Have you been hearing the buzz? One of my favorite YouTube beauty friends recommended a site called Tophatter recently and I thought let me check it out.
For those who may not know of this buzz...
Tophatter is a live online auction site where you can find fashions, beauty items, and even items for your home from all your favorite brands.
So I took a bite and with $5 free to shop I thought what do I have to lose? Right?
Well I joined a live auction. A beauty one. Awesome!! I saw some up my favorite brands like Urban Decay where up next. I thought this is awesome. Favorite brands at cheap prices!! So I am ready to bid for the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I bid. Hurrah!!! Wait a minute on the Urban Decay site it is $50 but here it is going past $60. Wow wait a minute $75. What the world $90?!!
Yes, that is the common experience you will find on Tophatter. You will grossly over pay for brands and items you can get directly from their sites for a lot cheaper.
Now you may be thinking am I being critical? Exaggerating? I wish I could say I was.
I observed several months before writing these findings. Different auctions, different times, and different types of items in order to ensure I was being educated in my answer.
Unfortunately I continued to see people who simply didn't know better and no one who was willing to tell them they where grossly over bidding on items time and time again. Sadly if you should comment during the live auction that the items could be found on other sites for cheaper you where quickly muted or told that "the buyer spends whatever they want to pay for the items". Although that is true as a women and someone who values her money why would I allow you to unnecessarily spend yours?
Here are some of my finds:
The Urban Decay Deluxe Eye Shadow Box sold on average 70% above the retail value. If you should want one why not get it from Ulta for only $10.?
For those who may not know of this buzz...
Tophatter is a live online auction site where you can find fashions, beauty items, and even items for your home from all your favorite brands.
So I took a bite and with $5 free to shop I thought what do I have to lose? Right?
Well I joined a live auction. A beauty one. Awesome!! I saw some up my favorite brands like Urban Decay where up next. I thought this is awesome. Favorite brands at cheap prices!! So I am ready to bid for the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I bid. Hurrah!!! Wait a minute on the Urban Decay site it is $50 but here it is going past $60. Wow wait a minute $75. What the world $90?!!
Yes, that is the common experience you will find on Tophatter. You will grossly over pay for brands and items you can get directly from their sites for a lot cheaper.
Now you may be thinking am I being critical? Exaggerating? I wish I could say I was.
I observed several months before writing these findings. Different auctions, different times, and different types of items in order to ensure I was being educated in my answer.
Unfortunately I continued to see people who simply didn't know better and no one who was willing to tell them they where grossly over bidding on items time and time again. Sadly if you should comment during the live auction that the items could be found on other sites for cheaper you where quickly muted or told that "the buyer spends whatever they want to pay for the items". Although that is true as a women and someone who values her money why would I allow you to unnecessarily spend yours?
Here are some of my finds:
The Urban Decay Deluxe Eye Shadow Box sold on average 70% above the retail value. If you should want one why not get it from Ulta for only $10.?
Another great find. The Coach Love Eau De Parfum. A favorite among the beauty gurus. On Tohatter you will pay up to 110% over the current retail price for the smallest 1 oz. bottle. Why so high? It is because what you are actually bidding on is the sample bottle. Why because in the wording you are given the interpretation that you are bidding on the perfume when you are actually bidding in the sample size bottle. You know the one you get free when you purchase the bigger bottle? Again at Ulta for only $52 for the real bottle I might add) and you have the opportunity to get a free purse with purchase.
So you might be saying wow the sellers are making out amazing on this site? Well it depends on the product. For some sellers who sell quality items you may be left out of the loop. For example I tried to sell a genuine new Stella and Dot Pippa Necklace valued at $69 with a stating bid of $1 thinking let me see what the buyers determine to be its value? Sadly it sold for $1 and I got a negative review because I said "no way".
Needless to say to if your selling or buying this is not worth the effort or your money. There are too many errors in the system that will truly cost you. I do believe if these systems improve and they bring in systems to protect both sellers and buyers then its worth a second look but until then buy direct from the sites and save money instead.
Your friend, Gretchen
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