Ask questions when purchasing antiques online. Purchasing items online, especially when they are old may present a challenge to some people. However, purchasing items online can save you time and be a wonderful experience if you not to rush through the purchase. Ask the vendor as many questions as you want about the product. If the seller can answer your questions in a satisfactory way, then you can feel better about your purchase.
Research the product to find out more about it. It is a wise idea to go into questioning knowing a few of the answers for yourself to know whether the seller is trying to pull a trick on you. Use several credible resources to find out more about the antique that has caught your eye. Print the information out and have it on hand with you to refer to if you need to when questioning the seller.
Assess the product or its pictures thoroughly. Looking the item over in detail is important. If something looks odd than you had envisioned, then you should probably pass it by. It is a fake. Look at the way cloth has held up over time. Pay attention to the small details and do not settle for something battered and worn if you think you could find a better counterpart somewhere else.
Do not doubt your inner voice when examining items. Sometimes you might notice things that seem off but do not quite register what the problem really is. Listen to yourself. If something does not feel right, then you should not make the buy. You might be able to pinpoint later on what felt wrong about it, but never be pressured into making a purchase that you aren’t sure about.
Request more details or photos about the item. If you are shopping online, ask for more detailed photos of the antique you are interested in. An honest seller will have no problem providing you with these pictures. In person, ask the seller to tell you everything he or she knows about the item. The details that the seller provides will possibly tell you whether you really want to own the antique or not.
Know what a similar product will sell for. When you are doing your research, compare prices to similar items. You need to have something to compare the price to know whether you will be paying too much, too little, or just the right price.
Don’t be afraid to haggle over the price. Ask the seller if he or she can come down in the price a little for you or meet you halfway between the price you wanted to pay and the price being offered. If a seller wants to really get rid of an item, he or she may take you up on your offer.
Make sure you understand the return policy. Most importantly, never leave a store or place an order for an antique without knowing the return policy.