eBay may have great deals

Buying designer jeans from a retail outlet like Nordstrom is a bulletproof way to ensure you get the real thing and not some knock-off pair. However, it also means you will likely have to pay full price. In the world of designer jeans, full price usually means anywhere from $140 to $300 or more!

Due to the high quality of designer denim from popular bands such as True Religion, these high-end jeans tend to last much longer than run of the mill department store brands. In fact, it's not uncommon for a pair of designer jeans to still look brand new after being worn for weeks, assuming of course they've been properly cared for.

Since upscale jeans hold their value so well, it's not uncommon for shoppers to look for pre-owned pairs of their favorite brands. Some high-end secondhand stores carry designer clothing and often sell jeans from brands such as 7 For All Mankind in great condition for as little as $40. But what do you do if no such secondhand stores are conveniently located by you?

eBay! Designer jeans are bought and sold in large quantities every day on eBay. The huge discounts created by private sellers as well as the convenience of shopping online make it a very popular shopping destination for men and women looking for a deal on a new pair of jeans. Although using eBay to buy jeans has tons of pros, it is not without its cons. There are a few things you need to look out for to ensure you have a satisfactory buying experience.

Feedback
This is the easiest way to determine whether or not any particular seller is trusted. Every time a transaction is made between a buyer and a seller on eBay, each party has the opportunity to leave feedback about the transaction on the other's feedback page. Both the quantity and quality of any given sellers feedback rating is important.

In some cases, you may find exactly what you're looking for, only to discover the seller is seemingly new to eBay due to little or no feedback. Most eBay transactions go off without a hitch, but ultimately it is up to your discretion to decide whether or not you want to bid on an item offered by a seller with limited feedback information.

Since counterfeit jeans are such a problem worldwide, if any seller regularly engages in the selling of fake jeans, you will likely discover this by reading the comments on their feedback profile. Alternatively, if the seller has hundreds of positive feedback entries, it's pretty safe to assume that dealing with that seller will be a pleasant experience.

Item Location
The majority of counterfeit designer jeans come from foreign countries, particularly from Asian countries. Although there are of course legitimate sellers with authentic jeans for sale from those countries, you should be extra cautious and diligent about inspecting the sellers feedback profile as well as any images of the jeans that are available.

The Price
eBay may have great deals, but beware of "too good to be true" deals. You may very well find a $200 pair of jeans that have been previously worn for only $60, but don't expect to find that same pair brand new for $25. Also, when dealing with sellers that have seemingly impossibly low prices, keep in mind that their feedback profile might not tell you the whole story. The reason for this is because in some cases, these sellers will have positive feedback from buyers who purchased their jeans already assuming that the jeans were fake (due to the rock bottom price). Since they were paying for and expecting fakes, naturally they end up satisfied with the transaction. Don't mistake these sellers for legitimate dealers of designer jeans.

Trust Your Instinct
When it comes down to it, your own intuition will often help you determine whether or not any particular seller on eBay should be trusted. If you're still on the fence, it's never a bad idea to message the seller with any concerns you may have. Many sellers will be happy to reassure you of the product's authenticity, and some will even take additional pictures for you. It never hurts to ask!