A Very Hipster Christmas

2011 Good Vibrations

If you're a regular at our store, you may remember this charming corduroy mini we sold last month.

Today I woke up at 2 PM and wiped the Nightquil haze from my eyes. I'd gotten sick over the break, which might explain my blog and store's activity slump. Still, no stuffy nose was going to keep me from popping on my store's feedback page and ensuring the peace. That's where I discovered this little gem:

"really cute but i definitely payed too much for it."

This was in response to the corduroy mini (above). Even though her feedback was marked "Positive," I couldn't get over that little barb at the end. What did she mean by that? Was she calling the dress cheap? Was she lamenting that, swept up in the moment, she spent more money than she would have liked to? Was she just disappointed?

When it comes to customer feedback, I'm sort of the annoying A-student who can't handle anything less than satisfactory. I really aim to please, try to accommodate those with special requests, and communicate quickly.

For 600 transactions, I had 100% positive feedback until one customer from England purchased 5 dresses and claimed she didn't receive any of them. I reminded her First Class International packages can take longer and sometimes get held up at Customs. She didn't believe me. In fact, she didn't believe I even shipped her dresses.

It was one of the WORST experiences in my business' short history. I spent weeks, supplying emails, receipts, bank statements and customs forms to eBay's resolution center. All the while, the buyer continually berated me, calling me a liar who "stole her money and kept her clothes."

After 8 grueling weeks, eBay closed the case in the buyer's favor. I had to issue her a refund for all 5 dresses that I no longer had, PLUS shipping that I'd already paid for. If that wasn't bad enough, because she purchased 5 items, she was able to leave one, two, three, four, FIVE... negative feedbacks. Overnight my 100% positive feedback turned to 99.5% and I lost my Top-Seller status.

A month later, I received a package from England marked "Return to Sender. Recipient did not try to pick up from Customs." Unbelievable.

Jumping back to today and the "I payed too much" barb...

I decided to check out this buyer's "Feedback Left for Sellers" page, which showed a list of her most recent feedback left for other purchases. And quickly, a pattern emerged:

"shoes came quickly but look cheaper than i expected"

"great item, had some issues with shipping time"

"the dress wasn't my fave by quick shipping, would buy again!"

EVERY positive feedback had a barb! This was the Chronically Dissatisfied eBay Shopper, a not-urban legend that sellers dread. No matter what the CDES bids on (usually on impulse), this strange creature loves to regret it afterwards. Not so much so that they would ask to return it, but definitely enough to voice on their feedback. In essence "I payed too much" (no, I won't correct the typo) means "I'm impulsive. I bid on this at the last second and now I don't have grocery money."

For 2011, I invite you all to lead a barb-free year with me. It's too easy to spot the negative in life, especially with our snark-entrenched culture. But you don't have to be negative to be heard. You don't have to be negative to be relevant! Let's do it all again with no regrets; be fat, and be happy. Be beautiful and be excited.

Happy New Year, Peeps.

-Sabrina London

Christmas Comes Each Time This Year

From our warm, glowing house, we at Alameda Vintage wish you a very special Christmas. Thanks to everyone who bought something from us this season. I hope your vintage gifts leave a wonderful, lasting impression on the ones you love.

As promised, I listed the vintage '50s Persian lamb/chinchilla fur coat I found last summer, in all its Old Hollywood glamour. No sooner had I clicked "Submit" that I already missed it. Whoever wins it will be one luckysonvabitch.

Have a great holiday, everybody!

xo,

Sabrina London

Someone Snuck In the Studio...

Mistletoe Vintage

It's a week before Christmas and we saved some of our favorite pieces for you last-minute Molly's. Here's a look at our holiday faves - from '60s minis to Pendleton cardis. Everything starts at $20 so don't miss out. Shop here.

Again, get your tookus to Alameda Vintage NOW! These won't last for long.

All Dressed Up & No Where To Go,

Sabrina London

Holiday Vintage

What a week.

I managed to model and list 30+ auctions, which will be ending on Wednesday. There is too much bomb-diggity stuff, so go forth and prosper, my space kittens.

The Myspace Holiday marketplace was kind of a wash. I brought the puppy and a rack full of vintage garb, but the majority of shoppers didn't seem like my usual clientele. I sold one dress; a really cute nautical '60s mini, which I hadn't listed yet. After I packed up my stuff to leave though, I found myself perusing a fellow booth babe's handmade jewelry stand.

Did I spend my one dress sale profit on a one-of-a-kind sailboat necklace? Maybe.

Oops.

Thankfully, my husbee's Christmas list is mostly Blu-Rays this year so I guess I can still afford to splurge once in a while. A girl can't help it.

December

It must be the holidays because I just sold half my inventory in one night.

I love this time of year. Christmas music, seasonal drinks at Starbucks, and the most elaborate light displays in West Hollywood (the gays do it right!). I finally mustered up the courage to cut off the fingers of my vintage '50s Saks Fifth Avenue calf-skin leather gloves I bought from an estate sale. I have a ton of them, and they're SO chic. Navy blue, cream, gray, red. Insane. The temperature dropped to the 40s recently so I've been wearing gloves, scarves, and wonderful thigh high sweater socks. It's becoming an obsession.

Last year, Alameda Vintage exploded over winter break. I'm looking forward to finally listing all those vintage coats in the back of my closet. I have a 1940's chinchilla trimmed coat I've been saving since summer.

My husband's colleague invited me to participate in Myspace's annual holiday market place, outside in their beautiful courtyard. Basically, a bunch of booths will be set up for employees to shop and pick up crafty goods. The event coordinator flipped when she learned from my husband that I sell vintage clothes. From 9 AM to 2 PM, I'll be manning my own vintage booth, just me and the puppy. I'm not sure if I'll be able to sell anything because Myspace is predominantly run by bros, but my husband assured me there are plenty of young girls there too. I'm looking forward to it.

Tonight at midnight, we're going to see "The Black Swan" at the Arclight. Must get dressed!

Ho Ho Ho,

Sabrina London