SOBBING ON FIFTH: Scoring on eBay

If you follow us on Twitter, you might have noticed I'm a fan of the old eBay. Well, we have a love/hate relationship. I find a lot about eBay frustrating, and mindlessly searching through its million pages for vague hunts like "vintage jewelry" makes me think that I've actually died and am wasting away in purgatory. But, if you know what you want, eBay could be your ticket to an amazing price. And it may not be - I feel a baffled sort of resentment toward people who want more than the original price for something that's not sold out anywhere or hard to find - why would I pay you more, birdbrain? The key to eBay is patience. Don't jump on the first find when you're searching for something. When you have something specific in mind, keep things in your watch list for a while to survey the different prices, then you'll know the lowest price you can expect to find. And when you find it, don't bid until it's almost over - it might suddenly skyrocket in the last hour and you don't want it then, anyway. If you watch ten different versions of the item you want, I promise you at least one of those has been overlooked. While twenty-five people are competing for one, another is going unseen and that's your chance. If you don't have regular access to sample sales, eBay is your best friend - it will help you get high end pieces for less, you just have to stalk your prey.

I decided to look up a few things that a lot of us probably covet and see how they're doing on eBay - are there a ton? How much are they going for?

Isabel Marant Sneaker Wedges:

From Bobby to Boston to Betty, these will often run higher than retail because of their fly-off-the-shelves hotness. They sell out everywhere, so right now sellers can get away with jacking up the prices.

You can get these for a starting bid of $500 or Buy It Now of $550:

Or, if you're willing to the pre-owned route (they still look pretty good), the bid is at $330 right now for these:

The Celine Luggage Tote:

Again, this is a hot commodity, so be prepared. The big deal here seems to be with minis - if you're willing to downsize (which is on trend anyway), you can get a good price.

Like this one, for example, with a bid currently at $610:

If you're a human being with a soul, you'd sell it for anything Valentino Rock Stud. From shoes to bags, here's what's up.

This pre-owned (but in good condition) clutch is at only $375 - hurry, it's over in a few hours! I love its shade of coral, plus it comes with a free thumb.