Sometimes they do know how to advertise

[Yohanes]

I'm very impressed on how this person offer his hat at ebay... and indeed he scored a good price ... anyone here bought this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280155700821&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018

 

[carter]

:fedora: I'd buy it if it was larger! :fedora:

Seriously, that is a terrific ad for Ebay, or anywhere else. :eusa_clap

Thanks for posting that link.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

eBay seller "Rilico" always posts very creative auctions. They're always entertaining to read, and I always check 'em out even though most of his hats are too small for me.

 

[barrowjh]

I think that vintagehaberdasher's auctions are the most informative, without using the cheezy references to Bogart or gangsters. I suspect that seller(s) (vintagehaberdasher) is an active member of FL, or at least lurks about here often, as FL 'lingo' often shows up in the description of the hat. I wonder if vintagehaberdasher would get higher bidding with 'bigger' ads? Probably would not hurt their sales, as the 'loud' ads tend to bring in a lot of early bidding, and maybe that sparks the collectors higher by raising the 'floor' ?

 

[fedoralover]

Rilico is a lurker here, but I don't think he's ever posted. I've bought several of his hats for my smaller headed friends, as most of his hat are smaller sizes. But occasionally he has larger ones.

fedoralover

 

[Tango Yankee]

I, too, always check out Rilico's auctions. He has a number of different scenarios that he uses to catch the reader's imagination. Good photos, too. The only down-side is that the size is usually buried somewhere towards the end, but now I know where to look for it. I've bought from him, but as TinT says, his hats are usually too small for me.

Vintagehaberdashers is indeed a well-known member of the lounge.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[feltfan]

I wouldn't mind Rilico's amateur creative writing tangents
if they didn't get in the way of the facts. Personally, I wish
he would state up front and clearly the size and condition of
the hat. Then he can blather all he wants about stuff that
has nothing to do with the hat he is selling. I am so sorry it
inspires others (mcoles!) to the same pandering. Just let me
skim to find out if the hat will fit me without having to read
all that nonsense.

As I understand it, vintagehaberdasher is of a relatively
recent vintage...

 

[Undertow]

I wouldn't mind Rilico's amateur creative writing tangents
if they didn't get in the way of the facts. Personally, I wish
he would state up front and clearly the size and condition of
the hat. Then he can blather all he wants about stuff that
has nothing to do with the hat he is selling. I am so sorry it
inspires others (mcoles!) to the same pandering. Just let me
skim to find out if the hat will fit me without having to read
all that nonsense.

As I understand it, vintagehaberdasher is of a relatively
recent vintage...

Not to play Devil's Advocate, but the ad seems to state the size in a fairly plain manner; both in title and text (although he does point out later he can't find a size tag and took measurements).

However, I must agree the description does not provide a great idea of the condition. In fact, the seller doesn't even know the date of the hat and merely states "Dating probably to the 1950's". So does that mean '50's or are you an amatuer and it's actually mid '60's? I don't know how to date a hat and if I read the description, I probably wouldn't trust his opinion any more than my own.

But overall, it is a creative way to list a hat and I'm sure his creativity is what brings in the $$$. More power to him. [huh]

 

[Tango Yankee]

Not to play Devil's Advocate, but the ad seems to state the size in a fairly plain manner; both in title and text (although he does point out later he can't find a size tag and took measurements).

But overall, it is a creative way to list a hat and I'm sure his creativity is what brings in the $$$. More power to him. [huh]

He normally doesn't put the size in the title for hats that are under 7 1/4; the larger sizes, he often does. He knows that those are the ones that can make the most money. I'm guessing that the size doesn't go on the smaller ones so that people will still check them out to see what size they are--who knows, they might decide to get it and stretch it out or something.

As I said, I enjoy his ads. He often has great hats for sale, though all too often too small for me.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Baron Kurtz]

sad though it is, people are indeed sucked in by an advertising pitch.

Many hat buyers have nowhere near the kind of knowledge floating around the FLounge so the pitch really helps them make a decision. Frankly, eBay is about maximising profits. I'll bet this guy makes much more money than the majority of eBay sellers who stick to the facts and allow those who know what they're looking at pinch them for small dollar amounts.

As for Rilico, i like what he does. He is never inaccurate. Waffly, perhaps long winded, yes. Inaccurate, no. You'll never get a hat from him with stains or holes he hadn't told you about. And really, as with all vintage clothing, vintage hats are not so easy to date precisely - even down to a decade. All any of us are doing usually is guessing educatedly, as Rilico does in his auctions.

bk