Tag: Lululemon

How to Determine the Value of Your Item- Part 2- Fabrics

Determining the value of your item will help you set a selling price and my Last Post discussed some basic strategies for finding a selling price. In this post and future posts I intend to get a little more specific about patterns, styles and colours who both maintain and increase in value over time, seemingly regardless of the current market conditions. As I write this, I am convinced that it is a bear market, in terms of after sales. I have been selling things quickly at a discount from market price and I have noticed that items that have been priced at market value have not been selling. The main reason I believe that it is a bear market is that it’s Fall and Lululemon (as well as many other fashion designers) has been releasing many covetous items and serious collectors are stocking up on the new items instead of scouring eBay for deals on older items. This keeps prices low as people don’t have an infinite amount of disposable income to spend on their collection regardless of what pops up on eBay.

Some things retain their value better than others and of course, and I intend to cover as much of this as possible. Keep in mind however, that times change and markets are fluid, not stagnant. There are crazes and trends in this market as there are in all markets.

Let’s get started!

Fabrics: Some fabrics retain their value or go up in value better than others.

Herringbone: Herringbone looks like this:

Example of Lululemon Herringbone Fabric

These came in limited colors, with a few released over the years. They usually get released in Fall/ Winter and are super comfy & warm. They’re very soft. These sell for retail or slightly above anytime I see them at auction.

Pique: Pique looks like this:

Example of Pique Fabric

Pique is also a traditional Fall/ Winter release. It’s exceptionally warm and soft. These also sell well after market. They’re gorgeous and very soft. In my opinion they also maintain their condition better than herringbone, which I find pills more easily.

Both of these traditional cold weather releases retail for between $72 & $82, depending on whether they are full length pants or crops. I often see these selling for around $90 on the Facebook pages. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check out my earlier post) On eBay, as of this writing “Lululemon Pique Wunder Unders” sell for between $70 and $120. Lululemon has also made other items in Pique, which also sell well, but I’d like to continue on a more narrow, specific path, for now. Herringbone Wunder Unders are priced the same in retail settings, but perform slightly better on eBay selling for between $60 and $180. I have also seen these sell on the Facebook pages for around $90. Please note, however, that many of the Herringbone Wunder Unders I saw fetching the highest prices were also “New with tags.” Although, in my experience, “excellent used condition” would fetch nearly as much as NWT with the proper advertisement.

Charcoal Wunder Unders

Charcoal fabric has come back again this year, and it’s deliciously soft & silky. I love mine, but they pill incredibly fast. I would only buy these new. I bought a pair on eBay once, and it was pilly beyond belief. Embarrassingly so. I returned them. These hold retail value well, but I’ve never seen them fetch much more than that, and these don’t sell as well as other Wunder Unders used. So, my advice is get them if you like them, but don’t expect them to increase in value.

Here’s an example of the fabric:

Lululemon Charcoal Wunder Under Fabric
Lululemon Charcoal Wunder Under Fabric

More Strategies on How to Determine the Name and Colour of Your Item

Let’s say you have a shirt. It’s a few years old, but it’s still in good enough condition and you want to sell it because, well, you can. In a Previous Post I talked about Googling to see if you can spot your item in an image search. This strategy woks fairly well for newer items or popular items of items that are so unique that the terms work to find them. But let’s say you have something older and more basic with a few defining features, like a built-in bra and a ruffle on the side, but nothing that Lululemon hasn’t made ten versions of during the 15 years its been in business. You find lots of tank tops and lots of colours similar to yours, but not quite right and as you go through the images further into the results, you start seeing pants and Lululemon Logos and things that really have nothing to do with your search. This can definitely be frustrating. When I first started archiving my collection using PINTEREST, (Your new Best Friend), I spent hours searching for specific types of Groove Pants that I had acquired over the years. More on Specific Styles and their value later. Now when I buy something new I “Pin” the picture and note the Style and Colour as well. Some people note how much they paid, or the retail value. I think if I did that I would probably wonder why I spent my future Condo money on pretty clothes, but I digress.

So, Google isn’t helping you this time. This is when I resort to one of the major Lululemon blogs. If you even know sort of when you bought your item, you should be able to find it, or a version of it on Carolyn’s Lululemon Blog or on Cristina’s Blog. Sometimes Joyce’s Blog has Lululemon on it. For Men’s items I recommend searching Eric’s Blog. To be honest, I am fairly unfamiliar with the resale value of Men’s Lululemon clothing items, but that much of my advice can be applied to it, just none of my expertise. (eg: search tips can be used the same way, but later when I talk about the value of certain colors and styles, know that it applies to the women’s apparel side of Lululemon only.)

All of the above blogs are excellent sources of information, and some of them are entertaining too 🙂

When I search the blogs I check from the earliest time I think I could have purchased the item and I go through the archives and look at every page. Let’s say a few pages in I see the color “heathered ultraviolet” and that looks like the same colour as my tank top. (Keep in mind that I could be wrong but it’s kind of a “throw it at the wall and see what sticks” approach.) So, I search: “Heathered ultraviolet” Lululemon, click “images” and scroll through. There it is! I see my tank top in an old eBay listing and there’s the name too! Perfect. Now I know the Style name and the Colour name of my item. Once I do that, I can go and figure out what it’s worth. More on that later 🙂

 

UPDATE:

I just want to add a link to a fantastic resource. There’s a Facebook group that is devoted to specifically identifying various Lululemon items and if you can’t find something, you can always post a pic here and the ladies of the Lulu nation will help you figure it out.

Examples of Size Dots

Here are some examples of size dots in pictures:

Image
Size Dot inside left (when worn) bra cup on No Limits tank.
Size Dot inside left (when worn) pocket of Scuba Hoodie.
Size Dot inside left (when worn) pocket of Scuba Hoodie.
Size Dot inside left pocket of Dance Studio Jacket
Size Dot inside left pocket of Dance Studio Jacket
Size dot inside built-in pocket in waistband of groove shorts.
Size dot inside built-in pocket in waistband of groove shorts.
Size Dot inside zipper pocket on back of Inspire Crops
Size Dot inside zipper pocket on back of Inspire Crops
Size Dot inside Left pocket of Beach Runner Crop
Size Dot inside Left pocket of Beach Runner Crop
Size dot inside left bra cup slot of Scoop Neck Tank
Size dot inside left bra cup slot of Scoop Neck Tank

Size dots are hiding in some relatively consistent places on your Lululemon clothing. Recently, they have been reducing the number of items having size dots. If you can find the size dot it makes your article of clothing easier to sell as it confirms the size.

More on Basic Listing Requirements

The condition of your item is the most important thing to most purveyors of Lululemon. Our wearable collection of art must be in its very best condition. But there are a few other things that are if not necessary, at least helpful in fetching the highest sale price for your item.

Most listings require the following information: Name, Size, Colour, Condition, Shipping and Payment information.

Name: Every single piece of Lululemon has a name. If you can find the name of your piece, you have a much better chance of selling it for what it’s worth. More on that later. Let’s say, for example, I have a Lululemon tank top and it looks like

NLT in Pink Shell
THIS

lIt’s pink and striped and has a built-in bra. If we google those words and do an image search, after a few rows, we will find a top that looks similar and can determine both the Name of the Style of the tank top and the name of the Colour. Some Styles are more valuable and some colours of styles are more valuable than other colors. More on that later. This particular tank top is called a Pink Shell Black Sea Stripe No Limits Tank

Size: Most pieces of Lululemon clothing come with a “rip out tag.” Lululemon wrote a blog post about it. A lot of people prefer for the rip tag to be intact and in my opinion it contributes to the condition of an item. The rip out tag can also be consulted for clues regarding item authenticity, more on that later. Most importantly to this post, the rip out tag states the size of the item. Lululemon makes clothing ranging from sizes 2-12, as of the writing of this blog. They also make children’s clothing under a different name. More on that later. If your item is missing the rip-out tag, in many cases, but not all, Lululemon has conveniently installed a size “dot.” It is a small, white dot, placed somewhere, inconspicuously in the article of clothing. Translation: You’ll need to either: know where to look or start turning things inside out to find it. For example: Scuba Hoodie Size dots are located in the front left pocket, when worn. However, not all Scuba hoodies are equipped with a size dot. Many Lululemon bottoms have size dots in the pocket embedded in the waistband.  Sizes can also be loosely determined by measurements and many Lululemon addicts know their measurements in specific tops and bottoms.

Colour: Colour can be determined much in the same way style can. Google is your friend.

Condition: I discussed condition determinations in my last post.

Shipping: If you’re posting on eBay shipping is pretty straight forward. You can choose free shipping, or calculated or do a flat rate, whatever you’re most comfortable with, really. Posting on a Facebook page is different. I try to go with what’s simplest. Sometimes I include shipping in my prices and other times I say “add $5” for shipping.

Payment: If you’re on eBay, payment has been simplified for you. If you’re selling on a Facebook page, you can state how you expect to be paid: PayPal or EMT (Email Money Transfer, a Canadian payment method as of this writing), and you’ll also want to state “as gift or buyer pays fees.” PayPal primarily protects the buyer, so I think it’s only fair that the buyer should have to pay for that protection. As long as you send your item with tracking and insurance and the item is in your stated condition, there should be no issues.

With these basic listing features your listing should look like this:

For Sale:

No Limits Tank

Size 4

Pig Pink

EUC

$10 shipped US or Canada

PayPal as Gift or buyer pays fees.

Happy Selling!

How to Describe the Condition of Your Lululemon Item.

When you’re posting your item, whether on eBay, one of the bidding pages or in one of the direct buy/ sell Facebook pages the condition of the item is going to be fundamental in the final value selling price of your item. And may also dictate whether it sells or not. If you are selling on eBay, I always post the most amount of information possible, but let’s start with the basics. If I were selling my item on a Facebook group, I would describe it quickly with one the following acronyms:

GUC- This is an item that is still wearable, but may have one or more small flaws.

VGUC- This item is very wearable but may have one small flaw that is not a rip, hole, tear or stain

EUC- No visible flaws. Has been washed and worn, but not too often.

VEUC- Rarely if ever worn. Worn once, maybe twice. Practically looks new.

NWOT- This item is brand new, never washed, never worn and has had the tags removed then sat in your closet.

NWT- This item is brand new, and still has the product information attached to it.

A few notes on condition acronyms: these are guidelines only. Please do remember to describe all flaws. If your item is in “GUC,” or “Good Used Condition,” meaning that it’s still wearable, it might have a small stain on the cuff, or a seam may be unravelling. Sometimes people will buy things thinking they might be able to repair them. As long as you’re honest about the condition, they really don’t have any recourse if they decide they don’t like the item. I tend to allow returns anyways, in order to maintain good will, but you don’t have to if you’ve honestly described all flaws. Don’t forget to take a screen shot of your ad, and describe in your correspondence (Facebook messages or eBay ad) the flaws. Keep those messages, in the event of a disagreement, PayPal with consult them to establish your defence.

“VGUC” or Very Good Used Condition. These items will have no rips, holes, tears or stains. Some flaws that I describe with a “very good used condition item” are any wash wear that has occurred. This includes “sueding” of the fabric, which occurs after it’s been washed quite a few times, or if it’s been washed incorrectly. I also say if there is any “pilling,” which occurs when tiny bits of other things stick to the fabric. This most often occurs with Luon, Lululemon’s signature fabric and towels need to be kept far away from this. Pills can be removed with this: Fabric Defuzzer* (Canadian friends, click here). Again, sometimes, people will buy an item thinking they can fix it, and wanting to return it when they are unable to. Fading is another issue I would mention in an ad for a VGUC item. A slight bit of fading never deterred me from buying something I really wanted. The final issue that I can think of that would still allow an item to qualify as “Very” good is “stickiness.” You must include in your ad if your item is “sticky.” When you unfold your Groove pants, do they stick together? Then they are sticky. This is what happens to Luon as it breaks down or if it is washed incorrectly. Over time, it does break down and it will become sticky. It’s still really good, in my opinion, but this flaw is often over-looked by eBay sellers. That said, I’ve purchased several items that were in perfect condition- except for being sticky, and even though the seller didn’t mention this flaw, I’ve never returned an item or asked for a partial refund due to stickiness. But some people are picky and it’s better to be safe, rather than risk negative feedback or having to process a return.

Excellent Used condition is my favorite to buy from. The items are used, but have only been worn a few times, and then the person decided that they just don’t want them anymore. Often these items are the best deal because they still look great in my collection, but they will generally be priced at less than retail. (Except in some cases, which I will develop as this blog continues). There should be no visible flaws, including none of the above. In some cases a slight bit of pilling is excusable, but I strongly caution against using the word “Excellent” to describe your item unless there is no pilling. (Some items like Charcoal Wunder Unders pill in the gusset after one or two uses, there’s one exception. There may be others, but I discourage it because if there is a PayPal case, pilling does not constitute “excellence” in my opinion.)

VEUC, or “Very Excellent Used Condition.” I rarely use this acronym myself. This is reserved for things where I can’t remember if I took the tags off and put it in my closet or if it has been washed and worn once or twice. I recently sold a pair of Pow Pink Wunder Unders that I had taken the tags off and worn for 6 hours. Those were in VEUC.

NWOT or “New Without Tags,” should be pretty self explanatory, however, I am constantly plagued by eBay ads which state the condition as “NWOT” and then, in the description exclaim: “Washed and Worn once!” As if that’s a great thing. No, mystery eBay-er. NWOT is NWOT, I once won a PayPal dispute because the condition stated “NWOT” and in the ad she said “Washed and worn once.” They had obviously been washed and worn MANY times. They were in “Very Good Used Condition,” a far cry from “New Without Tags,” but I digress. It’s all just semantics, just be honest and no one will open a PayPal claim against you… or at least they won’t win if they do.

NWT is the best possible condition in which you item can be. You bought it new, were unsure about it, but maybe you forgot about it, or were unable to return it due to Lululemon’s strict return policy, which can be found HERE. And so it sat, unloved, in your closet… until now!

Don’t forget to take photos of the flaws! If there’s a stain on the cuff, or a few pills here or there, as a buyer- I would love to see a photo before I make a purchase. If you’re interested in trying to repair your item before selling it I wrote a post about repairing Lululemon!

I hope that this has been helpful. Please Remember: These definitions are fluid and some people have a different idea of what “Good” or “Excellent” are and may be expecting “New,” so please remember to be picky and honestly describe all flaws.

How to Care for Your Lululemon Clothing

Because Lululemon clothing can retain or increase in value over time, it is considered “collectible.” Many Lululemon “collectors” such as myself will judge the value of a particular piece based on the condition of the piece itself. There are several ways to describe the condition of the piece, which I will discuss in a future post. Maintaining the value of your Lululemon is an investment and ensures that it will maintain its value over time.

Lululemon has their own washing instructions available online here: Washing Instruction from Lululemon. The next 6 sentences summarize them, and I describe my personal routine below.

Basically, if you can, wash on cold & air dry. Air drying protects and preserves the fabric. Don’t use fabric softener, it clogs the fabric, and keeps it from performing optimally. Wash items that are made of the same fabric together. Make sure you close all zippers before washing. Spot clean bags.

Personally, I always only wash each type of fabric with itself. Luon with Luon, Luxtreme with Luxtreme. I often end up washing items alone, particularly things made of their “Swift” material. This stuff gets pilled and snagged so easily I don’t usually risk washing it with anything else. I always wash on the Delicate (Cold/ Cold) cycle & dry on low. Other times I hang to dry my items. I also wash all my bright coloured items alone, regardless of how many times they’ve been worn. For the love of God, please never wash your Lululemon with towels.

Don’t be shocked if someone asks you how your item has been washed and if it has been in the dryer. I get this question all the time on eBay. Just be honest.

The Importance of Reputation

Twice in my last post I said: “More on that later” in reference to the fact that I don’t sell things in the auction-style pages unless they are in excellent condition and that I save my most heavily used or damaged items for eBay. The reason I don’t sell damaged or heavily used items on the Facebook pages, which are more public than I care to admit is for that very reason. They are very public. One poor sale, or unhappy buyer can result in a negative impact on your reputation resulting in a negative impact on sales. This is true in any business but is especially true in such a tight-knit community as exists on these pages.

This is why I issue this necessary warning to those of you who are new to the secondary market and Facebook pages. Try to take very good care of your Lululemon clothing. (More on that later :)) Only sell things on the Facebook pages that are in excellent condition OR disclose all flaws, honestly, and if there are flaws take pictures of them in the most honest way that you can. As an added service, you can also offer to pay PayPal fees, or return shipping if they don’t like the item. These actions are not expected, but will go a long way in ensuring that your buyers are happy and that in the event of a disagreement where an administrator is to be involved, you will be declared the most gracious party. This is important because at any time and for whatever reason, an administrator may remove you from her page. Some buyers are malicious and would rather report you to PayPal or the administrator for reasons that are beyond your control (for example, it doesn’t fit) or because they decided they need the money (some items sell for hundreds of dollars) but maintaining a good reputation will ensure that the administrators of the page will talk to you before kicking you off their page.

I’ve taken the time to issue this warning because if you use any of the advice on my pages to your benefit I’d rather think I was sending responsible, accountable, benevolent, respectful, compassionate and understanding people to participate in the community rather than anything contrary to that.

Happy Selling!