Should I use Fashionphile's buy-back program or sell Watercolor Speedy 35 on Tradesy?

Fashionphile's buy-back program or Tradesy independent sale of Watercolor Speedy 35?

  • Fashionphile's buy-back program

  • Independent Tradesy sale


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Feb 23, 2014
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*** I am not trying to sell anything on TPF. I am only asking for advice from much more experienced TPFers on whether to lose 30% at Fashionphile or whether to try to sell the bag myself on Tradesy and potentially cover more of my losses on the bag. *** :smile:

Hello Ladies and Gents,

About three months ago, I bought a White Watercolor Speedy 35 in excellent pre-loved condition from Fashionphile. I have not yet carried the bag -- not even once. I have decided that it is crazy for me to keep a bag that I have not carried and probably will not get much use out of.

Unfortunately, I have to decide some time today (6/25) whether to send the bag to Fashionphile as part of their buy-back program or whether to try to sell it on my own. If I am going to return the bag to Fashionphile, I can run it up to the Fed Ex store by 9:00 p.m. today. I will check for your responses all day!

The bag cost about $1800, so I would get back around $1250 from Fashionphile's buy-back program. Of course, I hate the thought of losing money on a bag I probably should not have bought in the first place and did not even use. Ugh! (Live and learn. I had admired the bag for so long and jumped when I saw this one. I have come to realize that I prefer DE over vachetta.)

I am considering selling the bag myself on Tradesy. I understand Tradesy's commission is only 9%. Here is the caveat: I have never sold a bag before, so I might find out it is more trouble than it is worth. Or I might pocket $200 - $400 more. I called Tradesy and spoke with a rep for a long time. She was very helpful, and I am considering going that route. (Many years ago, I sold on eBay (not handbags), but I am not interested in selling on eBay anymore.)

I am considering selling the bag on Tradesy because the bag is so sought after. I think it would sell, but of course, I do not know if it will sell. I have purchased on Tradesy once (bracelet), and it was a good experience.

Please help me decide whether to send the item back to Fashionphile for a buy back at 70% of the purchase price or to try to sell the purse myself on Tradesy. I have no experience in this area, so I greatly appreciate any advice, recommendations, or warnings that you all can share.

In case you need more information about the bag in order to answer my question, here is a link to the original listing on Fashionphile:

x

Thank you SO much! :biggrin:
 
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I think Tradesy or other independent site like bonanza. I don't think you will lose as much as 30% there but it also depends on how much you bought it for.
 
It's hard to say. Honestly, I think the original price was too high that you paid, but that's common with fashionphile. I would check completed auctions for this bag and see what the typical going price was. I've definitely seen them go around $1,200, so I would check typical prices was on various resale sites then make your decision. While this bag was "hot" a few years ago, I'm not sure the demand is what it used to be.

You may want to get a private authentication done for your buyers too. Since fashionphile has been "caught" at least 5 times just by people in the forum selling counterfeits, some people won't buy bags if they know they came from fashionphile without an authentication. (Just trying to help).
 
Thanks so much, ArielS and Charleston-Mom, for your honest and helpful replies!

Good points! Yes, I knew I was paying over retail, but I had wanted this bag for so long. I still have old LV business cards with this bag's info written down from three countries! :biggrin: In Cancun, I even could have gotten the elusive 30! I just couldn't pull the trigger at the time. (I am much further advanced in my career now.) :smile: It's a shame that I do not tend to use bags with vachetta. They just sit in their dust bags looking pretty! I even have a brand-new-from-LV Cerises Sac Plat that I have never used! Because of what I have read on this Forum, I am trying to amend my ways and only buy bags that I will actually use. (For the most part, anyway!) :graucho:

Thanks for the heads-up about Fashionphile. I take all of my pre-loved items to be authenticated at the LV store that I frequent, so I am comfortable with all pre-loved items that I keep. I was surprised to read on this Forum that "LV doesn't authenticate." The SA's / managers at the boutique I go to always authenticate my items for me. It is fun to watch them discuss with each other and to compare in-stock items / books / computer info with what I have brought in pre-loved. They share what they are looking for/at and educate me in the process. It's funny, I have read many posts about VIP / VIC benefits, but I usually am the one giving the SAs gifts for authenticating my pre-loved items. (Boxes of chocolates / cookies from the Godiva store a few doors down.) They are giving their time and expertise to help me build my collection safely, so I give them the chocolates! :smile: (They always tell me that I do not have to do that.) Your point about authentication is excellent though.

I have researched the completed auctions, and these bags recently have sold for $925 (for a beat-up bag) to $2800 (for a pristine bag with an added strap).

Again, thanks for your excellent points and for taking the time to respond! :smile: I love this Forum! :heart: So far, the poll is pretty even!

Also, I am sorry that my posts are so long! I teach college writing, and, yes, I am off work half the summer. That means I have hours to devote to my other passions! :biggrin:
 
No sense in not trying to sell yourself.. before you go ahead and sell it back. At least for a few days. :smile: However with your brand new seller status and (trust me) a sea of difficult, suspicious, pre-loved buyers, I'd just assume deal with professionals rather than navigate the Tradesy waters. Or eBay etc.. One other thing, you could submit it for consignment elsewhere too and see what you come back with. I opted to submit a bag to Yoogi's that I bought on Fashionphile once and Yoogi's offered me more for it (buy out) than Fashionphile's buy back price. Good luck!
 
I would use Tradesy and Bonanza. You can have the bag authenticated by Caroldiva for a small fee.
Hi! Thanks for your reply!

Here's a dumb question: Would I post the listing on Tradesy (or Bonanza, never used before) and then ask CarolDiva to authenticate? Or do I send the info / pictures to Carol Diva first and post second? Does the order matter? Again, sorry . . . this is probably a dumb question! :blush:

Would she put something in writing for me that I could post on the listing or include with the purchase? I have authenticated only at LV stores and on TPF. (Love "our" authenticators!)

Thanks again!
 
No sense in not trying to sell yourself.. before you go ahead and sell it back. At least for a few days. :smile: However with your brand new seller status and (trust me) a sea of difficult, suspicious, pre-loved buyers, I'd just assume deal with professionals rather than navigate the Tradesy waters. Or eBay etc.. One other thing, you could submit it for consignment elsewhere too and see what you come back with. I opted to submit a bag to Yoogi's that I bought on Fashionphile once and Yoogi's offered me more for it (buy out) than Fashionphile's buy back price. Good luck!
Ooohh . . . good to know about Yoogi's potentially being higher than Fashionphile! Thank you so much for your response! :smile:

I get what you mean about trying on my own. If the bag weren't so pristine and desired, I would just send it back to Fashionphile and take the loss. In the past, I have always returned it within the time frame or kept it. Sadly, I just can't bring myself to carry it though b/c I don't want anything "bad" to happen to it. :shrugs: No sense in being a nervous wreck!

Here's the really sad part: I even bought a brand-new pastel Insolence charm to hang on the bag. The charm still sits wrapped in LV plastic in its box! What is wrong with me? :thinking: (I still have time to exchange the charm, thankfully!) :smile:
 
Ooohh . . . good to know about Yoogi's potentially being higher than Fashionphile! Thank you so much for your response! :smile:

I get what you mean about trying on my own. If the bag weren't so pristine and desired, I would just send it back to Fashionphile and take the loss. In the past, I have always returned it within the time frame or kept it. Sadly, I just can't bring myself to carry it though b/c I don't want anything "bad" to happen to it. :shrugs: No sense in being a nervous wreck!

Here's the really sad part: I even bought a brand-new pastel Insolence charm to hang on the bag. The charm still sits wrapped in LV plastic in its box! What is wrong with me? :thinking: (I still have time to exchange the charm, thankfully!) :smile:

I agree with the others to get some quotes from other resellers...I think its a bag that will sell quickly....you could try Yoogis, Couture USA or Pursehop for quotes and see how they compare...I'm not familiar with tradesy, not sure what their policy and if they accept returns if your buyer decided to return....
 
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Thanks again to everyone who has replied! :biggrin:

Because of the time constraints, I went with the majority: Last week, I sent the bag back to Fashionphile for the buy-back.

Once I have heard from Fashionphile about the buy back, I will give a thorough report.

:smile:
 
Thanks again to everyone who has replied! :biggrin:

Because of the time constraints, I went with the majority: Last week, I sent the bag back to Fashionphile for the buy-back.

Once I have heard from Fashionphile about the buy back, I will give a thorough report.

:smile:



Hello! I just saw your post and I am in a similar situation. How was Fashionphile about the buyback? Did they give you any trouble or was the return process easy? Thanks!
 
Hello! I just saw your post and I am in a similar situation. How was Fashionphile about the buyback? Did they give you any trouble or was the return process easy? Thanks!
Hi! The return process was very easy.

They provided a pre-paid shipping label and gave me the exact amount of the buy-back quote. I did not use the bag at all, so I figured I would get the full amount of the quote. I just sent another bag bag to them late last week.

I requested that the money be directly deposited into my checking account, and they did so.

Good luck with your sale! :smile: