Note: the sale roundup is right below this post. All home items this morning.
Ladies, I am angry. There are four things in my life you should not mess with: my family, my friends, my job and my shopping. The first three should go without needing an explanation. The last one deserves some exposition.
This post is not passing judgment against people who pay above retail for sold-out items. This post is not passing judgment against people who sell older items to the highest bidder. This post IS about people who buy popular items on sale, wait for them to sell out and then gouge the price for personal profit. It’s disgusting to me. I can’t fathom one instance where this is OK. And I feel bad because I fear my blog is stoking the fire.
In my favorite college class (American Political Foundations, natch) my professor talked about how everything has intended and unintended consequences. The intended consequence of the Trade Market and the Weekend Community Post is to help Anthro lovers locate items that they’d otherwise never find. The unintended consequence is that resellers are obviously trolling the blog (and the other Anthro blogs), seeing what items are popular, buying them on sale and then listing them on ebay (or similar auction sites).
Take a look at items that are highly desired in the search & find posts…the Winding Ruffle Boots. The Budding T-Straps. The Skyfall Dress. Search for any of these items on ebay and you’ll find active or sold items starting above retail price. To make the distinction, it’s one thing to start the item below retail and watch it sell for above. That’s demand. (Don’t get any ideas, Anthropologie!) It’s quite another to take an item that retailed for $150 and start an auction for that same item at $250. I call that gross.
I think it’s 100 kinds of bullshit. Sure it’s capitalism but it’s the saddest example. They’re profiting purely off of someone else’s desire. And there’s something to be said for why we crave these items so much. It’s just clothing! But I know the thrill of the hunt all too well and I know the temptation and justification disposable income can fool us with. I will say this: ladies, I urge you to stay away from scum auctions like this. We should not encourage this type of behavior. Half the time when you get the item you realize the hunt was the fun part and owning it matters much less. Paying above retail for an item that just sold out is an impulse and these amoral sellers are preying on that. Bravo to letting some of these ridiculous auctions expire with no bids. Let them accrue fees.
I’m not sure Anthropologie is even aware of this issue. Or if there’s really anything they can do about it. It’s not like Anthropologie is the only retailer experiencing this issue. I have no plans to shut down either community swap post — I think the benefits far outweigh the unfortunate disgraceful byproducts. I will say one thing. If I catch ANY community member perpetrating schemes using this blog as a conduit, participating in price gouging or misrepresenting items for sale I will swing the banhammer without hesitation.
ebay sellers currently selling items above full retail price:
cward1974
oogiewoogie
anthro-closet
Know of any others? I want to know. And I’m eager to hear your opinions. Am I overreacting? Please keep the comments clean — call outs of any community members in the comments WILL BE DELETED. If you have evidence of a community member price gouging email me.
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I guess all capitalism is profiting off of other people's desire to some extent right?Is there really a functional difference between a seller who waits and THEN sells an item above retail or one who does it immediately? Just seems to be what the market will bear. It happens all the time on your site. People brag about getting an item, then turn around in the trade market and sell it for a profit.
if you don't want to buy it, don't purchase it, but to suggest people shouldn't even be offered the option to buy is quite paternalistic. It's like saying to Anthropologie:Don't offer that at that price, its not a good buy and I fear someone will fall for it and buy it. 😮
Well said, Roxy!!! That's what made me stop looking at ebay years ago, knowing that what those ebayers were selling was just on sale for so much less. That's why I am so happy I found all these wonderful blogs recently that actually help each other out. We all understand our love for anthropologie and we're not trying to make money off of other peoples desires. The Trade Market is a wonderful place to come and search for something we missed out on buying and I'm glad you started it, Roxy!!Cheers to you!Gemma
I understand your well-made points, but it doesn't anger me. I just kind of shrug my shoulders – some people are like that IRL (greedy/wrong motivation etc.) and on Ebay it's no different – if I don't like it/dont think the price is worth it, then I have full control over not paying their prices.And if I DO want an item that badly, I actually care more about being able to get it at all, then what I have to pay for it. Do I think it's right? Ethical? Not necessarily, and it's not something I would personally engage in on the selling end. But Ebay is a business for some sellers, and business is sometimes about making the biggest profit possible. They are IMO "just doing their job" which is to make a profit off of hard to find, desirable items. I don't LIKE it, because I'm the buyer and it's costly on my end! But I don't feel as harshly towards the sellers either. Cliche. It is what it is.
Bravo, Roxy!I wish there was a way to ban the resellers without affecting your readers.It's not your fault. If anything, your sale alerts allow us to jump on the deals before they sell out. The trade market might be another story, I don't know, I generally skip that post as there's nothing I can't live without.I'm sure Anthro worships capitalism and, ultimately, resellers who sell items at a higher price are probably driving UP demand for their products. And high prices keep Anthro a semi-luxury brand. Those penguin books we all love so much? They're $7 cheaper on Amazon.
Roxy, You are right on! I was browsing ebay this weekend and thought OMG who in their right mind would pay that much over retail for shoes/boots. If I had the surplus to spend, I would hit Neiman Marcus and buy a pair of premier designer shoes. It is disgusting and I can't believe they can get away with it. Thanks to all of your hard work with this blog, i have been able to find many hard to find items on sale. You rock!
I'm not sure how these people go about doing what they do ,but if they're going out and buying 2,3,4 pairs of shoes, dresses, etc then they are taking away that many opportunities for us to get those items in our stores or through customer service which makes me mad. And if these people wanna buy something at sale price and sell it at full price, ok, but selling things at double their original price is wrong.
Roxy,Great post and it's a topic worth mentioning since we all frequent the trade post and then Ebay when we have no luck at the stores or for that item that *got away*. With that said, I have a sneaky suspicion that certain items whose prices are jacked up on Ebay are also the same items that everyone is always begging for a lead on, so these sellers just make the price ridiculously high and I feel like it's taking advantage of someone. Yes we're all adults and have a love for a certain store, but why take advantage of that to such a high degree?It's ultimately up to people whether they want to shell out that kind of money, and it's not my business how much someone will pay for something (note all the random celebrities and their superflous purchases). It's an issue for me when lurkers wonder around Anthro-loving blogs to get ideas on how to make money- that is just cheap and pathetic, regardless of how much money they might be making.I also agree not to support them, and like that you exposed them!
We can't prevent anyone from trying to sell/buy something above retail price – if there is a willing buyer then there's your market. BUT, it does seem sleazy to list these items for such ridiculous prices. What potential buyers need to realize is that once you have paid well over retail price you are stuck. If the item is not what you expected or doesn't fit right, you will never be able to recover the mark-up you paid – unless you can re-sell at the same too high price, which is unlikely. And as Roxy says, the thrill of the item will fade soon after it's obtained. So just don't do it!!!
Roxy, I hear ya. Just this past week I've seen ebay members selling the Horizon Line dress for $199 and the Bouquet of Roses heels for a starting price of $270. All that makes me extra thankful for features like your Trade Market, where, despite the presence of trolls, there really is a community of (fashionable) people out there who want to help each other. Thanks for bringing this to our collective attention!
Sometimes I wonder if some of the anonymous comments are from Ebay sells trying to "stir up" excitement about an item- their item they are selling! I don't have a problem with sellers that list their item for the amount they paid and it goes up from there. You have to wonder why anyone would pay over 200-300 dollars for Anthro. shoes. Except for a few of their designers, they are not high-end. I am with the other commenter- go to Neimans or Saks and get some killer shoes for that kind of money!!!
The rest comes later, but my first thought was, how & where are these buyers getting the stuff from?I mean, I must have called 20 stores yesterday trying to find the Budding T straps, and no one has them.Same with the stormy seas necklace.So makes one wonder what is the source of these rare finds?
I rarely post but I often read and wanted to chime in and say you've made excellent points. Certainly, the price someone ultimately pays for an Anthro item is up to them but, you're right, we should not encourage those that sell items for twice the original cost or three and four times the sale price. These people aren't just buying items and reselling them, they're buying many of the same item directly from Anthro and other retailers thereby creating the demand by depleting the original supply. I doubt there is anything Anthro or any other retailer can do about such practices but it is disheartening and infuriating to witness.
I think it would be great to list more of the 'immoral' eBay sellers. It's one thing for me to buy a NWT skirt from 2005 that someone scooped up on clearance for $9.95 and sells it to me for $40. That's not price gouging. But every time I do an eBay purchase, I cringe thinking that I am perpetuating the current situation of eBay sellers taking advantage of buyers. If I knew who the community at large thinks is a safe seller and who are the scum, I'd stay away from the scum. Bravo to you Roxy!
Great post, this is sad. I agree it's one thing if you post for the price you bought for and let the market set the price, if it's high, so be it, but another to try and gouge people.
A slightly different ebay issue, but I have also noticed recently that some current Anthro items are listed at prices below retail. This seems pretty questionable, too. Are folks using their discount or friends discount to buy and then resell? Or, are these items factory rejects or samples?? Maybe there is a less nefarious answer but I figure if it seems too good to be true, etc.Lesley
Roxy, I admire you for taking a stand. I, too, feel the bile rise when I see starting bids of $250 and over for shoes that retailed between $70 and $150. I also hate it when it's clear that certain auctions are won by buyers who are sellers and then just turn around and re-sell the prized item for more profit–if someone's going to over-pay and thus jack up the base bid for that item, at least let that someone actually want to own the item for herself.At the same time, I also bet that these sellers consider what they're doing to be capitalism at its finest, not its worst. (Disclaimer: I've never personally sold anything on ebay, but I feel I can guess at what the seller mindset is in these matters). After all, oftentimes it works–I did see just a week or two ago that Budding T-Straps went for over $300. I think a seller would argue that what they're doing is also meeting a real demand, and they're just lucky enough to make more money at it than others who are pricing lower. My husband also made the point to me once when I was kvetching about ebay prices that what these re-sellers do is not very different than what retailers do–i.e. they charge more, sometimes much more, for an item than what they actually paid to produce it. Or they respond to demand by raising a price to see how much people will pay (I'm thinking of J Crew raising the price of the popular Minnie pant from $79.00 to $89.00 when it was clear it was selling well). At the same time, there's something ugly about seeing greed in such a raw form on ebay. I have so much more respect and affection for sellers who start the price at or slightly below what they paid. If it goes for more, yay for them. But when sellers START at a ridiculously high price, I'm so turned off. So personally, even though I really want a pair of Bouquet of Roses shoes, I refuse to bid of any auction that starts above what they originally sold for. I absolutely agree with you that if we all band together and refuse to pay these inflated prices, the re-selling practice may not disappear, but less people will be incited to try it.
I don't think you are overreacting and I sometimes find it curious when there is a lot of buzz about an item on one of the blogs and then it magically turns up on Ebay for a very high price. On the other hand I have purchased a couple of "new" items that came on Ebay for well under the current retail price. From what I can tell they look authentic but I do wonder how they make it there so quickly.
How do ebay seller offer items below retail? Consider that retailers lose millions to shoplifters…..and wonder where all that merchandise goes?
Anon who asked about where re-sellers get items, I suspect they have two strategies:1) one is to buy an item right when it comes out or is marked down when they suspect that item will be popular and highly desired later (this is a risk, though) 2) and two, the minute an item is marked down they head to their local B&M or start calling stores and buy up whatever they can (after all, when the Budding T-Straps first went on sale, a lot of people found pairs by calling around. Some of those people were likely re-sellers).We've probably all been tempted at one time to do this, I imagine. I'll confess that when I saw the Wandering Ruffle boots last week I had a fleeting thought of buying them and trying to sell them. But I just don't have that in me.
"They're profiting purely off of someone else's desire" – isn't this exactly what Anthropologie is doing? No one gets mad at Anthropologie for selling highly desirable items at inflated prices [at least not to the point of suggesting boycott].Bottom line, ebay businesses are businesseses just like Anthropologie. It's a doggy dog world, and they have to make a profit too.
Of course people are free to list items on ebay at whatever price they choose – that isn't what bothers me. What I hate is that these price gougers are in all likelihood purchasing these coveted items at or below retail without any intention of wearing them. Their purpose from the start is to resell the item at an unreasonable (to my mind) mark up. It's gross. I can only hope that people will realize that roxy is right – they're just clothes – and resist the impulse to give their money to these sellers.
These ebay sellers are just taking advantage of mispricing by anthro by increasing the price so that supply lines up with demand. anthro does this all the time in the opposite direction, by marking down items that aren't selling as well.The ebay sellers are increasing market efficiency by ensuring that those who want a particular item the most are the ones who get it. That's how capitalism works.
I don't think your blog is contributing to the problem. I hope it is actually taking away business from these sellers. I find myself turning to the J. Crew exchange on the JCA blog to find items instead of going to ebay. I am assuming this holds true with your blog as well. I also find many instances where the blog readers will sell items for less than they paid, instead of more.
Hurray for Roxy!
Sub
*Applause* – I completely agree with you on this!
Roxy, I LOVE this post. Not just because I totally feel the same way but because it is gutsy of you to bring this subject up. These people always drive me crazy and I love it that you called a few of them out. I also urge people not to bid on these auctions. I imagine there will be a few anonymous comments from the people you called out debating this issue. This post also helps put things into perspective. Sometimes when something is sold out you feel you want the item even more. It's human nature I think and these people take advantage of that. In reality, these items are just not worth the inflated price… and you are probably going stare at the item in your closet with contempt if you end up paying double the original price on ebay! Thanks again, Katleen
This is a great post. I agree with you 100%!!!!
Wow Roxy, you are friggn awsome!!!
Well, on the one hand I can understand business/profit/capitalism/etc, so I'm a little torn here. If someone wants to resell a $70 pair of shoes for $1000, and someone else is willing to buy them, they both have a right to do that. I have a right to think it's shady, but I need to respect their right to do it as long as there is no illegal activity involved. What I /can/ do is refuse to participate and patronize their business if I find their business shady. That's the good thing about capitalism: you can speak with your money and send a message. Sure, if it's only me doing it, the sellers won't miss my money, but if we all stopped buying unfairly priced items, they'd be in a pickle with their listing fees. That's why I strongly encourage anyone who disagrees with the practice not to patronize any sellers who do this (and why I'd love to see a full list of sellers to avoid, Roxy!). The sellers I have bought from seem reasonably reputable — I know they're probably making a profit, but in all honesty in their shoes I'd want the same thing. A small profit for them is worth it for me to get the items I want. But there's a difference between "a small profit" and 300% of retail. For that reason, I make sure I know what the original price of the item was and never, ever, pay close to it, since I know the seller probably got the item on sale. I disagree that all businesses are trying to make as much money as possible. I teach swim lessons, and while my rate may seem high to people unfamiliar with the business, I could get away with charging a lot more for my experience. Which I do not do because I actually care about kids learning to swim, and I'd rather make a little less money and have more people able to afford this critical life skill. IMO that's the mark of an /excellent/ business: you're there to make money, yes, but you're also there because you love what you do and love providing the service, and you want others to be happy with it.Anyway, please let us know of any others who are selling items like this. I am fine with giving a small cut to the seller (after all, they /did/ find the item for me), but I will not support any seller who lists items for significantly higher than retail, even if that seller has other more reasonably-priced items.
Hurray! You have given voice to what i have long suspected. That people are buying only to resell to others at exorbitant prices. I too am disgusted at the price gouging and profiteering. I would not pay 5x'sthe price either, as I agree that for me as well, the hunt is part of the fun. Speaking as someone who loves anthro and other brands, (dvf, shoshanna), and relentlessly stalks sales. Sometimes the one the got away is the best one. You cant blame the blog roxy, but it is the fault of human nature to be greedy!
you ROCK, roxy!
For those current items floating around Ebay for the fraction what Anthropologie sells them:They are grey market goods. Meaning that the original factories who received order from Anthropologie overseas had surplus, or rejects, or intentionally produced more to sell to grey market at cost with some profit. Resellers buy them straight from manufacturer overseas in bulk to save shipping cost. These goods mainly end up on Ebay. Other brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, BCBG have the same problem with grey market goods penetrating their market. Few years ago, A&F become quite strict with merchandise sold on Ebay, and started closing auction which using its copyright images or based on suspicion of questionable source of items. probably it's just a matter of time before Anthropologie starts doing something with grey market goods on Ebay
While I understand the emotion, I figure it's up to the individual buyer to figure out whether or not they want to buy it. If you don't want it for that price, move on and find another new obsession of the month. It doesn't make any sense that an Hermes bag worth probably a couple hundred in labor and materials should sell for $15K, but it does, because someone will buy it. However, kudos to you, Roxy, for taking a stand!
Go ahead, Roxy! Thanks for posting about this!
Yes, it makes me angry. I will not buy a single thing from the people you have listed.
I must be crazy. I was under the impression that this was a free country and I do not think anyone has been held at gunpoint or forced to buy anything from EBay for any price. If someone has the surplus of money and the lack of brains to pay that ridiculous price for shoes (or anything) then – hey – fine with me. Whatever.
I think you made a lot of good points.I'd just like to say though I have the winding ruffle boots and almost never wear them…so it's likely that I'd like to stick them up on Ebay someday. Except that I didn't wait for the sale price to buy them, so I'd most likely also be starting the bidding at above the sale price to recoup some of my money…
I can see why this issue would make people upset, but it never bothered me too much, mostly because clothing is a non-essential item, and so if I don't like the price, I don't have to pay. If no one gave the ebay resellers business, they would be forced to drop their prices, or they would be stuck with merchandise they can't use. Now, if they were reselling essential items like medicine that people desperately needed, well, I would certainly be very upset. But we're not in that situation. I view clothing as something fun, shopping akin to a hobby… not something that should cause distress! 🙂 So once again, if we don't like what a particular reseller is doing on ebay, we shouldn't support her. Easiest solution.-Ari
Thank god Roxy – I am so glad someone is standing up to these people. Its wrong and its disgraceful!Thank you for looking out for us!
Yeah Roxy! I'm so glad someone finally said something. I've noticed it for awhile. I think it's completely sleazy of the sellers, and not very smart of the buyers, either… My budding T-straps have the lining coming out already, glad I didn't pay $300 for them!Don't stop doing what you're doing. There are so many of us that love the blogs and the community.
You know what makes me even MORE angry than the price gougers that want ridiculous prices for things that are even on sale currently??THE FAKE ANTHRO SELLERS. Specifically the ones that sell something that says "ANTHROPOLOGIE jacket and earrings" or "ANTHROPOLOGIE top and card"First of all, the clothing theyre selling is NOT Anthro, not even close to the quality and most of the time the little earrings or notepad or whatever they're claiming is Anthro to get away with their false listing ISN'T EITHER!! Those auctions seriously make me so sick because I see them selling tons of merchandise. It's not charging for what the market will bear, it's COMPLETELY FALSE. When I was sort of new to Anthropologie clothing, I was tricked by one of those sellers and when I got the item in the mail I immediately knew I had been swindled. Never again. I feel bad for the overseas buyers who don't have access to a B&M store where they can familiarize themselves with the brands and texture/quality of REAL Anthropologie brands. Those ebay sellers are pure scum and the things they are selling are trash. a few of these scammers -lotuslove16driving_to_heavenvillaboutiquesarang2003samplebydesign
Christine-I was just about to post the same thing! The only thing worse than price gouging on Anthro items is doing so on bootleg/fake Anthro items!
Yeah, it's annoying but that's life. I feel the same way about that fact that I can't get tickets to concerts and sports games at face value. How much did Super Bowl tickets go for this year? I'm sure much money was made by folks who never intended to go to the game, but were able to get tickets to sell. This behavior has always been out there; now it's touching something that you care a lot about, so it hurts more.
Just started looking at this blog- first commenter here! I do think this is worth commenting on. Do I think it is sleezy for ebay/similar sellers to buy popular items on sale, then turn around and resell them for ridiculously inflated prices to the very people who could have just bought them in the store at the sale price? I 100% absolutely do. It's not fair and it's exploiting the system. HOWEVER, this is what much of retail is based upon. How much do you think it cost Anthropologie to buy a dress that they turn around and sell for $150? What percentage of the profits do you think the people who made the dress (not the coporation, the actual crafters) are actually receiving? And this isn't a knock on Anthropologie, it's how mostly all retail works. It's not right, and yes it is the "worst" part of capitalism for the consumer, but the best and most profitable for the seller. A business is a business. And I do see the difference between a store listing inflated prices and a lurker buying popular items on sale then immediately turning around and selling them for 200% profit. But, both actions are essentially based on the same business model- profit, profit profit. The only thing you as the consumer can do is choose not to invest in what they are selling.Anyways, I think the moral basis of what you are saying is right on and I'm glad you have the conviction to stand up and say what you think!
Bravo Roxy!!!!!!Since this is your blog, you can do what you want. I would like to see a permanent list, perhaps on the side, of those who do this shady practice. Yes, it's shady because we're all here to help each other. Our intent is not to help someone price gouge our lovely anthropologie addicts. Therefore, those resellers are abusing our goodwill. I vow not to purchase ANYTHING from those on your list whether the price is reasonable or not. I will vote with my dollars, and I won't let them hijack this blog.Thanks for being so brave Roxy!
Well it's a free market of supply and demand, but I second Roxy on her comments about profiteering and price gouging from this wonderful community forum. Recently on many occasions, I found myself just a bit too late to snatch the sale items from store tips shared by community members only to see them listed on eBay for more than retail. Then I gave up. If those auctioneers have the resources to grab everything, good for them. I for one will move on to the new, new things, which luckily are not in short supply.
Hi Roxy! Here Here! I will NOT buy from any of those ebay sellers, nor will I buy anything that is listed at an outrageous price. As a regular ebay user, this is something I have noticed for a while, and I, too, find it disgraceful.
Roxy – Thanks for bringing this subject up. It seems like it has really gotten bad in the past few months especially with the popularity of you blog and other Anthro related blogs. I keep seeing people mention what difference is it buying from Anthro vs Ebay. I think there's a huge difference. I'd rather my hard earned $$$ go to Anthro than some shady reseller with nothing better to do. I wish I could pay full price for things but truth is my budget does not allow for it. Have I missed out on a lot stuff? Sure but I've also been able to get stuff at amazing prices because of this blog and the help I've gotten to find what I'm looking for. I guess my point is it sucks that there are people out there buying stuff we want just to make a profit. I hope that they aren't able to sell what they have and in the end they have to return the item. I'm here to find a deal on something I will wear. Screw the resellers (who I think are posting anonymously in support of their shady practices)!!
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330407123519&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IThttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&… />Check out this, ladies. How much was the STORMY SEA NECKLACE? $48, and on sale for $29.95. This seller, anthrolovers, has more than 10 of them. $149 + $5.95, what kind of business, robbery?She is my neighborhood, that explains why I can not find even one!
I've read all of the interesting comments – this debate is a fascinating way to start my day! Roxy, while I genuinely understand your frustration, I think I'm falling more into the "it's a free country" category. While it may not be very moral or ethical, the resellers in question have apparently found a way to make a huge profit off of clothing and shoes that they have sought out on sale. If there are people out there who are so obsessed with the Budding T-Straps that they must have them at absolutely any cost, one could argue that these sellers are providing a needed service. Granted, the prices are high, but no law says people have to pay them. If they're willing to do so, that's entirely their choice. It may be a bad choice, but it's a choice nonetheless.I did notice that nobody has brought up the subject of the state of the economy, and how it may play into this. As Jan Russell mentioned in her great post, Ebay is a business for some sellers. If someone figures out how to make a couple hundred bucks by buying shoes for $70 and selling them for $300, they could make a reasonable living doing it, which isn't always easy right now.All of the above being said, I personally would never, ever buy anything from a reseller for those outrageous prices. In particular when I knew that I could have purchased the item for less from Anthropologie before it sold out. It would make me feel gullible and taken advantage of. Sometimes you just miss out on an item, and you have to let it go and move on. 🙂
I agree that the exhorbitant gouging is crazy, but a small profit above sale or retail price paid by the seller for effort to buy list and mail is not, as you also said. I saw a sweater I was watching in my ebay this week, go from $35 to $235 from bidding demand alone- someone wanted to pay $235 for it, let them do it. Look at the other side, let's be clear about what Anthro is, a large American corporation, one that we participate and drive sales of as well, imported goods, made with the extremely cheap labor efforts of foreigners in poverty for a tidy profit. I don't believe that Anthro is "scraping by" on low profit, or they wouldn't be in business, it is not an altruistic service non-profit! It's easy to ignore that, but there are many different sides to this issue. Who am I exploiting, and not by their own volition- when it's starve or work in these clothing factories? I am guilty by participation in capitalism too, my job, my purchases.. so dare judge or be judged as they say.. Lisa
Beth (and others, don't just want to call you out)- I think you are still missing the point. I think most people agree that it's shady and wrong to do what the lurkers are doing, because it is! No argument on the moral basis there. And I would rather spend my money at Anthro too rather than a shady Ebay seller. But, my point is that both sellers are using the same business model, even if they go about it in different ways. Anthro and other retailers buy goods that they think will be in demand at lower cost values, inflate the prices, and make profit. The lurkers, albeit in a much skeezier way, are doing the same thing. Both sellers think of what they are doing as a business.I had a friend who used to work as a buyer at a large jewelry chain. She said that they would sell their diamond/gold products for up to 1000% above what they paid. Then they would wait a few months, let the ultra wealthy buy at the inflated prices, have "amazing" sales at 30%-50% off, and get a rush of more consumers. Guess what, the store was still making 500% profit! Capitalism is often abused for the benefit of the seller and the detriment of the consumer. That is why sites like this one are good so that people with similar and honest intentions can truly trade and share with each other. Until everyone has similar intentions though, all we can do is search for sites like these and try to be faster at buying the items on sale than the lurkers :).
I think this is an excellent post and couldn't agree more. I am a newbie to this brand and I am not near a store so I rely on blogs heavily for info. A pair recently sold for $330 a pair of budding t-straps in a size 6.What drove this to be the most expensive pair on ebay was the SIZE. While other sizes were available, this size was sold out for a LONG time.These people read the blogs and size 6 and size 6.5 are very popular….they aren't dumb they knew they would make some SERIOUS cash. You probably won't see this size again.All I have done, is if I cannot locate an item in the stores, I no longer buy it. I will go back to brands that I used to shop at like Jcrew and Loft. My money will not go to ebay price gougers.I haven't had much luck buying with ebay….things are in poor condition. But, watch all the major blogs and then look to see the same dresses etc. posted hours later.jj77036 is another gouger listed Bouquet of Roses shoes at $300 in 6.5 and has declined at least 3 offers.
and I forgot to add.. That is why your blog is appreciated Roxy, really, because we can now more of a step ahead. And really there will always be more of us than them, and as your blog grows, even more so. Let them make a few hundred dollars.. there are other shoes, other items out there. Don't lose sleep over this.. KARMA! lisa
Here is another thought based off blog/ebay transactions.I no longer buy things off the blogs either. Too many posters ask for a certain amount and then "forget" shipping, taxes etc. As a favor, it might be easier to just list the price you want including shipping, fees etc. So, $500 shipped. You get the idea. I understand no one wants to loose $, but it is NOT cool when you think you are paying $40 for an item and end up paying $65. Also, if someone emails you about an item, have the decency to email back and say–thanks! but, I sold the item or I no longer want the item. Otherwise its just rude and a waste of time. everyone is busy!!!Roxy, I think it would be excellent to post Gigi's excellent guidelines when doing blog exchanges. It could only help.
I wholly agree! I find it quite "coincidental" that items worn on several Anthro blogs magically appear on ebay the day of or sometime after. I'm a full-time college student – I go on ebay to find DEALS on items I normally would not be able to pay full price for, or items that are no longer in store. It frustrates me that both sellers and buyers drive up the price SO much. i.e. Stormy Sea Necklacehttp://cgi.ebay.com/NWT-Anthropologie-STORMY-SEA-NECKLACE-Sky_W0QQitemZ330407123519QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cedcc9a3fI saw this necklace in-person the other day, and HAD to have it, so naturally went to ebay to stalk. I don't know how much it cost originally, but I was dumbfounded when I saw an auction for it had ended at about $140. O_O It absolutely broke my heart to learn that the price was so high for this beauty! I saw a post on Trade Market that said it was in stores for $29.99 … though I have yet to snag it, hehe
When I (used to) list items that haven't worked out for one reason or another (often after posting them on the TM posts.) I would always get REALLY freaked out that I would somehow fall under the heading of "evil eBay reseller"… Particularly if an item had either gone on sale or recieved a second cut since my original purchase. I even got email from "bidders" (yknow "contact this seller" or whatever) about it, calling me rude names and accusing me of taking advantage of the market!Needless to say I don't need that in my life and just gave up trying to recoup costs the eBay route (yay Anthro card and reciept free returns!) CA tax + posting fees/final value fees often required me to price $5 or more above my purchase price just to break even.*shrug*not everyone is evil, I guess is what I'm saying.I totally agree that the people who are WAY jacking up the pricesiare doing so in poor form, but so were the people calling me a jerk because I listed a $149 dress for $160…
I wholeheartedly agree with your position, Roxy. I was unable to get my hands on the Budding T-Straps (in which I would have needed a size 6) but no way am I going to pay more than full retail for them. Which is another thing that actually annoys me about both Anthro and these e-bay gougers…Anthro ALWAYS sells out of things first in my size…in shoes, in clothes. um, hello? can you please STOCK more of an item in a popular size?
Hi Roxy!I agree that what these sellers are doing is downright awful! I know that a lot of people will mention "capitalism", "retail", "supply and demand", etc. However, what these sellers are doing is artificially creating a shortage in hopes of driving up the price. While retail does experience markups, this is largely due to the supply chain, which many argue is inefficient with distributors, wholesalers, etc. Marketing also increases the perceived value of a brand. However, by large, the supply chain should add value to the end product, which these sellers definitely don't. They are also just profiting off of the hard work of someone else. Is this really the fundamental theory of capitalism then? To profit off of what one did not create?These sellers also prevent true anthro lovers from finding the items that they want by snatching up sale items quickly. While it is against the law to markup concert tickets, sports tickets, and so on, there is nothing keeping these sellers in check. The best we can do is influence the market by banding together and refusing to buy from such sellers. This truly is a great community, and I have been able to find some things that I have given up on. Thanks for the great work Roxy, and I completely support you!
Hi Roxy – Great post as usual!Christine – Amen sister! I hate those ebay listings that are not really selling an Anthropologie item…"Dress and anthropologie earrings" etc. It's sleazy!
Ultimately, most sellers on Ebay are there to make a profit. I'm not sure why that is offensive. It's just like any other business where people buy things at one price and sell them at a higher price. Am I willing to pay twice the retail price for Anthro goods? Absolutely not. And I won't buy something unless I consider it to be a good value. But I don't think I should stand in the way if someone IS willing to pay that much. I'm not really sure how this is wrong other than the fact that we all love a good bargain and people jacking up prices is annoying.
I completely agree! It makes me sick to think that, in trying to help someone find an item at my local brick and mortar store, I might have contributed to the crazy eBay price-gouging. While I can't stop people from posting ridiculously priced items (I mean, seriously, $330 for a pair of shoes that you can get on sale for $69?), I can, however, "vote with my wallet" and refuse to buy from those sellers!
Also, all the budding tstraps on ebay are in the largest sizes…and they were available in stores the longest.
What annoys me the most about price gougers is that they buy all the available stock, thereby contributing to the demand of the item. It's on thing of you buy a pair of shoes on sale, decide you don't like it, and sell it on ebay for way more than you pay for it. Or, it's another thing to want to make money.It's not right to go out and buy a bunch of items to sell on ebay, clearing out stock at B&M stores. You make the available supply diminish, and you drive up your prices. This is robbery. I will bid more than retail price for an item that I've wanted and can't find.
But I refuse to bid on an item that has been price gouged. It is just wrong in my book.
I wrote about this a while ago, not blasting the sellers for making a profit (because they are making it because someone is willing to pay it) but because it seems that they snatch up popular items the second they go on sale, and mark them way up the second they sell out.Many companies have limits of how many of one item you can buy in one size, or in any sizes. The problem I have with the resellers is that the ten pair of shoes, or sweaters, or necklaces, that they purchased on sale, were taken out of the stores/the website, purchased specifically for the purpose of profit. Ten items that the rest of us could have purchased. And to think that people are trolling blogs to see what is popular? That, I think, is Roxy's point. Yes, it is a free country, but just because we have the right to do something doesn't make it ethical.
There are a lot of argument about this is a free country and people pay for whatever price to acquire their most desired items. I agree 50% of the argument. This is an anthro.addict helpers who help other like-mind addict to buy item they want but cannot find at their local stores. This site is not a conduit for ebayers to do their business. The buyers can pay for whatever price they can afford. This is true it is their choice. BUT they have to make an INFORMED choice. They need to have both good and bad information before they can make that informed choice. People can pay $ 300 for a pair of a shoes that they cannot return OR they can pay $ 60 for a pair of shoes from a real business B&M store that they can return to if it does not work out. Now that is an informed choice. And if they missed out on item or size, Anthro will always have equivocal highly coveted item next season.INFORMED CHOICE.Cindy
Thank you for posting this!!!! This has always disgusted me as well! It was actually just yesterday I was looking for a pair of pants on eBay and I noticed someone was selling them for DOUBLE what you could buy them for in the store. I messaged her and asked her why her price was so high because you could find them in the store. She wrote back a mean message telling me to mind my own business and " uh, why don't you buy them in the store then?" and this explanation that they were limited edition and pretty much a lot of BS. I just emailed her the link to the pants on the website and left it at that. I just can't stand people that do that. I actually can't believe how often these auctions come up!!! thanks again for bringing it to our attention!!!
i regularly buy and sell for about 200% markup, I don't have a problem with it. You shouldn't either. If someone buys it, they want it that bad.
Well said, Roxy. Price gouging is legal, sure. But it's sleazy, unethical, and flies in the face of the purpose for which our little community was created. We're supposed to help each other, not screw each other over!
I used to work retail and the discount for the store I worked at was 50%. I know that stores are marking up items as I think most of us do. The point is Anthro has an item marked for x amount. An ebay reseller will then take that x amount and mark it up to y amount. Case in point the famous budding t-straps going for over $300. WTF? Anthro's retail price on those was $128. If Anthro thought they were worth $300 then they would have started at that. Bottom line resellers suck. They know there is limited supply and huge demand so yeah they're going to rip us off all they want. It sucks yeah but there's nothing we can do to stop them so in the mean time don't support them. Let's support Anthro (duh!) and the honest resellers in the marketplace not looking to score a profit but actually looking to make someone else look good 🙂
People make a wrong comparison of the business model of Anthro and ebay reselling. These business models are not the same. Anthro. is a publicly legitimate business. It is a whole corporation with an army of people to make you happy whenever you come to the store or buy online. Like any business, it sells goods to support its army of people, and to grow their business. They are making a big profit. In return, they contribute back to the society. They run many charity campaigns during christmas, they donate to non-profit organizations, they support the wild animals protection in Africa, etc. They make a profit of you when you buy your coveted items. But in turn they contribute to the society by offering jobs to hundred thousands of people, they pay their corp. tax which in turn this tax dollars provide services to you, the buyers, when you live peacefully and happily in your home states. Anthro has an army of designers and artists who study your buying habits,your tastes, and your desires to make you many coveted items. Whenever I go into any Anthro store, I always feel happy even when I do not buy any, and when I buy some, they make sure that I completely am happy with my purchase. I do PA, I request my size, I do shipping at no charge, etc, and when my dh is not happy, I got my money back and I am still happy. On the other hand, ebay resellers or any kind of resellers, they do not invent the On-a-Wing blouse or the Tawny Garden dress, they buy or remake the fake Anthro pieces and sell it for a profit on the back of Anthro effort and the buyers' desire. The resellers do not provide any contribution to the society as a whole except themselves. They are there to make a profit of your desires for themselves. They do not provide jobs to anybody. Worse, they take advantage of the information proding on this blog to (1) gauge for your coveted item, (2) use your leads to buy up the coveted items, (3) resell the same items to you, and (4)to use this forum as their marketing tools for their items. The resellers are making a profit at the expenses of the company and of you a legitimate buyers.This is not a same business model. This is taking advantage of a success of a business model and morph it to make a profit. Cindy
Cindy,1. contrary to your assertions, many of them do pay taxes, particularly when they are selling in large volume, which is in fact contributing their tax dollars to society.2. The fact that they are able to sell without more employees simply makes them smart, not immoral. Its just less overhead.At a basic level: They sell for profit, as does Anthropologie.
I agree with the sentiment behind this post for the most part. Selling shoes that originally retailed for $160 or at a starting bid of $300 is price gouging. However, selling the a pair of boots that were about $300 at full store price for $300 isn't. That's what they cost as determined by Anthro themselves. Like Stepha said in her comment above, I don't think it's unfair if someone is selling an item at full price, regardless of if the item had sale cuts later. I do think the people marking up the price of an item 200% and who probably bought out available stock from those searching for them in stores are frustrating. I don't think other people, in the trade posts here or on eBay, trying to sell a brand new Anthro item for the full Anthro price of it that they paid (regardless of the item going on sale later) is unfair.
For the resellers who can make 200%, 300%, or 1000% profit, it is good for you that you make a profit and it provides necessities to your life. But as a successful bussiness company like Anthro. or alike, they are in for a long run. I expect to still shop at my local Anthro in the next 50 years if I live that long, and I expect to go to many Anthro stores in my local town in the next decades. They are there for a long run and they are there for a much bigger profit than the 300% profit you brag on your killing making profit. The long run needs a goodwill that the resellers do not understand. Yes, I might covet an item so badly that I shed out my hard-earned $ 300 for a pair of shoes, but I will always remember your name, your email, your style of language when you write, your pictures posting, your everything. I will talk with my family and friends about such and such, Yes. You might make a killing deal, AND it is THE only killing deal you make. No more.
I don't really care what people on Ebay sell things for because I just won't pay that price and if other people do, then good for them and good for the seller! I may not agree with it but I don't let it worry me. What I think is great about this community is that it gives us the chance to find items we want without having to resort to those inflated Ebay prices. So let those sellers do what they want and lets use each other as resources to get what we want for the price we want!
being fairly new to the anthro bandwagon, i have been so dismayed at seeing items I love and then seeing them on ebay. While I understand supply and demand, it still pisses me off. Steph H http://www.livefitandsore.com
Generally not true about it being "THE only killing". If you look at their histories, they generally have made multiple sales and certainly are free to open new ebay accounts. Additionally, they arent in it for the long haul and so dont care about what you remember.For them, this is isnt going to be a recurring situation and so they dont expect to transact with you again, all simple game theory.
this posting has made me want to get into the resale business, especially for shoes! I had no idea there was such a market out there!Thanks Roxy!
PEOPLE CAN BUY WHATEVER THEY WANT WHENEVER THEY WANT FOR WHATEVER PRICE THEY WANT. Stop judging and look at whay you yourself are doing!!!! Don't blame an ebay seller just because you are ticked off that you didn't get it yourself for the sale price. Anthropologie marks there stuff up WAY MORE than an ebay seller. GET SMART!
Well as an Ebay seller myself, what really annoys me is the people like Christine said posting false items or posting things under Anthro when the only anthro is the earrings or some card not the clothing!!! I think event hough it may sound wrong to post items overprice ( which I dont) It is up to the buyer if they want to purchase it or not. Besides this is a free country and we are going through a recession, People are trying to make money and survive any way they can. Also, I buy at anthro every week, not to re sell but for myself. But, don't you guys think that Anthro is doing the very same thing? Items are overpriced, the shipping is ridiculous!!! HOw much you think anthro pays for their items and how much profit they make out it? Anthro is doing the same thing if not worst than these people. It is a buyers choice if they want to pay the price or not.
Cindy at 1:45Well said!! You seem to have hit a nerve with some resellers!
Totally agree with the 2 last anon. posts. It is true! It is hypocritical to get angry at an ebay seller.-Megan
I have enjoyed this blog for a very long time, but the "F*** you, ebay price gougers" I do not get. I can understand "F*** you murderers" or "F*** you child molesters" but really, "F*** you ebay price gougers?" I am not a reseller, but my family is living through tough times right now as I'm sure are many families. Maybe it puts food in their kid's mouths. All of the venom over this looks petty.
I agree with Anon at 2:40pm…I think all the hatred, all over some nice clothes is a bit silly. I think there are better ways to spend one's energy. Try to keep things in perspective.
Resellers are lame because they are trolling these blogs to find out what to sell. If it weren't for the Roxy, Kim, Tien's etc…they wouldn't know what to sell and for how much. People are angry because lame resellers are buying the stuff we want and want to wear and meanwhile they have $$ in their eyes. It's really more annoying than anything. If being dishonest and shady is your thing than by all means continue selling on ebay. And wtf at this capitalism bs…geez I'm here for clothes not a social science lecture.
Anon at 2:10 just made me "lol" for real. Roxy, I just want you to know that if it weren't for your blog I might have bought those ruffle boots for $300 instead of tracking them down for the $129 and $60 prices!! Your blog saved me a ton of money. THANK YOU!I'm all for people making a living on Ebay but it pisses me off to have someone snatch up my wish listed item (plus 9 more people's)before I can when it goes on sale just to try and sell it to me on Ebay at a jacked up price. I would hate for this blog to become invite only but perhaps it should?Also, I for one cannot stand the folks who outright sell clothing that is not Anthropologie in any way shape or form but list it as such. Not even listing it as "dress plus anthropologie earrings." But listing it as "Anthropologie urban hippie people boho dress" and it is clearly a dress from Forever21 or something similar. This drives me crazy!
I just wanted to chime in and add my $.02. I have found *so* mant things that I missed out on throught this fantastic blog and the great community here. Tips from others about what they've seen in store have helped me out time and time again and I really appreciate the EA group and Roxy. I have also posted about much wanted items found in my local store (Winding Ruffle boots included) and I'm happy to help someone else find what they're searching for at a decent price instead of buying them myself and postling them on ebay for jacked up prices. If I'm after something that's completely sold out, I might search ebay for it, but I would NEVER pay the crazy inflated prices there. Thank goodness for the people who are willing to share and help others just to "be nice" when they themselves could be earning a profit.
looks like some of ebay resellers have trolled in here….notice the angry vile comments, particularly from anonymous members? LOLLL I can totally understand starting an auction, at lets say $9.99 and allowing demand to end at a final price, but to start an item at a ridiculous price [ie. stormy sea necklace $140+++, sale price $29.99..ARE U SHITTING me??…my store has a rack full of them]this is just complete BS..anthro's liberal return policy has a lot to do with this also, I think. The fact that resellers can hoard items, put them on ebay for 30 days, and then have the option to return them back for atleast what they paid, gives them more incentive to resell. Not that I am condeming anthro's return policy…I LOVE IT! but, its unfortunate that its being abused by resellers. screw ebay resellers.love your post.
You really are funny. You really need to learn what price gouging is. Price gouging can be distinguished by being short-term and localized, and by a restriction to essentials such as food, clothing, shelter, medicine and equipment needed to preserve life, limb and property.Since fashion is not necessary to life then just don't buy it. Why is that so hard to understand? Oh, I know why, because you don't even know what price gouging means. ROFL
OMG, get a life. Who in their right mind gets this upset over people reselling some shoes? Anthro. pays about .01 for this crap and resells it for $150+ and that's ok? Geezus, hypocrite much?
jelus, jelus, jeeeeeeeeeeelus.
It's not only Anthro, but JCrew,too. I had my eye on a Campo Di Fiori dress. Lately I've seen so many fantastic bloggers wearing it and it peaked my interest. I checked out Ebay… Hmmm one seller had the dress for a little over $100. Since it was still below what it retailed, I thoght I'd watch it. Well, I forgot about it and the auction ended and it didn't sell but was relisted. Great! I checked it out to find it was now relisted at $199!!!! I found it interesting that it didn't sell at the lower price but was now relisted at almost double suspiciously after there's been blog chatter about the dress. Tsk tsk. I'll pass.
Thank you for posting some eBay sellers that have hard to find Anthro items. I appreciate it! I don't mind paying for what I want and I for one am glad if my store runs out of my size I can easily find it on eBay!
The difference between Anthro and Ebay sellers is that Anthro does the work to find the clothes and items to mark up in their stores which they do the work to create a beautiful environment which makes us want to shop there and they advertise them with beautiful models in gorgeous settings which again make us want to buy them more. They do the work to mark up the prices. Ebay sellers take the Anthro work including their photographs and sell the items without the work. They even use the work of this community to find desired hard to find items. They are capitalizing on everyone else's work at the expense of everyone else. THAT is the point SOME people are trying to make here. And it is not just "getting upset over some shoes." If you think that, then you are missing ALL of the points being made as well as the point of this blog in general and all of the many blogs associated with this blog and its content. If you just want to say that we should "get a life" and not buy the product on Ebay, then you can "get a life" and not read this blog.
Hinna:I completely agree with you on your statement: "looks like some of ebay resellers have trolled in here….notice the angry vile comments, particularly from anonymous members? LOLLL".Roxy:This statement from Anon at 3:34 pm sounds like a fighting war to me: "You really are funny…Why is that so hard to understand? Oh, I know why, because you don't even know what price gouging means. ROFL". How insulted!. I support you voice your anger on your own blog. I hope that you do not turn this blog to an invitation blog only. Cindy
When someone is not willing to pay the going market rate that others are willing to pay for their non-essential goods, that is known as "whiny crybaby" not "price gouging". Anthropologie also makes a profit on these items. It's not as if they sell them for exactly the price that it costs them. The term "price gouging" applies only to essentials, not to fashions which become more desirable due to scarcity. I'm sure your professor will cover this eventually in class.
roxy, too bad we cant all meet up for a drink to talk about this hot topic!
It is a free market, and it is a free country. Just as resellers have a legal right to do what they are doing and capitalize off of others' desires for certain goods, Roxy (and other commenters here) have just as much of a First Amendment right to express how they feel about the practice. And in my opinion, Cindy is right–Anthro may mark up their prices hugely (something a lot of media reviews of their TV show "Man Shops Globe" also suggested), but however you feel about the store's markup, at least they're doing some work in bringing the pieces to us and contracting with the artists for their designs. The resellers on the other hand are profiting without doing any of this work. Make no mistake, there is a huge difference there. And no, lurking around on these blogs to identify the most coveted items, and then warping the supply (as explained above by others), does not constitute "work." I suppose that in the end, it IS up to the buyer whether they want to pay $300 or whatever for an Anthro item. But if that's really all that matters, then what I don't understand is why all these anonymous resellers are getting defensive about how people shouldn't judge them.
Wow, the trolls are clearly out in force over this one. Name calling, Anon @3:50? Really?
Anon at 3:49 and 3:50pm perfectly exemplifies my point. If you don't like what is being said on this blog about resellers, then don't read. There's nothing we can do to stop your auctions if indeed there are buyers who will match your price, so why are you so offended by our opinions?
Anon at 3:50 pm: Wow!!! your statement: "dumb b***tch". Wow!!! Roxy, I am sure you are a big girl, but still, wow!!!.Am I missing something? Anthro customers are highly educated, well traveled, well communicated, who make $150+ per year, this is the language? I would like to know how this debate span out.Cindy
Great topic! I think it's crazy people would list items for double or triple the price. What that tells me is that people do pay for them, even if it's just one person in this whole wide world! And this doesn't only happen with Anthro items. I remember wanting the infamous Jcrew Bella Blazer years ago, and there were Ebay sellers selling them for an outrageous price. I truly thought about paying that money, but at the end my head got me and I decided to let it go. I think it's up to the buyers to not let this phenomenon continue. Usually when I come across outrageous listings on Ebay, I just get a laugh out of it, and move on. I don't like them, but they don't bother me either. I just don't care about them.
Wow, Anon@3:50, how dare you call Roxy that?!!! You could have defended the price gougers on ebay with eloquence and argument and example, instead you fall into fallacy ad hominem.If you don't like what you're reading here, and don't want to participate in a discussion, then don't.But don't you come here and call people names! Especially not Roxy who spends a great deal of her time on HER BLOG. Shame on you!
I am an ebay seller. I'm not a huge Anthro fan because they clothing is made in the same factories as Forever 21, Twenty One,ect… and the only diff is the label that's slapped on it. I would be more pissed off about paying $189 for a dress that costs about $10 to make then someone profiting from an high demand product.Resellers are not doing anything illegal or even unethical. Its about supply & demand. Those shoes would have never been started at that price had research not shown that people were willing to pay that. Want to blame someone? Blame Anthro for over pricing their goods. Or blame people who are so obsessed by the brand that they over inflate it's important and inevitably the price.
Why are the resellers so pissed? Because we don't want to support them and their way overpriced goods?
3:34, 3:37, 3:39, 3:49 and 3:50 = probably the same troll. If you don't like what we're saying about resellers, move on. Nobody is twisting your arm to read this, but just know that if you're going to consistently mark up prices on Anthro items in the way described above, you will be listed on this blog as a warning to buyers. And yes, maybe you'll still get the same kind of business despite the bad publicity–but I think that you trolls are scared of the influence that blogs like these do have, otherwise you wouldn't be lashing out at Roxy and the community like this.
I understand your frustration. I wanted a Cabbage Patch kid during the Cabbage Patch craze of the 80's. But you lost a lot of credibility with me by stating that no one messes with YOUR job, family, etc., then in effect calling for a boycott of certain eBay sellers – directly 'messing with' their job.What they're doing isn't illegal, and what they're selling isn't a necessity. Live and let live.
This blog is not going invitation-only, no worries.Also, more than 90% of these Anonymous comments are coming from the same 3 IP addresses. Hmm, wonder who they could be?Regardless of namecalling, I appreciate all the participation in the discussion. I don't agree with all the opinions but it is eye-opening to see everyone's different perspectives.
Anon @ 3:50 (now deleted) – You invalidated any point you may have been trying to make with your last sentence. Let's not be childish now, hmmm?
"Price gouging is a term for a seller pricing much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. In precise, legal usage, it is the name of a felony that applies in some of the United States on essential goods only during civil emergencies…"However, since you are stalking blogs all day and snatching up popular items to resell, I can assume you do not have a law degree and therefore don't really care about "precise, legal" usage.This is a blog. Not a legal document. Don't call names and flaunt the "definition" of something just to rationalize something that is unethical.
Oops, I didn't mean to post anonymously above. Also, above…if feeding their children is a worry, they should not be gambling on a purchase selling for higher than retail. That is just ridiculous.
Roxy honey, one day you will have to go out in the big bad world and earn a living on your own.What will you do when you see that the company that you work for and pays your salary (that allows you to buy your favorite fashions) makes a huge profit on their products or services on the backs (sometimes quite literally) of others.Will you have such righteous indignation then? Will you go to the CEO and say "Fuck you, you price gouger, I quit"? Or will you just keep on collecting that nice little paycheck?
The problem is people that are willing to pay the marked up prices. If people would stop buying the items at those prices, the reseller game would stop real quick.
Roxy, thanks for posting this issue!! This overpricing does lack goodwill, and violates the spirit of community blogs like yours, but I gotta tell you.. I myself was tempted to do the same. I bought 2 pair of the coveted budding t's by mail, only b/c I wasn't sure what size would fit me. When I got the shoes, I just couldn't list them on ebay for the super mark-up, even though I knew they would fetch a pretty price. Instead, I 'trolled'' your blog to find out who was looking for the shoes in the extra size i had. I emailed them off-blog and sold the pair straight away. I added a reasonable 'finder's fee' simply b/c I called around for 2 hours looking for the shoes. I was upfront about it, and the buyer still got the shoes for less than retail but a bit more than the sale price.Now am I stupid? Should I have tried to sell at a price to recoup my investment as well as the cost of my own shoes? I sure could have, but… It didn't sit well my conscience. And if it weren't for blogs like yours, I never would have looked twice at the shoes, so you helped to stimulate demand.Net: maybe a person has a single instance of ending up with an extra item and chooses to mark-up, but for those who troll with the express intent to grab & gouge, I say…every unkind act chips away at your soul…one day that person in mirror will disgust you. And if he/she doesn't, perhaps you're too far gone….Miss Marie
All the name calling of Roxy going on from the anons is ridiculous. There is no need for that. If you want to call her post unfair to you/your stance, fine. Defend yourself against her. There's no reason to call her names. I know this is the internet, which often becomes a cesspool, but I still wish irrationality could be tabled sometimes.
Anon @ 4:39 – I don't work for Anthropologie. They pay me nothing, I don't have any special deals with them, I'm not even officially affiliated with them. I have a day job and this is my side hobby. I live in NYC. It doesn't get much bigger or badder than that. And my name is not Honey.
But she is doing the same thing!The title of her blog post is "Catharsis: FUCK YOU, EBAY PRICE GOUGERS!" I don't want to play the name game-I just wanted to point this out. And Roxy, I really love your blog- and you for that manner! I just think there are two sides to every story- I think you know this two and this is not really directed at you.I really don't think it is fair to judge how people are earning money. Anthropologie is doing the same thing but getting more of a profit. The ebay sellers are probably marking it up from the sale price but under the original price. You (the people reading the blog) buy things at full price. Why the hatred toward the ebay sellers (don't answer that anymore-but I really don't think you get it). Times are tough for everyone right now- maybe not so much for those paying 300+ for budding t straps obviously- so let them pay this price that they chose and let the ebay sellers make there money. Anthropologie is making money now aren't they? You buy their markup! What's the difference? Sorry that you lost out on the sale price, but get over it!-Danielle
Roxy I cannot believe the audacity of some of these people! I think you are fantastic for posting an issue that a lot of us in the Anthro community are frustrated with. All that is being said is that it is frustrating that a lot of sellers mark up their prices to a ridiculous amount and that prevents us from purchasing some desired items! Sellers, no one is preventing you from continuing to sell your ridiculously priced items, you're just being called out on it! And instead of calling Roxy all of these rude and unnecessary names, you should just stop reading these comments and posts and continue on with your life. I have no idea why these sellers are coming on here and leaving such rude comments. You can obviously do what you want, but we have right to call you out on it and discuss our frustration.I still agree that these people are ridiculous, and I am grateful that Roxy posted this discussion, for there have been many times that I have thought the same thing. It's not worth purchasing these items at these seller's prices. What I've learned is that if there is an Anthro item that I really want, I have to buy it immediately before it sells out online. There is no way that I would buy from these sellers at a 200 +% markup.
I was wondering when Roxy was going to start censoring. Kind of ironic to complain about namecalling since the blog title contains the words "fuck you". But hey, it's Roxy's blog. If she wants to close her blog or censor all who don't share her opinions, that's her prerogative. However, IMO it costs a bit of credibility to only have discussion covering one side of an issue.
I'm anon @ 4:04. Forgot to say that seeing the prices on Ebay for Anthro items has changed my shopping habits. I end up paying more items full-price now when I see something I like. I know, not good for my wallet, but at least I don't have to end up on Ebay wondering whether I want to buy an item close to or more than the full-price when the seller probably only paid a fraction of it.
Roxy, I keep coming back to the point you made about unintended (negative) consequences. For some of us, even though price gouging (and for argument's sake, I think we can all agree on a basic definition for this term that includes non-essential items) is not illegal, and may not be qualitatively different than what big corporations do, we don't like it and won't support it. So the unintended consquence of trying to make a lot of money for yourself by buying up and marking up items is that you lose a certain percentage of the buying public because they're turned off by your methods.It'll be interesting to see, then, if those of us making up that certain percentage actually have enough of an impact to affect how much things sell for on ebay. Maybe the re-sellers are right and what they're doing is not egregious enough to suffer from a big negative outcry; and maybe those saying they don't really care one way or the other outnumber those of us who are bothered by it. I'm curious to see what–if any–fall-out there is from this discussion when it comes to anthro items on ebay.Lauren
Wow the Anon haters are out in full force today.Let me put my 2 cents on this, personally I never have and never will buy an Anthro/other items from Ebay resellers, unless I bought from the seller before and the price is resonnable to the original price. I'm always sceptical of Ebay anyways because there are a lot of fake items out there, not just Anthro items. Taking the Stormy Necklace example at full at Anthro it's only 48 bucks and a seller (anthrolovers) on Ebay is selling it for 149.99 + 5.95 shipping. Really??!! You call this capitalism, to me, that's robbery it's pretty obvious that this is not someone trying to sell this item because they didn't like it anymore, this is someone who is purposely wanting to rip ppl off. I know this is a free country but this is unacceptable. At the end of the day, we should all speak with our wallets by not buying from these ppl and continue to call them out.
Danielle at 5:03, if you read the comments above, you'll see that the business model of the resellers is NOT the same thing as Anthropologie, not even close. In Economics/Antitrust-speak, what they're doing is known as "free riding." Free riding happens when a business puts in the effort to bring a product to the public and adds in extra services to make it more attractive to buyers–in the case of Anthro, the store displays, the website, the customer service, the provision of fitting rooms, the return/price adjustment policy (etc, etc)–and then another "business" comes along and sells the same product to consumers without doing any of that aforementioned work. Consumers get the info they need from the first store with all the services, but buy the actual product from the second source–that's free riding. In addition, what the resellers are doing is even WORSE than the classic example of free riding, because in the traditional model, free riders take advantage the manufacturer/first retailer (Anthropologie), most often by selling the product for CHEAPER than what the store putting in the marketing effort is selling it for. But in buying up rare stock and jacking up prices, what these free riding resellers do is going in the other direction and taking advantage of the CONSUMER. Furthermore, they are not just free-riding off of Anthro, but also off of the efforts of the Anthro bloggers out there who take the time to review these products, post pictures and descriptions, and facilitate these forums where people can discuss the items they most want. Does that seem to fair to you, that they can make such huge profits off of other people's work? Granted, of course, these are non-essential goods that we can all pass up on. But to compare the actions of the resellers to Anthro is oversimplifying the story. Oh, and just because the law currently does not ban this kind of price-raising free riding doesn't mean that it supports it, either. Combating free riding is accepted by courts as a legitimate concern in trade restraints, and they generally will allow suppliers to set Maximum Resale Price policies capping the max. price that retailers can sell them for. In the Anthro example, Max. Resale Price restraints are not possible because they can't control these internet resellers, but you should know that what they're doing is ethically and legally frowned upon.
kind of hilarious that all of these disgusting resellers are trying to call out roxy, when im pretty sure these idiots wouldn't even have found the "highly coveted items" without the help of THIS VERY BLOG and the sleuthing eye of true anthro fans who are kind enough to post locations of such items. oh the irony.
Wow this is has been a really interesting debate to read (minus the folks being rude/condescending – quite unnecessary). I do understand the point of supply/demand, etc. but I also do get annoyed at some facets of capitalist business in general. I don't like the level of markup on ebay, or at retail stores either when I know is merely supply and demand and has nothing to do with the actual cost of development/labor/materials (I'm looking at you, 2nd broken $200 ipod!) I feel cheated pretty much every time I go shopping . . . but that doesn't seem to stop me ;)But here's my QUESTION, if anyone can answer, seeing as I know absolutely nothing about business or law: what is legal and what isn't? It is illegal to buy a bunch of retail merchandise and sell it out of your home or on a street corner, right? (yay I lurv the fashion district!). So why is it legal on ebay? If the real effect of the problem (besides being annoyed) is the gougers buying items retail, so therefore creating scarcity, and then reselling them further marked up, is this something Anthro could regulate (like monitoring bulk purchases, for example)? Thanks, and thanks Roxy for your wonderful blog.
Anon @ 5:34 (now deleted) if you're going to leave a comment after coming over from an ebay forum, at least read the post first, hmmmm?
Paige, what makes you think it is illegal to sell items out of your home or on a street corner? Ever heard of Avon, Tupperware, Cookie Lee, Partylite, Pampered Chef etc? All of these are people selling merchandise out of their home that they obtained for a lower price. People also have yard sales, garage sales, sell stuff on Craigslist, swap meets, all kinds of venues. As far as the street corner, it's either usually an issue of not having the proper permits to obstruct traffic on the street, or else the items they are selling are illegal counterfeits. Some people really need to educate themselves about commerce laws before commenting. I agree with the other poster who said that most of the anthro stuff is made in China, and although I am an ebay seller (not a big seller) I am not an anthro seller and not real fond of any of the cheap stuff made by Chinese children, no matter what the price.I also think it is silly to call out a large demographic of ebay sellers with a blog post saying "fuck you" and not expect to have responses from those very same people.
my name is not honeydont let the bas….. get you down !
The problem is not the ebay sellers is the foolish people who actually pay for the items! Sellers are only trying to make a living. as long as people would pay they will exist and will continue to overprice.
Free Riding, as another poster here spoke of, is used in Economic terms when the public goods are non rivalrous or non excludable. Clothing is considered private goods and excludable.The point is that the resellers wouldn't have a product or even be interested in it if Anthropologie wasn't pushed in to collectible "I must have this" status. Now, do I agree with a 200% mark up? No I don't. But as long as people are buying it at these outrageous prices…it will continue to be that expensive. Stop the DEMAND and there will be more SUPPLY. Or, contact Anthro and tell them to stop producing limited amounts. They also perpetuate the cycle by producing limited amounts of desirable items.
Let me tell you, If I post something on ebay and the bidding goes way higher than I thought… will I cancel the post? the answer is HELL NOOO If people are stupid enough to over pay let them over pay!! obviously they have more money than me to waste. I'm posting items to pay my bills. so thank you thank you thank you.
My budding T-straps have the lining coming out already, glad I didn't pay $300 for them!Why are people upset about eBay sellers when their beloved Athro is apparently selling shoddy merchandise?Anthro costs the same to make as something in Wal-mart or Target but it cost five times more. Why isn't that considered price gouging?
Another overpriced example: http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ANTHROPOLOGIE-Bouquet-of…
Regarding the ebay listing Stephanie just posted:Did you see the Q&A at the bottom?Questions and answers about this item Q: Hi! I'm watching these on a couple accounts; if they don't sell would you consider a lesser price? Thanks!A: Hi! I think I would relist them for maybe 10.00 less but pretty sure they will sell because there are 31 watchers. I hope you win and good luck!!! 🙂 -Erin
10 dollar less?! Those shoes were 138.
Two words- supply and demand. People are forget that eBay is an auction house. Why go to an auction house? For collector's items. You have to think about baseball cards. They have been selling at above retail for ages, same with coins and stamps. I collect Anthro. I am not saying it is right (I do not buy from these people simply because I am cheap) but I am no moral compass. -Stefanies-Truman@northwestern.edups– I have the biggest problem with the fake anthro
Hi Roxy,I am a relatively new collector of Anthropologie things, so your blog has been both educational and delightful to read for me. Like you, I've been angry or heartbroken at various times when items I want are no longer in the stores, and resellers are putting them on Ebay for two or three times the original retail price. As an Ebay stockholder and sometimes reseller (of things that don't fit me anymore or to make room in my closet for more purchases), I do support Ebay's business model. If a seller/reseller wants to list an item for an outrageous price, and a buyer is willing to pay the price, I say go for it. And if a reseller is making a profit reselling on Ebay, I actually think it is admirable (mostly because I've never been able to resell any of my things for a profit…maybe someone can give me a few tips).That being said, I understand and share your frustration. I wonder if some of the problem lies in Anthropologie's return policy? When I first started buying Anthropologie clothes, I was extremely surprised to find out they had no restriction on their return date. The salesperson told me I could basically return anything at any time, even after months and years. Although it does provide a profound peace of mind to shoppers, this lax return policy also enables professional resellers to buy in mass quantities, list them on Ebay, and return unsold merchandise months or years without losing any money. My feeling is, if Anthropologie has a 30-day or 60-day return policy (or maybe even 90-day return policy like Ann Taylor, for example), then we may see more returns of unsold merchandise from Ebay resellers back to the stores around the time the return policy expires. This means even if the stores temporarily sell out of an item due to overbuying from Ebay resellers, after 30 or 60 days later they should get back some inventory due to returns on things that did not sell. The returns to the store will also create less demand on the secondary market, which in turn will drive down prices for true Anthropologie lovers.What do you think?
Anon @ 5:49 thanks for answering part of my question (I didn't think about Avon, etc. or maybe I assumed there are legal restrictions/regulations? Like I said, I fully admit to knowing NOTHING about commerce law . . .)Which brings me to the second part of my question, which was, is there any legal action Anthro, or any other retailer finding their product resold at a higher markup, is able to take? Do you think Anthro is aware of this happening, and what would they think about it? Is it good for them because the resellers are giving them business, or is it bad for them because folks are "free riding" off of the work they've put into staffing, marketing, etc. and making a higher profit margin? Sorry, I just find this all very interesting. Free crash course in commerce law 🙂
The fact that $138 heels go for double or more on eBay is really sad, but we (well, at least a small percentage of us) are the ones deciding that price is an acceptable amount to pay for them. Does it suck? Yes. So don't contribute to it!I guarantee that all of the shoes that don't sell on eBay for the exorbitant mark up will all get returned to Anthropologie at some point, you just have to be patient and not give in to the ridiculous pricing of a few lazy sellers. At the risk of sounding like I'm defending them here, it's not their fault if we're willing to pay the ludicrous prices…
I'm so confused because the person who made the mistake of saying "doggy dog world" instead of dog-eat-dog I thought was an ebay person but they are making fun of them on that ebay thread…?At least we had the decency not to make fun of them here 🙂
Anon–I don't agree that the quality of Antthro is close to F21. I have several items I bought from Anthro in 04 and 05 that I still wear and are in excellent condition; I have purchase one or two cardigans from F21 in those same years, and they have not lasted.Further, Anthro also carries items from other designers. My Sunday Best Hat, for example, is from a miller in Brooklyn and is crafted in the US. Weston Wear is located in San Francisco and their items are made here.I've worked for a local clothing designer, who sold goods to department stores like Von Maurs and Nordstrom as well as upscale boutiques all around the country. Just because things are made overseas, doesn't instantly mean their quality is less. And that's why blogs like Roxy's exist. If an item is not up to par, those who do not have a B&M store nearby can ready the reviews; not just on fitting issues, but on quality.
I removed the link to the ebay forum thread. Please do not post it here. Thanks!
@Paige(same anon as before) Once an item has been purchased, the original retailer has no more say over what people may do with the product, including reselling. If Anthropologie were to sell clothing and not allow the purchaser to do what they want with the clothing, they would essentially be renting the clothing, not selling it (they wouldn't be allowed to sell it that way under current law), and their profits would suffer accordingly. You (and others) may wish to google "doctrine of first sale" as well as other commerce laws.It's a very interesting subject.
If you think that Anthro is marking their retail items up 5 times or more, then you have your head in the sand.
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I agree with the gouge premise here, but the language used is unfair. "Buying a sale item… waiting until it sells out… reselling for retail/close to retail price" errr… that's what every retailer from top to bottom is doing. It's literally what "retail" means. If you stalked, watched, and snagged an amazing deal of Nordstrom & it sells out… relisting it at a fair price is not only honest… but helpful. Those people missed the sale. They WANT the item. And you snagged it with your hard earned money & are offering them a shot to own it without snagging the deal themselves. What's the problem? I don't sell on Ebay, but I see the hilarious listings for $300 for sold out $150 items. But I intentionally stalk deals on various designer sites & resell at enough to make back my money & the Poshmark 20% fee, and make a small (usually less than $10 to $50) profit. It's sold out. How is offering it dishonest when the seller did the work to nab it?
Sorry, but a lot of this is sour grapes to me. Yes, I think a dishonest, price gouging seller is odious. But every person who sells anything is doing it for profit. The individual is responsible to hit Google before buying. And when items are sold out in major stores… getting them is a deal to someone who loves them. Typically they know they missed a deal and just want the item. As long as you are honest & not selling replicas or "similar to" items… I don't see the issue at all.