Every buyer on eBay is looking to buy something for a good deal. The nice thing about buying items on eBay is that you can get exactly what you want without going to the store to find it. Plus you can get it for cheaper in a lot of cases. My guide is to help with common questions prior to purchasing clothing items on eBay.

There are three GENERAL categories of listings on eBay for clothing. New with tags (or NWT) is new with a tag attached that may or may not have a price, has been altered, or could be missing some tags. Most sellers will tell you if it’s Brand New with tags which means just that (everything is intact). New without tags (or NWOT) is an item that is new but hasn’t been washed (some sellers confuse this with an almost new item so make sure to ask if you need to be certain). Pre-owned is the third category and some of these items are nearly new, some are very worn…you need to ask if you want to make sure of what you are getting. Some sellers will list Excellent Used Condition (or EUC).

WILL IT SHRINK?

If an item is NWT or NWOT it will most likely shrink if it is Cotton, Rayon, Wool, Cashmere, Lambswool, Mohair (the natural fibers). Man-made fibers like Polyester, Acetate, Acrylic, Polyuerethane, Lycra Spandex, and Nylon won’t shrink. Some brands and labels will be sold as “NEW” but some companies may have already done the “pre-shrinking” for you. Ask if you are uncertain. Blended material items will most likely shrink less…but my motto is: More natural = More shrink.

The first rule of buying clothing items on eBay is to MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR SIZES! You can pick up a flexible measuring tape at a fabric store, or sometimes you can find them at a bargain store. Some sellers will list a tag measurement, but that doesn’t always mean that the actual size is what is listed on the tag.

Ask for actual measurements if they are not listed. This will save you the buyer and the seller a lot of headache later.

Ask for leg width measurements if you have never tried on a certain type of jeans or pants before. The waist and length may work for you, but the leg width may not.

Ask for hip measurements if you are uncertain that the width of the clothing item will work for you.

WHAT DO THE CATEGORY SIZES MEAN?

For Women’s Clothing

A Juniors size means odd sizes: 1,3,5.. etc. (Keep in mind there is juniors in the kids sections too… so watch that you don’t confuse the two)

A Misses size means the even sizes: 0,2,4…etc.

A Plus size usually means a larger width size which could start with 14 or 14W. Sometimes these sizes overlap with the sizes in Juniors and Misses (but ask about width measurements if you are unsure when shopping in these categories).

A Petite size generally means smaller in some area. This could be waist, it could be length, it could be width. It all depends on the item.

Men’s pants and jeans items are generally listed by waist meaurement first then the inseam, for example: 34×29 or 36/30 Some women’s items can be listed this way too!

TODAY’S CLOTHING IS VERY DIVERSIFIED:

Some clothing items purposely have stains, holes, rips, fray and wear. Some sellers are very good at listing this information, and some even have guides on this information. Be prepared for sellers that don’t have this information; as none of us knows everything. If you are unsure of what you are buying, do your research. Ask questions… never stop asking questions!

Ask if there are any stains if you don’t want stains, and the lister has not stated this information.

Ask if there are holes if you don’t want holes, and the lister has not stated this information.

Ask if you need to have a washing machine for the item…items are not always recently washed. Keep in mind some of these items are coming from closets, storage bins, sheds, warehouses, department stores and thrift stores. Some of them are going to stink no matter what a seller does. Some sellers have the time, luxury and pocketbook to wash every item that they sell, some do not. Even a washed item can stink…none of us have the same smelling capacity!!! What may stink to one person may smell like heaven to another!!! Even items that are NWT OR NWOT can come from stinky basements. When I wash an item, the detergent I use is allergen free, so it’s most likely not going to smell good or bad. Do yourself a favor, wash it before you wear it or leave negative feedback. Most smells will come out!

There are a lot of germs and bacteria out there!

You’ll be much safer if you wash all of the items you get prior to use no matter where you get them from!

A FEW MORE TIDBITS:

Ask if the item has been altered or repaired in any way. If you want the item anyway, at least you will know!

Some sellers sell irregular items. Ask if you want to make sure something is not irregular i.e. hems are not straight, and/or sizes are not what they appear to be.

Ask if the item is the “old” version or the “new” version. What I mean by this is that some brands have altered their make over the years and may fit differently than what you expect.

Ask about what the tag looks like if you feel exact brand is important. I understand some sellers list knock-off brands and this can be very irritating to a buyer looking for a specific name brand.

Ask about actual shipping costs if you feel they are too high. Some sellers use UPS, some use USPS and some use other services along with these services that cost them more money than what you may actually see on the package. Shipping is not cheap for anyone!!! Some sellers have the luxury of shipping from their own warehouse, and this saves them money…but most of the time used items do not come from a warehouse. Don’t blame a seller for a high shipping price if you don’t know how the seller came to that price…width and weight are major determining factors for price on most packaging/shipping prices now. Some sellers have to buy lots of ink, tape, paper, packaging materials…etc. Some sellers have to drive to the post office (gas) and wait in line! If a seller offers free shipping, consider the actual price of the item (sometimes it’s well worth it, sometimes it’s not).

I hope this guide can help a few of you buyers out there. Don’t leave negative feedback if you don’t have a legitimate reason to… it’s bad karma and most sellers will try to work it out! Good luck in all of your eBay endeavors…Peace Out!

*Note for bidders on ALL ITEMS on eBay: Read the description of the item or items very carefully. BEWARE of scammers! READ FEEDBACK if you think something looks too good to be true (and the seller should have a decent amount of it)!