Searching online for a great deal on second-hand designer items has become increasingly popular. But did you know that making an unfortunate typo on eBay could grab you a bargain? While you’re more than likely to correct a spelling quickly, data analysts at Wholesale Clearance UK conducted research to find which brands sellers most commonly misspell and which of their typos can result in the best savings.
According to the findings, Fred Perry and Lacoste have the most misspelt listings, accounting for 8.17 and 8.05 percent of brand listings. Yet, while these brand names are commonly misspelt, huge savings are rare.
On average, in listings where Lacoste is spelt wrong, buyers can save around £6. However, on rare occasions, products listed as ‘Lacose’ or ‘Lacosse’ have sold for £3 and £5 respectively, saving buyers up to £21. Listings where Fred Perry is misspelt only save buyers an average of £3. Products listed as ‘Fed Perry’ and ‘Fred Pery’ can get you the best savings on the brand, but these listings are rare.
Other brands commonly misspelt in listings include New Balance (5.27%), Puma (4.54%) and Harvey Nichols (2.86%). So, which brand’s typos can get you the best deal on your second-hand shopping?
It might not be the most misspelt brand, but purchasing a Nike product, listed as ‘Nie’ helped 156 people save an average of £30 per purchase. Typically, Nike products sell for an average of £46, but the products with the brand name misspelt in the listing sold for £16 – on average. In second place, eagle-eyed buyers looking for a new pair of Rayban sunglasses may also find a great deal by searching for a misspelling of the brand name. On average, Rayban sunglasses sell for £45 on eBay, while a pair with a typo in the listing were £19 – meaning savvy shoppers could save £26. The most common typos include ‘Rayan’ and ‘Rayyan’. These spelling errors are more common than most, accounting for three per cent of listings.
As inflation continues to rise, Dr. Martens has announced that the prices of shoes will also increase to match inflation. Purchasing a pair of shoes second-hand is a good way of avoiding this price increase. Dr. Martens sell for an average of £60 on eBay, while listings which misspell the brand sell for an average of £36, resulting in savings of £24. While listings for boots spelt ‘doc matens’ or ‘dc martens’ give the best value, these are rare, with just 150 listings.
If you’re looking to stock up on North Face products, it may be worth looking on eBay, where you could save an average of £13 by searching for misspellings of the brand name. ‘Nort face’ and ‘North Fac’ are the most common listing typos. However, in one instance, someone saved a whopping £43 on their purchase as the item listed as ‘North Gace’.
Rounding up the top five brands where shoppers scored the most savings from a misspelt name is Timberland. These items usually sell for an average of £33, while listings that misspell the name sell products for an average of £21 – netting buyers a saving of £13. These typos are infrequent, as just 0.15 per cent of Timberland items sold on eBay are listed with the name spelt wrong.
One lucky buyer had the best deal on a Harvey Nichols product. The item was listed as ‘Harvy Nichols’, and the buyer saved £45 when they purchased it for just £17.
