Through the Eyes of a Buyer

Being a secondhand buyer for our Preloved Boutique means having to be switched on all the time to accurately quality check the items that our beloved sellers bring through our door - it also means everyday feels like Christmas!

The best part about buying is finding treasures that we KNOW our customers are going get excited about! Often these items come in the form of brightly coloured, printed, well crafted garments by well known designers such as Trelise Cooper (she's one of our favourites!), Andrea Moore, NOM*D, Zambesi, Smith & Western and high street faves such as Gorman, Storm, Augustine, Kilt, Witchery, Trenery, Country Road etc.

When we're assessing the items that get brought into us, we have just seconds to look them over so that the process can be done swiftly and with great ease for you, so that you're not waiting too long! So over the years we've developed a fine eye for spotting stains, loose threads, pilling and holes. Of course, we can't always be beacons of perfection, so the occasional blemished shirt will slip by.

These are the key things we assess, and hopefully this will help you sort your items before you bring them to us so that you know what we're after:

• Brands We're looking for items that generally we can retail for over $50, so their original retail value needs to be around $100+, occasionally we will take items for our lower end Closet section at the back of the store, but this can fill up quite quickly! Sometimes we'll take vintage and retro items if they're in good nick. With really high end items we have to ensure they're not fakes - even better if they're brought to us with their original receipts or certificates.
  
  
• Fabrics We know our customers love linen, silk, leather, hemp, Tencel, wool, merino, mohair, cashmere and furs. These items tend to fly off the shelves!
  
  
• Prints and Colours many of us are probably guilty of not owning 'enough colour', and opt for the black or navy options when purchasing. We get a lot of black items coming through the door, so we have to be really selective on what we take so that we don't over do it! Our stores are renowned for the vibrant merchandising and that simply wouldn't be possible unless we stock up on heaps of bright garments. We love a floral or animal print and especially love it when we land a yellow or bright orange dress (these tend to be rare breeds!).
  
  
• Quality The most important thing is that the item arrives to us in as new condition as possible. It may be secondhand, but we pride ourselves on only selecting the best items to showcase in our stores. We'll check the pockets, zip the zips, ensure all the buttons are intact, and of course, keep our beady eyes open for any blemishes.