subject: Three Clever Ways To Get Designer Perfumes On The Cheap [print this page] You probably already know about perfume discount sites like Perfume Junky and FragranceX. Those can offer considerable savings over department store prices, but often, the discount is not the "incredible 75% off" hinted at in their advertising. True bargain hunters know that you have to be creative to get the really good prices! Here are three more unusual ways you can get designer perfumes on the cheap...
*Estate sales*
For bottles of sometimes-expensive classics, such as Joy, Happy, Eau Faubourg, Shalimar, and Chanel #5, estate sales are fantastic. I recently accompanied my mother to a few to be her photo assistant (she writes for magazines), and I was shocked to see a bottle of Joy that looked to be about thirty years old! Joy is one of the costliest perfumes with many fine ingredients, and it was among many other feminine classics: Giorgio, White Shoulders, and Je Reviens, to name a few.
Unfortunately, it had lost a lot of its top notes, having degraded over the years. Be sure to sniff any perfume you find at an estate sale before you buy it, since they do change over time.
You probably will not find many of the latest celebrity perfumes at estate sales -- no Britney Spears Curious or J.Lo Glow -- but the managers of the estate sale had priced these expensive fragrances at $5 - $10 per bottle. Most of them were 3 - 4 ounce sizes, and most of them were more than half full. Since spring is just around the corner, you can also try communal garage sales, such as those organized by apartment buildings or churches, but estate sales are much more likely to have perfumes for sale.
*Free samples*
Free samples are great, but where do you find them? Your best bet is to find a blogger who stays on top of free perfume samples, and tune in to them every day. I recommend "recessionista," "cosmetic sample" or "budget beauty" type blogs. There are a number of up-to-date websites on this, and you can find them simply by searching for related phrases. My quick search for "perfume sample blog" turned up several great resources.
The only warning is to make sure the blogs are current and update frequently. The latest entries may not be current, and free sample offers usually expire quickly.
*Ebay, but you have to be patient.*
Ebay is a huge marketplace, and you can theoretically always find good deals... if you're willing to be patient. There are many people who sell perfumes on Ebay, either online stories or real people selling their half-full bottles. I always like to buy from the real people, since they are usually more available for questions and more information.
When you're buying perfume on Ebay, make sure it's the real thing. Knockoff perfumes are often just as good, but you hardly need to buy those! When you're paying for the real perfume, you should get it. Check the seller's rating and number of transactions, though if it's just someone selling household stuff, there may not be much to go on.
Before you even do a search, decide on your maximum price and stick to it, no matter how much you want something. It's too easy to rationalize paying $1 more... and then $1 more... Auction fever is quite real and can happen to the most rational of people. And above all, trust your instincts. If something seems off, don't bid. There are plenty of people hawking their wares on Ebay; if you stay patient and stick to your price, you will eventually find a great deal.
