Vestiaire Collective experiences?
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I know ...
I have a stock of polite but firm replies to those messages ready, because if you just ignore them you start losing your rating.
Some people can be hysterically rude in the comments. Does a buyer really think I’m going to drop the price of, say, a perfect item which cost me £500, and I’m already selling it for £200, just because they post a series of messages just saying ‘50’ ... ‘45’ ... ‘Drop your price’ ... literally just those words?!‘I’ll take it for 60’ ... No, I’m afraid you won’t!
If it doesn’t sell for a reasonable amount, it’s going to the charity shop. I want to be a decent seller. I’m not going to be rude in reply, but, honestly ... !
Most people are decent though. I’ve made a lot of good sales and a lot of good purchases. VC has removed the odd offensive and unwarranted comment by rude buyers for me, which I think is only fair.
I sometimes get a bit sarcastic, somebody offered me 30 for Prada python pumps and kept on pestering me, I was polite for about 5 replies, then I went "Sorry, but they are Prada and not plastic chain store" - there is a limit to my patience.
Well, I can certainly relate to that, I feel as you do!
I suppose some people think they just might get lucky if they keep on at you, but ... I do wonder why on earth they imagine you’ll just hand over something special for next to nothing. Most buyers are reasonable but some seem to think they’ll be doing you a huge favour by taking something off your hands! My time alone is probably worth more than I’d get after a sale at a silly price after commission - just not worth it, and a completely unrealistic expectation on the part of a buyer. I like to give some of my proceeds to charity - if I get no worthwhile proceeds, I’d prefer to just donate the item directly. Buyers are not a charity! It’s rude to repeatedly hassle someone to sell you something way under its true resale value. We’re only looking to get a fair price, and it’s not easy with the commission.
I’ve actually just removed some items from sale just to put an end to the hassle from a few people. I may or may not relist them later.
I suppose some people think they just might get lucky if they keep on at you, but ... I do wonder why on earth they imagine you’ll just hand over something special for next to nothing. Most buyers are reasonable but some seem to think they’ll be doing you a huge favour by taking something off your hands! My time alone is probably worth more than I’d get after a sale at a silly price after commission - just not worth it, and a completely unrealistic expectation on the part of a buyer. I like to give some of my proceeds to charity - if I get no worthwhile proceeds, I’d prefer to just donate the item directly. Buyers are not a charity! It’s rude to repeatedly hassle someone to sell you something way under its true resale value. We’re only looking to get a fair price, and it’s not easy with the commission.
I’ve actually just removed some items from sale just to put an end to the hassle from a few people. I may or may not relist them later.
I certainly don't expect even 1/3rd of the price as a resale value (even before they take commission) but I just pulled a Lanvin dress from the sales because seriously, people harping at me that I should sell it less than 100, somebody going "I can only afford 100" and I went "Well, then maybe you should buy a brand you can actually afford" after 1001 questions, requests for more pictures (12 pics up from every angle, every detail, label, material label, everything), requesting pictures of it worn...
Other one is one with a handbag, keeps on asking me if it is big or small, I gave her the exact measurements (never mind that they are in the description as well) she keeps on asking, I kept on replying that what I might consider a small bag she might see as a large one, I consider it medium.
I'm not really sure about it, but I get the feeling that the ones who are always asking you to wear or model something (I put it on a tailor dummy so people can see how it falls) are actually just pervy guys who are definitely not looking to buy dresses.
I replied to this question a few posts ago (post number 2313) and I just found the screenshot of the French government page I was talking about, which I’ll try to upload here. At the time of publication (earlier this year, 2018) it says clearly that in France tax is NOT payable on the resale of personal items ... BUT there are a couple of exceptions, for precious metals, jewels, works of art and antiques worth more than €5000. I’m not clear whether that is per item or overall.
My UK accountant checked with his own French office and told me that anyone ‘operating in France’, wherever they live in the world, would be taxable in France for any money made OUTSIDE the terms of the above, and therefore would need to do a French tax return (but I couldn’t get a very clear answer whether selling via Vestiaire Collective counts as ‘operating in France’ or as operating in the country you’re selling from or selling to, or all of them) ...
HOWEVER, on the assumption that we are reselling only our own personal belongings, and they don’t fall into the few exceptions listed above, I was assured that French tax is not payable anyway, and a French declaration/tax return not required, on the resale of personal effects (with the exceptions mentioned above, which don’t affect me or the average VC seller but might affect you if you’re selling a lot of expensive jewellery).
Vestiaire Collective could help a bit by making this clear - the ‘Tax and Social Obligations’ information they get you to click on actually offers no useful information; they seem to be doing the very minimum required on this.
I was also advised by my UK accountant also that I did not have to declare money raised on sales via VC (or elsewhere) on my UK tax return as I was not establishing a trading position, that is, NOT buying IN ORDER TO sell (I’m just recouping some of the value of personal possessions I no longer wish to keep and also am never making a profit by selling higher that I bought). He did advise I should keep receipts and records for my original purchases and of my sales, in case of any future queries from the taxman, so I can demonstrate if required that I am not trading effectively as a business. This might be different in other countries. I believe the situation would also be different if you were a professional seller looking to sell other people’s preowned items via VC or regularly buying specifically in order to sell at a profit (that wouldn’t be easy with VC’s commission!)
I am not an accountant so please don’t take this as a professional opinion, but I was concerned enough myself to consult an accountant, and I hope that information is useful. If anybody out there is a professional accountant and has anything to add or correct, please do!
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I am NOT modelling anything!
I have a dummy too I put things on too - nobody needs more than that. And yes I have had times when the questions have gone on and on and I start to wonder what the real motivation is ...
... Don’t you sometimes wonder, if they can’t read the measurements already there in front of them, will they be able to manage the purchase process?
LOL, I wish that HEWI and VC would notice, I had to buy a Marchesa dress for a red carpet event, really rush job and flying in, a very similar style as Scarlett Johanssen wore just recently to the Met Gala (though I did wear mine a month earlier and wouldn't have worn it after, hence the reason for selling) and they suggest I sell it for 150, mine is not red but from black to white. And in all honesty, for 150, I rather put it in the shredder.
I am NOT modelling anything!
I have a dummy too I put things on too - nobody needs more than that. And yes I have had times when the questions have gone on and on and I start to wonder what the real motivation is ...
... Don’t you sometimes wonder, if they can’t read the measurements already there in front of them, will they be able to manage the purchase process?
I spent good money on that dummy so I could avoid comments that are either nasty or sometimes just downright creepy, I don't grudge any guy his errrr pleasures, but personally, I prefer to not be involved in any way, shape or form...
As for the lady who bought it, I sold that one on Vide, it's not really a total designer item, Russel & Bromley very vintage bag I bought on a whim at a charity auction, hadn't taken it out of the dustbag for 5 years and thought it might be time to let go. She is in France, I am in the UK, due to the size Royal Mail would have been extravagant (I sold it quite cheaply, so spending 30 sending if I get 7.50 for sending seems a bit nuts, so I used a different service that only costs 15, but needed the phone number, the site takes their time, the woman buying didn't quite get that she needs to write it in words because the system censors numbers, and a day after the sale she was bugging me where it is (I was still waiting to book carrier where I need a number of the recipient for) and has been bugging me for the last 5 days, because obviously I can beam the item to a village in France....
Don't you love it if VC comes back with "their team of experts" they might be experts at shopping at H&M but certainly not designer pricing. I think I pull that one, not letting it go for 190, which is their last offer, again, I rather consider donating.
Did you pull the dress? You could try submitting it another day, maybe someone with more sense will be in the office? I have sometimes got much fairer prices through by submitting again at my price, sending an email asking them to reconsider, stating all the sensible reasons for my price — recentness of the piece, sold out everywhere, rarity, quality, celeb red-carpet endorsement, better condition, only worn once, never worn, it’s not comparable to other items from the same designer they already have listed so the price can’t be judged that way, or alternatively they’re trying to list it much lower than other comparable items, I won’t be able to consider offers or even list at all at the price they’ve previously suggested, whatever fits the bill — then phoning customer services and going through the email with them, after which they contacted curation and all of a sudden a far more acceptable price comes back to me. A faff, but sometimes worth it for a special piece.
Seriously, my email was answered with a text block from "Richard" and something about team of experts and this is so much time and effort, oddly enough there is a new company who seems to loan out red carpet dresses, originally they suggested I loan it out, told them not in London and I am not interested, so they bought it straight away and will feature it on their site, apparently they already have several requests. So that worked out. I think they really need to pull up their socks and get staff that knows what they are doing. I predict that sooner or later another company will spring up and VC and Rebelle are going to lose out, then that company will possibly go the way of VC and Rebelle...
Well that’s a great outcome on the dress!
I agree, it shouldn’t be so difficult with VC (never used Rebelle so can’t comment). By and large I’ve found VC useful because not everything I sell is super-high value, but there have been plenty of times I couldn’t accept how it was working. It’s got to be that they prioritise bulk over fair pricing of real quality. You’re probably right, eventually another company doing the same service will pop up, might be fairer to begin with, but will eventually probably go the same way pushing the prices down in favour of quick bulk turnover eventually (despite as we’ve observed here already it looking suspicious when something great is too cheap - but there’s probably only a minority customer base feels like that and they can do well enough out of the broader base which isn’t put off).
I’ve got a gorgeous dress that cost me about £3.5K, and another well over £2K never worn, labels in, fairly recent. Was thinking of selling, but I’ve seen one of each on VC, also new with labels, priced at around £500. That’s not reasonable. So I know I’d have to work hard to get a fairer price. When I’ve insisted on a higher price, I’ve often sold quickly at the higher price, so they do alright on it too.
I do think it’s a lesson to anyone new to VC, not to feel pressured into believing that the ‘curation’ is always fair or expert. VC can be a useful service, and on the whole I worry less about lots of the things that seem to worry other people about them (no problems in my experience on quality, authenticity, description, safe transactions, refunds within the T&Cs etc), but this pricing thing is a problem, and you’ve got to go in with your eyes open.
Brexit is not going to help buyers or sellers in the UK with this situation!
What a great idea about selling to the hire place! That never crossed my mind, I just read about the dress hire thing getting more widespread and going online, and thought heck, and here’s me buying full price! Never occurred to me I might be able to sell to them. Brilliant.
I agree, it shouldn’t be so difficult with VC (never used Rebelle so can’t comment). By and large I’ve found VC useful because not everything I sell is super-high value, but there have been plenty of times I couldn’t accept how it was working. It’s got to be that they prioritise bulk over fair pricing of real quality. You’re probably right, eventually another company doing the same service will pop up, might be fairer to begin with, but will eventually probably go the same way pushing the prices down in favour of quick bulk turnover eventually (despite as we’ve observed here already it looking suspicious when something great is too cheap - but there’s probably only a minority customer base feels like that and they can do well enough out of the broader base which isn’t put off).
I’ve got a gorgeous dress that cost me about £3.5K, and another well over £2K never worn, labels in, fairly recent. Was thinking of selling, but I’ve seen one of each on VC, also new with labels, priced at around £500. That’s not reasonable. So I know I’d have to work hard to get a fairer price. When I’ve insisted on a higher price, I’ve often sold quickly at the higher price, so they do alright on it too.
I do think it’s a lesson to anyone new to VC, not to feel pressured into believing that the ‘curation’ is always fair or expert. VC can be a useful service, and on the whole I worry less about lots of the things that seem to worry other people about them (no problems in my experience on quality, authenticity, description, safe transactions, refunds within the T&Cs etc), but this pricing thing is a problem, and you’ve got to go in with your eyes open.
Brexit is not going to help buyers or sellers in the UK with this situation!
What a great idea about selling to the hire place! That never crossed my mind, I just read about the dress hire thing getting more widespread and going online, and thought heck, and here’s me buying full price! Never occurred to me I might be able to sell to them. Brilliant.
I don't think you have to declare anything! I sell my stuff on VC and I buy stuff off VC too. I live in France but I am no French. Nobody asked me anything about it. VC should be able to attest for you if the taxman does come knocking on the door. The French love their "attestations". LOL