Changes to The Marketplace
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@Bums_Fan Question for you and all of the frequent users of the buy/sell area. Where else do you list your items for sale? Are there other areas/platforms better for buying and selling than here? Why do you list items here if you don’t list them other places? Do you list items other places that you don’t list here?
These are general questions so I understand the market and options better.
I sometimes sell locally on eBay a. Like platforms but without success. Most people don’t know the brand and have no idea of good denim. I definitely prefer the forum, although shipping and taxes from Switzerland are a bit cumbersome. In addition, it feels like selling to friend here and I have no concerns I get ripped off.
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Per [mention]Bums_Fan [/mention] ‘s original question, I think unfortunately the marketplace sales have dropped off since way before these changes. Seems to me that the bottom has dropped out of the used IH market—used to be UHF was high demand and fetched a good price, and rare flannels would get snapped up in a heartbeat. Now things languish away for months, even after slashing prices. [mention]Clint_D [/mention] May have noticed this difference, as he has threads full of classic gear that nobody is moving on. This holds true across platforms. I usually post items first here, then on eBay and grailed. For at least the past year it feels like stuff I was sure would be quick sales I was dropping prices and bumping threads for months. Some of those things are still in the closet.
As for my personal buying habits, I check the forum, eBay and grailed daily for inexpensive Iron Heart, mostly to add to my own collection, but sometimes with an eye to re-sell and find other purchases. I don’t typically go so far as to buy things I couldn’t/wouldn’t realistically ever wear.
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EBay is really hit or miss. I find that most people I've sold to on eBay aren't quite as familiar with the brand and/or sizing. I've had people gripe about sizing more on eBay than any other platform. As a seller on eBay, if you don't accept a return, you're pretty much going to get screwed into having to accept it or face negative feedback as well as losing money on the deal. EBay has a huge audience and lots of eyes looking at your items but it doesn't always translate into a good experience.
As was mentioned before, selling on here is a much more friendly and familiar deal and most buyers on here are very familiar with what IH is or isn't.
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I understand EBay’s process but know nothing about Grailed. How does the vetting process work for buyers and sellers on that platform? What happens during disputes and who’s ultimately responsible for bad transactions?
Anyone want to share a transaction that went bad and things that you’ve done differently since that happened.
How do you know or feel comfortable with transactions on here? With so many people buying/selling without posts or feedback here, how do you know everything is legitimate?
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I had a bad transaction on Grailed. Fortunately I used PP so they took care of it but in general I stick to the Forum because they know most of the sellers and can search the history of involvement of those I don’t know. Anyone else it’s buyer beware. I would never ask a mod or crew to intervene but I would ask if they know the seller at all so I know whether to give a potentially bad seller the benefit of the doubt or roast them.
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I mostly used the sales section to move stuff that I bought and just didn't quite fit right. Not so much nowadays, as I have a better idea of my sizing and cuts that I prefer, but definitely when I was starting out and it was much easier to drop $150 on a pair of pants, decided it was too tight, and resell for about the same.
I don't really buy specifically for resale, mostly because I'll either get burned and it'll just sit sit sit sit and I'll eventually just take the first offer I get. Other thing is I'll buy it to resell and I'll decide I need to keep it for myself!
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as for sales not going as quickly, I do agree that it is the time of year where people may be less likely to pick up something for themselves as their money is likely already being spent on other things for other people.
Another thing to take into consideration is just that things across the board (utilities, rent, groceries, etc) are all more expensive than they were even this time last year. So unless something is an absolute steal of a deal, or a truly rare never seen piece, it may not move as quickly as it has in the past.
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Per [mention]Bums_Fan [/mention] ‘s original question, I think unfortunately the marketplace sales have dropped off since way before these changes. Seems to me that the bottom has dropped out of the used IH market—used to be UHF was high demand and fetched a good price, and rare flannels would get snapped up in a heartbeat. Now things languish away for months, even after slashing prices. [mention]Clint_D [/mention] May have noticed this difference, as he has threads full of classic gear that nobody is moving on. This holds true across platforms. I usually post items first here, then on eBay and grailed. For at least the past year it feels like stuff I was sure would be quick sales I was dropping prices and bumping threads for months. Some of those things are still in the closet.
As for my personal buying habits, I check the forum, eBay and grailed daily for inexpensive Iron Heart, mostly to add to my own collection, but sometimes with an eye to re-sell and find other purchases. I don’t typically go so far as to buy things I couldn’t/wouldn’t realistically ever wear.
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New thread created to discuss some of the points Ann raised:
https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18550.msg764094#msg764094
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It's just a suggestion but it might also be a good idea to divide the marketplace into two groups (or more if reasonable): Sellers who 1) ship worldwide and 2) only ship to EU/US. This way, it would be much easier to browse the marketplace, waste less time on finding relevant threads and avoid people asking "do you ship to X" despite the thread mentioning clearly that one does not.
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I’ve been members on a lot of forums and it seems the limit (although tedious for newbies like me) is warranted. I was a member years back on a forum and the spamming flooded the buy sell forums. It was a mess.
I’m new to iron heart in general. It’s something I’ve longed for but never pulled the trigger on until recently. Hoping once I hit my 20, I can find some good deals on gear and share some of my own.
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I suppose this encourages lurkers like me to be more involved in the community.
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@october:
I suppose this encourages lurkers like me to be more involved in the community.
I am glad i somehow found this topic because i thought something went wrong and there was no more selling or buying ….
Loving my IH gear 3 used and 1 new
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OK…glad I found this thread. Just came back and looked for marketplace...even though I've had a couple successful transactions...better get to postin pics of my Wescos.
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First post: count me in as another forum lurker that came across this thread thanks to the Facebook group. I was bummed to see the marketplace 'disappear', but totally understand the reasoning (I write while wearing a flannel purchased from the marketplace).
I'm new to Iron Heart, but changed that in a big way this year by first picking up IH-555S-21, then the anniversary IHSH-332-SAX, and just recently the beautiful IHM-37-ODG! I guess I found a silver lining from having to retire my PBJs.
Big thanks to AJ, Bailey, Alex, Graham, and everyone else who has helped me either directly or indirectly.