craigslist and ebay

I have never used either craigslist or eBay, but I do know many people that have and even use it quite frequently. To me, the thought of purchasing something that has already been used has never been desirable. I feel that my discomfort with the process comes from the unknown. First of all, who did it first belong to? Second of all, why are they selling or re-selling the item? Maybe my disinterest comes from seeing the store Plato's Closet. For those that are unaware, Plato's closet is a clothing, shoes, and accessories resale shop. However, they also offer new merchandise. In Dallas, there is another store on Greenville that has the same concept, called the Buffalo Exchange.

I think what "weirds me out" is the fact that I have NO IDEA who was wearing the article of clothing, where it has been, or what is has been through. I feel that this same concept has caused me to fear using both craigslist and eBay. Although one can buy new merchandise on these websites, it still strikes me as peculiar that someone would buy something, such as an article of clothing or an accessory, in order to resell it. I understand that there are various items that attain value over time, such as collectors items, but that is not typically how clothing sales work.

When I studied in Europe, I had a friend that purchased a ton of her clothing at both resale shops and at flea markets. It was sort of a hobby of hers to dig through the goods and see what "treasures" she could find. Although I never took part in this with her, I witnessed her finding some really unique things and "rocking" them. I am not sure if I could pull off her style, but it definitely was fabulous on her. She now attends Parsons in New York City for fashion design. I guess as the saying goes "one person's garbage is another person's treasure" can hold true in this case. After all, one never knows what one might find or be missing out on if one does not look.