Really, if you don't you will put a gun to your head and shoot yourself! Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration! I sold a pair of wonderful silver sneakers to a really nice guy in Switzerland. I couldn't find them anywhere when it came time to send them out. That always makes me nuts but the item always turns up. A day later I noticed a package all wrapped and ready to go Express International and said to myself "oh, there they are". Of course I did find it odd that I would have wrapped them up before they were sold AND wrapped them for international delivery - odd, right? If I knew these things in advance I would just buy lottery tickets! So I opened the end of the package and saw that they were the same size (so I thought) and knew those had to be the sneakers. Happily I sent them to Switzerland. Of course when they were received they were not SILVER, but BLACK! and a 1/2 size different! Oh, I hate when things like this happen. So I went downstairs and checked and checked again and of course I found the SILVER ones. I sent them right out to him and he received them quickly. So now what - he asks if he should send them back to me. Now we're talking $34 each way for the USPS charges. No - I said - and he suggested that I sell them and that he would send them off for me when they were sold. Maybe I suggested it to him - I don't know - but we agreed that would be what we would do. So they sold and the fellow gave me the address where they should be sent - to ITALY! OK - not so bad - from Switzerland to Italy - another $35 for mailing. How nice is this fellow from Switzerland? He sends off the package and to date the BLACK sneakers have not been received - he even went back to the Post Office and there is no problem - this is how long it takes (makes me appreciate our USPS even more) and this fellow will get them - probably by the end of this week. BUT what you must understand is that the fellow from ITALY has NOT PAID ME! No, he won't pay me until he gets the sneakers! Oh, why do I do this? Why - because luckily I do have a sense of humor and realize this is just ONE BIG JOKE! (on me!)
Yes, GOOD-BYE my friends - my beautiful CHANEL shoes that I wore to my daughter's wedding! How long does something wonderful have to sit un-used before we are willing to get rid of it?
Let's see - it will be three years since I wore them (ONCE) - and they are in 100% PERFECT condition. Yes, it breaks my heart, well, relatively speaking - I mean they are ONLY shoes! BUT so wonderful, so beautiful! BUT they must move on.......it is important that someone enjoys them. I really feel that way - they need exercise, they need love, they are like pearls - you can't keep them in the closet.
It will definitely make my heart thump when I wrap them and send them off to Germany tomorrow - I hope they have a good trip. I hope when she gets them that she will wear them to death! As hard as it is for me to send them off - I really feel that they should be worn and enjoyed.
Why don't I wear them, you ask.......impossible - I can't wear shoes like this anymore - living in the woods - where am I going to wear them? and why should I lift myself 3" off the ground anymore - I just can't wear shoes like this anymore - those days are over.
So - good-bye my beautiful friends - have a great trip and a great life. You did your job with me - you walked my lovely daughter down the aisle to a very happy marriage with a beautiful and wonderful new baby - you did your job well!
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
NOTE: I did hear from the gal who bought them and she told me that she is going to wear them to the Christening of her friend's son. She is the boy's God Parent.
Now, isn't that great? They will be doing G-d's work - I can't ask for more than that.
It's a rough world out there - that's for sure. I mean when I get an email asking if a pair of HELMUT LANG sneakers are authentic - do they even make copies of these things? Are they making copies of everything? I can't stand it!
Look, I can appreciate people's concerns - I don't blame them at all - I've been caught more than once. Remember that fake BOTTEGA that I bought - luckily I got my money back - but yes, I thought from the photos that it looked real - but as soon as I had it in my hands - there was no question - FAKE FAKE FAKE! and the watch - the HERMES CAPE COD (although to this day I can't be sure) - I guess I should take it to Hermes - it sure looks real to me and I love it! But that guy - well he was removed from eBay before I received my purchase and I had to run him down in Canada before he sent it. But he did - I don't believe it is real though - the strap didn't look good (I replaced it with a wrap around strap purchased at Hermes and I love the watch - real or not - it works and looks great!
So I know that no matter how careful I/we am/are - we can get caught - but do they make fake HELMUT LANG sneakers?
Last week I sold a Prada Messenger bag - a really nice one - the person who bought it emailed me to tell me that she took it to Neiman Marcus and the salesgirl told her it was fake. She said it was fake because there was no dust bag. Now please - I have plenty of bags that I do not have the original dust bag - that certainly doesn't make it fake AND she said it didn't have some number inside - I've sold an awful lot of PRADA bags and there are no numbers inside. My guess is that she told the salesgirl that she bought it on eBay and the gal wanted it to be fake. She is sending it back and I will bring it to Saks or Prada - but frankly, I really believe that it is real. If I didn't I would never ever have sold it. It came from a gal in San Francisco who received it as a gift from a good friend - it was in the Neiman Marcus box and she said that she just doesn't believe that this friend would ever give her a fake. You know what - I don't believe it either - these women have a lot of money - are they really buying fakes to give to their friends? I do ask my women though to give me things that they have personally bought - just to avoid this type of thing.
Of course it could be a re-gift situtation! We don't know where it may have started! That's kind of funny really. Maybe it went through 4 or 5 women before coming to me. You just never know. I'm pretty fussy though and this particular bag was a really nice one. And I still believe it is real. It's coming back to me - I'll find out for sure - yes, I'll take it to Prada - they should certainly know. Of course, what does it mean if it's such a good copy that even Prada doesn't know. Oh, this copy thing is a mess! People are so dishonest! I really hate it!
I'm so angry! Ebay has changed their policy regarding payment options for buyers. OK - they can do this. After all, they own PAYPAL - so why would they want people to pay any other way! I can live with this. They advised their sellers some time ago. I don't know why I thought that the payment option would just disappear. I mean, wouldn't that make sense. Why do they give you a place to check off Money Orders and Cashier's Checks if they don't allow it? OK - so they left the option there even though they don't allow it. Go fight City Hall! A week ago they removed 5 of my listings because that option was still checked off. BOY - I learned my lesson quick. I immediately UNCHECKED the option and relisted my items. I can learn real fast when I have to. Out with the baby yesterday - ah - what's better than that? Oh yes, being with my daughter too! (Just one of my bad jokes) my pleasure and delight to be with them both. Arrived home late last evening only to discover that eBay removed 3/4 of my 51 listings! Most of them having been bid on and some with a lot of bids! I can't tell you how I felt! BUT the injustice is that the option to pay with Money Order or Cashier's Check was NOT there. My listings had ALL been corrected. Yet that was the reason given for having removed them. This does not seem fair. Of course I have to wait until 9AM Pacific Time to try to speak to someone. I am so angry! The only thing that keeps me from tearing out my hair is this...................
