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If you're like most people, you may be more than just a little nervous about
purchasing your vintage pens and watches (or any
item) over the internet. This is certainly something we can understand. For many
years before the Internet "caught on", we were offering our items for
sale via mail order. We are completely aware of the fact that it can be
difficult to buy an item without actually being able to physically examine it
first. Add to that the fact that
literally anyone can put up a web site
or use an online auction and the
fact that honesty, integrity, experience and knowledge are not requirements to
do so - it gets pretty confusing.
Everywhere we go,
everyone is talking about buying on the
internet. Unfortunately, most of what we hear is not good. The
majority of people we talk to are "getting burned" and finding that
the bargain they thought they found online was no bargain at all.
It is now more
important than ever that collectors become informed buyers. What does that
mean? It means that now you not only have to research your field of
collecting, you also need to research the people you are buying from. With
everyone from "Fleamarket Freddy" to "Garagesale Gerty"
hanging out their "cyber shingle" it's important to remember
that, as always, actions speak louder than words.
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With literally thousands of items
& dealers to choose from, it's getting to be near impossible to know for sure. Who
to trust is something the buyer has to learn and, without a doubt, trust is
something a seller has to earn.
Ask question.
Dig below the surface. On the internet, if someone has it in them to be
dishonest there is nothing to stop them. For example:
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Recently,
we were informed that someone else - a person known to us - was using our pictures &
descriptions to list their items with an online auction service. We
can only imagine what items the buyers actually received when all
was said and done. |
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Another
person - again, known to us - is using one of the many free
hosting services to publish a site which claims they have a 3,000
square foot facility & have been established for 25 years.
In truth, they have been in the business for just over a year &
work out of a spare bedroom. |
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Items that we have
examined personally & know to be
in poor or irreparable condition are constantly being found listed
with online auction services by general line antique dealers and
described as in excellent condition. |
We have been
specializing in vintage pens & watches for nearly 12 years and are committed
to providing fully disclosed, accurate description on items that are
guaranteed 100%. We pride ourselves on having established long lasting
relationships with hundreds of satisfied customers world-wide and are happy to
provide professional references upon request.
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If you read
a description on a web site or an online auction - and see the
words: "I don't know much about......." or "I am not an
expert in........" you should immediately start asking several hundred questions (O.K. - so, maybe just a
hundred or two). If they truly
do not know anything about the item, they are not going to tell you what
may be wrong with it.
Unfortunately,
many people
use these lines as an excuse. You don't need to be an expert to
know things are not produced in factories with teeth marks, dents or
initials that appear to be carved with a pocket knife. More than
likely, these will be the same people with the "as is" &
"no returns" statements (they know ALL about those).
If a seller
does not have an established return policy stated somewhere on their
site or auction, ask them specifically
if you can return an item:
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if the
item shows any signs of |
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if the
item does/does not |
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if the
item is/is not |
If you
decide to purchase the item, keep their answers on hand in case you need
them.
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Who's going
to make up the rules & who's going to enforce them. They
internet is world-wide. There simply isn't a law enforcement
agency capable of patrolling it. Yes, online auctions have rules &
web host providers have regulations but the fact of the matter is they
do little to help when a problem arises - very little. Why?
Because web host providers & online auctions don't collect their
fees from the consumers. They collect them from the sellers who use
their services.
In most
cases, if you are dissatisfied with an item or a seller, the cost
involved in "righting the wrong" will far outweigh the
original cost of the item. And, don't think the sellers don't know
it. We attend auctions only to hear the people in front of us
bragging about how they "stuck" a customer by claiming to be
able to prove an item was not scratched/dented/ whatever when it left
their possession. As soon as one of them is done telling his story,
another chimes in with a similar story of their own. They are
perfectly aware of the fact that most buyers will just give up & take the
loss rather than go through the seemingly endless paperwork involved in
fighting the matter legally.
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Use your
voice. There a tons of online forums - many with special sections
devoted to postings regarding "the good guys" and "the
bad guys". If you've had a bad experience, don't be afraid to
let other collectors know about it. After all, don't you wish someone
had warned you? Just be certain that you can back up your
statements - make sure all comments are based on fact & not emotion,
keep copies of all emails & other information related to
the transaction.
Likewise,
if you've found a particular seller to be trustworthy & reliable -
speak up. Many collectors are reluctant to do this. They are
afraid someone else will beat them to "the good stuff" next time.
While this too is certainly understandable - don't you wish someone had
pointed you in the right direction a little bit earlier?
The old "and he tells two friends &
they tell two friends" works BOTH ways - with one exception: bad
news travels faster. We've
worked hard to build our reputation & wouldn't dream of tarnishing
it at this late date. Our best advertisements are our customers.
In the end,
it is the buyer who has the final word. Use your voice and stand
up for your fellow collectors. After all, isn't that the best
thing about collecting - the people who share your interests?
Think about it. Wouldn't your collection be a lot less fun if there
weren't others to share it with. Just imagine no shows, no meets,
no clubs, no forum, no chats - just you & your pens or watches (or
whatever) and nobody to run to, with all the excitement that a
non-collector can never understand, and say "Guess what I
got!?". It just wouldn't be the same.
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Scratching
your head over this one? Well, this is the way we get the question put
to us so It's the way it's getting put up.
There is
much confusion over "this book/person/website says this" but
"that book/person/website says that". Keep in mind that
SOME books & web pages are written by people who may be new to
the hobby and have little
more than a passing knowledge of the subject at hand. Many are based on knowledge gleaned
solely from reading other books &
websites. Just because something is repeated over & over again does
not mean it is true. A man once said the earth was flat & many people repeated
that bit of information. Guess what. The world is still round.
Many
vintage items - especially items that were used on a daily
basis (as pens & watches were) - have been repaired over the years. Many have had parts
replaced. The only way to know for sure if an item is original or
has "factory repairs" is by learning, doing & seeing first
hand. While web sites & books are great & supply a
wealth of knowledge, there is much that can never be learned from either.
We have spent countless
hours researching the items we buy, sell & collect. This not
only
includes years "in the field" but also spending numerous hours in the US patent library
and establishing our
own personal library of vintage catalogs, advertising & original
manufacturer's
factory records. Hopefully, someday, we will be able to share some
of that information here. As for right now, that's a mountain this
webmaster is not quite ready to climb.
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