When buying clothing on eBay, there are several things that you, as a buyer, need to know, in order to be a smart consumer.

Is the item you're thinking of purchasing used or new?

eBay sellers generally use the abbreviations NWT and NWOT to describe clothing that is New With Tag or New Without Tag, respectively. If you don't see those terms in an auction title or description it's usually safe to assume that the garment is used, or that the seller isn't certain if the item has been used or not.

What condition is the item in?

Condition can be a very subjective thing. People can have different standards by which they judge the condition of a garment. What one person sees as perfect another may perceive with flaws. For this reason, many reputable eBay clothing sellers, myself included, follow a general guide to describe clothing condition. These standards were developed by the clothing sellers who post on the eBay Community Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories discussion board, also known as the CABoard. Below are the terms I use in describing a garment's condition.

NWT - new, with manufacturer's or retailer's hang tags still attached. Note that this refers to the hang tags, not the labels sewn in to a garment.

NWOT - new, without tag. The item has not been washed or worn, but the manufacturer's or retailer's hang tags have been removed.

LIKE-NEW - The garment shows no signs of wear at all, but the seller may not be sure if it has ever been worn. This designation is often used for store samples, returns, or items that have been washed but not worn.

EXCELLENT - Showing no signs of wear, but has likely been worn and laundered.

VERY GOOD - May show some light signs of wear, so that it no longer appears new, but the item has no rips, tears, holes or stains.

There are other designations as well, such as GOOD, PLAY, etc., but I rarely list anything below EXCELLENT, and never list anything below the VERY GOOD standard.

Cleanliness is next to...

It is also important to know that eBay, (and common sense) dictates that ALL used clothing items sold on the site must be laundered or cleaned before being sold.