If at first you don’t succeed, eBay, eBay again

By Mir
February 23, 2007

I am going to live. Just thought you’d like to know. I may not be eating Chinese food again any time soon, though.

So, remember how I bought Chickadee a dress for the wedding? I bought it on eBay, and it’s been a while since I used eBay, see, so I’d forgotten how to speak the language.

The picture was lovely (if a tad blurry). It was advertised as being silk, and in pristine, perfect condition. I thought I’d gotten a great deal.

Sadly, I forgot that on eBay, translation is required.

silk = polyester
pristine = only a couple of stains
perfect = unraveling just a little

Yeah. So. I got burned on eBay. (Actually, I didn’t even get burned. The seller is being a gem about it all, although she’d be more of a gem if she’d listed it properly in the first place, I suppose.)

So what did I do, after my less-than-stellar wedding-related eBay experience?

Well, I tried to buy myself a dress (to wear! at! the! wedding!) at Nordstrom. But they didn’t have my size. First I did a live chat with customer service to see if they could maybe locate it in a store for me, but of course the dress I fell in love was nowhere to be found. And then I did the only logical* thing I could.

I went and bought it on eBay.

*If, indeed, 1) returning to eBay and 2) buying it in a size too large because that’s all there was can be considered logical. But even after I have it altered it’ll be less than half the Nordstrom price! If something catastrophic doesn’t happen, that is. And what are the odds? (Don’t answer that.)

16 Comments

  1. Jenn

    One of my friends got her wedding dress on eBay, it was gorgeous, and if I remember right, I think she paid $12 for it. Woooo! And who cares of it’s too big? Formal wear sizing is stupid anyway, maybe you’ll get it and it will be perfect!

  2. Cele

    wow, I am waiting to see the great deal you got, I hope you are very happy with it and in lots of ♥♥♥♥’s type love :)

  3. parodie

    Since you’re planning a less-than-traditional wedding, you might find Indiebride an interesting place to peruse, if only to get good suggestions on things like places to find interesting dresses and the like. Or a place to vent. Whichever…

  4. Heather

    Good luck! I just ordered my dress for my sister’s wedding online, and I’m really quite nervous about it!

  5. LadyBug Crossing

    What size is your chickadee? I have a gorgeous white – but not stark white almost a creamy colored silk – real silk – dress that my daughter wore for my sister’s wedding. It is hanging in the closet. Want it? You can have it as a wedding present from me. It’s gorgeous. I’ll send you a picture if you are interested.
    Let me know!
    LBC

  6. Mir

    Formal wear sizing? What is this formal wear of which you speak? I bought a cocktail dress. :D

  7. Amy

    Do we get to see a picture of your dress? Or is that bad luck or something?

    We got our wedding rings on eBay and people thought we were funny for doing so. I thought we were smart!

  8. JayMonster

    Can eBay be described as anything but a Love/Hate relationship. It had both been a huge blessing, and a bane to my existence at the same time!

    “Better” Luck with your dress than you had with Chickadee’s.

  9. Melanie

    You never know, eBay sometimes is a really good idea. I’ll cross my fingers for you that your dress is perfect. And do we get to see pictures of it? I love wedding dresses.

  10. Amanda Cowan

    I sold my wedding dress on ebay (I guess I figured that my daughter will just consider it too old-fashioned and we were trying to squeeze our 1800 sq ft home into 1150 sq ft when we moved to the Bay Area/Silicon Valley and a giant boxed dress was taking up too much space). But I ended up selling it for $50 and it really was in great condition! I wish you good luck in finding your dress!

  11. BOSSY

    Bossy often shops this way and wishes you luck, but remember: It’s eBay, not freeBay — if it’s too cheap something must be wrong with it.

  12. Mom101

    My understanding, and I’m not a big ebay person, is that you’re looking for descriptions like “new with tags.” Anything else is a crapshoot. Better luck on yours!

  13. Jenny

    Ah, dress shopping. eBay dress shopping.

    Love, hate, love.

  14. Lady M

    Good luck with the dress! I’ve only been brave enough to buy books on eBay.

  15. Aimee

    Good luck with the dress! I hope it’ll be as GAWGEOUS as you are. :)

  16. CCE

    I’ve bought a car on e-bay…sight un-seen so to speak. It was absolutely perfect, as advertised. After driving it for two years I sold it, and yet again, this car changed hands via e-bay. A car, a wedding dress, what’s the difference? It should work for you! Best of luck.

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