| Sharlene Rollins | | | | third party which will ensure payment and receipt of |
| There are multitudes of ways to purchase used | | | | product from both parties. Do not use Western Union |
| clothing for your baby. In this article I will cover only the | | | | in any online transactions, or any other non traceable |
| online options available in the hopes that it will help you | | | | forms of payment! There is no guarantee you'll ever |
| to maximize your spending money with the least | | | | get the items you paid for when you use this method |
| amount of hassle, stress or risk. I hope to cover some | | | | as it is meant to be untraceable! |
| of the key issues of buying used clothes online such | | | | So now let's discuss the second option of buying used |
| as private sales versus online stores, the use of | | | | baby clothes online -- the non private sellers or online |
| PayPal and other forms of payment, purchasing | | | | used baby clothing stores. There are over 50 stores |
| through ebay and non-ebay auctions or non-auctions | | | | currently running online who specialize in selling used |
| alike, online classifieds and more all in the hopes that | | | | baby clothing. As with all things online there are stores |
| you will benefit from some of the things I've learned | | | | which are shabbily run due to poor web design skills |
| and avoid the mistakes that I as well as others have | | | | and such to no fault on the part of the store, they just |
| made. | | | | don't have the skills to make the process simple and |
| | | | enjoyable for you. They have great items and |
| Baby clothing on ebay tends to be mostly new with or | | | | competitive prices and if you don't mind a little extra |
| without tags attached and is either sold in batches of | | | | effort when placing an order they do have more |
| items known as "lots" (grouped by gender and size) or | | | | security than the average private seller -- especially |
| individually as outfits. Since I am focusing on used baby | | | | since you know where they are going to be when you |
| items let's discuss those. Batches of baby clothing on | | | | need them. There are a handful of sites which are a |
| ebay tend to get bid very high as there is a seemingly | | | | little better for service - for example you do not need |
| large number of people wanting to buy in this way and | | | | to email them detailed descriptions of the items you'd |
| very few meeting the demand. I have found that items | | | | like, mail them a money order or some such and then |
| and batches of clothing of any note on ebay tend to | | | | wait for them to receive it before they even send you |
| sky rocket in price above what is reasonable for used | | | | the items these sites often have PayPal as an option |
| clothing -- particularly if they toss in a few name | | | | and some even have shopping carts if a little confusing |
| brands such as Gap, Osh Kosh, Gymboree etc... and | | | | to use. There are an even smaller number of high |
| more often than not a bidding war ensues and you are | | | | service sights who offer credit card payment options, |
| inevitably outbid or worse you get caught up and | | | | low shipping costs and things similar to those offered |
| spend more than you'd originally expected for items | | | | by online stores in general. Quite a few of all three |
| you haven't even seen and have no quality guarantee! | | | | levels of sites have quality guarantees for a week or |
| Auction and classified or selling sites other than ebay | | | | so after you've received your order -- one even |
| can be very chancy -- since ebay is established it has | | | | offers a full year quality guarantee! This ensures that |
| the ability to set down rules which keep most | | | | the items you buy from them have been inspected |
| dishonest people out while the smaller sights haven't | | | | thoroughly by people who have a more universal |
| the same pull with those posting. Quite often these | | | | understanding of the words "in great condition" and it is |
| sites (this doesn't really apply to local purchasing) are | | | | in their best interest to satisfy as they ideally would like |
| riddled with people who are no longer allowed to post | | | | you to come back and tell others! Shopping with these |
| on ebay for one reason or another. I have had | | | | stores can be fun and you can save tons while getting |
| experiences myself in which items promised ended up | | | | the quality you are looking for! |
| being fewer than what I'd paid for and set a price | | | | Should you choose the more dangerous route of |
| based entirely on quantity! I can't tell you how upset | | | | shopping through private sellers with ebay and non |
| that made me, and what was worse -- I was informed | | | | ebay sites please take care and remember to never |
| that three of the items had small stains when in truth | | | | use a non traceable form of payment, don't be afraid |
| about 50 fell into the stained category. So what had | | | | to ask numerous questions -- if something seems off |
| originally been a good deal turned out to be very | | | | in their responses trust your gut -- there will always be |
| disappointing! | | | | another seller. Should you choose to explore the option |
| There are of course no guarantees with a private | | | | of purchasing through an online used baby clothing |
| seller, no return policy or customer service after the | | | | store I wish you all the fun of shopping for baby |
| sale is closed and once the sale is complete you must | | | | clothes at bargain prices (doesn't that mean you can |
| find a new seller down the road when you need | | | | buy even more?!) with none of the hassle or risks |
| clothing again and you run the risks of stumbling across | | | | associated with private sellers and the added benfit of |
| a swindle or a sour deal every time. | | | | quality guarantees! Happy Shopping! I will cover more |
| One rule to follow in all private sales is to use a | | | | on this issue in later posts. |
| traceable method of payment like PayPal. PayPal is a | | | | |