Online shopping puts almost anything you want at your finger tips, literally. When it comes to finding an elusive vintage something you absolutely need, searching and buying online can be pretty close to magical as it puts an entire world of finds at your fingertips.

But buying online is a leap of faith. You can’t pick it what you’re buying and look it over. All you have are photos, a written description and seller reviews to judge by. You have to trust that it’s good quality, that it will be well packed and shipped promptly. And what if it arrives damaged?

Buying vintage online is an even bigger leap because things that have a history can also have flaws. For some things, like galvanized washtubs, dings and some oxidation are not flaws, they’re patina and they’re a plus. For others, like fine porcelain figurines or teapots, flaws like chips or crazing are a minus. There’s nothing worse than ordering a vintage book that smells like musty basement when it arrives. (We wouldn’t do that, but believe it or not, we’ve ordered books and had them turn up like that.)  But when a purchase exceeds expectations, oh boy! There’s nothing better than receiving a vintage sweater that’s even better than the photos.

We, the vintage sellers of Vintage Unscripted, are true believers in buying and selling vintage online. We do both. We are here to help build your vintage shopping skills with our top tips for buying vintage online. Admittedly, it’s in our best interest to convince you to buy with confidence. But it’s also in our best interest to be dedicated to best selling practices, because once something leaves us, we do not want to see it back! And when we receive an email or a bad review from dissatisfied buyer, it stings worse than a skinned knee. So we present…

VU’s tips for Buying Vintage Online

1. Examine the photos carefully. A good vintage seller will give you multiple photos of an item from many sides. Zoom if you can. Look for any flaws noted in the description. Contact the seller if you would like to see something from a different angle or would like another detail. Most sellers would rather give you another photo than have you be disappointed with your purchase. Photo by Nicole Harrington on Unsplash
2. Find the closest seller. What something weighs, how bigger it is, and how far it is traveling determines how much something will cost to ship. For elusive one-of-a kind vintage, you may have trouble finding multiple sellers with the same item. But items like Pyrex that were made in large quantities might be available close to you, so if you’re in California, you might not have to pay to ship a bowl all the way from Pennsylvania.
3. Read buyer reviews. We vintage sellers are only as good as our reviews indicate. Not all independent online shops offer reviews, but sites like Etsy and eBay do.
4. Ask questions before you purchase. A seller is happy to answer your questions. And there is no such thing as a stupid question, trust us. When you write a lot of listings, and most of us do, it’s not out of the question to omit an important detail (like the height of a piece).
5. Read the complete description. It’s easy to gloss over details when buying online, especially when on a mobile device. Reading all the details in a description can give you clues to age, wear, and any flaws in an item. Much better to know that dress you’re about to purchase is a 1950’s size 10 and not a 2000’s size 10. Or that the vintage purse you love has a stain on the inside lining. If after reading the whole description you are still in doubt, refer to number 4.
6. Read the seller’s policies.  Just because the big box sellers offer free freight and “no questions asked” returns, don’t expect vintage sellers to offer the same. Some may; it’s been our experience that most do not. People who sell vintage online are often one or two (wo)man operations who are responsible for sourcing, cleaning, inventorying, photographing, listing and shipping the products themselves. They work hard for their money and appreciate good buyers who read and understand their freight and returns policies before placing an order.
7. Don’t be fooled by fake vintage. If a seller is offering a large number of vintage Fenton glass milk glass cake pedestals, for example, there are two possibilities. They could have come into the motherlode of one particular vintage item, or, they are buying imported reproductions and calling them vintage.
8. It’s okay to ask a seller if the price is flexible. Sometimes if something has been hanging around a while, we sellers will agree to a discount if a buyer asks politely. Buying vintage is a person to person transaction, sharing your story and asking for a reasonable discount is not inappropriate. Photo by jesse ramirez on Unsplash
9. Open your purchase immediately. Even if it’s a holiday gift you’re buying six months early, open it up and make sure it is as expected and that it wasn’t damaged in shipping. Most sellers have a limited return window, and we will definitely be skeptical if you contact months after we shipped something to you to tell us it was damaged.
10. If you have a problem with your purchase, contact the seller immediately. We want the opportunity to make it right. Send pictures if it’s damaged, including the packaging. And always communicate through the site you purchased the item from. Most selling sites have a method of communication. Use that rather than the seller’s email.

What’s your favorite online vintage purchase? Share it in the comments below!