Preowned 'never worn' or 'worn once'. Really????

[downwindofyou]

Am I cynical that when I see something on Vestiaire or Vinted etc and it's described as 'only worn once' or 'never worn' then it's a big fat porky pie?

How often are things really worn once before someone decides to get rid of it? ONCE??? Not 4 times? Not half a season? Just the once?

It immediately makes me not want to buy the thing

I’ve definitely seen one or two sellers with multiple BNWT items, including some duplicates, from the latest lines in store and assume that these are professional shoplifters / retail workers stealing from their workplace. But resale prices of even brand new and barely worn clothes are pretty low for most brands, so the risk/reward calculation doesn’t seem to work out for it to be hugely prevalent.

*"How often are things really worn once before someone decides to get rid of it?"

The only thing I can think of is a condom*

I don't know whether to share this due to the disgustingness, but I once viewed a house for sale and whilst I was in the already very disgusting bedroom, I realised they had a used condom hanging up on a nail. I will never get this out of my head.

There are some people who buy things with the intention of only wearing them once, so they leave the tag on, in order to return it to the shop. Therefore the item is no longer brand new but still has tags on it.

Where do you stand with this? Do you believe that people who sell items as BNWT are actually telling the truth rather than someone who did what I described above, but couldn't take it back to the shop?

It is a risk you take when you buy a second hand item online. I usually look at the amount of feedback and piece take of positive feedback before I commit to buy. If there is not suggicient information, then ask the seller. A good seller would have no problem providing the measurements and extra photos etc.

When I say I've only worn something once, it means exactly that. I bought an expensive pair of Fitflop shoes, which I wore once and decided they were not really my style and forgot about them until I did my annual spring clean.

They just tick all the options to get their item viewed. I ticked to look at men's cardigans, new with tags, on Vinted for my father for Christmas. One of the specimens that came up had visible bobbles hanging off the arms. It wasn't even nearly new.

I have been mostly lucky with Vinted, all the 'worn once' items have been in very good condition, even some of the 'very good condition' ones have been in amazing condition, but I do view the pictures very carefully, look for bobbling or signs of wear and also at soles if they are shoes. I have bought new with tags as well, but I don't want to pay a premium for new when I'm happy with new in a very good condition. I have very rarely bought anything and it's not been as described.

Ultimately, if something is not as described or faulty, you can still return it. I did have one pair of boots that the plastic was coming off, it wasn't shown in the photos, and I sent evidence immediately to Vinted and got the purchase refunded.

I've sold quite a few items that were worn once or not at all. Shoes, especially, can feel uncomfortable after a brief wear and I decide I don't want them. But I think I'm in the minority as I'd never try to sell something that wasn't nearly new and in excellent condition. Many sellers do lie and I've been burned too many times by unscrupulous sellers who insist something is "new" when it's quite obvious it was heavily worn.

There is someone selling a Jigsaw coat on Vinted at the moment, BNWT. The style was only released by Jigsaw about two weeks ago. I can't understand why on earth that's on Vinted at a much reduced price, so have to say the possibility of it being stolen did cross my mind.

(Perhaps a parcel that 'went astray' and a replacement sent out? I assume these things are security tagged in the shop.)