This is a fascinating story about two Hoosiers who were waiting for an airplane in Atlanta in 1982 and noticed that all the luggage looked rather masculine and incredibly unfeminine. They made a pact to change all that and began their task as soon as they arrived home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. These two ladies rapidly developed from a home-based business to the winners of the "Entrepreneur of the Year" award. The name of the company, Vera Bradley, is the name of one founder's mother. The two Hoosier's with a big idea and lots of talent, Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, proved that with talent, ingenuity and a big dream, all things are possible.
Their marketing plan, while not fashioned after Disney, uses the same basic concept of retirement of pieces similar to the retirement that Disney uses for its movies. Like many collectibles, once it no longer is available it increases in price. This planned obsolescence creates almost frantic buying when a retired item appears at an annual special sale held each year. The retirement of these items also keeps the product line fresh and new so Vera Bradley followers always have something to look forward to each year.
What started out as a desire to create feminine luggage grew into an entire line of products that range from designer felt tip markers to the well-known Vera Bradley handbag. You can purchase notebooks, glass cases and memo boards as gifts for under $25. The collection includes every piece of luggage that you ever conceived possible and for the stormy days, offers a designer umbrella to lift the spirits.
There are also limited edition items that sell at store listed as platinum, silver or gold stores. These items are the only available through those store, or infrequently sold by an owner that needs to make room for more purses and luggage. Occasionally you find them pop up on eBay where the bidding is fast and furious.
The Vera Bradley Company does not allow Authorized dealers to sell new articles on eBay, you can get some great buys on used, or barely used items. Many items sold on eBay still have the tags on them and are in pristine condition. The easiest way to find Vera Bradley items at that site is simply type the name Vera Bradley into the search engine and a multitude of items pop up.
The prices are not just reasonable they are too good to pass up.
If you look at the feedback from other buyers, you can easily judge the reputation of the seller and make your purchase accordingly. Online shopping can be scary but eBay has perfected the safety measures that keep you from worry. A simple pay pal account protects your personal banking information from getting into the hands of someone unscrupulous. It's a win-win situation for everyone. You safely buy Vera Bradley products at rock bottom prices and the seller knows their item got a happy home.
Carol Murray is the owner of the website http://www.1stopbags.com that features Vera Bradley products. She is an avid eBay seller and shopper and loves to find bargains on high quality items.
