August sales slump

[141]

@Faune

In the « sociological » view, our choices are hardly ours given social constraints. Do we need to recall, with Bourdieu, the proportion of Polytechnique graduates who are children of Polytechnique graduates, despite the very difficult entrance exams put in place? Or, with Pinçon and others, to emphasize the weight of financial and cultural inheritances?

I know, I’ve read and studied the issue even if Bourdieu isn’t easy to read and I agree 100%

but it’s not my subject: I’m talking to you about a professional category: what we do, resellers, entrepreneurs, etc., even if we don’t all have the same resources, the same constraints. Questioning oneself is not linked to your social background

For the rest, I really tried to break free, I worked at night, going to classes during the day, I really tried, and with the help of friends, but without success, even though I defied the odds: only 0.025% achieve a Master’s degree coming from a low social background, but despite all that, it follows you into the professional world, without support, without connections, without money/guarantee to rent an apartment in the Paris region, it’s very complicated.

We should help each other, those of us who have nothing or come from far away, but it’s often the opposite that happens, I must say that some are good at creating division!

Class transfuges exist, but it’s a mess, rejected from where they come from, not accepted where they are going (Annie Ernaux, Eddie Belle Gueule, for example)

It also gives a strength that others don’t have.

Otherwise, I don’t watch any news, I’m not aware of the fires, there must have been some like every year, gasoline I saw yesterday… but I don’t know why, and the heat, on the other hand… I’ve known about that for a long time!

[Gdx6]

Sales will resume in September, I suppose? Or October, at the latest.

[Sissisyl]

Hello, very slowly, 3 sales last week and a lot of unreasonable discount requests… I’m not giving in, too bad, I don’t consider myself at a flea market when you’re selling premium items in perfect condition and they’re asking for Shein prices

[Aco]

@Sissisyl

I don’t give in, too bad

By dint of ALL not giving in on « pitiful » prices, the beggars will stop giving us -40%.
It is certain that if others give in, they will get into the habit of asking for the Max discount…

It is the whole community, all sellers, who should do like you
(especially since most of those who offer -40% sell themselves and would not accept this request for their own listing)

[Hypathie]

Team I DO NOT GIVE IN either. And often I don’t even negotiate anymore because for months I’ve noticed that negotiation is dead on Vinted. If I don’t accept the offer, my counter-offer disappears into the ether. Same on Vestiaire Collective. Negotiation is dead.

[Hypathie]

Hi, it’s the beginning of the month. Time of truth for many things

[Gametoysretro]

Honestly, I didn’t have much to complain about in August. Sure, it was -30% compared to July, but…

First, I went on vacation for a week, so that naturally plays a part. And besides, July was exceptional, so I didn’t expect August to be the same.
And if I change my perspective, well, it was still an exceptional month compared to previous summers. In the end, June/July/August were my best months of 2026.

@Aco

They say it’s vacation time, and that it happens every year.

@141

Even if Bourdieu isn’t easy to read

It’s quite indigestible, actually

@141

Causes are 95% internal when something doesn’t work

I’m not as convinced about that as you are. When there’s a sudden halt right after the dissolution of our « finance Mozart, » right after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, or Iran, etc… Personally, each time I experience immediate and brutal effects, so it’s hard not to see an external effect. Even if things always pick up again. And I haven’t found a solution for that.

I also remember my great Japanese restaurant which, after Fukushima, saw a -50% drop for 3 months (people are awfully stupid sometimes )

[Aco]

@Gametoysretro

People are damn stupid though

And to think we’re part of it

[Hypathie]

I’ve never read Bourdieu (not my thing ) but you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that when people are broke, their pockets are constantly being picked, they’re told that kids have to prepare for war, unemployment is exploding, gas is at 2.5, in short, all that, the conditions aren’t right. Every day, we’re warned that tomorrow will be worse. And it is. The people are not in the mood. There are always those who profit from crises. But they are not the majority. (that was my brief moment of pub-level or common sense, depending on your point of view )

[141]

@Aco

And to think we are part of it

And how

[141]

@Hypathie

that they are told that children must prepare for war

no one is obliged to listen, or to believe it.

And did you read 1984?

« War is Peace »

« Freedom is Slavery »

« Ignorance is Strength »

You have to turn off your screens, go outside, look at reality.

Worse than what? We are living in a period of abundance like never before. Recent cars everywhere, brand new mobile phones, shopping malls full, plenty of plane holidays, and so on. When a real collapse happens, it will be really felt..

Gas at 2.5 may seem expensive, but it’s nothing, really nothing. The energy contained in a liter of gasoline for 2.5 euros is phenomenal. It’s its use that is ridiculous.

with a liter of gasoline you can climb Mont Ventoux with a one-ton car in 20 minutes. You would surely need a few dozen very fit people to do the same in a lot more time.

« We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like »

So far, so good.

[141]

@Gametoysretro

Honestly, I didn’t have much to complain about in August. Sure, -30% compared to July but…

First, I went on vacation for a week, so that obviously plays a role. And besides, July was exceptional, so I didn’t expect August to do the same.
And if I change my perspective, it was still an exceptional month compared to previous summers. In the end, June/July/August are my best months of 2026.

Like you, I saw a 30-40% drop in sales, but I also went away twice and even shut everything down. 30% less online time, so it’s linear, and July was exceptional too (my record).

This August remains the best I’ve had since I started working.

[Hypathie]

If one has to spread one’s jam I have read many, many, many books since I learned to read. And Soylent Green and Brave New World and Foundation and Nietzsche and Jules Verne and Pagnol, scientific essays, Greek, Latin, thousands. But not Bourdieu . One cannot think for all of humanity, in macroeconomics, in sociology, in anthropology, in philosophy, in short, the stuff of intellectuals, by wondering if people have read 1984. We are not far from Zola right now in people’s minds. At the association, I have never seen so many hungry people, many young people. People, including those with good incomes (half an hour ago someone asked me for help) who cannot afford housing, so 1984 is far away. We are in 2026 and it’s a struggle. The hardest part is not the fall.

[Faune]

August 2026: roughly in line with Q2/2026 average / -10% vs. July, but July was the best month ever achieved / +76% vs. August 2025 / Saved by LBC, which accounts for 40% of sales instead of the usual 25%.

[Sissisyl]

It seems that LBC is indeed starting to perform better in terms of clothing sales compared to before, when items used to sell better. Perhaps former Vinted buyers and sellers are now turning more to this platform, making the offering more interesting?

Regarding July, the issue with Mondial Relay not being available for about fifteen days caused me prejudice.

[Aco]

@Sissisyl

Maybe former Vinted buyers who are now sellers on this platform, as the offer becomes more interesting?

They aren’t necessarily the same users on LBC.
Personally, I see it because there are no offers made and they buy directly without messing around like on Vinted, making ridiculous offers.
At best, they discuss the price when they have seen several items they like, create a bundle and ask if they can get a discount if they take X items.

[Faune]

I would really like to quantify the overlap. People regularly approach me on both sites because my prices are different. I have also noticed, from time to time, that reposting an ad on Clemz resulted in a sale on LBC, the buyer having been attracted by Vinted and then searching for the cheapest option.

On LBC, as on Vinted, I regularly get offers for -40%, but also more people who offer next to nothing. I don’t get annoyed by it.

[Aco]

@Faune

I would very much like to quantify the overlap proportion.

Me too,
So you were able to observe that there are the same buyers on both platforms, due to comments on prices?
There is necessarily a portion that go to a set of platforms.
Maybe related to the books?

[Faune]

@Aco

So you were able to see that there are the same buyers on both platforms, based on comments about prices?

Yes, there are common buyers. I see it when people approach me, or just by favoriting or selling on LBC an item that I just relisted on Vinted. Curiously, the people who were still on Rakuten were much more homebodies.

[Gametoysretro]

@Aco

These are not necessarily the same users on LBC.
Personally, I see it because there are no offers made and they buy directly without messing around like on Vinted making ridiculous offers.

They are doing it more and more
Personally, I continue because there is the plugin that was proposed here and which greatly simplifies things, but otherwise I think I would give up.