Changes to The Marketplace
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Interesting perspectives! How would you guys view your transactions? Are you flippers (buy low and sell for profit), selling items that don’t work (re: sizing, fit, etc.), or other? If other, can you briefly explain your usage?
I use the marketplace as a way to buy grail items that I missed out on and not really a seller. I find all of this fascinating and a great topic of discussion.
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I sell items that don't work for me anymore. Could be sizing, could be lack of use. I have effectively swapped out most of my bottoms that I had from years back to the 888 cut. I dare say it is the perfect cut for my body type. I now have 11 pairs of bottoms in the 888 cut (ugh I have a problem). Anyway, I have moved most of my other cuts along through sales on the forum here.
I buy items from members that are grail items for me or items I missed on initial release. In fact, I picked up a IHV-03 from Clint_D a year or so ago. It was a grail item for me and man I do love that vest. Thanks Clint!
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I now have 11 pairs of bottoms in the 888 cut (ugh I have a problem).
Don’t we all…
The other day @Max Power listed a shirt for sale that I was really interested in…took the kids to the bus stop and by the time I was back, it had been sold.
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I do both. I sell what doesn't work for me personally as well as specifically buying for resale, trying to keep prices reasonable but enough to support my IH habit. Glad you're loving the vest @Bums_Fan! I've tried to bring some people who've messaged me about IH stuff over to the forum from Grailed as well, hoping to grow the community.
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@Clint_D So I’m interpreting your response as you use the buy/sell as a form of supplemental income to support your IH addiction? Why do you sell here vs. EBay or a different platform? I see your response concerning grailed and wonder if it’s the same for EBay?
Do you or have you used other platforms? What works and what doesn’t?
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@Bums_Fan Question for you and all of the frequent users of the buy/sell area. Where else do you list your items for sale? Are there other areas/platforms better for buying and selling than here? Why do you list items here if you don’t list them other places? Do you list items other places that you don’t list here?
These are general questions so I understand the market and options better.
I sometimes sell locally on eBay a. Like platforms but without success. Most people don’t know the brand and have no idea of good denim. I definitely prefer the forum, although shipping and taxes from Switzerland are a bit cumbersome. In addition, it feels like selling to friend here and I have no concerns I get ripped off.
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Per [mention]Bums_Fan [/mention] ‘s original question, I think unfortunately the marketplace sales have dropped off since way before these changes. Seems to me that the bottom has dropped out of the used IH market—used to be UHF was high demand and fetched a good price, and rare flannels would get snapped up in a heartbeat. Now things languish away for months, even after slashing prices. [mention]Clint_D [/mention] May have noticed this difference, as he has threads full of classic gear that nobody is moving on. This holds true across platforms. I usually post items first here, then on eBay and grailed. For at least the past year it feels like stuff I was sure would be quick sales I was dropping prices and bumping threads for months. Some of those things are still in the closet.
As for my personal buying habits, I check the forum, eBay and grailed daily for inexpensive Iron Heart, mostly to add to my own collection, but sometimes with an eye to re-sell and find other purchases. I don’t typically go so far as to buy things I couldn’t/wouldn’t realistically ever wear.
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EBay is really hit or miss. I find that most people I've sold to on eBay aren't quite as familiar with the brand and/or sizing. I've had people gripe about sizing more on eBay than any other platform. As a seller on eBay, if you don't accept a return, you're pretty much going to get screwed into having to accept it or face negative feedback as well as losing money on the deal. EBay has a huge audience and lots of eyes looking at your items but it doesn't always translate into a good experience.
As was mentioned before, selling on here is a much more friendly and familiar deal and most buyers on here are very familiar with what IH is or isn't.
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I understand EBay’s process but know nothing about Grailed. How does the vetting process work for buyers and sellers on that platform? What happens during disputes and who’s ultimately responsible for bad transactions?
Anyone want to share a transaction that went bad and things that you’ve done differently since that happened.
How do you know or feel comfortable with transactions on here? With so many people buying/selling without posts or feedback here, how do you know everything is legitimate?
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I had a bad transaction on Grailed. Fortunately I used PP so they took care of it but in general I stick to the Forum because they know most of the sellers and can search the history of involvement of those I don’t know. Anyone else it’s buyer beware. I would never ask a mod or crew to intervene but I would ask if they know the seller at all so I know whether to give a potentially bad seller the benefit of the doubt or roast them.
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I mostly used the sales section to move stuff that I bought and just didn't quite fit right. Not so much nowadays, as I have a better idea of my sizing and cuts that I prefer, but definitely when I was starting out and it was much easier to drop $150 on a pair of pants, decided it was too tight, and resell for about the same.
I don't really buy specifically for resale, mostly because I'll either get burned and it'll just sit sit sit sit and I'll eventually just take the first offer I get. Other thing is I'll buy it to resell and I'll decide I need to keep it for myself!
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as for sales not going as quickly, I do agree that it is the time of year where people may be less likely to pick up something for themselves as their money is likely already being spent on other things for other people.
Another thing to take into consideration is just that things across the board (utilities, rent, groceries, etc) are all more expensive than they were even this time last year. So unless something is an absolute steal of a deal, or a truly rare never seen piece, it may not move as quickly as it has in the past.
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Per [mention]Bums_Fan [/mention] ‘s original question, I think unfortunately the marketplace sales have dropped off since way before these changes. Seems to me that the bottom has dropped out of the used IH market—used to be UHF was high demand and fetched a good price, and rare flannels would get snapped up in a heartbeat. Now things languish away for months, even after slashing prices. [mention]Clint_D [/mention] May have noticed this difference, as he has threads full of classic gear that nobody is moving on. This holds true across platforms. I usually post items first here, then on eBay and grailed. For at least the past year it feels like stuff I was sure would be quick sales I was dropping prices and bumping threads for months. Some of those things are still in the closet.
As for my personal buying habits, I check the forum, eBay and grailed daily for inexpensive Iron Heart, mostly to add to my own collection, but sometimes with an eye to re-sell and find other purchases. I don’t typically go so far as to buy things I couldn’t/wouldn’t realistically ever wear.
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New thread created to discuss some of the points Ann raised:
https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18550.msg764094#msg764094
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It's just a suggestion but it might also be a good idea to divide the marketplace into two groups (or more if reasonable): Sellers who 1) ship worldwide and 2) only ship to EU/US. This way, it would be much easier to browse the marketplace, waste less time on finding relevant threads and avoid people asking "do you ship to X" despite the thread mentioning clearly that one does not.
