Buyer's Remorse or "What do we do with our failures?"

[Worf]

If you stay in this game/hobby/obsession long enough you wind up there. You plan, dream, obsess over something. You save your pennies, beg, borrow and steal to get this (insert obsession here) that you must have. Finally the day comes and you whip out that card and pull the trigger. Then comes the waiting... the awful, endless waiting. Finally the day arrives when someone in uniform puts your holy of holies on your doorstep. Your hands tremble, you can barely wipe the drops of drool from your trembling lips. With the care of an archeologist you unbox your new treasure.... your grail jacket, coat, pair of boots... hat... You stare at it in all its glory and even before you try it on you know you there's something about it you don't quite like. Some flaw, real or imagined, that has turned your day of triumph into ignominious defeat. But, being an optimist, or a stubborn fool, you try it on again and again, desperately trying to make yourself like/love this "purchase". Eventually that sinking feeling comes over you like the chilly hand of impending doom. That hollow dreadful realization that you've purchased something you'll NEVER wear... period.... ever....

What do you do then?

Box it up and send it back? Kinda hard to do after you sweated (insert name here) over every last detail for months at a time.....

Keep working on it trying on every month or so to see if by some blasted miracle it grows on you....

Take out an ad in the Lounge "new, never worn, tags and all" and hope someone buys it and relieves you of your shattered dream!

Head to the 'bay in a desperate attempt to make some monetary return on your folly.

Let it sit and languish in the back of the closet. Feeling the sharp sting of shame and self loathing EVERY time you see it.

Totally admit defeat and move it on to GoodWill or Sally's Boutique and hope some poor slob gets some use out of your utter stupidity?

Sigh.... I don't know why I wrote this because I'm truly, truly, completely, absotively and posilutely guilty as charged on ALL counts. I think I snapped after seeing one too many absolutely beautiful jackets languishing in the classifieds absolutely unworn.... and realizing that there too was another shattered. empty dream for sale.... God.... I sound positively morbid!!!! I need to start drinkin'.

Worf

 

[nick123]

Isn't this your second post of the same nature?

 

[Worf]

Isn't this your second post of the same nature?

Errrrr not that I recall? What you talkin' bout Nicolas?

Worf

 

[nick123]

Errrrr not that I recall? What you talkin' bout Nicolas?

Worf

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?76610-Dealing-with-quot-Buyers-Remorse-quot

Cheer up Worf!

 

[Plumbline]

They go in the classifieds and then on the bay .... but then nowdays that's were I mostly purchase .... seems to return about 115% of the original investment overall on about 45 purchases in the last 5 years. The plus is I've got to wear some great jackets and the closet now only has 11 leathers in it ( not counting 3 modernish armoured M/C jackets)

.... The downside is I now have no grail jacket and there's no such thing as a keeper.

I sold the longest retained jacket in my posession ( 14 years) 2 weeks ago ..... the next longest serving one in the closet has been mine for 7 years ( Aero LHB in MWHH with shearling lining and muton collar) and the next oldest 5 years ..... onward and upwards

 

[Worf]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?76610-Dealing-with-quot-Buyers-Remorse-quot

Cheer up Worf!

Errrrr whoops!!!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!! Dayum I MUST be gettin' old!!!!! Mwa ha ha ha ha!!!!! As he wipes egg off his face!
Thanks man! I needed that!!!!

Worf

 

[nick123]

We all go through "buyer's remorse", some quite heavily. If you haven't, you're just not cool.

 

[handymike]

All this on a Sunday morning?
Worf, snap out of it man!!!!!
It all the internet's fault by introducing us to all this stuff that we don't need, but really want.
Used to be that we'd find old jackets and hats at garage sales and flea markets. Or we'd hear about a special place far away and take the family on vacation with the secret agenda of "oh look at this place- I'll just be a minute."
We love this new found access to the world through online shopping, but nothing beats trying it on in person.
Hope your week gets better buddy!

 

[Worf]

^^^^ Sitting here wiping tears of laughter from my eyes! (Slap) "Snap out of it man!! Remember you're a Lounger!!!"

Worf

 

[Doctor Damage]

.... seems to return about 115% of the original investment overall on about 45 purchases in the last 5 years.

Good gawd, if only!

If I get back 50% then I'm happy.

 

[handymike]

That's the spirit!

 

[Dr.Seuss]

Worf:

If you are ruminating to that degree...........perhaps time for another diversion? Model trains? Beer stein collecting? Baseball cards? (Or, perhaps use them for experiments...HWT....tumble dry in a concrete mixer.... etc., you know the options.)

 

[Plumbline]

Good gawd, if only!

If I get back 50% then I'm happy.

On a NEW jacket 40-50% is around the norm ( hence why ... unless I really fancy a jacket or I am getting a bargain on the sale or outlet pages .. I seldom buy "new" .... although I have purchased 2 bespoke designed and genuine NEW Alexanders this year !) Outlet jackets I may do 3 or 4 a year especially if I know I can turn them round perhaps for a small profit.

On an Ebay jacket ( given that the start point is often 40-50% of the new price it's more common to break even or even make a little. I generally turn over a dozen or more per year. I've bought a couple this year on the classifieds.

I've also sold on 10 jackets this year ( and it's only Aug !) eek ... 8 on ebay ..... and traded 3 in against New ones

 

[rolf s]

I feel this tread has my name written all over it since this is exactly where I am at the moment.

The problem for me is the internet, an the possibility to read and see pictures of the stuff I want. If i just go in a store buy what ever I need, then its no problem. Its like this with cars, watches, bicycles an even lawnmowers. The search for the perfect watch ended up with a job in the watch trade for me, 5 years after I started to look for a watch. When you use a lot of time researching your next investment you want it to be perfect. And to bee honest its really hard to find one item that is just that. You always want somethings a little different.

If I can say it like this, sadly I found this forum when looking for a leather jacket. If I didn't think I would be happy with any descent jacket from a store. Now im planning for at least 3 jackets over the next year.... I want one cafe racer, and a half belt and maybe a thin light one for summer use. Im lucky if i stay married to this also, my wife is not totally happy with my new found interest.

I still haven't decided what Im gone to with my jacket that is 80% good, but o know its not my last jacket what ever I do with it.

Sorry for any bad spelling, English is still not my first languish

 

[handymike]

Rolf, we've all been in the same situation.
My dream watch was a Heuer Monaco, but when I finally bought one (15 years later), I never wore it because it was too big for me. The enjoyment is usually in the hunt! Once you own a thing, the thrill is gone (for the most part). Jackets, watches, exotic cars- all great escapes from the reality. Once they are part of the reality, they become ordinary. This is why so many of us buy AND sell in the search for the perfect Jacket or hat ("the grail") knowing we may never find one.

Welcome to the lounge!
PS- very few of our wives understand the leather jacket fascination.

 

[Worf]

Worf:

If you are ruminating to that degree...........perhaps time for another diversion? Model trains? Beer stein collecting? Baseball cards? (Or, perhaps use them for experiments...HWT....tumble dry in a concrete mixer.... etc., you know the options.)

You sir.... are NOT amusing!!!! Hey man I started out on classic cars, till I got married and had a kid (that killed THAT hobby most ricky tick). Then it was classic "orphaned" speakers but I soon ran outta room with that. At least I WEAR the jackets. It was perfect jacket weather until today... 85 Degrees right now!!!!! Arrrgh!!! No more suggestions as to how to bankrupt my retirement fund!!!!

Worf

 

[tonypaj]

Leather jackets are way easier than stereo equipment, though. I spent years changing gear before I understood that the space, the acoustics, is the key. If the space is bad, you can only do so much. Then you have to look at the source. Computer for most people these days, no thanks for me. With leather jackets you are the space. Tailoring works easier there, I don't wish to change my two rooms where I have the music stuff, lots of wood and stone equals harsh sound, but I like the rooms that way...

 

[Doctor Damage]

On an Ebay jacket ( given that the start point is often 40-50% of the new price it's more common to break even or even make a little. I generally turn over a dozen or more per year.

True enough about getting 50% on new jackets, although I will still take 50% on used ones just to get them out the door. I find that one I want something gone I want it gone now. I have a few jackets I don't want, good stuff but winter stuff, so I have to wait until the weather gets cold and then I suspect they'll move.

This is why so many of us buy AND sell in the search for the perfect Jacket or hat ("the grail") knowing we may never find one.

Recently I was looking at a listing for a CWU jacket on e-Bay. The photos didn't match the description and the description contradicted itself, but the price and shipping was really low, so I thought "what the hell?" I rolled the dice and as it turns out I received a nearly flawless CWU 36/P which after some handwashing and trimming of loose threads is like new. Score! That's why I keep doing this, even if the failures and misses are disappointing.

 

[Otter]

You sir.... are NOT amusing!!!! Hey man I started out on classic cars, till I got married and had a kid (that killed THAT hobby most ricky tick). Then it was classic "orphaned" speakers but I soon ran outta room with that. At least I WEAR the jackets. It was perfect jacket weather until today... 85 Degrees right now!!!!! Arrrgh!!! No more suggestions as to how to bankrupt my retirement fund!!!!

Worf

Could be worse, I worked with a geologist who collected diamonds that contained inclusions, he particularly liked ones with fluid inclusions. Super rare.

 

[ProteinNerd]

.... The downside is I now have no grail jacket and there's no such thing as a keeper.

You sound like a broken man there plumb......isn't there always hope you WILL find that perfect grail/keeper?