss with the currency. Also, the $25 trade fee covers shipping and handling and because you also get the currency with your trade, you are in a win win! If you trade anywhere else and the other person doesn't ship. You are basically screwed.
If one person buys an item with haute points only, then one person gets an item and another person only gets haute points, so it seems unfair for the one who only got haute points to also pay $25-50. I'm not clear on if this is how it works, and nobody seems to be manning the support chat area to answer. But if someone who only gets points has to also pay $25, it doesn't seem fair.
And if they then give points to each party for every transaction, it seems like eventually they will run out of items and people will have a bunch of points, since some items can be bought with just points +$25.
The person who gets the points does not have to pay a Trade-fee. Also, the points expire within 6 months. Hopefully, people like the site so that there are more quality listings to buy with HautePoints. The idea is amazing and has a lot of incentive, but I dont know if people can understand the concept and the benefits of it as well as I do. If not, that is fine, I will buy up everything with my HautePoints lol!
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Exactly...you are mentioning buying up everything with haute points. I'm sure you aren't the only one who has this idea, it appears to be encouraged on the site.
Economically, this would lead to an excess of currency and a shortage of goods. Somebody is left at the end with a bunch of worthless "haute points currency" and no goods to spend it on, since haute points can't be used as currency outside the site.
They also need the cooperation of trading partners to accept haute points, which already seems to be a problem. It seems to me that all items I find interesting already have comments saying someone refused to ship or they don't want to accept haute points.
I like some aspects of the idea but I fear that creating a virtual currency and virtual trade economy is going to prove a bit more complicated than this site is equipped for. They already have issues answering support chats, so I don't have confidence that their virtual currency and economy will stand the test of time.
Economically, this would lead to an excess of currency and a shortage of goods. Somebody is left at the end with a bunch of worthless "haute points currency" and no goods to spend it on, since haute points can't be used as currency outside the site.
They also need the cooperation of trading partners to accept haute points, which already seems to be a problem. It seems to me that all items I find interesting already have comments saying someone refused to ship or they don't want to accept haute points.
I like some aspects of the idea but I fear that creating a virtual currency and virtual trade economy is going to prove a bit more complicated than this site is equipped for. They already have issues answering support chats, so I don't have confidence that their virtual currency and economy will stand the test of time.
I understand your point, but I think that there is another side of the equation. (I have had really good experiences = I want to list more items), so I can only assume that other people feel that way. I am not investing in the company, so I don't think about the long term economics of HautePoints. I get them and I use them ...and if the other person doesn't accept them, I use them with someone else who understands the value of the site. The more that people see the incentive the more that people will list. I don't think it is as cut and dry as you are making it. I noticed that all members have to list 3 items just to start trading, so that idea immediately sets them up to have more items. No one has a closet with just one item, so I don't necessarily think that they are going to just run out of items. If people are happy they will list more, I think that is the reason it should be ok... but either way, I will enjoy it and use it to get more cute things, that I would not normally obtain so easily. Are you on the site? What is your username. Follow me and make sure to check out my closet!
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I was just checking out this site and wondering if it is worthwhile to try out. @alyssalenore, did you give it a try? @Karen730, do they usually have more high end inventory than they do now? I thought it might be a nice place to trade some of my 2-5 year old classic flaps for a similarly valued Chanel bag, or for part of the value of an Hermes bag, but their top value (tier 4) items are things that sell for ~$800 new and $200-500 used. They have really old Chanel totes, very vintage LV canvas and nice brand wallets as their tier 4 currently! I was hoping they had items that are in the $3,000+ range at least.
Maybe it is just a low moment for their inventory right now. Here are a few items I was referring to on their highest tier that I would call vintage, certainly not current.
However, they do have 2 higher value Chanel bags that were just posted, but everything else in the "highest" category for LV, Chanel or Hermes are the items I photographed, shoes or wallets. I was hoping for a highest category (4th Tier) with Boys, Classic Flaps, maybe some Hermes (not expecting a B or a K unless it was vintage) - items that sell for $5-6,000 new and $3,000 used. The 3rd tier would be East-West type flaps, seasonal flaps, most LV bags, Chanel boucle jackets. 2nd tier would be high-demand styles of wallets and shoes. 1st tier would be everything else.
Maybe people who have listings, which you refer to as, "everything else" would not take kindly to their items being lazily grouped together just because they aren't the most current style by Chanel and Hermes. DVF and Zac Posen are NOT in the same Tier! Anywho, I don't understand your complaint about the tier system. It is obviously based on trading preference, not solely retail value, and you have the option of listing your Tier-4 items as Premium, so if you don't want the item offered to you simply DECLINE IT! Duhhhh! What difference does everything else listed on the site matter? Inventory changes daily. If you don't want the item offered to you, just don't accept it. How can it be more simple than that?? Sorry, but your value system idea is lazy and biased toward two designer brands. It would be impossible to police and for people to list items based on your idea. They can't add a Leboy only listing category :/ The current site model makes sense and is thought out, with fairness for all Tiers, not just Tier-4. In conclusion, if you don't like the Trade-Offer don't accept it, but don't bash the site. I don't understand, how you can complain about the number of listings, while at the same time speak negatively of the site and discourage others from listing and trying it out. Your logic is very selfish.
I meant that I was hoping that each tier would include items such as X, Y and Z, not that they would be limited to those items. Those are the brands I own, so those are the only brand where I can reference specific style names, there are certainly other high-end brands. Perhaps I expected more Chanel flaps and Boys because I use another site sometimes where every time I post a Flap or Boy from my own collection, or something similar, people send me a message asking to trade with them on HauteTrader, so I thought there would be more similar items on the site.