Beyond the Boutique…

…High-End Consignment…Personal Shoppers…Resellers…

Whether it be access to store locations, availability of items, price, or any other number of reasons, the high-end secondary market offers buyers an opportunity to source items in new and exciting ways that are Beyond the Boutique! I realize that in my focus on full transparency I have already acknowledged in my About Me Q&A post that nearly 90% (probably an understatement) of my pieces are direct-from-boutique purchases; however, don’t let that stop you from reading this post. In fact, I would venture to say that hearing straight from someone as loyal to boutiques as I am would provide for some sound advice when looking for high-end, high-quality pieces outside of the direct purchasing route. Plus, I’ll be the first to admit I have fallen down the rabbit hole a few times on buying secondary! From false conditions to questions on authenticity, I’ve been burned and I never want anyone to feel that kind of disappointment. Take it from me, education on this topic is worth its weight in gold….or Chanel

Disclaimer: For purposes of this post, we are going to dive into the legitimate secondary market that exists beyond the boutiques and not even speak of the horrors witnessed with counterfeit and replica goods. We will certainly touch on how to avoid being unintentionally roped into that nightmare; otherwise, spending time on that nonsense has no place here!

phone emoji = tech talk* …… handbag emoji = couture chat

*Since the fashion secondary market (handbags, jewelry, accessories, shoes, etc.) is where I have the most hands-on, real-world experience, those reading purely for tech advice may want to know we are in an All Things Accessories world here. Much love to those who stay, but I can’t fault you for moving over to the Devices for Days category if couture chat isn’t your thing. I’ve got some exciting content coming in the near future for all of my refurbished tech fans, so stay tuned! Warning complete…let’s jump in!

---

You may be asking yourself, why is this even worthy of another post in another blog? Well, my goal is to provide a soup-to-nuts perspective with, hopefully, a different approach to breaking down the barriers to entering this market. Over the past 10-12 months, I have ventured back into the secondary marketplace with a newfound awareness derived from various educational resources and access to reputable sources making this type of shopping fun again! For quite a long time I was only aware of those big-box esque secondary sources with fancy websites and the occasional TV commercial. When I thought about using their platform to purchase, I kept finding myself in this endless loop of hesitation – if I Googled their site, mixed reviews would circulate and everything from them being a fashion Utopia to a hellish nightmare would surface. Now, in full 100% transparency, I know individuals who swear by these sites and leverage the system to purchase and sell back at regular frequencies. I, too, have purchased from these well-known sites; however, my journey to fully understand what I was getting myself into was paved with more potholes than a NYC street. I would never want anyone to be turned off by the secondary market just because they couldn’t decipher the lingo or worse, didn’t know where to go for authentic items besides the heavy-hitters of the game.

Before we can chat about experiences, pros/cons, and what to be aware of, let’s take a few moments to demystify the terms as well as identify the key secondary market players (we’ll just call them “players” going forward). The more you know upfront, the easier it will be to make an informed decision on who to reach out to, the types of questions to ask, and how to best balance expectations. Now, this post is attempting to boil the ocean to provide a one-stop resource for education, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with comments, questions, clarifications or even something you feel is missing! I’ll do my very best to cover as much as possible, but, I look to the TechCoutureGirl community to help me make this a valuable resource for a long time to come Also, I want to mention that anywhere I refer to actual names (stores, accounts, etc.), I have personally purchased from them and am not throwing around names for sake of recognition!

Beyond the Boutique: Key Players

Consignment Stores: While the branding may vary (high-end, luxury, second chance, etc.), consignment stores (virtual or physical) take in items and sell those items, pocketing a portion of profits when the item is purchased. The owner of the item will relinquish possession and the consignment store will display and market the sale of the item. A small nuance to this is where a consignment store may pay outright for an item if they are certain it will sell, taking ownership of the item and thereby eliminating the waiting process (on the owner’s side) for a purchase to be made to receive proceeds. Direct payout consignment is not available everywhere and generally requires your items to be in high demand. For regular consignment arrangements, the individual looking to sell their item starts by getting a quote from the consignment store which includes a breakdown of what the store will take as a fee/commission. Tiered or ladder systems are quite common and it simply means that certain sale price ranges have a corresponding percentage the store will take as a fee. Additionally, don’t be surprised if the store stipulates a timeframe which they need to keep the item in order to ensure appropriate marketing in an effort to maximize the potential for sale. If an item does not sell in the established timeframe, there may be a marketing fee collected (they’ve got to make money somehow!) and the individual has the option to either a) take back the item or b) re-price the item if the consigner is willing to continue to market it. Remember, whether a consigner will even consider selling your item is at their discretion – they may have a certain quality, price, or designer standard which is their prerogative to dictate. Finally, consignment stores run the field in terms of size and awareness – we can be talking anywhere from the more “commonly known” names (e.g. Yoogi’s Closet and Rebag) to local storefronts (e.g. Season2Consign and Luxury Labels Consignment) to web established stores (e.g. LvLenka). Don’t let the size of the store fool you – deals are to be had everywhere, even if you may not recognize the name immediately!

Brokers: This can be a little tricky since “broker” can sometimes take on many different names (e.g. “seller”, “intermediary”). Naming aside, a broker is a person selling on behalf of another person. The biggest distinction between a broker and consignment store is possession – a broker is rarely in full possession of the item being sold. Generally, the item remains with the owner until the time of sale, which then either a) the broker may request possession to verify the description was accurate (to maintain their reputation!) and then mail to the purchaser or b) the owner will ship directly to the purchaser. During the process of marketing, the broker will not require the item to be in their possession which limits their liability on storing the item. When you think about a broker, think matchmaker – they look to match the item owner with a purchaser, for a fee. A good example is if you ask someone with a much wider audience than you to post an item on their social media to sell. This person you are asking becomes the “broker” and may request a fee for selling the item on your behalf since you are leveraging a very valuable asset, their followers! Don’t be surprised if the fee structure looks similar to a consignment store. Some brokers may take a flat fee, ladder fee arrangement, or listing fee + sale %. It’s up to the broker to decide the fee structure that works best for them. Now, some brokers will call themselves a “seller” or “intermediary”. There is nothing wrong with this and by no means is it misleading. In fact, brokers may just call themselves “sellers” and indicate somewhere in their listing that they are “selling on behalf of their client”. This is really just a game of nomenclature and doesn’t impact the purchaser. I’ve utilized the Instagram account @cashmere_consignment for purchasing and they are a great example of someone serving as a broker/intermediary. They matched me with an individual selling a fabulous LV Havane Stamped Trunk Bowler and answered my questions, sent additional pics, plus instructed on how to pay the owner. Such a great buying process!

Individual Seller: This is probably the easiest player to understand since it refers to a person selling an item directly for themselves. A broker may be used if they would like an intermediary (see ), but in most cases, a seller is just that – someone selling an item for personal profit. It is important to note that there are numerous ways for an individual seller to market goods and a common way to do so is through the use of a peer-to-peer marketplace. Marketplaces are community sites that assist sellers by providing a platform to market their items. These marketplaces are not the same as consignment stores! Remember, a consignment store sells items on your behalf which they take possession of for the time they are selling. Marketplaces are simply providing a “storefront” for an individual to access a larger audience than they could on their own. A marketplace will not take possession of the item or advertise on the owner’s behalf; however, they usually do require a fee for using their site. This fee is for the marketplace to cover “storefront” costs such as customer service assistance, shipping kits, etc. A marketplace like Tradesy is a great example that I used not too long ago to purchase a brand new w/tags Balenciaga Continental Zip Wallet from an individual in the UK!

Personal Shoppers: This is by far the most misunderstood category of players. A personal shopper is someone that you (as a purchaser) are utilizing as a means to buy an item you can’t/choose not to buy directly from the boutique for yourself. The personal shopper generally has a network of contacts – more on that below – that allows you (the purchaser) to obtain an item you may not have the access or ability to obtain directly. Personal shoppers deal in new merchandise and may or may not also serve as a broker to their clients if they choose to market pre-loved items. Some personal shoppers will not sell items in a “broker” capacity and that’s completely their choice. In terms of pricing, personal shoppers need to be compensated for their efforts (duh!) and will usually place a finders fee on top of the retail price of the item. This varies per personal shopper and is at their discretion…don’t be surprised to pay slightly above retail since you are using a service and that service comes at a cost! The personal shopper only makes money when you buy the item which is a very important distinction from a boutique sales associate (“SA”). Additionally, personal shoppers do not serve (or are highly frowned on serving) in a “reseller” capacity. This means that personal shoppers purchase items at the time of client request, they do not buy out the inventory of items then resell under their own “store”. While those types of boutique buyouts are permitted (it’s just a really big sale, ultimately), it can impact a personal shopper’s reputation, especially among their network of contacts. There are times, however, when personal shoppers will buy an item (maybe one or two pieces in varying colors) from a store before having a request and sell brand new as an individual seller. Ultimately, finding a personal shopper is a unique experience since you are most likely going to build a relationship with that person. I can personally say that my go-to for this category is @mireyna_fashionlover. She has helped me source items internationally, pre-order new collections, and even connected me with her client’s selling practically new items! Whether it be as a personal shopper or intermediary/broker, I have truly built a relationship and loyalty to her services, which is common for those opting to utilize a personal shopper

Resellers: Resellers are this interesting grey space that lives between the boutique and other players. Handling mainly new merchandise, resellers look to purchase large quantities of items for the purpose of reselling at a “demand” cost which can be quite lofty. The other players predominantly deal in individual pieces – one or two available to sell. Resellers are essentially building an inventory for secondary market sales under their own “storefront” which is frowned upon but not illegal. Resellers look to exploit market demand and fetch higher pricing simply due to the fact they reduced boutique inventory levels creating an inability for buyers to purchase directly. The reason I mention this as a grey space in the market is that there is little to stop the mass-purchasing and ultimately buyers are getting 100% authentic goods, just at crazy rates. More of an ethical dilemma than anything else. I haven’t personally purchased reseller items, so unfortunately no examples here.

Boutiques: Ok, well, this doesn’t take much to explain but boutiques are brand stores than can either be stand-alone storefronts or designated space inside of a larger department store. Department stores that carry designer goods can also fit into the “boutique” category since you are purchasing directly from the designer and/or the designer retailer (not reseller!). Boutiques have associates (“SA”) on staff that are available for questions, purchasing, etc. Having a strong network of SA’s is not exclusive to personal shoppers or brokers, but it takes time and steady purchase history to build the type of Rolodex personal shoppers have. Don’t even get me started on trying to do this on an international scale. Anyway, the important thing to remember about boutiques is that they have staff being paid to answer questions, source inventory, and assist you regardless of the purchasing outcome. Yes, I know there is a commission aspect to this, but, for sake of awareness: SA’s = paid employees and personal shoppers = paid only with purchase.

Outlets: Just to be thorough, let’s quickly touch upon high-end outlet shopping which is technically still in the primary sales market. While there is some mystery around the reason why a piece is located in an outlet versus boutique, the most common reason is due to the season. Just like any other store, boutiques have to continually cycle through pieces in order to make room for new arrivals. In an effort to ensure their products sell, some boutiques have outlet stores that sell authentic, boutique-quality items at a discounted price due to it being a prior season, color, etc. Not all high-end labels have outlets and the ones that do still maintain high expectations for quality and service (don’t expect champagne and macaroons though). Bottom line is that if you aren’t concerned with having something straight from the runway and an outlet is available, this is your path to an “affordable” piece still in the primary market.

Beyond the Boutique: Key Terms

Inclusions: I can’t tell you how many times I saw this term and thought it was mentioning flaws in an item! NOPE! We aren’t in the diamond market here This is the term used to describe what comes with the item other than the item itself. For example, dust bags, boxes, tags, receipts, etc. The more inclusions an item has, generally, the higher the price. Think of it this way, if you had a choice between a Celine Mini Luggage w/tags and dust bag or the Celine Mini Luggage w/dust bag, you would likely want the item with both tags and dust bag, potentially paying a small premium in exchange for the extra inclusion. That being said, not all inclusions are created equal. Items like authenticity cards and receipts can fetch a higher premium than dust bags or boxes. So what happens when you have all inclusions an item would normally come with direct from the boutique? Well my friends, welcome to the magic that is “full set”

Full Set: This term should be like music to your ears with a small symphony of fireworks in the background “Full set” means the item comes with all of the natural paperwork and packaging as if it were boutique bought. If there is just one factor missing from a “full set”, it will generally be described as “full set, without a receipt” or “full set, without box”, etc. One factor missing does not generally spark concern and that is why it is OK to leverage the “full set” term + description of the missing factor. When missing factors start racking up to 2 or 3+, then it’s best practice to just list the inclusions and not mislead with the preface “full set”.

Rating Criteria: The most elusive of all definitions, the rating criteria grades an item in order to help the purchaser understand the condition of the piece. Let me start by saying that there is no industry standard scale or textbook defined requirements for grading an item – it is at the complete discretion of the player. That being said, there are terms like “good”, “very good”, “excellent”, and “like new” that are commonly used in the product description; however, know that the definition of those words can vary from player to player. What is “very good” for one may be “good” to another. To help alleviate the confusion, it is also common for players to use a number scale to explain conditions, such as “9/10” or “8.5/10” where 10/10 is the equivalent of buying new and sometimes may even be new with tags (“NWT”) or brand-new in box (“BNIB”). Understanding how a player rates their items is probably the most valuable piece of information you can request, second only to authenticity verification. If not readily available or defined, sometimes a player may opt to use rating criteria plus an explanation of how they determined the rating by listing any wear, defects, or flaws. No matter the item, any piece purchased on the secondary market should have a rating associated with it for purchaser awareness. No exceptions.

Vintage: This is a term I struggled with understanding the most when I ventured into the secondary market. For an item to be categorized as “vintage”, it simply has to meet an age threshold. That’s it. There is still an associated rating and inclusion description; however “vintage” just identifies the item as being 10, 20, or even 30+ years old. There is debate on the exact age that can trigger a “vintage” label, but many in the industry seem to think 20+ years is the most common delineation. Good examples of vintage pieces are those items that are part of the classic, original foundational collections for a brand – think the Gucci Jackie collection or the Chanel original 2.55 collection (not the reissue!).

Authenticity Verification: This was touched on in the Inclusions commentary and also in Rating Criteria, but authenticity is so important it needs to be called out again directly. When buying an item on the secondary market authenticity should be your very first question! As an educated purchaser, we want to do everything we can to ensure that what we are buying is 100% authentic. The easiest way to do this is to obtain original authenticity cards/papers/etc. along with the receipt of purchase (or copy) as part of the item’s inclusions. Different brands have different forms of authenticity, which is readily internet searchable, so I don’t want to dive too deep on each and every form. Get to know your brand’s form of identification and wherever possible, try to buy an item that comes with a copy of the original receipt. I know that this can be difficult to do, so realistically, try and focus on the original authenticity documentation and think of the receipt as added security. Now, individuals purchasing items may not always be thinking ahead to future resale, so there are very legitimate cases of original forms of authentication going missing. This is where companies like Entrupy and RealAuthentication come in handy. Third-party, independent verification companies are the next best thing to original paperwork. These companies do not work for a consigner or seller and are therefore free from the pressures of certifying items. Ultimately, this pressure-free verification makes the results preferred to in-house authentication services. Please understand that I am not saying in-house authentication is inaccurate, I am just offering that on the scale of who I would trust most, independent ranks higher than affiliated.

Ok, so we know the players and are familiar with common terms – now what? How can you put all of this to good use when purchasing? The answer is simple – be an artist. Hear me out on this. As purchasers, we have an instinct of what types of information to look for in product descriptions, but don’t always rely on our instinct due to an overwhelming urge to purchase or falling victim to the “too good to pass up” deal. I hate to be the one to tell you, but if you find a vintage, like new, Chanel Single Flap for $550 w/no inclusions, listen to those alert bells going off in your head. The real key to secondary market purchasing is not looking at each factor individually (price, rating, authenticity, etc.), but, instead, painting a picture with all of the factors to help identify glaring red flags. When you read the example, it was pretty obvious that the Chanel unicorn seemed unlikely, but hearing those descriptors individually, you may not have had that same reaction. This, my friends, is what scammers try to do – they prey on your descriptor emotions and make it difficult to paint the entire picture. Perhaps only one or two of the item’s factors are made available (only condition or only price). Perhaps asking for more information is an arduous process with less than straightforward answers. Whatever the case, the full picture is rarely offered up. Piece everything together, painting a full picture before making a decision. Be an artist.

My experience has led me to seek out players in the secondary market that meet a few of my own criteria in addition to having the common terms covered. These personal criteria help me add detail to the picture I’m trying to paint. The player’s response, reputation, and willingness to answer questions are my big 3 when looking into a potential purchase. Let’s break it down.

(1) Response: When buying from a secondary player, it is important to be able to have a dialogue with the party you are purchasing from. Lack of response and even pro-longed response times tend to throw red flags for me. I’m not expecting a lightning-fast turnaround, but I do anticipate some level of response. I usually give 24-48 hours for some form of acknowledgment of my message. I make sure to take into consideration time differences, days off, etc. and also throw this criterion to the bottom of my priority if I know you or have purchased from you before. If I need to wait and beg for responses, I’m also going to assume I’ll need to wait and beg for products. On the flip side, pushy and overeager players are also not a good look. They shouldn’t be pressuring anyone into a purchase or making a purchaser feel like they are obligated to buy. If the dialogue feels wrong or uncomfortable (or non-existent!), on to the next player!

(2) Reputation: I know, I know, this is a tough one. By reputation I primarily mean factors like transparency into real customer reviews, Google results (make friends with PurseBlog/PurseForum), and quality of their own branding (profile descriptions, photo quality, social media history). If the player is brand new with no information other than a phone number or “message for more info”, if the photos look overly filtered/cropped/unrealistic, or if the description says things like “factory quality”, I am going to think twice about making a purchase. Likewise, if the user names are name-adjacent to high-profile players, I am going to question if the player is riding on the coat-tail of someone reputable. This specific tactic of “identity” theft is incredibly common and becoming more and more rampant! Take a few minutes to scroll, search, and dig into the site (social media or otherwise) because you can only spend that money once!

(3) Questions: For me, willingness to answer questions and brand knowledge is critical. The market player should be open to provide additional photos or details of an item you are considering purchasing from them. This does NOT mean using them as a Google replacement. If you can readily find this information via quick internet search, try to be respectful of their time. That said, I have sent plenty of messages asking to see close-ups of flaws or photos from an alternate angle or even clarifying questions relating to measurements. If they decline, then I’m taking my money elsewhere. Don’t let “DM for more info” in an item listing scare you, this is not the same as declining!

(*) Other Nice to Have Extras: A few extra things that I personally look for which are nice to have but won’t disqualify me from purchasing include: the blurring of serial numbers (shows awareness of counterfeit tactics), personalized branding (watermarks on photos, logos, etc.), personal interaction on their social media (InstaLive, real-life backgrounds, quasi-personal posts, etc.), and references/tagged-by-others/mentions. For me, these items bring the player to life and in general, scammers won’t go to this length to try and legitimize a site.

Speaking of bringing life to a post – I want to briefly share a few secondary market purchases (and sources!) from my own collection. This is not to say that these are the only sources to buy from; however, I can personally attest to the quality, service, and care provided in my transactions. Yup, plural, I went back a few times after getting comfortable

Let’s close the loop on this post, shall we? I think the best place to bring us to the finish line is with the pros and cons of utilizing the secondary market for high-end shopping. I’ll start with the cons and the biggest one is…effort. The purchaser has a responsibility to research and educate themselves on the items they are looking to purchase. It’s not as simple as walking into a store and walking out with a shopping bag. You have to incorporate a level of due diligence into your purchasing to avoid unintended consequences. Believe me, this level of effort isn’t for everyone, and at one time, it wasn’t my cup of tea. When I started to see the potential savings, the value in purchasing vintage, and access to international boutiques, I wanted to see just how to approach this market in the safest way possible. Let’s not kid ourselves, there is always risk involved but the goal with posts like this one is to minimize the risk as much as possible by informing, empowering decision making, and creating an enjoyable purchasing process!

The pros of purchasing in the secondary market are so vast and varied that I could write another ten paragraphs (I won’t!) and still not cover everything. Why don’t we just chat about the major pros then – savings, access, and community. Yes, some of the secondary market players may have a premium on new goods, but the savings potential on preloved merchandise is amazing! If you don’t have the funds to buy new, there is no need to turn to replicas; instead, look to the preloved secondary market. You can still have your high quality, discerning standards on condition but save a few dollars and support the brands by giving new life and a new home to a designer piece. Along that line, don’t feel bad if you aren’t located somewhere that a boutique has yet to discover, branch out to the secondary market, and maybe have a little fun knowing your new (or new to you) piece came from a land far far away…

Finally, the community. It sounds crazy, but being a part of a community that loves fashion and also wants to help others find their wish-list items is pretty amazing. Getting to know the people you are buying from, supporting them in their business, and having a genuine human interaction with another person goes a long way for the soul. Sometimes you may have a one purchase relationship and that’s OK, but building trust and dialogue can help you down the road in some pretty unexpected ways. Whether it’s finding your unicorn (Andrea!), supporting your blossoming future in blogging (Erika & Monica!), or just enjoying a laugh over an InstaStory poll (Lauren!), the community you find might surprise you

---

Whew, this was a long one folks! Before we put a fork in it, I want to highlight one thing I didn’t mention in the above – location. Location alone should never be a distinguishing factor in trying to decipher legitimacy. Yes, I am well aware of places that get a bad name for scamming and selling replicas, but I consciously am choosing to avoid adding to the stereotype and instead, providing commentary to help guide you on your journey to finding authentic items via reputable sources. I understand that my personal collection has primarily US-based players but that is in no way a reflection of my beliefs on purchasing. In fact, some of my primary and secondary market pieces were sourced outside of the US and simply brokered here. Don’t let the location scare you, embrace your inner artist and start “painting” your way to a fabulous new piece