Part 2 Dress agencies VS eBay, designer outlets, season end and sample sales

This is where we get into the comparisons, and what advantages and disadvantages both have and where are the ethics involved, and how cheap is TOO cheap and what are the long term big picture ramifications.

Unfortunately with the glut of consignment shops in the last 10 years, shop owners now days demand higher prices, not much better than an end of season, or a sample sale, of brand new items. And the cut is generally more to the advantage of the seller, when it used to be the other way around or nearly 50-50. And Georgie did diligent research on her items, never guessing what it was, how old it was, or how much it should sell for.  Now days even though shop owners have 100% easier and better resources with the internet, a lot of them still rely on guess work, or their own estimates of what they would pay, or what they think a customer should pay.

But the day I found the equal to my fave shop in the whole world in the states, was serendipitous. It was pure mistake I wandered into the well loved, but at the time, little publicised "Love is Boutique" in Tunbridge Wells, and it was almost going back in time. And to this day it still remains my most favourite, trusted agency to either buy or sell the same quality I had fell in love with at Georgies.
But more about agencies in general since they are now to be found in almost every town and some are better than others, you just have to be diligent and patient to find them.

It’s hard to say whether this is a good or a bad thing. I have at times found treasures priced lower than what they might get on eBay, items that are assumed to be not worth much, when I knew I could easily resell it for a profit if I wanted to. But these are very rare and far between. Now it seems everything is priced so high that if I were to be patient on eBay, or wait for Harrods two huge sales a year, I could get new, for the same price as used.  In my eagerness at least twice (three times)I have made the mistake of thinking I was getting a great deal.  And being impulsive on the chance it might sell before I could research and return to buy it, I had purchased an item only to return home, do a quick look online, and find that I had bought something easily a lot cheaper elsewhere, not to mention it also was not quite what I had thought I was getting, but that was my own ignorance and impetuous nature.

So, three times, I swallowed my disappointment and reminded myself that my favourite few agencies also had staff, overhead, and costs.  And was it worth the extra money spent to help keep a beloved small business going, which so easily could slip under.  With the competition of eBay very quickly smashing small businesses, it was.  I blamed my own impulsive actions for not having waited till I decided whether to buy it. And as for the one item that was different from what was described to me? When I brought it to the attention of the shop owner, I was quickly, and graciously offered a refund if I wished. She was absolutely more charming than any other customer service person I had ever dealt with, and should give classes to bigger stores employee’s, that at times make you feel criminal for a perfectly legitimate return.  And although I could have done exactly that, and came back home, and bought the item online on several sites, and  easily saved 100 or more pounds, I chose not to. Why? I was not BFF with the owners, I considered them friends but in an acquaintance sort of way, and I definitely wouldn’t lend, much less give 100 pounds to someone I was casually friendly with, so then, why?

Because. Aside from genuinely really liking these gals and the shop, more importantly I refuse to spout about ethics and not follow my own heart and mind. It’s easy for us to all moan about politics and how sad things are declining, and if only people would change one or two little habits, how different things would be, but that said, as in everything, if we are not a part of the solution then we really ARE a part of the problem.

 We are all quite disturbed at seeing the demise of the small shops with private owners in favour of big corporations, chains and shopping centres. We are losing the charm and the delight of being able to stroll down a street filled with boutiques, curio and specialty type shops. Because if we continue to buy everything on eBay or in giant shopping centres and discount warehouses, we are also contributing to the demise of the very things we want, and need, to keep our towns special and the way we all claim they should be. On the other hand, if we decide to take even one action that would help save the things we cherish, in the bigger picture we are also contributing to our economy; we are contributing to employment for our neighbours that own or work in these little shops.  They pay taxes, they contribute in many other ways to our town as well, and it’s a very long lengthy chain that for every link we break or remove, will eventually cause us look back and say ‘if only’.

 So whilst I think it’s important to share my ideas on grabbing wonderful bargains, it’s also about balance.  How far am I willing to go, to get it that much cheaper by buying it on line? And in the long run, is it really worth it then?  Because while I love feeling that I look fashionable and fabulous, and I love knowing I haven’t mortgaged my home to do it, I happen to love being able to stroll down that very same street, that also has other small shops, and know that I also helped contribute to keeping the town I live in just that tiny bit more special for that much longer, and hopefully others will see it that way too.