You've Been Warned: Buying Antiques Online Will Cost You

The online marketplace has become a key resource for shoppers of all backgrounds. Perusing digital stock in national (or even global) ads posted on Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace can bring about planning and plotting. Shoppers can find virtually anything listed in online ads from private sellers, and the same can be said for businesses selling goods through digital platforms as well. Antiques, in particular, are one product category that many people will spend time exploring for in online marketplaces — from old and rare books to vintage golf clubs. The antique market is a busy one, with new pieces finding their way into both physical and online listings on a daily basis. People cleaning out their garages or storage units may often seek to part with older furniture, jewelry, and other vintage gear. It's also a good idea to clear away these kinds of collections when you reach the final stages of your retirement preparation.

While the internet can be a great source of inspiration, and even shopping connections, it's also oftentimes a problematic resource when buying antiques. The problem with antique purchases made over the internet stems from the very nature of the digital world itself. With that being said, the resource isn't completely useless, but using digital listings sparingly is likely the smartest approach.

The first problem that buyers run into when purchasing anything online is a lack of definitive interaction with the item. This isn't an issue for most new items — a pair of shoes or a new chair come as relatively standard objects made in a factory. Moreover, most new items that you purchase can technically be viewed in person at a showroom or a local store before comparing prices. Buyers can make purchases with confidence knowing that largely, the example they buy online will be the same thing as the one they picked up or tested out in a store.

The same can't be said for antiques of any sort. A vintage item — whether something large like a shop power tool or couch, or a small piece of jewelry or artwork—is a unique, one-of-a-kind product. There may have been others like it when it was new, but antiques aren't necessarily special for the value they once held. An antique chair or a collectible baseball card is valuable because of its history. Antiques aren't cookie cutter objects, and seeing the exact one you're thinking of buying in person is a step that can't be replicated in an online forum. There's an element of trust that comes into play as you take the word of the seller that things are the way they claim them to be.

The measure of trust that's involved in online antique sales is a larger problem than you might realize. Certainly, a seller might be tempted to embellish the condition of an item in order to raise the price. Similarly, sellers may not always know the history of the thing they're selling, and replacement components may be involved in the item that they aren't aware of, potentially devaluing an antique in other ways. But honest mistakes and little lies are just one aspect of the possibilities. There's an entire, additional segment of the antique marketplace that's far more cynical.

Troublingly, it's often difficult to spot any issues before you part with your money. Fraudulent goods are a significant factor that buyers need to remain wary of when perusing any antique offering. Both in stores and online, the chance of encountering a reproduction that's being passed off as a vintage original is likely higher than you might expect. However, the likelihood rises precipitously online, where buyers have no real means of validating the information they are being given. Plus, subsequent conversations with a seller about the item is ripe for abuse. Bad actors can and frequently do attempt to pass goods off as genuine in order to separate eager buyers from their money. Therefore, if you absolutely must buy an antique online, make sure you're working with a reputable dealer and ideally buying with a payment solution that builds consumer protections into the transaction.