An eBay Education
Nora knows how to find the goods, and I’ve been saying that!
This isn’t really a shopping-focused newsletter; we know this. Even still, surely you understand, as a secondhand shopper — especially as a secondhand shopper — plenty of my time is spent on the hunt. However, since ditching Depop for eBay, I don’t feel like my valiant efforts to find the garments of my dreams have borne a fruitful closet as I had hoped. Instead, I am a lioness on a scarce plain, often wasting energy doomscrolling eBay’s bottomless pit for scraps of meat that will never sustain me. There’s a lot of STUFF on this site, and without the right tools to clean up the data one is ill-equipped to find what they’re seeking out.
Luckily, there exists on this very platform a slew of experts that can provide relief from any self-imposed pressure, and more importantly cut down my search time by half. Lo and behold,
of Thanks It’s From eBay answered my cry with some great pointers on a few items I’m looking to add to my arsenal.Not only does she have a strong comprehension of archival fashion and design trends, but this lovely lady knows a great deal about how eBay sellers talk about the garments. In my own experience, it has been difficult to understand the language of the site, but no more. My hero has shared below her advice (my responses in bold, and links to finds also detailed) for us all to peruse and incorporate into our respective search bars.
Without further ado — hereeeeeee’s Nora!
Before the nitty gritty, a general note from my guest:
I’m not HUGE on filtering for price. I will filter for buy now, but most of the time sellers have make an offer on, or they’ll send you an offer. I say go as low as you feel is within your budget. If it doesn’t work for the seller, they won’t accept it and that’s fine. If you want to be on the safer side, go a little bit above your ideal budget with the price range filter and send offers that fall within your budget.
I also think the less specific you get with searching sometimes, the more you get as long as you’re willing to flip through pages and pages. I think that’s where the real treasures are -- when you’re willing to spend TIME looking.
That’s so interesting!! And what’s your success rate/best practice of staying in range without undercutting a sellers suggested price? The people pleaser in me wants to get mine without steam rolling anyone…
I have two little anecdotes/thoughts on this:
eBay gives sellers the option to set lowest offer that they’ll accept, so if you offer something and it’s below what they’ve set their threshold to, they won’t even receive the offer, it will automatically be declined. So I say, offer what feels right for you and your budget, and if it works, it works!
I bought a secondhand coat recently in person from a really sweet vintage seller in Carroll Gardens. She named her price and it was out of my budget, so I put it back. She then told me to make her an offer. I am a huge people pleaser to my core, so I immediately said I didn’t feel comfortable doing that and didn’t want to disrespect her business. She countered with “make me an offer that works for you, and I’ll meet you where it works for me”.
I’m not big on bargaining unless someone provides the forum for it first (by having make an offer on or telling me to name my price). I know time, research and effort — sometimes salary — goes into reselling, and I don’t ever want to undervalue someone’s work. As long as you’re not being rude, I do not mind trying to find a middle ground. I left with the jacket at a price that worked for both of us and a warm spot in my heart for her. This was the perfect setting where someone offered me the opportunity, and it worked out!
Love this anecdote - and a strong reminder about IRL vintage shopping as well! Americans aren’t as accustomed to bartering IMO, but if you’re not rude or coming in with an extractive attitude then you’ll likely find somewhere in the middle as you suggested.
FUN winter coats
Now that I’ve touched down in New York, the land of kickass winter coats, I’ve been wanting a colorful number reminiscent of Saks Potts. Needs to be something that works as a secondary statement coat, preferably long and absolutely show-stopping.
Nora’s Notes:
I would narrow it down by material first! If I want wool, I want to make sure I’m including that in the search. If I’m looking for a down puffer, I might not search down but I would add puffer. If I want something older, I try to look at where a brand may have been manufactured during the era I want it from and I’d include that location in the search term (versus filtering by Country of Origin). If I want something that’s fancier, maybe a bit more show stopping for an evening out on the town, I would do a little research off of eBay and see what brands were making gorgeous outerwear 50+ years ago, because I think those would have detailing we just might not see anymore. If I want something more recent, I’m also including details (like beading, fur, etc.) in the search terms.
I’m probably filtering by location because I don’t want something that will ship outside of the U.S. because it will likely be expensive since coats are heavy. Truthfully, I might not include anything color-related because I feel like the way you word a specific type of coloring might not be how someone else would when listing it. It feels too limiting. If everything I’m getting is monotone, then I’d consider adding in ‘colorful’ ‘bright’ ‘fun’.
Ryann’s Finds
J Crew chocolate corduroy trench
More butter! in a leather tie belt trench
Found lots of ‘Penny Lane’ in the search, but this one is more polished than your average afghan
Vintage Eddie Bauer long puffer
Orange wool tie belt short pea coat
Navy wool coat with fox fur trim
*Winning search terms included 70s, color block, ski jacket, Penny Lane, fur trim, bright long coat.
Trinket dishes
Nora’s Notes:
This one is fun because there are soooo many different directions you can take it in. I think first I’m figuring out what style I’m looking for — mid century, space age, boho, etc. Then I’m narrowing it down by material if I know that (chrome, lucite, plastic, etc.).
I think these are the items that will really help narrow down your search — so if you have anything more specific in terms of style/what you’re looking for, I’d add that in. Otherwise, I’d use those parameters and get ready to be amazed by the treasure trove that awaits you.
Ryann’s Finds
Chrome platter with green beaded handles
If you like mother of pearl trinkets …
Victorian lamps or sconces
Nora’s Notes:
First I’m identifying the main material I want my lamp or sconce to have. Is it wooden, metal? I’m also identifying where I want the lamp to be -- sconce is clear, but do I want it to be a table lamp or floor? I might not initially include that in my search but depending on what I first get, I might try and narrow it down more. Do I know what style of shade I want? I’d include a note about that, or at least include a note that says ‘with shade’ (a lot of sellers sell lamps without shades because shades can get pricey).
Examples to try:
Wooden victorian table lamp with shade
Pleated MCM (Mid Century Modern) lamp
Ryann’s Finds
French Victorian boudoir fringe, as they apparently say
This pattern isn’t quite me, but amazing if you’re into Hollywood Regency
Victorian gold mirror lamp sconces
*To speak to Nora’s suggestions - I suppose I actually didn’t know what I wanted! Winning search terms included Victorian, fringe, velvet, pleated, MCM, and Hollywood Regency. For wall sconces, it was crucial to include the type of hardware (gold, brass, ceramic etc) you were looking for to narrow down.
Short stem coupe glasses
Nora’s Notes:
This is another one you can have fun with! It depends what style you’re looking for. I think the biggest thing here is to identify the color -- and I’d use terms like smoky or ruby, versus grey or red. My biggest piece of advice here is to check out the shipping on an item you like. Glass gets difficult and sometimes expensive to ship.
Examples to try:
Ruby coupe glasses
Mcm coupe
Ryann’s Finds
*Coupe is the obvious search term here, but ‘footed’, ‘short stem’, ‘champagne coupe’ and ‘sherbet/dessert glasses’ were popular as well.
Mary Jane heels
I love the Mary Jane Manolos and want a heel like this, hard to find in the search term without using “Manolo”…
Nora’s Notes:
I’d probably be a little straight forward with this one and just do heeled mary jane Italy. I’d include Italy because it would probably show me more leather options than anything else.
Ryann’s Finds
Chrome block heel vintage Marni
They say go Italian for leather for a reason! Will share that I found the most beautiful perfect heavenly pair from Miu Miu but won’t link for selfish reasons…<3
Cinched waist blazer
This follows up from my Mugler post a while back: a single breasted blazer, really femme and sharp and potentially with a power shoulder and nipped in at the waist. I’ve seen a lot from Ganni and other Scandi labels of late, but also digging into the archives you’ll see this with the aforementioned icon as well as some McQueen/JPG.
Nora’s Notes:
In my brain, I just want this to be a velvet blazer. Honestly, I think you have the description and search terms down. I’d be a little bit broader with what I’m searching compared to other items, just because I think this is something people might not know how to categorize.
Examples to try:
Cinched blazer
Bustier blazer
Corset blazer
Single breasted blazer
Ryann’s Finds
Cream, velvet, single breasted
Roberto Cavalli sexy top vibe…
…or like Jean Paul Gaultier. Printed, bright, fun, a little edgy perhaps. I’m picturing myself at drinks with friends, wearing a top that communicates I would go to the Sweat Tour (rest in power) with them if they asked. I want the energy of someone who asks for a cheeky drunk cig yadda yadda even though I haven’t touched a single one in my life.
Nora’s Notes:
This will sound crazy but… I’m searching sexy 90s. I have SO many good tops from using this as a search term, ones from random brands that probably don’t exist anymore and honestly… I get the most compliments on.
Hell yeah. This is how I found Save The Queen at a friend’s vintage store by telling her what I was interested in and how she sourced it…
Ryann’s Finds
Vintage Victoria’s Secret sheer blouse
*Blumarine, Roberto Cavalli, Save the Queen and JPG absolutely rule the category for what I was looking for. But there were plenty of finds that were somewhere inbetween, fitting the mold but not exactly the original intention of my search. I focused primarily on the prints and silhouettes before the brand names/time period, but for the reader’s purposes you may want to play the other way around and see what suits you best.
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Massive THANK YOU to our sourcing guru Nora, who brushed through all the fashion tangles in my brain — it all seems so simple now. For more of her own finds, incredible guest curations (like the one from
linked above) and all that jazz, head to .As for next week, it’s time to talk about all the genies that cannot, and will never, be put back in their bottles. No matter who’s trying to turn back time. See you soon x
ICYMI
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For anyone reading this who wants more eBay help! I have my eBay how to guide here: https://thanksitsfrom.substack.com/p/ebay-how-to-guide ❤️