eBay International

Ok, so by now you've realised that I shop online a LOT. It started off when I was really skinny a few years ago and couldn't find anything my size in India where "free size" (ugh!) is a freely used term, except at Mango, where I really couldn't afford to shop all that much at the time. 

That's when I began to experiment with both buying and selling online, starting out with that old favourite - eBay. But not eBay.in because it's not really ideal for clothes but better suited to people looking for electronic items. I mean eBay.com where you get literally EVERYTHING - I'm sure you've watched Jay Leno's segment about that. But of course, I'm talking about fashion. So here's the goods (and the bads!) on eBay:

1) Wide variety - Both new and second hand items are freely available on eBay which means you can score designer or branded items at a fraction of their retail price. You need to be alert though to get the best deals, and be open to sellers from around the world.

2) Safety - Contrary to what you may think, eBay is a pretty safe place. In fact, the customer service is almost always excellent. I bought a MAC lipstick once which was damaged and the seller sent me another for no extra cost. Another couple of times, when I received the wrong item, again the seller sent me the correct one and didn't even ask me to return the wrong item. 

Stick to the experienced sellers who have a lot to lose from negative feedback (you will know that from their scores), and use Paypal to pay and you really shouldn't have any problems. The occasional item does get stuck at Customs though which brings us to...

3) Customs - Paying exorbitant duties is a risk that's part and parcel (a pretty good pun there!) of online buying. However, most eBay sellers are individuals like you and me, and pretty sympathetic to your bank account woes. So you could always ask them to mark items as "Second hand" or "Sample" or a lower value to avoid paying duty. Tip: If you go for the more expensive Priority Shipping using Fed Ex or DHL, chances are you'll save money because these shippers are rarely charged duties for packages under a Rs. 10,000 value.

4) The Hunt - That's where all the fun is! Getting the right search words, looking for auctions that end when everyone else is busy or asleep, waiting and watching till your auction ends, sniping at the last minute (when you bid at the last moment snatching that bargain from under all those other bidders' noses) etc etc. Tip: Search for misspelled words - chances are, no one except you will have found that Channel bag (of course, make sure it's not really a cheap rip off "Channel bag!"). Frankly, I'm not much for designer items, but you may be.

For people who don't have the patience for a hunt (these are the same people who go into a shop for 10 minutes, come out with 10 grand worth of stuff and are done for the day), eBay is still a good option. If you know exactly what you want - a certain brand of lipstick in a certain shade for a certain price, eBay can almost certainly get you something below the retail price (even if you add shipping).

5) Sizing - It's always going to be a risk since you're not trying on the clothes but once you know your size, you shouldn't have a problem. Always ask for measurements if you're not sure. I buy shoes on a regular basis without any issues. I'm always a US shoe size 7 (UK 5) and the smallest size available for everything else except trousers/jeans which I very rarely buy online. People with wider feet however may need to be extra careful.

On a related note, since many amateur sellers are just cleaning out their closets, it can be pretty heartbreaking when you find that gorgeous pair of shoes, but they're 3 sizes too big. Do NOT fall into the temptation of purchasing them hoping you can make them fit by adding 3 pairs of insoles (I know - I've been there!)

6) Shipping - Individual sellers tend to be very flexible about shipping. Unlike big online stores, they don't have contracts with USPS or Fedex so they will use the cheapest mode of shipping if you ask them to. But be warned about sellers who have dirt cheap prices and then add on exorbitant shipping rates.

It can also be pretty sad when sellers don't ship to India. You can request them nicely (before bidding) or, if you're really desperate, you can use a Global Shipping service which gives you a US shipping address that you can have the item sent to, and they will then send it to you from there. More on that later.

Since starting my Online Shopping journey on eBay, I have explored lots of different international shopping sites (more on that later) but always visit eBay once in a while when I feel hungry for a hunt.