PAY LESS FOR LUXURY AND WHERE TO GET THEM IN DUBAI – LADIES WHO ONLINE

I don’t know about you, but I love bags, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and watches. What I love more, however, is when they are luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Bvlgari, Tiffany and Co., Cartier, and so on.

I used to only dream of possessing them when I was younger. But luckily, I now own a couple of these luxury brand goods. I desire them because of their quality and craftsmanship. On top of that, I see them as an investment. The pre-loved market is expanding. Hence, I’ll be able to resell them if I need/want to, considering that they maintain value. I possess a few items purchased on their initial price, but most of the pieces I have are either purchased at a reduced cost or from a pre-loved store. The only time I get something at their original value is when I absolutely love a particular item or when I need it ASAP and couldn’t wait, which is rare by the way! I mean, can I justify requiring a luxury bag for a night out the following day?

On this blog post, I’m focusing on purchasing luxury brand products that are pre-loved/pre-owned/second hand/used (whatever you call it). I’ll write about my discounted purchases in a separate post since it’s a different topic.

These are the items I bought in a pre-loved shop.

Of course, obtaining brand new items give me the pleasure of undergoing the whole experience from shopping to unboxing. However, I’m the kind of person who finds it more enjoyable to know that I saved money by merely paying for a fraction of their original cost. I like the idea of saving money by spending smartly, therefore paying less for luxury. Buying pre-loved items doesn’t bother me because it’s a more financially beneficial way of purchasing luxury products.

Look, once you’re wearing a bag, shoes, accessories, or jewelry, no one would know whether it was bought brand new or pre-loved. That’s unless you’ve informed people about it like what I just did… Oops!

Bvlgari Serpenti Forever White Double-coiled Leather Bracelet | Bought at Seconds Boutique – Dubai on February 2017 | Brand New | MSRP: AED 1469 | PAID: AED 990

When I say a pre-loved store, I’m not talking about a thrift store selling worn-out stuff for very little money (unless that’s what you are looking for). Pre-loved is something that has been possessed by someone already. An item, however, could be in a pre-loved shop but has never been used before because it was an unwanted gift or was bought impulsively. It could be a couple of years old but still looks new because the previous owner barely used it and took care of it. What I’m trying to say is purchasing something from a pre-loved shop doesn’t necessarily mean you are acquiring old and crappy products. When buying these types of items (more often than not), you will get one or more of the things that come with it when buying from the retailer shops like a dust bag, box, receipt, certificate, and the original paper bag.

Cartier Love Ring 18K White Gold | Bought at Seconds Boutique -Dubai on August 2018 | Mint Condition | MSRP: AED 6,550 | PAID: AED 3,490

Here’s a list of sellers/shops where you can purchase pre-loved luxury items in Dubai:

1. Seconds Boutique

Location: Time Square Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road

Phone: 04 – 3883334

Email: info@secondsboutique.ae

Website: www.secondsboutique.ae

2. The Closet

Location: Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3 and Jumeirah Centre, Jumeirah 1

Phone: 04-3214515 and 04-3445855 respectively

Email: info@theclosetonlineshop.com

Website: www.theclosetonlineshop.com

3. Bagatelle Boutique

Location: Mercato Shopping Mall, Jumeirah

Phone: 04-3430991

Email: wecare@bagatelleboutique.com

Website: bagatelleboutique.com

4. Garderobe

Location: Villa 596, Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 1

Phone: 04-3942753

Email: customercare@garderobe.ae

Website: garderobe.ae

5. The Luxury Closet (online boutique)

Location: Novotel Al Barsha (note: this is their office address.)

Phone: 04-3955639

Email: info@theluxurycloset.com

Website: theluxurycloset.com

Louis Vuitton White Multicolor Sarah Wallet | Bought at Seconds Boutique – Dubai on December 2016 |Mint Condition | MSRP: AED2,900 | PAID: AED 1,500

You might have noticed all the items that I bought in Dubai were from Seconds Boutique. Well, their location is convenient for me because My Big Guy and I love going to The Coffee Club in Time Square for breakfast. For this reason, we always end up passing by the store every time we go there.

I have also been to The Closet in Sunset Mall a couple of times before, but I didn’t find anything I love that I could afford. The Luxury Closet website contains hundreds of products, and I periodically navigate them but haven’t gotten the chance to purchase anything there yet (I’m eyeing on something as I write this post, but it’s too much money, so I guess I’ll have to wait).

I also follow Garderobe and Bagatelle Boutique on Instagram, but I haven’t been to their store yet. Hopefully, I can explore them soon so I can have plenty of options for my Christmas presents.

Gucci Small Joy Boston Bag – and Oliver Pug Dog Embellished Key Chain. | Bought at Vendome – Rome on July 2015 | Mint condition. | MSRP: AED 3,300 and AED 670 respectively | PAID: 1,480 for both

If you have decided to purchase a pre-loved item, please keep in mind the following tips:

Buy from a trusted seller only. There are other ways to buy pre-loved items. It could be from other online stores in Dubizzle or a seller who has an Instagram or Facebook account. You have to make sure that what you are getting is authentic.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. So trust your instinct.

Check the condition of the item that you want to buy. What you see in pictures or what has been described to you may not be as per your expectations, which can lead to disappointments. Get as much information as you can, and if it’s possible, examine the piece yourself.

Be knowledgeable about its original price versus reasonable reselling prices. Research the market value of the items you want to purchase.

And hey, just because you’re spending, it doesn’t mean you’re not saving.