Archive for the ‘Buying Jewelry on Ebay’ Category
Should you “Buy It Now” on Ebay?
Are there times that you should do a "Buy It Now" (BIN) on ebay, versus just bidding on an auction? While I normally advocate bidding on a costume jewelry auction, there are times I've used the BIN. Let's talk about when you can...and when you probably shouldn't.
And before I go on, I want to emphasize I am talking about the costume jewelry area of ebay; this won't necessarily apply to other categories.
What is a Buy It Now?
First, if you're not all that familiar with how ebay works, you can read my buying costume jewelry on ebay post. It gives you a background on ebay and what to look for in a seller.
Ebay consists of two main ways to purchase costume jewelry -- bidding on an auction and Buy It Now. (There is a third called Make an Offer, but I won't go into that for the moment.)
Buy It Now is just what it sounds like -- you buy it right then and there. No waiting until an auction ends and biting your nails to see if you're the winner. Sounds good, doesn't it?
Maybe. Maybe not. At least when it comes to costume jewelry.
What to Look For
OK, time to confuse you more. There are BINs that are attached to an auction and those that are not.
When a BIN is attached to an auction, it is only good until the first bid is placed; then the BIN option disappears. If it's not attached to an auction, a Buy It Now is all you can do.
In general, I have found the BINs to be priced like what they would sell for in an antiques mall. Not necessarily bad, but in an antiques mall you can touch and see the piece up close. Still, I have done costume jewelry BINs when there was a specific piece that I really wanted and:
- The price (including the shipping) seemed reasonable.
- The seller had at least a 99.5% rating.
- There were plenty of clear photos of the front and back of the piece.
- The seller had a money-back guarantee.
So if I wanted a piece and the above was true, I've done a BIN. And so far, I have been quite satisfied.
When Not to Buy It Now on Ebay
I've seen lots and lots of costume jewelry BINs where the price was quite high and the seller was missing one or more of my criteria. These are usually cases where the piece is being valued at 2 or 3 times the going rate on ebay for similar items. For example, I've seen the Sarah Coventry "Blue Lagoon" brooch and earring demi with a BIN price over $120. Sorry, but I can easily win an auction for less than $40 for that set. Not to mention Blue Lagoon isn't terribly rare.
I'm exceedingly wary of high-priced BINs that feature an unsigned item. While Juliana / D&E jewelry is somewhat of an exception because by nature it is unsigned, many other costume jewelry manufacturers do produce a goodly amount of signed pieces. Why spend a bundle on a gamble?
Summary on Ebay BIN
I've written this post because I've recently seen a lot of BINs show up that are outrageous. With the prices so high on many of them, you're not likely to buy anyway. But there are some good deals on BINs out there, if you keep a sharp eye out. These are usually BINs attached to an auction.
The price might be a little higher than what it would fetch as an auction, but if it's a piece you're drooling after, it just might be worth it. These are the kinds of BINs where I do buy.
OK, all that being said, here are some ebay items for you to look at. Check them out and see if the above criteria holds true. Then use my rules or make up your own before you do a Buy It Now.
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 Vintage Trifari Key Brooch with Cabochons Reduced  US $34.99
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 Vintage KRAMER clear rhinestone necklace and earrings demi set US $23.28
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 VINTAGE PANETTA RHINESTONE HUMMINGBIRD PIN ca1970 US $10.49
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Buying Costume Jewelry on Ebay, Part 2
In my previous post about buying costume jewelry on ebay, I focused on what you should look for in a seller. Now it's only fair that I talk about being a good buyer -- what are your responsibilities?
Before you bid on that auction or do a Buy It Now, know what can be expected of you, the buyer.
Read the Auction Terms of Sale
I'll raise my hand and be the first to admit that I haven't always read the auction description, including the terms of sale (TOS) all the way through before bidding. And I've been lucky that I haven't made any major blunders in doing so. But I've read through enough to know that I've been fortunate.
When you place a bid or BIN ("Buy it Now"), you are in essence agreeing to the sellers terms as stated in the auction. That means how fast you need to pay, the shipping charges, how fast the item ships, the return policy - the whole ball of wax. If you don't agree with the seller's terms, do not bid on or BIN that item.
Have a Question? Ask the Seller
If you have a question about the costume jewelry item or would like to see more photos, use the "Ask the Seller" link on the auction to make your request.
However, not all sellers can be near the computer constantly. If you ask a question in the last 12 hours of an auction, be aware that you might not get an answer back before it ends.
But don't decide to bid first then ask important questions later; it's not fair to the seller or other buyers.
When You Win an Auction or Buy it Now
When you place a bid or do a BIN, realize that you are entering into a contract. You're obligated to pay for what you've BIN'd or what you've won on an auction. No, you can't just decide that you don't want to pay for it after all - or at least not without implications like receiving a strike as a non-paying buyer. Too many of those strikes and you won't be able to bid on or buy anything on ebay.
Speaking of paying...please pay promptly. It doesn't mean you have to pay immediately after winning (unless that's part of the TOS), but within 24 hours is nice. But if you are waiting to pay because you're bidding on other auctions for the same seller, let them know -- most sellers will offer a combined shipping discount. And letting them know is good manners.
Leaving Feedback
When you receive your costume jewelry item, it's polite to leave the seller feedback. This serves two purposes.
First, it lets the seller know you have received the item. Second, it helps other future buyers know what to expect for their purchases.
If for some reason you are unhappy with your purchase, though, please contact the seller before leaving negative feedback. The vast majority of sellers want you to be happy, and will work with you to resolve any issues.
Besides, if you are unhappy with something, the seller needs to know. For example, if the packaging was poor, they need to know so they can pack more carefully in the future. If you feel the item was not as described, let the seller know why.
Most sellers want to be a 5-star seller (see the next section), but if they don't know a problem exists, they can't fix it.
The Ebay Star Rating
When you leave feedback, you will be asked to rate the seller on four aspects of the sale, with a rating of between 1 and 5 stars.
You need to be honest, but also considerate. If the seller let you down in a particular area, don't leave them 5 stars on that subject; it's not fair to future buyers. On the other hand, if everything was to your satisfaction, please do leave 5 stars.
Here's the scoop on the star ratings. In past years, ebay had a problem with sellers who would automatically leave a negative rating for a buyer if the buyer left a neutral or negative for the seller. Therefore, many buyers were afraid to leave negative feedback even when deserved, for fear of retribution.
So, ebay went and changed the feedback process. Now it works not only on a positive/neutral/negative feedback, but buyers can anonymously rate (using the stars) the seller on four specific points.
Here's what ebay does with those stars. If a seller falls to an average score of 4 or fewer stars in any one category, ebay can raise the seller fees until the score is raised above 4. If the seller averages 4 stars or fewer in more than one category, ebay can revoke the selling privileges.
Be a Good Buyer
Ebay can't work without good buyers and good sellers. Both are necessary for people to be happy all around.
So to summarize, as a good buyer you should:
- Read the auction or BIN terms of sale.
- Ask any important questions before you bid or BIN.
- Pay promptly.
- After receiving your item, let the seller know if you have any concerns.
- Leave appropriate feedback based on your overall experience.
Now that you know how to be a good buyer, here are some for you to peruse.
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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.
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