Vestiaire Collective experiences?

[Saich2]

I received all my items yesterday. One item I bought from a very trusted seller: she sells at a very good price and always with an invoice. I had several items I bought from her authenticitated -just to make sure- and there never was any doubt: everything authentic.
I also bought a pair of Chanel shoes. Brandnew and for a very good price. The Italian seller has only sold 5 pair of brandnew shoes, so it makes you wonder...
I compared the pair I received yesterday with similar I had bought at the Chanel boutique.
They look exactly the same, but I'm still not 100 % convinced: why would anybody sell a brandnew pair of Chanel flats for almost half the price you pay at Chanel and don't forget the commission the seller has to pay.
Might put them up for resale...espacially after all threads on VC I read today...

In my opinion if a price and item is to good to be true then would have thought their was something wrong, but then perhaps if this is a brand new seller she does not know the price. I hope they are authentic for you

 

[Saich2]

Apologies if this question has already been asked, but I was just wondering how much the customs/import fees are to the UK when purchasing through a seller from the US.

On VC's website it says you can pay a flat rate during the payment stage, but gives no clue as to how much that would be.
I've used an online calculator and taxes from the US to the UK would be nearly £600!!! So the bag would all of a sudden become extremely expensive and not worth it.
Thanks xo

I live in the UK and know things coming in from the US cost a fortune....while if you buy on VC as they are in France and we are still in the EU you don't pay customs charges if the seller is also from the EU. I have a Fendi Spy on my ebay page watching list its listed at £679 the lady is in the US she is with this awful Global Shipping programme Ebay does and the customs charge is nearly £300

 

[Saich2]

An update on my Balenciaga Double Tour bracelet that was ordered on Vestiaire on the 5th of January. It's still not here and I didn't file with PayPal. It seems the bracelet has been here and then was shipped back to France because it couldn't be delivered.

I've contacted Vestiaire to see if there's been some problem with the address but no answer. This is the most frustrating part, that their customer service can't be bothered to answer. I think I sent them five e-mails now that haven't been answered.

Still, I really want this bracelet, it's new, in a purple colour no longer for sale and despite all this according to the tracking number it seems to still be in transit somewhere so hopefully it will be sent to me again. It's already been authenticated by the amazing Bal ladies but I'll post my own pics of it if/when it arrives just to make double sure.

Would I buy an expensive bag etc on Vestiaire after this and what others have written here about their experiences with Vestiaire? No, definitely not. But another bracelet or similar? Yes, if it's authenticated here first and under 200 EUR.
The only way I am afraid to get anywhere with customer service on VC is to be rude to them and really speak your mind...just keep messaging them good luck
ETA: And I would only buy something on Vestiaire that was discontinued and that I really really wanted and couldn't find somewhere else.

 

[Saich2]

I agree with you on this. You can only buy items you either know are genuine or you have had authenticated on TPF. But unfortunately a lot of the time you can't afford to wait for someone to authenticate it as the good items sell fast! As you are an authenticator on here, maybe you can answer my question. Why do the experts only give you an opinion on an item that hasn't yet sold? thanks for enlightening me! I've always wondered...

When I use to authenticate on here it was only for a particular bag Fendi Spy bag that was what my knowledge came from I also know now about Alexander McQueen Clutches. As a general rule the people that authenticate on here do so very quickly or as quick as they can they need to see as many pictures as possible not only the outside but the inside and any tags inside. You can only give your expert opinion on something even if you know a hell of a lot about an item as you are not holding the item in your hands....hence why you need so many pictures...a lot of the time people that authenticate can tell straight away....but people that copy authentic bags are getting more and more clever. Hope this has helped. Never buy a bag unless you get it authenticated on here or know the person very well who selling it and is a friend of yours on here.

 

[.BlueHydrangea.]

I live in the UK and know things coming in from the US cost a fortune....while if you buy on VC as they are in France and we are still in the EU you don't pay customs charges if the seller is also from the EU. I have a Fendi Spy on my ebay page watching list its listed at £679 the lady is in the US she is with this awful Global Shipping programme Ebay does and the customs charge is nearly £300

Wow, £300 thats ridiculous. I can't believe how expensive it is to buy from abroad, it's such a shame. On the listing it says that the item may be subject import and customs charges. I've emailed them regarding the option to pre pay a flat rate, but on their website it said they can't disclose how much it'd be.

 

[nicole0612]

An update on my Balenciaga Double Tour bracelet that was ordered on Vestiaire on the 5th of January. It's still not here and I didn't file with PayPal. It seems the bracelet has been here and then was shipped back to France because it couldn't be delivered.

I've contacted Vestiaire to see if there's been some problem with the address but no answer. This is the most frustrating part, that their customer service can't be bothered to answer. I think I sent them five e-mails now that haven't been answered.

Still, I really want this bracelet, it's new, in a purple colour no longer for sale and despite all this according to the tracking number it seems to still be in transit somewhere so hopefully it will be sent to me again. It's already been authenticated by the amazing Bal ladies but I'll post my own pics of it if/when it arrives just to make double sure.

Would I buy an expensive bag etc on Vestiaire after this and what others have written here about their experiences with Vestiaire? No, definitely not. But another bracelet or similar? Yes, if it's authenticated here first and under 200 EUR.

ETA: And I would only buy something on Vestiaire that was discontinued and that I really really wanted and couldn't find somewhere else.

The only thing to do is to actually call Vestiaire when they are open. I send emails into a black hole for a month, decided to time it so that I could call them, and my issues was resolved immediately (also a shipping issue).

 

[nicole0612]

I received all my items yesterday. One item I bought from a very trusted seller: she sells at a very good price and always with an invoice. I had several items I bought from her authenticitated -just to make sure- and there never was any doubt: everything authentic.
I also bought a pair of Chanel shoes. Brandnew and for a very good price. The Italian seller has only sold 5 pair of brandnew shoes, so it makes you wonder...
I compared the pair I received yesterday with similar I had bought at the Chanel boutique.
They look exactly the same, but I'm still not 100 % convinced: why would anybody sell a brandnew pair of Chanel flats for almost half the price you pay at Chanel and don't forget the commission the seller has to pay.
Might put them up for resale...espacially after all threads on VC I read today...

I can’t comment on your shoes, but I have sold multiple new chanel shoes at a very low price because sometimes I just want to make a quick sale and forget about it. Sometimes I got the shoe on final sale and I just didn’t like it or it didn’t fit right or I was in the mood to clean out my closet.

 

[Romar]

Hey Romar, Don't get paranoid just because we pointed out all the fakes on VC. There are still plenty of genuine items and honest sellers on VC. If they look the same and the quality appears equally as good as your other pair I don't see any concern. It is weird though - as you said - that people sell brand new shoes at a fragment of the boutique price. But people have all sorts of reasons for doing so. Are all the shoes she sold in the same size? And is she a recommended seller? Did you look for comments on any of her other sold items? In that case i wouldnt worry too much. And if still in doubt, have them authenticated at a small fee - might not be more expensive than the money you lose when putting them up for resale. xox j.

 

[Jana123]

When I use to authenticate on here it was only for a particular bag Fendi Spy bag that was what my knowledge came from I also know now about Alexander McQueen Clutches. As a general rule the people that authenticate on here do so very quickly or as quick as they can they need to see as many pictures as possible not only the outside but the inside and any tags inside. You can only give your expert opinion on something even if you know a hell of a lot about an item as you are not holding the item in your hands....hence why you need so many pictures...a lot of the time people that authenticate can tell straight away....but people that copy authentic bags are getting more and more clever. Hope this has helped. Never buy a bag unless you get it authenticated on here or know the person very well who selling it and is a friend of yours on here.

You are right. But isn't it sometimes so tempting if you see "the one that got away" on VC and you just can't resist? I fell in Love with a pair of LV wellington boots someone posted on the OOTD thread and I tried everything to get them. No success. If these ever come up anywhere I would buy them without wanting to wait for authentication as I would be devastated if someone bought them while I was waiting for the ok... have a lovely day, Saich!

 

[Romar]

Hey Romar, Don't get paranoid just because we pointed out all the fakes on VC. There are still plenty of genuine items and honest sellers on VC. If they look the same and the quality appears equally as good as your other pair I don't see any concern. It is weird though - as you said - that people sell brand new shoes at a fragment of the boutique price. But people have all sorts of reasons for doing so. Are all the shoes she sold in the same size? And is she a recommended seller? Did you look for comments on any of her other sold items? In that case i wouldnt worry too much. And if still in doubt, have them authenticated at a small fee - might not be more expensive than the money you lose when putting them up for resale. xox j.

Thanks Jana. I have been a long time buyer on VC and have received numerous non-authentic high end items, like Chanel, Dior and LV bags.
It took me ages and so very much patience to get my money back and lesson learned: I will no longer buy anymore expensive items from VC.
However: there are some sellers I would buy everything from: their items always come with an invoice and they have very good comments.
As to the shoes: The seller is just new on VC. Only sold 6 pairs of Chanel flats and Louboutin heels, brandnew and in different sizes for a price far below the boutique price.
Not a trusted seller and hardly any comments on sold items.
Of course, all alarm bells started ringing, but I decided to give it a try: I can always put them for up for resale..
The shoes arrived a few days ago. The Chanel box does look very used with smudges and is bigger than the regular Chanel shoebox.
Everything is screaming: must be.fake or stolen....But as I said: they look exactly the same as the ones I bought at Chanel. But there's something definitely not right. Very good fakes or stolen...
I will have them authenticitated and will take the box along.
But really: please be very carefull buying from VC and always use PayPal.
And of course: there are so many reliable sellers on VC and you really can find your dream item.
But don't put too much faith in VC Quality Control and certainly not in their customer service and aftercare, which is practically non-existent.

 

[SomethingGoodCanWork]

In my opinion if a price and item is to good to be true then would have thought their was something wrong, but then perhaps if this is a brand new seller she does not know the price. I hope they are authentic for you

Could it be that some sell things that are authentic but "that fell off a truck"? Or have "acquired" items directly from a store they are connected to, that they then are selling?

Directly after I ordered my bracelet the seller put up another bracelet exactly like the one I bought, even using the exact same pics. I contacted both Vestiaire and the seller about this and VC told me what everybody else on this thread have been told when they suspected something was fake, yada yada. The seller claimed she had bought the bracelets during a sale at Balenciaga. She also at the same time that I bought mine, sold another colour Double Tour that once sold, another one exactly like it was listed. Both these new bracelets are still listed.

The authenticators here have deemed my bracelet authentic. I'll have it authenticated again if it actually gets here.

Member profile, btw: https://www.vestiairecollective.com/members/profile-2371496.shtml

 

[Jana123]

Thanks Jana. I have been a long time buyer on VC and have received numerous non-authentic high end items, like Chanel, Dior and LV bags.
It took me ages and so very much patience to get my money back and lesson learned: I will no longer buy anymore expensive items from VC.
However: there are some sellers I would buy everything from: their items always come with an invoice and they have very good comments.
As to the shoes: The seller is just new on VC. Only sold 6 pairs of Chanel flats and Louboutin heels, brandnew and in different sizes for a price far below the boutique price.
Not a trusted seller and hardly any comments on sold items.
Of course, all alarm bells started ringing, but I decided to give it a try: I can always put them for up for resale..
The shoes arrived a few days ago. The Chanel box does look very used with smudges and is bigger than the regular Chanel shoebox.
Everything is screaming: must be.fake or stolen....But as I said: they look exactly the same as the ones I bought at Chanel. But there's something definitely not right. Very good fakes or stolen...
I will have them authenticitated and will take the box along.
But really: please be very carefull buying from VC and always use PayPal.
And of course: there are so many reliable sellers on VC and you really can find your dream item.
But don't put too much faith in VC Quality Control and certainly not in their customer service and aftercare, which is practically non-existent.

So true. And yes, I also use paypal every single time. Knock on wood - so far they always took back the items when they didn't match the description and I never had to open a PayPal case. But I think it would have been different hadn't I used PayPal. The seller of your shoes does sound fishy to me after what you wrote. Let us know how your authentication went! Fingers crossed for you.

 

[doni]

This is very worrying.

I sell and sometimes buy in VC. With all the horror stories in eBay and so, I find the process easy enough to compensate the commission. We always knew they were not full proofed in terms of authentification, but of late it seems to become worse and worse as they become bigger without stepping up their game. Also, they seem to have NO quality control whatsoever for listings!

I contacted them regarding this listing. It called my attention because I had never seen this bag (a friend’s favorite) in gray. A google search couldn’t find the model in this color with the exception of fake-selling sites. I left a comment and the seller did not respond. VC wrote they are looking into it but no follow up....



There is also the Bal First for which several people have commented is fake (again no response from seller) and there it is...

Maybe if we start pointing the finger here in TPF they would start to react?

 

[doni]

This is the First. Several people contested authenticity, the seller doesn’t respond and the bag is there since months...

 

[SomethingGoodCanWork]

This is the First. Several people contested authenticity, the seller doesn’t respond and the bag is there since months...

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It's a general problem I think, even with consigment stores. viteenvogue.com, a German consignment store, recently had a blue fake Balenciaga Classic City listed for months (around 700 EUR.). Despite me and another tPF:er (both of us former customers of Vite EnVogue) sending them e-mails about it. I think it finally was sold to some unsuspecting poor customer. The bag looked real enough in the pics but from the interior details it was blatantly obviously fake even to a non-expert like myself.

Another European consignment store that specialises in Hèrmes and boasts of its in-house experts, sold a black Balenciaga Classic City from 2004 (C plate), a holy grail. Problem was it had the double open interior pockets, that Bal only added in 2012, i e very fake.

It's all pretty disheartening when looking for oldies. I honestly would have had no clue about most of this if it wasn't for the authenticators at tPF. They're invaluable