A Few F/W eBay Tips

I don't consider myself an eBay aficionado by any stretch of the imagination.  Some guys just posses a knack for auction wizardry and I am not one of them.  However, I have been buying gear on eBay for a long time so there are a few truths I hold to be self evident.  I'd like to share a few of those with you today.  I'm not going to waste your time talking about sniping services or how to properly low ball sellers.  Instead I'd like to quickly do my best to point you in the right direction of a few F/W staples that are always better on eBay.  What do I mean by better you ask?  In this case, better means cheaper.

Let's start with L.L. Bean boots as they are my favorite thing ever in the history of the world.  When I want a new pair I head straight to eBay.  For starters, there are more Bean boots than you can shake a stick at living on The Bay.  If you are unfamiliar with Bean boots let me tell you right off the bat that the sizing on these babies are very peculiar.  They can often run up to a size and a half too big (depending on your feet of course) and are very wide.  What does this mean for you?  Well, lots of people have bought Bean boots over the years that straight up do not fit.  They also don't take advantage of L.L. Bean's best in class customer service and instead of exchanging them put them up on eBay.  Their loss is your gain.  You can easily find a fresh new pair of Bean boots (in many different styles, both new and vintage) for less than half price.  And if you don't have a problem wearing someone else's used boots (I mean, you're gonna be wearing socks anyway, right?) you can easily grab a pair for like $30 or less.

Shipping costs aside, eBay UK is also a great resource, especially when looking for one of Barbour's many classic styles.  Barbour is practically a lifestyle across the pond, which means a lot of guys are constantly unloading their old jackets.  I know most of you guys probably want to break in your own jacket, but I also realize most of you don't have upwards of 400 bones to drop on a brand new joint.  For all I know your entire clothing budget for F/W is around that much.  I've seen used Barbour's sell in the $30-$180 range depending on the wear/tear and the popularity of the model (i.e. A Beaufort will run you more than a Border).  If you can find a Barbour being hawked by an independent seller (aka some random dude in Northampton), as oppose to a vintage "shop" on eBay, you can easily save around $300 plus dollars.  Buy some wax, put a little effort in on a Sunday afternoon and you've got a great classic jacket for fall.  Happy hunting.

-L.A.S