Lululemon resale Archives - lululemon expert

How to Determine the Value of Your Item- Part 3- Colors

I’ve written a main post about how to determine the value of your item & I’ve written another post on the same subject except regarding different fabrics. I would like to continue this train of thought, except regarding different colorways. It’s quite a phenomenon that some Lululemon items sell well on the aftermarket for retail or less in one color, but way over retail in another color. For example, most Gratitude Wraps are selling for between $130 and $200, but Stitch (color name) gratitude wraps are selling for an astounding $400! Here is one example of a competed listing:

This Gratitude Wrap sold for $450 on eBay.

So, there’s just one example of how an item can sell for a decent amount in one color, but for an astounding amount in another color.

So, lets explore other, similar examples. In a previous post I talked about a March We Are From Space Scuba hoodie that was absolutely gorgeous. Typically, I see it sell for somewhere around $150, but I’ve also seen it listed for as low as $120. However, MANY other Scuba hoodies sell for less than half that (depending on the condition), so once again, we see an example where an item, simply due to the colour, sells for a considerably higher price than retail. In general, Scubas sell for around $60, depending on condition of course, but for some reason I have noticed that people have difficulty selling them. My theory is that the shipping cost is so high (especially in Canada) that it would be almost unreasonable to sell them for less than $70- including shipping (meaning you get only about half of retail value ($50) for yourself), but most people (including myself) don’t like to pay much for used Scubas (unless they’re rare or amazing), so they remain unsold, as people would rather keep an item in their closet than absorb a significant loss. The reason I don’t like to pay much for Scubas is because, for me, a lot of their appeal comes from the cozy, soft interior and that diminishes after just a few washes, so for me, it’s not worth it to buy them used. It’s hard to find a Scuba in EUC for sale- at a reasonable price. However, to my point: there are special, unique colors in a lot of things Lululemon has made that make it more valuable.

Sea Wheeze Items

In my personal opinion, Sea Wheeze items are way over priced. But they are genuinely quite rare, so once they hit eBay, they get marked up significantly. They are your traditional items, CRBs, Speed shorts, Scuba Hoodies (etc), but they come in Sea Wheeze colors with a special Sea Wheeze insignia on them. Some of the stuff is cute, but a CRB is not worth $100 to me, no matter how cute it is.

This CRB from Sea Wheeze is selling on eBay for around $100.

I think that I will likely add more examples of colors that fetch higher prices in the future, but for now, I’ll leave it at this and remind you that before you sell your item it is really important to know what color it is, this way you can research the market value of your item. If you don’t know what color your item is I have a few pointers listed in previous posts and discuss it specifically here. Once you know what your item is, you’ll know what market value is and be able to fairly (for yourself and your buyers) price your item.

Happy Selling!

Don’t Be A Unicorn Thief- UPDATE!

Today Lululemon changed their resale policy to reflect the values of their customers. I am very pleased to announce that they’ve included a clause that covers the very real issue of Unicorn thieves. Their resale policy does not affect people like you & I who sell our used Lulu so we can buy more, but it specifically targets those who buy and sell newly released products at a mark up. I am ecstatic that Lululemon has finally recognized that the resale value of their clothing affects their sales in general. And that protecting the small re-sellers, while punishing the large scale profiteers is in the best interest of both the company and the customer. I’m always prepared to spend more on Lululemon because I’m aware that if I lose weight or lose interest in an item, I can always resell it and replace it with a new pretty. Lululemon’s Frequently Asked Questions document has been updated thusly:

“RESALE/COUNTERFEIT

what is your position on the re-selling of product?

We do not support the re-sale of new product, especially if it is at an elevated price point. Sometimes re-sellers also include used product in their inventory, however our focus is on new product re-sales, especially items listed at an elevated price point.

Our position on re-selling is in response to guest feedback when they see well-loved product being bought out immediately, and re-sold at an elevated price point. In addition, we always want to create the best experience for our guest, which includes educating them on the items they are purchasing to ensure they have the best product for their sweaty pursuit. Bottom line, if it doesn’t come from us, we can’t educate, we don’t know the history of the garment, and we can’t guarantee its’ authenticity.”

So happy to see change moving in the right direction. Thanks Lululemon!

Talking Market Trends

I want to take the time to talk Lululemon after-market trends. The market suffers and benefits from general and somewhat predictable fluctuations. I want to discuss with you how we can take advantage of the good times and mitigate the losses in the bad times. In the following scenarios, my suggestions refer to the common person. There are exceptions to every rule, I’ll even try to cover them, but again: My advice applies to the average collector.

Seasonal– Seasonal fluctuations are easy enough to understand, but surprisingly few people use their own common sense to their advantage. People are not searching for shorts in the winter, nor are they seeking out sweaters in the summer. There are over 15,000 listings of “Lululemon” items on eBay- every single day. If you want to stand out, you have to make sure you’re selling your item when as many people as possible are interested in buying it. I suggest listing your sweaters at the beginning of Autumn, and shorts at the beginning of Spring. I also suggest you consider the weather patterns of the biggest markets for your item. Canadians will want more cold-weather items. If you’re a US seller, you might also consider adding a Canadian shipping option. (There are some extra risks involved with shipping abroad that can be alleviated, but I will cover them in a future post.) Therefore, if I were selling a sweater, I would list it mid to late September as average temperatures tend to begin becoming cooler around this time.

Secondary Seasonal Considerations– There are other so-called seasonal conditions to evaluate. One of them is the fact that the Designers in MANY companies seem to release their best efforts in fall. The fall fashion shows are always the most anticipated and Lululemon’s strategy is not different. It seems like every fall they release the best stuff. I know people who don’t buy much in summer, so they can save up for fall! They usually release some special edition items around Christmas, although, last year was a bust. During these times, people are spending more money on Upload night, and in-store on new items, so they’re not looking at eBay or on the Facebook Pages for deals on older items. The point of this story is: avoid selling when people don’t have the money to buy. The irony is that it will likely be when you need the money the most that you decide to sell. But don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉

Unicorns- Unicorns change over time (Don’t know what a Unicorn is? Check out my Previous Post about Lululemon Slang), but often you can take advantage of when your item obtains unicorn status and cash out, unless you love it. Then, I say keep it. But if you have a “Unicorn,” and you notice that it has been doing very well on eBay, you should make a decision on whether or not you’re going to sell- And Fast! Because there is always a limited number of people who are willing to pay the big bucks for something they really want right now, and then there are people like me, who will wait for it to pop up on eBay for cheaper. However, there are some things that maintain their value fairly well and I will continue to discuss those things in future posts.