People always ask me how I source for my vintage bag store. So, here is how I find cheap luxury bags and why I feel like it’s one of my biggest problems.
I usually source both in-person at local consignment stores and online. However, while I’m currently in Texas escaping the harsh Toronto winter, sourcing online has become my best friend.
One of the platforms I use to find cheap designer goods is Buyee. Buyee is a proxy site that allows you to browse and make purchases on Japanese resale platforms.
There are three major advantages to buying from Japan:
The secondhand designer market in Japan is huge, and Japan has very strict counterfeit laws. This means the likelihood of receiving an inauthentic item from a reputable seller is much lower.
The yen is very weak right now compared to the US dollar, so your money can go much further when purchasing items in yen.
I’ve found that the standards for determining the condition of items are higher in Japan. I am usually able to find several bags in better condition at a lower price point than I would through a Western platform.
However, there are some disadvantages to buying from proxy sites like Buyee:
The process of buying to receiving your item can take quite a while. From my experience, it can take up to a month. Buyee works by purchasing the item on your behalf, which is first shipped to their warehouse. From there, you ship it to your address.
Shipping can be expensive if you purchase just one bag (average cost: $26–$40).
Although Japan has stricter counterfeit laws, I still have to sift through hundreds of fakes on Buyee, so it’s not a guarantee that you’re buying an authentic item. Buyee has recently started offering an authentication option for some purchases, but not all.
Since Buyee makes purchases on your behalf, you cannot negotiate prices for items like you could on other third-party platforms.
One of my biggest problems with sourcing this way is the amount of time I spend sourcing bags and the time it takes for inventory to arrive. I sift through thousands of items daily. Ideally, I could work with a wholesaler, like LePrix, to significantly cut this time down. However, the price points of some wholesalers I’ve spoken to are currently too high for the prices I want to keep my items at.
Leave a comment if you’d like me to make another post walking through exactly how I use Buyee and find the best deals!
댓글