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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Hello everyone!!!! I stopped selling vintage here some years ago around the time of the first mass migration, mine due to a really nasty divorce. I had to change my ID several times due to my ex before it became part of our actual agreement he couldn't mess with me or my listings. I've always loved this board, still have some of my best friends from this board, most who sadly only sell elsewhere now. I have been thinking about selling here again, but I'm honestly confused and disturbed by some of what I'm seeing. Since I've been away, their constant changes didn't happen slowly over time to me, I'm walking into a totally different planet. Even the pinned posts that so many of us worked on are gone, unless I just can't find them. There was such a wealth of info. I see the "Eye candy Wed" isn't happening either. I loved seeing everyone's weekly finds. My favorite part of selling here was this board and the info I learned over the years. Helping each other be successful. I know it's no longer Ebay's heyday, when you could list anything and make a killing. But, I'm seeing so many vintage "style" listings that come up long before real vintage. I'm trying to read up on the current policies and the way it's run now, and so much is different. Would anyone be willing to give me their opinion? Do nice vintage listings do well at all still? We used to have a group link that advertised all of the "boardie" listings as a way buyers knew you were purchasing from a trustworthy seller. Is there anything like that anymore? I'm not "old" as I was only in my twenties when I started selling in 2001, but I'm feeling ancient parusing the board lol. Hope your sales are all doing well!
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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

I am new to ebay and its message boards but I wish I had what it once was. I have so many questions about labels, dating items, and so on. I dont want to label something vintage unless I know it really is and can date it as well. I have plenty of fedoras and other dress hats by various millinery unions and so on. But I didnt want to take the time to take photos and post in a ghost town of a forum. Although im told that true vintage does sell good here but vintage buyers look for knowledgeable post rather then a stream of key words to describe there listings. But like I said im a noobie 

 

If you ever want to show off your new finds Im happy to check them out!

Best wishes

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!


@thismeanswardrobevintage wrote:
Hello everyone!!!! I stopped selling vintage here some years ago around the time of the first mass migration, mine due to a really nasty divorce. I had to change my ID several times due to my ex before it became part of our actual agreement he couldn't mess with me or my listings. I've always loved this board, still have some of my best friends from this board, most who sadly only sell elsewhere now. I have been thinking about selling here again, but I'm honestly confused and disturbed by some of what I'm seeing. Since I've been away, their constant changes didn't happen slowly over time to me, I'm walking into a totally different planet. Even the pinned posts that so many of us worked on are gone, unless I just can't find them. There was such a wealth of info. I see the "Eye candy Wed" isn't happening either. I loved seeing everyone's weekly finds. My favorite part of selling here was this board and the info I learned over the years. Helping each other be successful. I know it's no longer Ebay's heyday, when you could list anything and make a killing. But, I'm seeing so many vintage "style" listings that come up long before real vintage. I'm trying to read up on the current policies and the way it's run now, and so much is different. Would anyone be willing to give me their opinion? Do nice vintage listings do well at all still? We used to have a group link that advertised all of the "boardie" listings as a way buyers knew you were purchasing from a trustworthy seller. Is there anything like that anymore? I'm not "old" as I was only in my twenties when I started selling in 2001, but I'm feeling ancient parusing the board lol. Hope your sales are all doing well!

Sadly, the Boards which worked so hard at helping newer sellers understand the marketplace have been decimated.  All the Boards have been archived - some only a few pages, others more than an hundred, with no rhyme nor reason as to what was retained and what was simply discarded.  Here's the archive for this Board - fifteen whole pages:

 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Vintage-Clothing/bd-p/archivevintageclothingaccessories

 

.

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Yes, things have changed and the heyday is over. Many more sellers=much lower prices.  As a result, buyers come to eBay looking for extreme bargains.

 

A lot of what is being listed as "vintage" are simply clothes that are a few years old. Truely rare and (certain) vintage  items can still command decent prices but you'd be hard pressed to find enough of those to sell to make a decent income.

That said, it's still a fun hobby!

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Agree that knowledgable collectors will pay good money for rare items. I do a lot of research beforehand (and usually find that my item is not that rare). Many good databases out there to help date items by logo, ect.
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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

I, too, came back to Ebay after being away a while, and it was a whole new world.

 

As to the boards, I do not understand why Ebay would not recognize the huge help

the old time boards were to sellers and buyers. 

I started sellling books and thought I knew something about books - I realized I knew nothing about sellling books.  The people on the Bookboard were ever so helpful.  Some of them are still around on the Book Sellers board and are just as helpful.  I just wish Ebay would reinstitute all old time boards.

 

I remember all the advice I got from the phtography board as to taking pictures, what camera was best.  I need a new camera, sure wish I had access to some of those people to advise me again regarding a good camera.

 

There was a board to get advice about postage - how to choose which was best and also how to package items.

 

There was a board with great people, who were willing to share and help, on almost any problem you might have.

 

It seems to me if people could get help and advice, before the mistakes, it would help Ebay work smoothly all the way around.

 

Oh, Well,

 

Booksbasically

 

 

i

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Yeah it's really sad that sometimes people can't stick to the old ways if it worked. But it also seems like the generation is quick to move on and evolve to other things and they are quickly changing EVERYTHING and the whole thing is we all have to scramble to keep up. It's like once you find something that's working, people post on YT, Social Media and it's like the machine decides that too many know that info and they shake it up like a snow globe and turn it upside down and then the race to profits is once again "GAME ON". So we are like acrobats trying to figure out if we should have cat like reflexes and jump, swing, dance, spiral turn, and just sit down and watch.   Cest La Vie

 

Good Luck!!!

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Yeah I believe it's because the Economy has taken a nose dive. The truth of the matter is so many people might be jobless. I've posted some really nice office clothing and it seems nobody wants Office clothing. They just want old looking clothes.  LIke if it's like new but looks DISTRESSED then  people will buy that. But  I had a really cute sweater set that was Purple and black. Oh it was so cute. Not my size but I loved it. I wanted to keep it becuase it was so artistic looking.  Good quality in LIKE NEW condition. it took forever to sell and I had to reduce the price to NOTHING almost.  But luckily a AWESOME Ebayer bought it and loved it. But I thought that it would have sold faster. However, I've listed some RAGEDY leather Boots by NINE WEST or some old looking stuff I didn't even really like at all and of course that sold the quickest. I have yet to understand the market.  I also noticed there are times I have really nice things and I need to get a good rate for them but other sellers outside our market will offer FREE shipping and it could be Brand new item for like $10  Prom Dress shipped for FREE. it seems that the BARGAIN shoppers would rather buy from across the pond then locally within USA where the cost might be $40 but you would get FREE shipping and it might be GENTLY used.  They buy from across the pond.. it takes 3 weeks to get then they go and say they are disappointed.   I don't even understand that mind set at all.  

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

Hi, I too was an old seller  of vintage items on Ebay but then took time off for a year or two.  When I came back Ebay was entirely different and all the old Boardies who kept us informed and updated on vintage clothing were no longer around nor were the very helpful boards.  I responded to your post because I also remember the site about the cameras and how to take the best photos.  I think his name was "Camera Jim".  Just had to chime in to offer this info.  Hopefully things change back., at least a little, to the good days when selling vintage items on Ebay was not only fun but also profitable.

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!


@bloomsburygroup wrote:

Yes, things have changed and the heyday is over. Many more sellers=much lower prices.  As a result, buyers come to eBay looking for extreme bargains.

 

A lot of what is being listed as "vintage" are simply clothes that are a few years old. Truely rare and (certain) vintage  items can still command decent prices but you'd be hard pressed to find enough of those to sell to make a decent income.

That said, it's still a fun hobby!


You said it well!

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Back after years, a little confused, and REALLY sad!

I think a lot of the seller communication moved over to specific seller groups on Facebook. I belong to several really good seller groups over there. I, too, miss the way the boards here used to be. 

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