Is anyone else fed up with all the talk of resale value?
- Thread starter BlueCherry
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I have to agree here. This whole bag buying thing has reached new levels. Buying bags based on resale value is just ridiculous! Which means you are really not getting what makes your heart sing because you want something you will be able to sell later! There is a huge difference in selling a bag because it does not work for you any longer as I am a fan of that - why keep a bag sitting if you are not going to use. But I do not buy my bags with the idea of selling later in mind. Do I realize that some bags of course do not hold value as well as others, yes but that has no bearing on whether I buy the bag or not. So yes coming to social media asking about the resale value of bags and if you should buy based on that is just crazy to me. Wrapping money in plastic to stick in a wallet, putting plastic protectors on hardware, coins in a baggy then your coin purse and the freaking crazy list goes on. . . It is tacky and I apologize if that offends anyone. Yes it is very disturbing which tells me most really should not be buying designer bags. And the one thing that sticks out in OP’s post is “Bags are NOT investments” and should not be thought of as such. And if you are (should) wanting to invest you should link up with an investment advisor. . .
Agree! I am always pleased to see that my Chanel flap is now worth twice what it was purchased for, but I would never sell it; it was my Holy Grail at the time and a wonderful Christmas gift from my DH.
Plus, the resale sites are flooded with luxury bags. There is absolutely no guarantee that yours would even sell, unless it is limited edition or Hermès, lol.
I didn’t read a specific thread. This was just a hypothetical example. She probably bought the caviar because she was told lambskin wouldn’t wear as well (even though it’s prettier and feels more luxurious). This scenario actually supports my point.
I still don’t get how anyone can correlate concern about resale value or extra caretaking of a bag to either the ability to afford the bag or not buying bags that make your heart sing.
The very reason many people have wealth is because they are money savvy in all parts of their lives. Heck, I compare toilet paper prices. My friends think this is hilarious. But, I had grandparents who were dead, destitiute broke in the depression and passed on the imperative and joy of being thrifty down the generations along with the imperative of building wealth.For some of us, saving a dollar on a ten thousand dollar purchase is just plain fun. What others may see as obsession is a game for us. We do a little dance of victory when we use a double coupon on toothpaste and then drive it off in the trunk of our fully paid off luxury vehicles to our fully paid off luxury homes.
And many times people asking about resale are choosing between two bags that make their heart sing. They are just considering an additional buying criteria like roominess, weight and hardware color. I can love a number of bags. But I won’t choose x because the leather isn’t as durable and instead choose y. Doesn’t that mean y doesn’t make my heart sing. Nope. I just made a wiser choice for me with y than x.
So, I’d say just chill.
We all do bags soooo differently. A lot of people who have a new premier reveal every month are living in debt and financial ruin. And a lot are filthy rich. No way to know. A lot of people who don’t care about resale STILL buy bags that they don’t really want because of any number of reasons.Enjoy spending your money on bags as you see fit. They’re yours. But, the penny pinching, resale value considering, coupon loving millionaire or billionaire next door may be just that. Happy as heck with playing with their money and their beloved and much wanted luxury bags in the way that works for them.
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I can easily link the two because, when I was younger and not as financially secure, that’s exactly what I did. It’s a pretty normal concern to have when funds are limited... I don’t know why that’s so shocking to you.
Well said.
I beat the crap out of my cars and bags, they are there to be enjoyed and used- I didn't get either to just look at. I don't care if a stitch is off a little, or the flap is bent up a smidge. With the exception of hermes and very classic chanel- you aren't ever getting your full money back on a bag. It's not an investment- that's what actual financial planning and investments are. However, to each their own, some just care more.
Funny you used the spilled milk saying. I once dated a guy, we were cleaning out his fridge, and he dropped a container of spoiled milk. It burst on the floor. He started crying and literally was going to call his mom to come clean it up. We were 24! Meanwhile I already had rags and water like wtf? You aren't calling your mom for this! Needless to say we didn't last lol.
I beat the crap out of my cars and bags, they are there to be enjoyed and used- I didn't get either to just look at. I don't care if a stitch is off a little, or the flap is bent up a smidge. With the exception of hermes and very classic chanel- you aren't ever getting your full money back on a bag. It's not an investment- that's what actual financial planning and investments are. However, to each their own, some just care more.
Funny you used the spilled milk saying. I once dated a guy, we were cleaning out his fridge, and he dropped a container of spoiled milk. It burst on the floor. He started crying and literally was going to call his mom to come clean it up. We were 24! Meanwhile I already had rags and water like wtf? You aren't calling your mom for this! Needless to say we didn't last lol.
It’s not shocking to me in the least that someone(s) may do this. To the contrary, my stated point is that there may be a myriad of reasons as to why someone does something.
I’m simply speaking to the fact that this is not the sole and quite possibly not even the most common reason. Just like obsessing over a stitch does not necessarily mean a person can’t afford the bag or that checking resale doesn’t necessarily mean a person doesn’t buy bags that sparks joy. I’m saying we are all different. So, we can see actions but, it can unintentionally come off as presumptuous and insulting when we assign a “negative” motivation.
Usually the two factors that drive me to buy a bag are:
1. I fall in love with a bag and it makes my heart sing
2. It’s a really good deal (I usually regret these ones because I should have saved my money and bought #1) but I loooove a good deal!
I don’t think bags are an investment, there are waaay better places to put your money. Handbags are a luxury and I wouldn’t be buying them if I couldn’t afford them. Resale for most brands (aside from a few) are atrocious so I don’t usually think about resale when I am purchasing. I also figure if I buy what I love, I will want to keep them for a really long time. (Yet another reason to avoid #2! I should really listen to logic sometimes...)
1. I fall in love with a bag and it makes my heart sing
2. It’s a really good deal (I usually regret these ones because I should have saved my money and bought #1) but I loooove a good deal!
I don’t think bags are an investment, there are waaay better places to put your money. Handbags are a luxury and I wouldn’t be buying them if I couldn’t afford them. Resale for most brands (aside from a few) are atrocious so I don’t usually think about resale when I am purchasing. I also figure if I buy what I love, I will want to keep them for a really long time. (Yet another reason to avoid #2! I should really listen to logic sometimes...)
Imnap
Nicely written. I live in the state where Sam Walton, flinder of WalMart lived, and his family still does. Despite his billions of dollars he drove an old pick up truck all of his life. One should never make assumptions based upon his or her own limited life experiences.I still don’t get how anyone can correlate concern about resale value or extra caretaking of a bag to either the ability to afford the bag or not buying bags that make your heart sing.
The very reason many people have wealth is because they are money savvy in all parts of their lives. Heck, I compare toilet paper prices. My friends think this is hilarious. But, I had grandparents who were dead, destitiute broke in the depression and passed on the imperative and joy of being thrifty down the generations along with the imperative of building wealth.For some of us, saving a dollar on a ten thousand dollar purchase is just plain fun. What others may see as obsession is a game for us. We do a little dance of victory when we use a double coupon on toothpaste and then drive it off in the trunk of our fully paid off luxury vehicles to our fully paid off luxury homes.
And many times people asking about resale are choosing between two bags that make their heart sing. They are just considering an additional buying criteria like roominess, weight and hardware color. I can love a number of bags. But I won’t choose x because the leather isn’t as durable and instead choose y. Doesn’t that mean y doesn’t make my heart sing. Nope. I just made a wiser choice for me with y than x.
So, I’d say just chill.
Enjoy spending your money on bags as you see fit. They’re yours. But, the penny pinching, resale value considering, coupon loving millionaire or billionaire next door may be just that. Happy as heck with playing with their money and their beloved and much wanted luxury bags in the way that works for them.
I’m simply speaking to the fact that this is not the sole and quite possibly not even the most common reason. Just like obsessing over a stitch does not necessarily mean a person can’t afford the bag or that checking resale doesn’t necessarily mean a person doesn’t buy bags that sparks joy. .
I don't think the discussion is about the joy quotient. The persistent worry and hope for "investment" value is something else.
In the abstract, it makes sense to note that anyone--the well off, the downright loaded folk--can care a lot about resale value. Granted. But I was thinking of many posts on TPF and elsewhere in which people talk about essentially being underwater in their luxury shopping--whether taking out a loan for a Chanel bag while having no savings, or being caught in a money-losing spiral of buy/sell, etc. So some of the talk about resale and investment value is, to me, clearly a way to reduce anxiety about the economics of the game.
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As a former financial advisor I commend the dialogue around investing in worthwhile assets but the reality is that the most sound investment strategy is diversification. Putting all of your savings/discretionary income into a stock portfolio or a home or a painting is not a good idea, but allocating portions to all three (or a number of others) is a great way to not only protect your assets, but also enjoy the fruits of your investment.
Investments are just that: you can invest time, money, emotion - the point is to get something back in return. Some people are looking for joy, some for cash - but we are all invested in these bags some way or another, as we are everything in our lives. If you pay attention to something for even 5 minutes a day, you are invested in that thing and you SHOULD reflect at some point why you are spending time/attention/energy on said thing. Life is too short to be squandered. For some, the act of “not worrying” about something has as much value as it does for someone else to worry about the exact same thing; as someone upthread mentioned, for some it’s a challenge or a game.
I love that this discussion is so lively and mature, I really admire this community and think it’s a privilege to have such a diverse group connecting in one place over a shared interest in bags
Investments are just that: you can invest time, money, emotion - the point is to get something back in return. Some people are looking for joy, some for cash - but we are all invested in these bags some way or another, as we are everything in our lives. If you pay attention to something for even 5 minutes a day, you are invested in that thing and you SHOULD reflect at some point why you are spending time/attention/energy on said thing. Life is too short to be squandered. For some, the act of “not worrying” about something has as much value as it does for someone else to worry about the exact same thing; as someone upthread mentioned, for some it’s a challenge or a game.
I love that this discussion is so lively and mature, I really admire this community and think it’s a privilege to have such a diverse group connecting in one place over a shared interest in bags
Not really going to address anything else as I have an opinion just as yourself. But let me correct you here as no where in my statement did I say anything about affording a designer bag. I stated some probably shouldn’t be buying. Whether anyone can afford or not- maybe they shouldn’t buy - I do not count any ones money but my own!I still don’t get how anyone can correlate concern about resale value or extra caretaking of a bag to either the ability to afford the bag or not buying bags that make your heart sing.
The very reason many people have wealth is because they are money savvy in all parts of their lives. Heck, I compare toilet paper prices. My friends think this is hilarious. But, I had grandparents who were dead, destitiute broke in the depression and passed on the imperative and joy of being thrifty down the generations along with the imperative of building wealth.For some of us, saving a dollar on a ten thousand dollar purchase is just plain fun. What others may see as obsession is a game for us. We do a little dance of victory when we use a double coupon on toothpaste and then drive it off in the trunk of our fully paid off luxury vehicles to our fully paid off luxury homes.
And many times people asking about resale are choosing between two bags that make their heart sing. They are just considering an additional buying criteria like roominess, weight and hardware color. I can love a number of bags. But I won’t choose x because the leather isn’t as durable and instead choose y. Doesn’t that mean y doesn’t make my heart sing. Nope. I just made a wiser choice for me with y than x.
So, I’d say just chill.
Enjoy spending your money on bags as you see fit. They’re yours. But, the penny pinching, resale value considering, coupon loving millionaire or billionaire next door may be just that. Happy as heck with playing with their money and their beloved and much wanted luxury bags in the way that works for them.
This completely reminds me of the Ferragamo thread. People in that thread are constantly asking if Ferragamo has good resale value and why not? The answer is a flat out no. Why not, I have no idea, except to say that they just haven't been very popular recently. I love Ferragamo and think they're quality bags at a very reasonable price. You can't get leather lined bags at their prices anywhere else, especially when they go on sale (which they often do because I think it's an incredibly underrated brand, but that's another thread!). But no matter how much you baby a Ferragamo bag, and how popular it was when you purchased it, it's more than likely not going to hold any kind of substantial resale value. So does that mean I should not purchase any Ferragamo, even though I love them and get lots of use out of the ones I purchase? I think that's where it starts to become ridiculous. If you love it and will use it, why obsess so much over whether it has good resale value?
I know, they are good quality too especially being a underrated brand.
People focus too much if it can recoup them money later on or is it also exclusive. It just annoying personally.