Vestiaire Collective experiences?

[Annie J]

She actually lectured me that she would do me a favour by buying them, I then replied that if I want to give them away, I certainly will consider friends or a charity shop, but not going through the trouble of listing them on VC.

Oh there is totally something about low priced listed items, before I went into personal PR, I did a lot for blue chip companies, with one very well known and rather high end car manufacturer there was a slight issue with an high end car not selling as well as expected, actually lagging behind when they usually had waiting lists, I did suggest to rebrand and market for more, they did a few minimal changes, just to justify giving it another name and charged 1/4th more, and people actually had to go on the waiting list, again, to get the car...

I think most of the resale sites concentrate on a quick turn over and think they are attracting a new clientel, when in fact they are not, the people who can afford them will not sell with them as there is too little return and also not buy because it is a bit of a turn off if the item you paid a lot of money for is available for anyone cheaply, it diminished the value of a brand, which in the end isn't good for the site as well...

Yes, I think there’s a distinct possibility the bottom could fall out of the resale market if prices go too low, for those reasons. While I think we have to be realistic that pre-owned has already lost quite a lot of value even if NWT, and to recognise that the less amenable buying experience makes a lower price reasonable (the risk taken by the buyer that the item isn’t in condition hoped, doesn’t fit etc, and they can’t return to a private seller unless it’s SNAD etc), we do seem to be listing very low. Trouble is unless all the resale businesses decide at the same time to price higher to test the market, or unless one of them becomes so much more trusted than the others for QC that it can price higher, I doubt we’ll see a positive change.

I suppose if it all goes pear-shaped we might take a step further on the road to less consumption generally. Resale might be superficially ecological but in reality it’s probably only feeding the primary retail market when we all feel we can shop more because we think we can get some of the money back by reselling, which is the point which is in tension with yours about it being a turn off to see what you’ve paid a fortune for being widely available for so much less. I’m feeling guiltier and guiltier about the environmental impact of my consumption and reselling. I’ve been working on it but still too easily tempted to justify buying just one more thing ...

 

[Gabs007]

Yes, I think there’s a distinct possibility the bottom could fall out of the resale market if prices go too low, for those reasons. While I think we have to be realistic that pre-owned has already lost quite a lot of value even if NWT, and to recognise that the less amenable buying experience makes a lower price reasonable (the risk taken by the buyer that the item isn’t in condition hoped, doesn’t fit etc, and they can’t return to a private seller unless it’s SNAD etc), we do seem to be listing very low. Trouble is unless all the resale businesses decide at the same time to price higher to test the market, or unless one of them becomes so much more trusted than the others for QC that it can price higher, I doubt we’ll see a change.

I suppose if it all goes pear-shaped we might take a step further on the road to less consumption generally. Resale might be superficially ecological but in reality it’s probably only feeding the primary retail market when we all feel we can shop more because we think we can get some of the money back by reselling, which is the point which is in tension with yours about it being a turn off to see what you’ve paid a fortune for being widely available for so much less. I’m feeling guiltier and guiltier about the environmental impact of my consumption and reselling. I’ve been working on it but still too easily tempted to justify buying just one more thing ...

Gosh, my retail therapy possibly costs less than real therapy, and the thing is, if you can afford to buy in shops for the price, you really do not need to resell, I don't mind a gently used item, as I am planning to use it too so it won't stay pristine, nor do I plan to have a shrine and only take it out to show off, for about 1/4th to 1/3rd of the price, I am cool with buying.

I really do not see it as a massive risk, I mean it is something you use disposable income for, after all we are talking luxury and not necessity, and if that 2nd hand item really is such a risk, maybe people need to prioritize and spend their money on essentials and not luxury goods, or wait a bit longer and then buy straight from the manufacturer.

Nobody is going to die because they do not have a designer item they want, it's been a few years until I could afford them, and it was never a priority, mortgage and before that rent was a priority, it is a want, not a need, I am happy to buy 2nd hand for a reasonable price, but again, I am always aware it is a luxury and I do not expect to get a high end item for the price of a chain store item. I honestly think some people have totally strange ideas about what is important and what is a disaster. Not being able to afford an "it" item is really not a disaster, not being able to pay your bills, that is one

 

[Annie J]

Gosh, my retail therapy possibly costs less than real therapy, and the thing is, if you can afford to buy in shops for the price, you really do not need to resell, I don't mind a gently used item, as I am planning to use it too so it won't stay pristine, nor do I plan to have a shrine and only take it out to show off, for about 1/4th to 1/3rd of the price, I am cool with buying.

I really do not see it as a massive risk, I mean it is something you use disposable income for, after all we are talking luxury and not necessity, and if that 2nd hand item really is such a risk, maybe people need to prioritize and spend their money on essentials and not luxury goods, or wait a bit longer and then buy straight from the manufacturer.

Nobody is going to die because they do not have a designer item they want, it's been a few years until I could afford them, and it was never a priority, mortgage and before that rent was a priority, it is a want, not a need, I am happy to buy 2nd hand for a reasonable price, but again, I am always aware it is a luxury and I do not expect to get a high end item for the price of a chain store item. I honestly think some people have totally strange ideas about what is important and what is a disaster. Not being able to afford an "it" item is really not a disaster, not being able to pay your bills, that is one

It’s simply the fact that it is luxury, not necessity, that makes me feel guilty, because of environmental impact. I don’t worry about affordability, I wouldn’t buy in the first place if I did, but also my other half and I don’t see 100% eye to eye on what these things are worth! He just thinks the things I buy are crazy and he can’t see what I see in them, and I know I don’t need any of it. But we pool our resources, so the reselling of what I’ve bought new is my gesture towards respecting the difference in our views, some proceeds go to charity, and if it doesn’t go for a reasonable price, the item goes directly to charity anyway. And it keeps my wardrobe from bursting. The reselling is also part of my nod to recycling, though I increasingly see it as a very superficial solution to that problem, and, worse, quite possibly a net contributor to it. So really what I mean about the guilt is just that none of this is necessary, by definition, and I get increasingly uncomfortable about contributing to environmental pollution.

Probably getting off topic here for the thread!

 

[Gabs007]

It’s simply the fact that it is luxury, not necessity, that makes me feel guilty, because of environmental impact. I don’t worry about affordability, I wouldn’t buy in the first place if I did, but also my other half and I don’t see 100% eye to eye on what these things are worth! He just thinks the things I buy are crazy and he can’t see what I see in them, and I know I don’t need any of it. But we pool our resources, so the reselling of what I’ve bought new is my gesture towards respecting the difference in our views, some proceeds go to charity, and if it doesn’t go for a reasonable price, the item goes directly to charity anyway. And it keeps my wardrobe from bursting. The reselling is also part of my nod to recycling, though I increasingly see it as a very superficial solution to that problem, and, worse, quite possibly a net contributor to it. So really what I mean about the guilt is just that none of this is necessary, by definition, and I get increasingly uncomfortable about contributing to environmental pollution.

Probably getting off topic here for the thread!

Tbh I think the high end items are much less a strain on the environment than the fast food plastic stuff that goes as fast fashion.

If it comes to what is necessary, that would be just food and a roof over the head and medical service, which for some people actually is a luxury, so I happily donate most of the resale value to charities, still does not mean an entitled brad should get it because she wants it.

Personally I happy to pay more for handcrafted items with durability and gravitate to the brands that offer it, some things like evening wear for events is due to the job and can only be worn once or twice, so instead of letting it gather dust, somebody can have the item for the price of a chain store item and feel great, win win for everybody, if they dont want it, there are so many charities happy to have them....

 

[Annie J]

Tbh I think the high end items are much less a strain on the environment than the fast food plastic stuff that goes as fast fashion.

If it comes to what is necessary, that would be just food and a roof over the head and medical service, which for some people actually is a luxury, so I happily donate most of the resale value to charities, still does not mean an entitled brad should get it because she wants it.

Personally I happy to pay more for handcrafted items with durability and gravitate to the brands that offer it, some things like evening wear for events is due to the job and can only be worn once or twice, so instead of letting it gather dust, somebody can have the item for the price of a chain store item and feel great, win win for everybody, if they dont want it, there are so many charities happy to have them....

Yep, I wasn’t really connecting it with the issue of silly low offers from buyers. I agree that the quality market is possibly not as much of a strain on the environment, as long as we make sure that inbuilt longevity is actually used, and not just discarded anyway because we can afford to. So to that extent, yes, less of a problem, and if we ensure extended use by resale or donation, that helps. Fast ‘disposable’ poor-quality fashion has been a horrendous environmental development. It’s not only the lifespan of the product though, with quality or fast fashion, it’s all the shipping involved, all those additional journeys and associated pollution, which is the same whatever the product, unless buying the higher quality of product pre-owned translates to a few bits of disposable fast fashion not being bought. I’m probably moving closer to thinking I should just exclusively locally donate my stuff rather than add pollution miles on by reselling. I’m not trying to claim any moral high ground or anything, I’m a terrible compulsive shopper. I’m aiming for a happy medium and to reduce my self-indulgence in the first place. If you need things for work, that’s another matter, it’s not self-indulgence; and we all like some luxury in our lives. I’m just feeling more guilty as I continue about how much luxury I have allowed myself!

 

[Gabs007]

Yep, I wasn’t really connecting it with the issue of silly low offers from buyers. I agree that the quality market is possibly not as much of a strain on the environment, as long as we make sure that inbuilt longevity is actually used, and not just discarded anyway because we can afford to. So to that extent, yes, less of a problem, and if we ensure extended use by resale or donation, that helps. Fast ‘disposable’ poor-quality fashion has been a horrendous environmental development. It’s not only the lifespan of the product though, with quality or fast fashion, it’s all the shipping involved, all those additional journeys and associated pollution, which is the same whatever the product, unless buying the higher quality of product pre-owned translates to a few bits of disposable fast fashion not being bought. I’m probably moving closer to thinking I should just exclusively locally donate my stuff rather than add pollution miles on by reselling. I’m not trying to claim any moral high ground or anything, I’m a terrible compulsive shopper. I’m aiming for a happy medium and to reduce my self-indulgence in the first place. If you need things for work, that’s another matter, it’s not self-indulgence; and we all like some luxury in our lives. I’m just feeling more guilty as I continue about how much luxury I have allowed myself!

Oh don't get me wrong, a lot of things were self-indulgent "wants" that I simply wanted, then possibly used once or twice, or I had the nutty idea (again) that I might be moving away from my usual black outfits, and bought pastels, and they end up being worn once or twice. I am currently debating a Ferragamo bag that I truly love and I adore about everything on it, but I have only used it maybe 3 times in 2 years as the mint coloured suede is just a tad too sensitive, doesn't go with most of my shoes and belts, and the size is a bit small. Would love to pass it on to somebody and tbh if I knew the person loves it and uses it, would be happy with a really small price, but again, if I list it for a low price, it will attract the wrong people who try to knock it even further down...

The work stuff, well, some of the evening gowns are amazing, but in all honesty, when do I privately attend a red carpet event? I much rather stay at home and put my feet up, most people think that wearing gowns as work wear sounds glamorous, but I am not there to have fun or rub shoulders but move in when a client is cornered and pestered, carefully usher him or her away and pour coffee down their throats if they had a shandy too much and are a bit too talkative... I always joke that on those occasions, I am a very well dressed, glamourized baby sitter

 

[Annie J]

Oh don't get me wrong, a lot of things were self-indulgent "wants" that I simply wanted, then possibly used once or twice, or I had the nutty idea (again) that I might be moving away from my usual black outfits, and bought pastels, and they end up being worn once or twice. I am currently debating a Ferragamo bag that I truly love and I adore about everything on it, but I have only used it maybe 3 times in 2 years as the mint coloured suede is just a tad too sensitive, doesn't go with most of my shoes and belts, and the size is a bit small. Would love to pass it on to somebody and tbh if I knew the person loves it and uses it, would be happy with a really small price, but again, if I list it for a low price, it will attract the wrong people who try to knock it even further down...

The work stuff, well, some of the evening gowns are amazing, but in all honesty, when do I privately attend a red carpet event? I much rather stay at home and put my feet up, most people think that wearing gowns as work wear sounds glamorous, but I am not there to have fun or rub shoulders but move in when a client is cornered and pestered, carefully usher him or her away and pour coffee down their throats if they had a shandy too much and are a bit too talkative... I always joke that on those occasions, I am a very well dressed, glamourized baby sitter

Lol! I can imagine!

 

[Gigi1]

Ok so follow up on my purchase it’s not happy this time. I still haven’t heard any updates 10 days later. And I see that VC sent reminder to the seller on the 6th . And I know that the seller active I submitted an offer and the seller responded with 1% discount but responded so it means aware of my purchase. Not sure what to do at this point. .. My purchases before always shipped right away. I don’t understand why you sell if you don’t want to ship. And that’s what I don’t like about VC , opposite to EBay. You can communicate with the seller and you can cancel the order if it’s not shipped within promised window.
It’s not an expensive item this time I purchased, but it makes me wonder if I want to purchase something expensive here again and then wait forever to get it or even longer to get refunded.

 

[Gigi1]

I guess I misjudged too fast . I did sent a message and seller responded right away that it was shipped 3 days ago. So it looks like is going to be another happy purchase

 

[Annie J]

Ok so follow up on my purchase it’s not happy this time. I still haven’t heard any updates 10 days later. And I see that VC sent reminder to the seller on the 6th . And I know that the seller active I submitted an offer and the seller responded with 1% discount but responded so it means aware of my purchase. Not sure what to do at this point. .. My purchases before always shipped right away. I don’t understand why you sell if you don’t want to ship. And that’s what I don’t like about VC , opposite to EBay. You can communicate with the seller and you can cancel the order if it’s not shipped within promised window.
It’s not an expensive item this time I purchased, but it makes me wonder if I want to purchase something expensive here again and then wait forever to get it or even longer to get refunded.

Sometimes lines get a bit crossed in the seller shipping/reminders process. If the seller doesn’t get offered the express option with DHL, or doesn’t choose it when offered a choice of express or post office to ship to Vestiaire, tracking can be limited and the journey to Vestiaire can be a little slower with Post Office/Collissimo service. So I think the seller can receive a shipping reminder (and the buyer notified of that as you know) even after they’ve shipped. (The different labels are offered at different price levels, and availability also differs by the country the seller is shipping from). There’s an option to tap on ‘I have already sent the product’ on the sale tracking page but I expect some people forget to tap it and it’s a bit of a blunt tool anyway. So 10 days isn’t very long in the context. Additionally at the moment there seem to be some minor delays in acknowledging their receipt of items when they have actually been delivered; this seems to be happening because of increased sales volume following the commission/price drops. I’ve seen DHL tracking confirming receipt of my items, but recently it’s sometimes been 3 or 4 days before I get the acknowledgment from Vestiaire. I hope they get on top of this soon with additional staff if it continues. QC is taking a bit longer than usual at the moment too.

The safety net is that one knows before buying what the maximum time allowed for the seller to ship is, and cancellation and refund is automatic if they don’t. I think the explanation for selling but not shipping when it does really happen is that some bad sellers use the maximum time allowed to see if the item sells higher elsewhere, before shipping at the last possible moment (also some listings and accounts are probably inactive; not in your case, as you say, as the seller responded before purchase).

I hope that as part of their tidying up of the process they will both start to delete inactive accounts and make the time allowed for shipping a bit shorter at least, much better for buyers, not a problem for me as a seller. If they do, they will need to allow for sellers to make it clear before the point of purchase if they are on holiday and thus allow some extra leeway. There is an option for sellers to put a status message up/indicate temporary unavailability already, but it’s rather unclear to me that buyers will actually see it; it needs better integration, but that leeway is needed when you’re a private seller and not a business. I think they’ve had the long window so far to allow for that, but it would be better if it was a shorter window in the main with extension available for temporary occasional unavailability. I have received shipping reminders for my sold items when I have made it clear in advance of any sales that I’m temporarily unavailable and what the earliest shipping date I will be able to do is. The buyer gets told I’ve been reminded but not that I’ve declared temporary unavailability up front, I believe, and if they didn’t notice that when they ordered, it makes me look bad. The only way to avoid this, if it’s not included in the system, is to remove all one’s listings and resubmit them when back from holiday, and there’s no guarantee they will be accepted again or accepted at the same selling price, so it’s not very realistic to do that.

There’s a new ‘Contact the seller’ which has recently appeared on the app, in addition to the ‘Chat’ messages option. I’m not clear how the two options differ at the moment.

I guess I misjudged too fast . I did sent a message and seller responded right away that it was shipped 3 days ago. So it looks like is going to be another happy purchase

That’s good news! Hope it reaches you soon.

 

[Annie J]

Oh don't get me wrong, a lot of things were self-indulgent "wants" that I simply wanted, then possibly used once or twice, or I had the nutty idea (again) that I might be moving away from my usual black outfits, and bought pastels, and they end up being worn once or twice. I am currently debating a Ferragamo bag that I truly love and I adore about everything on it, but I have only used it maybe 3 times in 2 years as the mint coloured suede is just a tad too sensitive, doesn't go with most of my shoes and belts, and the size is a bit small.

That’s funny about the pastels! Every so often I think I’ll buy a red dress or a red and white ensemble that I am drawn to. It never works. Back to black!

 

[Gabs007]

I guess I misjudged too fast . I did sent a message and seller responded right away that it was shipped 3 days ago. So it looks like is going to be another happy purchase

I think the system has a few glitches, I recently saw comments only when I logged in and checked my profile, also lately I always marked items as sent, next time I logged in, the "send us your item" popped up again....

That’s funny about the pastels! Every so often I think I’ll buy a red dress or a red and white ensemble that I am drawn to. It never works. Back to black!

I'm the same, I love pastels but they do not work for me, I do wear khakis and the odd blue or green (only warm greens though) sweater or t-shirt privately, but for the working wardrobe, just doesn't work, black and dark greys seem to be the best, if I need colour, I wear a scarf

 

[Gigi1]

Sometimes lines get a bit crossed in the seller shipping/reminders process. If the seller doesn’t get offered the express option with DHL, or doesn’t choose it when offered a choice of express or post office to ship to Vestiaire, tracking can be limited and the journey to Vestiaire can be a little slower with Post Office/Collissimo service. So I think the seller can receive a shipping reminder (and the buyer notified of that as you know) even after they’ve shipped. (The different labels are offered at different price levels, and availability also differs by the country the seller is shipping from). There’s an option to tap on ‘I have already sent the product’ on the sale tracking page but I expect some people forget to tap it and it’s a bit of a blunt tool anyway. So 10 days isn’t very long in the context. Additionally at the moment there seem to be some minor delays in acknowledging their receipt of items when they have actually been delivered; this seems to be happening because of increased sales volume following the commission/price drops. I’ve seen DHL tracking confirming receipt of my items, but recently it’s sometimes been 3 or 4 days before I get the acknowledgment from Vestiaire. I hope they get on top of this soon with additional staff if it continues. QC is taking a bit longer than usual at the moment too.

The safety net is that one knows before buying what the maximum time allowed for the seller to ship is, and cancellation and refund is automatic if they don’t. I think the explanation for selling but not shipping when it does really happen is that some bad sellers use the maximum time allowed to see if the item sells higher elsewhere, before shipping at the last possible moment (also some listings and accounts are probably inactive; not in your case, as you say, as the seller responded before purchase).

I hope that as part of their tidying up of the process they will both start to delete inactive accounts and make the time allowed for shipping a bit shorter at least, much better for buyers, not a problem for me as a seller. If they do, they will need to allow for sellers to make it clear before the point of purchase if they are on holiday and thus allow some extra leeway. There is an option for sellers to put a status message up/indicate temporary unavailability already, but it’s rather unclear to me that buyers will actually see it; it needs better integration, but that leeway is needed when you’re a private seller and not a business. I think they’ve had the long window so far to allow for that, but it would be better if it was a shorter window in the main with extension available for temporary occasional unavailability. I have received shipping reminders for my sold items when I have made it clear in advance of any sales that I’m temporarily unavailable and what the earliest shipping date I will be able to do is. The buyer gets told I’ve been reminded but not that I’ve declared temporary unavailability up front, I believe, and if they didn’t notice that when they ordered, it makes me look bad. The only way to avoid this, if it’s not included in the system, is to remove all one’s listings and resubmit them when back from holiday, and there’s no guarantee they will be accepted again or accepted at the same selling price, so it’s not very realistic to do that.

There’s a new ‘Contact the seller’ which has recently appeared on the app, in addition to the ‘Chat’ messages option. I’m not clear how the two options differ at the moment.



That’s good news! Hope it reaches you soon.

I think the system has a few glitches, I recently saw comments only when I logged in and checked my profile, also lately I always marked items as sent, next time I logged in, the "send us your item" popped up again....



I'm the same, I love pastels but they do not work for me, I do wear khakis and the odd blue or green (only warm greens though) sweater or t-shirt privately, but for the working wardrobe, just doesn't work, black and dark greys seem to be the best, if I need colour, I wear a scarf

Sometimes lines get a bit crossed in the seller shipping/reminders process. If the seller doesn’t get offered the express option with DHL, or doesn’t choose it when offered a choice of express or post office to ship to Vestiaire, tracking can be limited and the journey to Vestiaire can be a little slower with Post Office/Collissimo service. So I think the seller can receive a shipping reminder (and the buyer notified of that as you know) even after they’ve shipped. (The different labels are offered at different price levels, and availability also differs by the country the seller is shipping from). There’s an option to tap on ‘I have already sent the product’ on the sale tracking page but I expect some people forget to tap it and it’s a bit of a blunt tool anyway. So 10 days isn’t very long in the context. Additionally at the moment there seem to be some minor delays in acknowledging their receipt of items when they have actually been delivered; this seems to be happening because of increased sales volume following the commission/price drops. I’ve seen DHL tracking confirming receipt of my items, but recently it’s sometimes been 3 or 4 days before I get the acknowledgment from Vestiaire. I hope they get on top of this soon with additional staff if it continues. QC is taking a bit longer than usual at the moment too.

The safety net is that one knows before buying what the maximum time allowed for the seller to ship is, and cancellation and refund is automatic if they don’t. I think the explanation for selling but not shipping when it does really happen is that some bad sellers use the maximum time allowed to see if the item sells higher elsewhere, before shipping at the last possible moment (also some listings and accounts are probably inactive; not in your case, as you say, as the seller responded before purchase).

I hope that as part of their tidying up of the process they will both start to delete inactive accounts and make the time allowed for shipping a bit shorter at least, much better for buyers, not a problem for me as a seller. If they do, they will need to allow for sellers to make it clear before the point of purchase if they are on holiday and thus allow some extra leeway. There is an option for sellers to put a status message up/indicate temporary unavailability already, but it’s rather unclear to me that buyers will actually see it; it needs better integration, but that leeway is needed when you’re a private seller and not a business. I think they’ve had the long window so far to allow for that, but it would be better if it was a shorter window in the main with extension available for temporary occasional unavailability. I have received shipping reminders for my sold items when I have made it clear in advance of any sales that I’m temporarily unavailable and what the earliest shipping date I will be able to do is. The buyer gets told I’ve been reminded but not that I’ve declared temporary unavailability up front, I believe, and if they didn’t notice that when they ordered, it makes me look bad. The only way to avoid this, if it’s not included in the system, is to remove all one’s listings and resubmit them when back from holiday, and there’s no guarantee they will be accepted again or accepted at the same selling price, so it’s not very realistic to do that.

There’s a new ‘Contact the seller’ which has recently appeared on the app, in addition to the ‘Chat’ messages option. I’m not clear how the two options differ at the moment.



That’s good news! Hope it reaches you soon.

Thank you so much @Annie J for such detailed explanation
I believe so too that it’s going to be another great transaction
So far , I am really happy shopping on VC .

 

[Gabs007]

Thank you so much @Annie J for such detailed explanation
I believe so too that it’s going to be another great transaction
So far , I am really happy shopping on VC .

Tbh as a buyer I had much better experiences than as a seller, there was the odd thing where a seller got remorse, once I think they simply forgot that they had the item online and it wasn't sent but I was refunded, once something slipped through but also was resolved after a bit of back and forth, as a seller, I am a lot less happy, you had a choice how you sent it, that is gone now and I think the software has bugs, some of the people seem to be super zealous and try to find flaws, as I said, bought a skirt and they made it appear like a massive flaw and offered me a reduction, when I got it, seriously, you had to search and it was hardly noticeable even with knowing about it, I actually did write to them and said I am so happy and would have bought it in the condition as it was advertised and asked to be put in touch with the seller as I think the price was a rip off, but only got the usual pre-formulated emails...

But yes, the whole shipping process has become a bit less transparent

 

[Annie J]

you had a choice how you sent it, that is gone now

They’re still offering DHL for items over £85, if you phone and ask them for the label, and it’s only DHL over £150. I can see why they’ve stopped offering it below £85, it must have been disproportionately expensive; I always did wonder, much though I prefer DHL for convenience.