Costume Jewelry Online

Buying Costume Jewelry on Ebay

Buying costume jewelry on ebay is a pleasure, but can also be a peril. The pleasure is in the glorious selection of vintage jewelry from which to choose. The peril lies in from whom you buy the jewelry.

I'm writing this today because of some recent experiences that I have had, and then yesterday by a friend of mine's daughter. The experiences have been good and also not-so-good. This post is to help you find your way in the ebay maze and (hopefully) choose sellers who make your costume jewelry buying experience a pleasure.

The Auction Photos

Check the auction photos carefully, and walk away from any that don't show you both the front and back of the piece...plus a close-up of the signature (if the item is signed). Photos aren't expensive to include, and the more clear photos you can see, the better.

Then, examine the photos of the costume jewelry carefully! Do you see any areas of concern, like missing stones, a bent earring back or a strung necklace that may be ready to part its string? Unless you know how to repair jewelry, you probably want to pass it by.

The Auction Description

Read the auction description carefully. Many times not only will the seller describe the item, but also list the terms of the sale. For example, I once saw a beautiful pin that I was ready to bid on, but then noticed that the seller required immediate payment upon winning the auction. Since the auction ended during my work day, it would have been extremely difficult for me to pay the person immediately. So I didn't bid, because I wasn't able to comply with the sellers terms.

Return Policy

Many times the seller also lists the return policy in the auction description. I've given up buying from sellers who have a no returns accepted policy, except perhaps with jewelry lots that are labeled as needing repair (which I think is fair).

I've rarely had to return a piece, but there have been several "on the fence" winnings. Most have been my fault (I ignored my own rule on plenty of clear photos), but still -- a brooch that's described in the auction as never been worn, and then the back of the pin clearly shows signs of plenty of wear?

Seller Feedback

Generally, I will not purchase from a seller who has feedback under 50, because they may not be familiar enough with ebay rules, nor have good return policies, etc. Here's a story I heard yesterday from a friend of mine.

Her daughter had purchased an item from a seller who had a feedback of 10. When she went to pay via PayPal, the seller didn't have their account set up right and she couldn't get the payment through. She contacted the seller, who gave her a choice of two different PayPal addresses (not a great sign).

Finally, the seller offered to send her an invoice from PayPal...or she could send a certified check. Wisely, she told the seller she would not be sending a certfied check and asked for a PayPal invoice.

Part of this is a case where the seller did not know ebay regulations well. As of this writing, PayPal is the only form of payment accepted for auctions -- a check is a clear violation of the rules. In this case, the seller probably didn't realize it, due to being new. Which leads to the next issue....

Does the Seller Adhere to Ebay Rules?

I may be on dangerous ground here, but my concern is that if the seller breaks one ebay rule, they may be bending or breaking others. That may or may not be true, but I won't bid on any auction that violates an ebay rule.

One is directing people to their own off-ebay website in the auction description. Now ebay does have stores for sellers, and I'm not talking about these. I'm talking about sellers that are very clearly telling people to go to their off-ebay store instead of bidding on their ebay auction.

Another is not accepting PayPal as their only form of payment. I still see lots of auctions that specifically state they do not accept PayPal. And more that list checks, money orders and their own merchant accounts as forms of payment.

I know that not everyone likes PayPal. And that ebay owns PayPal, so they are getting revenue there as well. But rules are rules, and you agree to sell on ebay based on the rules (it's not like ebay hides them). If you don't agree -- then don't sell.

Is the Shipping Reasonable?

I'm sorry, but $5 for shipping a pair of earrings first class with no insurance or confirmation of delivery is out of line. I know how much it costs to ship, and it's certainly not even $2 -- including delivery confirmation. (An exception would be if the item was coming from Canada, which does cost more for shipping.)

I agree that a seller should be also compensated for their packing supplies. Say an item costs $2 to ship and the packing materials cost another 75 cents. I'm fine with that. Even throw in another dollar for a handling charge -- that's cool.

Here's another way of looking at it. Say the seller has a 5-day return policy, but doesn't reinburse shipping charges. If for some reason you had to send it back, you lose your original shipping fee, plus the fee to ship it back.

If I buy an item and it's under $50, I generally won't purchase insurance, unless the seller requires it.

Speaking of Packing and Shipping...

If the seller doesn't mention in the auction that they pack carefully, or use boxes, or something that leads you to believe they do take adequate precautions when shipping -- ask.

I've recently received an item poorly packed that was damaged. The seller says it was shipping damage and I didn't purchase insurance, so no refund. OK, but if the item had been well-packed, I'm convinced the damage would not have happened. So it's simple; I won't buy from that seller again. Not because he/she wouldn't refund (which I can understand), but because she/he didn't take care in the packing in the first place.

And Now Some Good News!

Please don't think that ebay is too much trouble to buy your costume jewelry. I've had far more good experiences than bad. And I've found some absolutely wonderful sellers who obviously love costume jewelry, describe it well and treat it with the care it deserves. These are the kinds of seller that I'm willing to spend my dollars with again.

I've gotten some great deals and have met some lovely people, so I keep on shopping on ebay. It's just a matter of knowing what "red flags" to look for.

Hopefully this has helped you pick and choose what you decide to bid on, so you can better ensure a great outcome. And now I'll throw you into the deep end of the pool, to . Take a careful look at the auctions, and what do you now see? Oh, and since you're possibly buying, check out the post on how to be a good ebay buyer.