How are the forum members finding it nowadays? I began to go off it as they began to impose certain restrictions (Paypal) and the American postal charges went up. I found I wasn't buying too much within the UK or even within Europe. More importantly, though, I have begun to want to see and handle everything, to find out as much as possible before buying. Enough of American sellers asking me: Why does it matter? Naturally I'm turning up less, but I'm making fewer mistakes.
Still pretty decent for me, but I'm in the US and the postal charges are still reasonable. I get most of my gear from second-hand shops or the various fora, but eBay remains a good source for the rare items I can't find anywhere else - good quality sweaters (Pringle, A. Paine, McGeorge), suspenders/braces, older 3/2 sack suits (BB, Southwick, Press), and sundry other stuff. That said, I envy the choice of outerwear available on UK eBay - Invertere, Grenfell, etc., that becomes too expensive because of postal charges and weight.
Comments on the McGeorge sweater moved to the McGeorge/Drumohr thread.
Last edited by Cardinals5 (2010-07-06 09:56:39)
That's very nice. Any chance of moving this over to my McGeorge/Drumohr thread?
There are 20 or so eBay sellers I keep an eye on. I tend to skip lightly over the rest. Besides, I don't need anything, not really.
Clothes from the US in regards of postal terms have become so expensive that it has to be a special item for me to bother. I won't take the risk on stuff unless i feel certain of it. The same goes for 45's..........I used to buy loads of stuff from the US in the early days of ebay, but alas they now think every rare soul 45 is worth a fortune and the lesser known stuff that you used to be able to take a punt on has become not worth it because of postal costs.
Clothes wise, I'm not a fan of shabby chic, I like clothes to look in decent nick at the least. Last thing I bought was a "new old stock...with tags, 50's dress for Ms Kelp" nice dress but would have been more attractive with more realistic postal costs.
O'Connells....$40 for posting a shirt to the UK, come on! I then start to want to buy 2 or 3 shirts to make it worth my while, but then remind myself that I'm about to buy one item I desire, but to make it worth my while I'm about to order one or two items I'm not mad for, just to feel I'm getting shipping value for money. So then I execise self control and let go.
Shit at cheap postal costs is ok.......its a gamble, but no way will I take (as many) punts at todays poastal cost's from the US..........plus customs!
Still OK for smaller items like shirts and ties with first-class postage. I do find myself looking mostly at BIN deals where I can see the shipping straight off.
Priority - which due to Paypal policies many sellers feel forced to use - is prohibitive to Europe (and is the one customs always stop).
I can't help think that the US postal service/companies have shot themselves in the foot in the desire for more cash off the back of the EBAY boom, coz I now buy far less stuff from the states as do many others in Europe now.
Or maybe I'm being naive and they are making a fortune off the back of the ebay boom?
I see no signs of their general demise; unfortunately. I began to shift away from it during last summer and do not think I will be tempted back on. I used to buy - and sell - all sorts of odds and ends beside clothes, but ran up against some real cretins both as buyer and seller. Luckily, several of my best Ivy buys, including a superb ancient Brooks overcoat, came from within the UK.
Picked up some some collar bars from a US jewellery seller today. EUR 3.49 postage to Europe.
It can be done.
I hope there can be more free and fair exchange via the forum.