Attention all EBay shoppers: Wait! Before you bid or BUY IT NOW on that gorgeous designer handbag you've been eyeing all night...
1. Which country is that gorgeous designer handbag located in?
In this international web world, not all sellers are from your country. In the United States, where I live, if I purchase a designer handbag that costs more than $2500 U.S. Dollars and it is coming from outside of the United States, I have to pay an additional import tax (in addition to the amount you pay for your designer handbag on ebay). Yes, that means that you will need to pay an import tax before U.S. Customs can release your precious handbag to the mail carrier.
I didn't realize this and bought one of my CHANEL mini-square flap bags from an awesome seller (Sloane Square Boutique, located in London, UK). A couple of days later, I got an email stating that I needed to call New Jersey at the U.S. Customs and Border Control to give them my Social Security number (Whaaa?!!!) and pay an import tax or else my CHANEL bag would sit in customs for the next 7 days, then if not paid, will be returned to the UK to the seller. Being cautious to give my Social Security number to anyone, I contacted the seller, Joanna Cesarz, with my concerns about giving out my Social Security number. Since she realized I did not know about this required import tax, she quickly called U.S. Customs to confirm that it was indeed a REAL U.S. Customs and not a scam.
I am SO thankful that Sloane Square Boutique did all this verification for me because I didn't know what to do. Happy ending: my CHANEL mini-square flap arrived after I paid $105 import tax and gave the border agent in New Jersey my social security number over the phone.
So always ask or look to see where that handbag is located if you want to avoid paying an import tax.
2. Does the seller offer Returns?
If you decide you are not happy with your investment designer handbag, is she possible to return.
3. Does she come from a smoke-free home? Is there any fragrance or perfume or odors?
My first Kate Spade tote from ebay arrived on my doorstep back in 2003. I brought her inside my house and immediately smelled cigarette smoke seeping out of the box she came in. I never asked if the bag came from a smoke-free home.
I hung her outside in the crisp breezy nature air for days and the smell never went away. She was beautiful but I never used her and didn't feel that I should sell her since no one would want a bag that smelled this strong of cigarette smoke.
Perfumes are often transferred onto a bag by their seller unintentionally or intentionally. If perfumes or food odors bother you, ask the seller how strong of an scent or odor it is. Be mindful that a seller that describes a "mild perfume odor" might be very strong to you.
4. What time and day of the week is it? and is it a holiday?
I want to hold that designer bag.. like yesterday; I just don't want to wait! So, to avoid the agony of waiting, don't buy your designer handbag on a Friday night just before a 3-day long weekend (ex. Memorial Day, Labor Day, Christmas, etc..) because the seller will still need to package her up with care, mail her, and then depending on the holiday schedule, she may be delayed. I find that the best days to buy designer handbags and to receive them QUICKLY is to buy them on a Sunday night so that the seller has a chance to mail her to you the next day (unless it is a holiday and Monday the U.S. Post Office is closed).
Finding your newest awesome designer handbag to add to your collection on ebay is totally possible and actually fun...if you ask the right questions.
As always, Look with Intention
XO, Jen