Auction websites can be a terrific addition to a collector’s world. You can buy merchandise from all over the world, sometimes at a greatly reduced price from what you would have to pay in your local market. However, buying from an internet auction website has some distinct pitfalls. For one, you won’t be able to actually see what you are buying until your antique actually arrives at your house. Not to mention the dishonest sellers. Given the potential problems, how can you tell if an auction website will work for you?

Evaluating Antique Auction Websites
Remember that every antique auction site has a different set of rules. Familiarize yourself with the terms that a given website has before you start bidding so that you don’t make any unnecessary mistakes.

Find out if the auction site has a guarantee or insurance that will protect you against a fraudulent seller.

Beyond the rules of the website and any insurance protection that the website may offer you, each auction boils down to the individual seller. Try to buy from sellers who have positive feedback, and, if you can, from sellers who have been selling for a long period of time. In addition, look specifically at any negative feedback that the seller may have. If there is a pattern to the complaints, you might want to take a pass.

Always carefully check the seller’s auction terms. For example, you will want to know who pays for shipping and, if you have to pay for shipping, what that amount might be. Look to see if insurance is required. This additional amount should be taken into account before you bid. Are there any additional handling costs that you will have to pay?

An extremely important part of the seller’s terms is the seller’s return policy. Will you get a full refund, including shipping costs, if you feel that the item is misrepresented? What will happen if you are “just not happy” with your antique? If the seller doesn’t have a written refund policy, skip the auction.

Look for full descriptions of items. If a description just includes one or two lines, you have two choices. You can either spend your time emailing the seller asking about scratches, dings, cracks, repairs or other damage, or wait for another opportunity to bid with a different seller.

Look at the quality of the picture or pictures offered. Depending on the antique, the more pictures you can see, the better. For example, you will want to see cracks and chips on pottery or glass, particularly is the piece is valuable. Some unscrupulous sellers use stock pictures for their auctions. If the picture and the description don’t exactly match, walk away from the auction.