Is buying in store worth the larger price tag

Mar 20, 2017
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I’m looking to buy my second designer bag purchase from ysl and I’m aware that by ordering off websites like farfetch and mytheresa i could get 10% off, which off a medium bag isn’t exactly a small amount. However when I purchased my first bag I didn’t go into store I ordered it. This time I really want the experience of buying from store but is it worth an extra £160?? Has anyone ever been torn over this, what were your in store vs ordering experiences.
 
I like ordering online via big reputable sites i.e. farfetch/mytheresa/luisaviaroma... because they have super fast shipping and no hassle return policy. Also cash back! If i buy a bag in store and end up not liking it, I would have to bring it back in, which is an entire anxiety inducing experience in and of itself. Plus as you mention, it is ~10% cheaper being tax free. I have nothing to lose, other than having to wait a couple of days. I don't like the store experience being a younger person, SAs usually overlook me and it's just uncomfortable and awkward in general. If I'm spending a lot of money on a designer item, I want to feel good about my purchase, not having to feel like I'm begging them to let me spend money.
 
I like and do both. If I am visiting a city that I don't normally get to, going into the store to have that experience is worth the memory for me. Also if it's in Europe it ends up being so much cheaper. I just got back from Lisbon and bought a Gucci tote in the store there, and with what i saved vs. the US price and the VAT, the wallet i bought was essentially free! Otherwise I am fine with ordering online.
 
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I like and do both. If I am visiting a city that I don't normally get to, going into the store to have that experience is worth the memory for me. Also if it's in Europe it ends up being so much cheaper. I just got back from Lisbon and bought a Gucci tote in the store there, and with what i saved vs. the US price and the VAT, the wallet i bought was essentially free! Otherwise I am fine with ordering online.
Yes I can see the perks of shopping in the EU I’m from England anyway so unless I travel to France I won’t be getting the bag for less in store. I am heading to Copenhagen in 2 weeks but I believe the prices are the same in store there as here.
 
I like ordering online via big reputable sites i.e. farfetch/mytheresa/luisaviaroma... because they have super fast shipping and no hassle return policy. Also cash back! If i buy a bag in store and end up not liking it, I would have to bring it back in, which is an entire anxiety inducing experience in and of itself. Plus as you mention, it is ~10% cheaper being tax free. I have nothing to lose, other than having to wait a couple of days. I don't like the store experience being a younger person, SAs usually overlook me and it's just uncomfortable and awkward in general. If I'm spending a lot of money on a designer item, I want to feel good about my purchase, not having to feel like I'm begging them to let me spend money.
I have to say I have experienced this too in fact if I buy the bag in a store I will be avoiding the store closest to me in Manchester Selfridges&Co because whevener I go in there I get ignored. However I recently went to look at the bags in a London stand alone ysl store and received the most lovely help from a SA and in fact a few approached me when I was in there so I would be returning to London to purchase.
 
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I’m looking to buy my second designer bag purchase from ysl and I’m aware that by ordering off websites like farfetch and mytheresa i could get 10% off, which off a medium bag isn’t exactly a small amount. However when I purchased my first bag I didn’t go into store I ordered it. This time I really want the experience of buying from store but is it worth an extra £160?? Has anyone ever been torn over this, what were your in store vs ordering experiences.
I personally buy everything online, since its mostly cheaper and more conveniant since the city I live in does not have many luxury stores. I do take trips to stores that don't do discounts like Hermès, because the experience you get there is truely amazing. No idea how YSL's instore experience is though, but I doubt its worth £160...
 
I have to say I have experienced this too in fact if I buy the bag in a store I will be avoiding the store closest to me in Manchester Selfridges&Co because whevener I go in there I get ignored. However I recently went to look at the bags in a London stand alone ysl store and received the most lovely help from a SA and in fact a few approached me when I was in there so I would be returning to London to purchase.

I think that is a problem of the Selfridges store in Manchester, their customer service is pretty awful, I much prefer Harvey Nichols, they are much friendlier and on the ball, at Selfridges, they tend to give you the feeling that you are actually bothering them, though in general, in London you get better service in most shops.

I prefer to see the item, sometimes it can look great in pictures but just not feel right for you or some detail that looks fine in pics but would really bug me IRL...
 
I honestly would rather save the money if I can. I’ve generally have had good in store experiences for higher end items but it can be a bit of a mixed bag and really depends on the sa.
 
I like ordering online from MIabellebaby. Shopping online saves time and effort compared to shopping in stores. I can shopping online wherever and whenever we want it. And you can know what trends should be in your closet by online shopping as items change rapidly in the online store.

I think there might be a slight difference between designer shopping and ordering cheap and cheerful clothes from China via a website, and with about a month delivery time, even if I would want to have a romper suit with bunnies on it and they try to sell as "Easter themed" it is not exactly rapid delivery
 
I’m looking to buy my second designer bag purchase from ysl and I’m aware that by ordering off websites like farfetch and mytheresa i could get 10% off, which off a medium bag isn’t exactly a small amount. However when I purchased my first bag I didn’t go into store I ordered it. This time I really want the experience of buying from store but is it worth an extra £160?? Has anyone ever been torn over this, what were your in store vs ordering experiences.

This is a good question, but difficult.

IMO, and extra 160£ is alot.

What I might consider first, is what “value” do you get in return for that extra 160£ ? What kind of after-purchase warranties or service would you get, if any? What about return policy in case something is defective—how many days do you have to return? Free repair services, and for how long after purchase?

Would the online merchant offer you the same services, warranties and return window?

Compare the store vs online, and make a comparison list, put it away overnight and a day, then re visit it.

If the perks for buying in store outweigh the better price from online, and if that amount is ok for your budget, then buy it in store.

HTH!
 
I think it depends on waht you're buying. For example: I'm looking for simple studs by Chanel. If I buy directly at Chanel, it'll cost me 300-500 euros. At reseller websites it'll cost me around 200-400 euros. I'd rather get them at Chanel because that way I have all the documentation and I'm sure they don't have defects.

But I bought a LV bag at Ebay because the price difference was somewhere around 1200 euros. Granted, I have to rehab it a little bit but I think it's worth it.

If you want to resell your YSL bag, you'll get more interested buyers if you have the documentation so that's what I always keep in mind when I buy something.
 
I think it depends on waht you're buying. For example: I'm looking for simple studs by Chanel. If I buy directly at Chanel, it'll cost me 300-500 euros. At reseller websites it'll cost me around 200-400 euros. I'd rather get them at Chanel because that way I have all the documentation and I'm sure they don't have defects.

But I bought a LV bag at Ebay because the price difference was somewhere around 1200 euros. Granted, I have to rehab it a little bit but I think it's worth it.

If you want to resell your YSL bag, you'll get more interested buyers if you have the documentation so that's what I always keep in mind when I buy something.

I think I am not organized enough, clothing and bags are something I use, I don't buy with an eye on reselling, so I never kept the documentation, which now comes to bite me in the bum when I am getting rid of a bunch of stuff due to the upcoming move to another country. But if I would have kept all of it, I think I might have needed a whole filing cabinet just for the receipts and all that.

In my experience, usually from the shop directly, you tend to have better service and continuing service.
 
I think I am not organized enough, clothing and bags are something I use, I don't buy with an eye on reselling, so I never kept the documentation, which now comes to bite me in the bum when I am getting rid of a bunch of stuff due to the upcoming move to another country. But if I would have kept all of it, I think I might have needed a whole filing cabinet just for the receipts and all that.

In my experience, usually from the shop directly, you tend to have better service and continuing service.
Haha I never did that before I started to sell my stuff. Somewhere on this forum I wrote about my dumbest action ever when it comes to reselling high valued items: I sold my python Sergio Rossi heels with blue fox fur for 65 euros on a local marketplace because I didn't know about the existence of reselling sites..so that's when I learned to at least make pictures of invoices. I'm still mad at myself LOL.

I have to say I don't have that much so it's easier for me I guess.