My Ebay

follow @homegirlscloset on twitter & pinterest for daily "designer deals" sold exclusively on ebay.
happy shopping now & forever!

Price Adjustments (the un-advertised rebate)

So, I purchase a handbag that was on my wishlist for about 30 days. Got so excited when I seen it on sale, discounted by $100. Of course I buy it, bring it home, shove in my closet with the rest of the foolishness going on in there. So it sits and looks pretty on the shelf for nearly 2 months. So im surfin the net, browsing, just having fun and suddenly OMG I see my handbag on "double sale" argghh! Its marked down again for a total savings of $175 at a different store. You know where im going with this right? Yes I did girlyz, I took that bag back, then re-purchased at the new lower price at the other store. Felt so good to get unexpected cash back on a purchase I made 2 months ago. Price adjustments are wonderful and I strategically get them frequently, but there are a few rules I follow to maximize the odds of receiving this type of rebate.

Be the First to Know!!

There's nothing worse than going out to purchase something to find out that it was on sale the week before or even worse, goes on sale the week after you made the purchase. Be the first to know about sales, discounts, and give aways by subscribing to your favorite merchants website or mailing list. This gets you VIP status and advance notification on sales that are sometimes exclusive to subscribers. Many of us are worried about spam and excessive junk mail which is a valid concern. To mitigate this, simply create an email account exclusively for your favorite retailers instead of giving out your primary email address.

Many retailers will even reward you for subscribing by sending you a coupon or first time buyers discount. So, before you shop on websites, subscribe first to see if they offer you an incentive. Notifications are usually sent within 48 hours if an incentive is available to first time buyers. Happy Shopping!

Brand Verses Budget

So you already know I'm crazy about shopping, but moreover I'm crazy about getting deals.  I rarely buy unless its a super sale- I'm talking minimum 60% off designer merchandise! Some of my fave brands are Guess, Michael Kors, Burberry, L.A.M.B, Marc Jacobs, Dolce Vita, and about 10 others. Authentic only- no bootlegs allowed in my closet.

Although I shop designers, I'm very frugal and cautious about what I buy. I like to purchase quality, merchandise that will stand the test of time because I'm more of a collector. I shop strategically by stalking sites and stores daily seeking opportunities to get discounted merchandise for my collections. Often times I go to department stores to simply test out brands, check for flaws, loose threads, poor workmanship, and even rough it up a little bit to test its durability.

As smart consumers we know that most often we are just paying for the "name", so its important to assess the true value to determine if the item is worth the asking price. If you favor quality, high end brands as many of us do, and have limited glam dollars, consider outlet shopping or discount stores like Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, Loehmanns, or e-tailers like Beyond The Rack, HauteLook, or Ideeli.