eBay: Fashionista Guide

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Phillip will help you ROCK YOUR CLOSET AND HOOK UP YOUR STYLE!!
- More mileage from your wardrobe - Bigger bang for your buck - Inside track on seasonal must-haves - Trends that work for you Here's how... Step 1: Log on & Start Shopping Step 2: Browse the Aisles Step 3: Instant Gratification Step 4: Use These Tips Step 5: News for Cautious Shoppers

Log on! Go immediately to CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES.

OK, use the search box in the upper-right corner. You want "leather pants," a "summer top," a "Gucci baguette" or "Christian Louboutin heels"? Enter it, just like that. Yes, you have to use the quotation marks. That helps eBay search for exactly those words in that order.

How about all listings that include two or more words? Put the words in parentheses and separate them with a coma: (beaded,handbag). Remember: no spaces!! eBay will return all items with beaded or handbag in the title.

Size? Enter it in the search box too (Manolo,heels,7M). Presto: eBay will filter through and find just those items in your size. Color works, too (Manolo,heels,7M,blue). Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive have never been so fast or convenient to shop.

Hot tip: Use abbreviations in your titles to help you find exactly what you are looking for. Here are some of the most popular terms: New (self-explanatory), NWT (this stands for New With Tags), NIB (New In Box), NBW (Never Been Worn), Sz (Size), NR (No Reserve-- this means that there is not a minimum bid needed to win).

"May I help you, ma'am? I'm a sir--Just browsing, thank you."
(Translation: "I just want to look. Don't bug me.")

Good news: eBay's more conducive to browsing than your favorite store on Madison Avenue!!

In the mood to just check out what's new? (I do it daily.) Log on and look around to your heart's content-no registration necessary (but don't let your boss catch you.) When it's time to buy, register on the home page-it takes just a few minutes and you'll be set up to enjoy all of the privileges of being a part of the world's hottest online marketplace. (It's true. Trust me.)

Ready…aim…scan…Check out the women's category and see what's what: handbags, footwear, belts, sunglasses-you name it. (Try men's and children's, too. All categories work the same.) Browse around-just like at Saks. But forget the lines, the fuss and, of course, the lazy and pushy salespeople. (Who needs it.)

Into designer booty? Now we're talking! The Designer Boutique is my stomping grounds-350 designers, no waiting!! It's the underground source for fashionistas (Are you ca-RAZY about fashion?)

Let's say you want Prada panties. (OK, maybe not a thong but something Prada.) Click on 'Prada'. Bingo:Listings for Prada on eBay are now at your disposal!! So cool. So fast. But there's more. It's all broken down by category: footwear, handbags, accessories, wedding apparel...

No particular designer in mind, but still want to stay in style? Check out my Monthly Style Column. I'll tell you who's hot-and why. Just read the column and click on the link. Yes!! Instant gratification. Aahh, shopping bliss...

Let eBay do the work for you. ("Buy-It-Now!!")

Maybe you're thinking, "I don't have the time or the energy to win an eBay auction. I need my Jimmy Choos now!" I've been there, Cinderella! eBay's got you covered. Just BUY them now, girl, using the "Buy-It-Now" option. Click on the Buy It Now tab in your search results (next to the All Items tab) OR see the words Buy-It-Now next to the item you are looking at, then go for it!

If it's the thrill of victory you're after? Try an auction-style listing. Just enter your maximum bid for the item and eBay will do the rest. They'll re-bid in increments for you until you are outbid. eBay will even let you know by e-mail that you're being outbid-so you can re-bid and make that loser sorry they ever challenged you! Or, you can move on with your life. (And get another pair of shoes.)

The quality and selection are so great, you'll need a shopping cart. The "My eBay" area lets you set up a list of items to watch. It's like your own shopping basket. Everybody can and should have one. Here's how it works: Let's say you are browsing through Women's handbags and you find a beaded purse you love and want to keep an eye out for. Simply click the "watch this item" link (next to the binoculars icon). eBay will add it to your list. NOTE: You can pull up your eBay list anytime to buy your items. If they're an auction-style listing you can check the latest price, then swoop down and outbid everyone. (Don't you just LOVE that?)

Need a second opinion on something? Want to shop long distance with a friend? See something that would be perfect for your mom, brother, daughter…whoever? Just e-mail them the link! Click MAIL THIS AUCTION TO A FRIEND. (It has a little "letter envelope" icon next to it.) They'll get the item listing in an e-mail. (You can even personalize the email. There's just no more excuses for not dressing and looking just how you want.)

Use these tips.

Snatch 'n' Grab. Check 30 minutes before a sale ends. You may be able to snatch something up-cheap!!

No more wasting precious time, now you can have your favorite must-haves and eBay will even remind you, with an email, the day the auction is ending. Simply "watch the item" in your "My eBay" like I explained earlier.

Shop early morning. Fewer people online = Less competition.

Look for misspellings-i.e., pendent instead of pendant. (Not everybody will catch it.)

Use an asterisk (*) after the name of the item you're searching for-you'll get all items with multiple endings. For example: Beatles man* would bring up Beatles manager, Beatles mania, Beatles Nowhere Man, etc.

Want all listings that might contain multiple words? Put the words in parentheses and separate them with a comma. For example, (brown,fedora) returns all items with the words brown or fedora in the title.

Bid in odd dollar amounts-$10.97, instead of $10.00. Most people round things off, so that 97 cents could be the difference between your winning or losing an item.

When searching for a hard-to-find item, click the INCLUDE TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS box. eBay will comb through its listings to pull up more items.

(OK, here are my extra easy insider tips.)

You can sort the items you are looking at in different ways by clicking: GALLERY ITEMS, NEWLY LISTED ITEMS, LOWEST PRICED ITEMS or HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS.
What happens? The GALLERY link at the top of the item listings displays all of the items you can view with pictures! Always best to see what you're getting. Just check the pictures. It's bigger, better and simpler than shopping by catalog. The "NEWLY LISTED," "LOWEST PRICED" and "HIGHEST PRICED" links allow you to list items exactly that way!
Check the matching categories in the left corner of your screen. Women's, for example. Matching categories include: Careers, Casuals, Handbags, Shoes, Outerwear, Evening Wear, etc.. Click Casual. Look, Ma, more breakouts! Tops, Dresses, Skirts, Swimwear … (I could go on, but I can tell you're getting too excited.)

Cautious shoppers.

OK, so you don't trust anyone. And you're thinking...

"How do I know what I'm actually going to get through eBay?"

"Are the items going to arrive as described?"

"Are the sellers for real?"

Here's the real deal...

Bottom line: Know your prices. Do some research. Know what it looks like in stores-and how much it costs. You'll spot the deals.

True story: People take pride in their eBay business. Why? It's a community. eBay merchants wear their reputation on their sleeve, literally. Next to each seller's name is a feedback number indicating the number of comments the seller has received from buyers. By checking the feedback ID card on the site for a breakdown by comment type, buyers will instantly see what experience-positive or negative-others have had with the seller. It's easier than finding a manager to complain to at Bloomie's.

No-brainer: Don't buy from a seller with lots of negative feedback. Pick a seller with predominantly positive feedback (duh!!) (Reality check: Can't you just see a fancy department store posting uncensored customer comments about the item, the seller and customer service? Yeah, right.)

Been here long? Also note the "member since" date next to the seller's name. (Clue: Customer service is key on eBay. Sellers who don't provide good service don't last long.)

Can U Read This? Read the item description carefully and look at the pictures. Gucci-like does not mean it is an actual Gucci product. Size seven jeans do not mean that they are Seven Jeans. Believe me, you'll be able to tell right away.

THE FINE PRINT:

Purchases are covered by the eBay Fraud Protection program up to $200.
Sellers also have their own return/refund policies. Read those, too.
Need to know more? Ask questions!! Just click the link on the listing page to send the seller any questions you may have. And, respond quickly to e-mails from the seller. This way, you'll avoid misunderstandings in your transactions and maybe even make a new friend with taste who's got good goods.
Look for sellers who accept credit cards. Credit cards are the safest and fastest way to complete a transaction. In fact, eBay sellers who open an eBay Store have to accept credit cards. (So, check out eBay stores. They're great because they allow eBay sellers with lots of stuff to list all of their items together.) And if you don't have your own favorite stores yet, check out my column in the Designer Boutique where I list my favorite stores.
Allow enough time for shipping. Check the seller's shipping policy and methods. Be realistic about when you'll receive the item. No sense stressing over things you can't control.

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