Nowadays, the best thing about shopping estate sales is that you can do it from the comfort of your own home. More and more people are opting to sell their treasures online, which means it’s easier to find a great deal on those special or unique items you need or collect.
If you’re new to shopping estate sales online, we recommend following these tips to make the process easier…
Do research on items you want to buy – Find out how much items are actually worth before you make that bid or purchase. If you’re a collector or buying to resell, you may see something that looks like a great deal, but come to find out it’s just a replica or the item isn’t as rare as you thought.
Ask questions – Sometimes descriptions of items may not be detailed. Don’t hesitate to ask the seller or auction company about things you’re unsure of.
Research the company or seller hosting the online estate sales – Is the sale on a reputable website? Can you find any reviews on the auction house? Just like any purchase you make online, make sure your purchase is being processed securely and you can trust that the items will be sent to you in a timely manner.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate – If it’s an auction-based sale, obviously you can’t negotiate. If you’re able to purchase items outright, send an email to the seller and ask if they are willing to negotiate.
Know the terms and conditions – Always read the fine print and understand the process of bidding on items or how to make a purchase through the site. Is there a return policy? Do you need to make a deposit in order to bid? How will your items be shipped and is insurance included?
Find out how much it will cost to ship first – Before purchasing or bidding on an item, find out approximately how much the item will cost to ship to you. This will determine if it will actually be good deal or not.
Pay attention to measurements – Sometimes it’s hard to tell just how small or big an item is. It could look small in a picture online, but in actuality the item is very big.
Find deals on online auction estate sales vs. traditional online sales – When you’re bidding on an auction site like ours, you can often score deals because all opening bids start at $0.01 whereas a traditional online sale has one set price on each item.
Don’t get emotionally attached – If you’re bidding on an item in an online estate sale, it’s important to set a maximum price and not to get too attached to an item unless you’re willing to overpay for it.
If you love it, buy it! – No explanation necessary for this…
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