New With Tags?  How "new" is it really? Lingerie and blouses, for example, are not always completely new - even if the tags are still on them. 

One of the great things about eBay is your chances of buying great ladies clothing and lingerie at below-retail prices.  When it comes to this type of clothing, new is always preferable to used, isn't it?  (Unless it's a vintage item, but that's a different story.)  With DebsCouture, we specialize in new, sexy lingerie, shapewear and undergarments that are purchased direct from Hollywood and Los Angeles designers.  This is factory direct to you.  And yet, how many of us have purchased something that was advertised as NWT (New With Tags) and the item looked, smelled or even felt different than you would expect from new product.

The reason for some NWT's being less than new is simple, when you think about it.  Consider some typical story-lines concerning your recent NWT purchase:

• This bra has tags but smells "funny."  Could it be a "shelf pull" from a department store which had it out on display,  being touched by shoppers, sometimes tried on first?  Were these shoppers fresh from the shower?  Not likely. This would obviously still qualify as new, and yet it has been lightly polluted by its previous handling. The person who acquired it for resale on eBay no doubt treated it as new, but you can never know what it's history was on the discount rack of certain stores.
• The blouse you received from the eBay seller still has tags, but there's a slight patina of dust on the shoulders.  Could it have been hanging in a closet for a number of months before the owner decided to "off" it on eBay?  Did she keep it hanging there, next to another blouse that she rehung after wearing it "just a little while." Yes, it is not really used . . . but is new how you would describe it?

Can you avoid being duped by purchasing NWT that is not truly new?  Here are some tips to help you avoid it - or to only buy something with history when you know in advance what that history is.

• Check out the seller's listings.  Do they have multiple sizes of the same item? Do they have multiple items in each size? Chances are better that they have purchased a wholesale lot from the manufacturer rather than from a distributor of "near new" stuff.
• Read the listing description. Sellers often give away tips as to the true age of something.  ("I bought this new and just never got around to wearing it." "New with tags.  My friend asked me to sell this beautiful blouse for her and I'm starting it out for you at below retail.")
• Send a message to the seller and ask of the item's origin.  All it takes is a brief note and the seller should reply within a business day.  If they're not willing to respond, are you willing to buy from them?

Again, there's nothing wrong with buying items used, or slightly used on eBay.  But you should only do so if you are aware of the item's status in advance or are sure that the seller, like DebsCouture, acquires its stock direct from the factory.