I know the feeling. You have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of that package for more than a week. You’ve barely come down from the adrenaline rush. The one that seized your heart, when your dedication paid off, and you snatched that auction from the other bidders. You are the champion. And you just know that today is the day. That package will be delivered. Just as you begin to imagine diving into that box full of packing peanuts to retrieve your prize, you hear the postman.

You snatch the box, make a mad dash for the kitchen, and grab the closest thing to cut through the tape. The box is open, and peanuts are flying. There they are! Your new babies! Its been so long. You pull the lid off the box, so you can get up close and personal, and then, ……. oh no! These can’t be what I ordered! They look nothing like the pictures, and the seller never mentioned this, or this, or this!

You’ve been had. Yes, it’s the seller’s fault, but you have to face the fact, you‘re to blame, too. Did you ask all the important questions? Do you even know what they are? Did you really read that description thoroughly, or just skip to the pictures?

Don’t let this happen to you (again). 

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The Psychology of the Seller

Most sellers on Ebay dabble in many categories.  This helps peak customer interest with diversity, but leaves little time to develop a solid knowledge base for every category they list in.  I know heaps of sellers who know a little about a lot of things, but very few that know a lot about one or two areas.  This brings me to my next point...you cannot depend on the seller to accurately or thoroughly describe the item.  Its your responsibility to know what they don't, and ask the questions they leave unanswered. 

We have all run across an absolutely useless item description.  One of my personal favorites was "vintage christmas ornaments".  That's barely a decent title, and serves as a horrid auction description.  Needless to say, I lost all interest in that auction.  Partly due to the lack of information, but also because I firmly believe that the quality of an item description directly reflects on the integrity of the seller, and can provide clues relating to their customer service.  In my experience, sellers that were lazy and sloppy with their descriptions, have little desire to answer questions, are slow in response times, drag out shipping, and do not pack their items securely.  On the other hand, sellers that take the time to provide you with the information you need up front, tend to be eager to answer additional questions, quickly reply to emails, ship within 3 business days, and use adequate packing materials.  I have tested this theory more than 250 times, and for the most part, it has proved true, but as always, there are exceptions. 

The Fine Print

Do not mistake lengthy descriptions as quality descriptions.  Many sellers pack their auction pages with standard promotional jargon and paragraphs of terms and conditions.  As tempting as it may be, do not skip the words and go directly to the pictures.  You have to read, read, read!  Many auctions will have the item description comprise the first 5 or so lines, but don't stop here.  Its important to read the terms and conditions, and I'm sure you all know why.  But more importantly, I have had sellers "hide" additional information in their fine print.  One seller I dealt with discovered additional damage to her ornaments, and hastily slipped it in at the bottom of the page.  I didn't read the whole page, didn't find out about the damage, and ended up disappointed when I received my package.  This was poor form on the sellers part, but in the end, it was my fault for not reading everything I should've. 

Always revisit the auction page before placing your bids.  This is so important.  Let's say you find an item of interest, but the auction is running for 7 days and you aren't ready to bid.  You stick into your watch list and wait.  The seller has the freedom to revise the auction as many times as needed.  If you do not reread the description, you'll be none the wiser, and you're at fault for any disappointment you experience.  This also happened to me.  I bought 32 vintage ornaments for $15.  It was a great deal.  At least I thought so until I saw a revision at the bottom of the page stating that 10 ornaments were broken while the seller was cleaning.  Oops, my bad. 

Pictures Lie

Knock out photos can sell an item before the buyers even read the title.  But smart shoppers, like you and I, realize that pictures are there to reinforce the description and give us an accurate view of what we are buying.  But do they really?  Most sellers that have graduated from scanned images and fuzzy internet camera snapshots, know how to use a photo editing program.  They lighten, and contrast, and saturate, and crop, etc.  This can be good or bad.  Its great if the picture needs editing to better represent the item's true appearance.  But turns bad when used to eliminate fading, erase blemishes, and disguise imperfections. 

Be wary of fuzzy images.  They are likely the result of a poor quality camera or inexperience, but regardless of the reason, use caution.  Damage and details can easily be lost in the haze.  Be wary of images from a distance.  If you can't see the ornaments well, you have no hope of noticing damage.  Be wary of ornaments that are pictured through the top of the box.  A good seller knows to take the top of the box off before photographing the ornaments.  If you can't see the ornaments, you can't see the condition.  Lastly, use extra caution with "perfect pictures".  These images are the prime candidates for heavy editing.  No matter how closely you examine the picture, you'll never find the damage, because its not there any more. 

"Good Vintage Condition" is Meaningless

Never, ever, ever be pacified by that phrase.  This is a common, and quite useless, stand-alone phrase used to describe condition.  What does this really tell you?  How did the seller arrive at this judgment?  What is "vintage condition" anyway?  Here's what is usually translates into..."This item is used and has damage.  I do not feel like taking the time to really tell you what's wrong.  And  I am choosing to say good vintage condition because it sounds nice, is nondescript, and lowers your expectations, all while preserving my chance at making a sale."  I support the use of the phrase only if it is supported with specific details.  No two people have the same standards when it comes to condition.  Their mint, may be your good or fair, and vice versa. 

As a seller myself, I go to great pains to note every single blemish.  Full disclosure is my policy, and should be for every seller. 

Realistic Expectations

There are some things your seller will not mention on the auction page.  Not because they're trying to deceive you, but because some things are given in the world of vintage ornaments.  Here's what you should know.  Most sellers will not remove the ornament caps to check for damage.  Many ornaments will have chips or breaks at the tip of their neck.    Its not a big deal because it is hidden.  However, if the damage extends beyond the cap or affects the way it sits, you have a right to know.  The sellers will not check to make sure caps are original.  They are switched around, all of the time, for many reasons, and for now, it doesn't affect value.  But you should be told if any of the ornaments are missing caps.  Do not expect WWII ornaments to come with their original paper caps unless noted.  Over time, the paper caps became loose and were lost or removed to prevent the ornament from falling and breaking.  You should always expect some type of wear to show on vintage ornaments, unless they are advertised as mint.  Light, unobtrusive spotting may go unmentioned because it is quite common. 

Anticipate minimal breakage in transit.  I usually expect to lose at least one ornament in shipment.  It happens a lot, and I have come to count on it.  No matter how well the seller packs them, there's a middle man waiting to do their best damage.  I typically let this slide unless the packaging was subpar or more than 2 ornaments were busted.  If you can't stomach the idea of losing ornaments, insure every package. 

Assume Responsibility

There are many sellers that dabble in vintage ornaments that do not have the experience to provide an accurate description.  They unintentionally misuse terms, overlook damage, etc.  The only way to avoid the pitfalls of inexperience is to educate yourself.  Become familiar with the keywords and terms used to describe vintage ornaments.  Know your makers and styles, and the time periods that they were produced. 

Pick your trading partners carefully.  Check their feedback.  Don't just focus or negative and neutral comments.  Many buyers place valuable, and even negative, information in the context of positive entries to avoid being hit with negative feedback. 

Please take a look at my other guides for more valuable information regarding vintage ornaments, including a list of questions to ask your seller before you bid.