How To Safely Buy Vintage Fountain Pens on eBay
Many people are frightened of going onto eBay and buying vintage pens without ever being able to see them first in person. However if you follow some simple rules and are careful about your choices, there are some amazing bargains in vintage pens that you can find on eBay.
The most important thing to try to is to buy the antique pen you're interested in as unemotionally as you can. As you research the item you want and get caught up in the excitement of bidding it sometimes is very easy to let your emotions take charge and you end up bidding too high on a classic fountain pen.
So, are there specific rules you can follow when buying vintage pens on eBay? Yes, indeed, and if you follow these three simple rules you will increase your chances of coming away from an auction with a real deal.
1. First check the feedback section on the seller whose item you are considering. If at all possible you want to do business with a person who has a history of selling vintage pens. This is not absolutely necessary, but finding someone who has sold antique pens in the past will make you feel better about participating in their auction.
You should pick a feedback rating that you are comfortable with, and used that as a guideline. Many buyers use a 97% to 98% positive rating as their absolute minimum. Other buyers will not do business with anyone less than a 99% rating.
Be aware that the lower you go with the seller's feedback rating the higher your risk that something may go wrong.
2. Negative feedback comments are important. Read these to get an idea of the problems that other buyers may have experienced. You can probably ignore negative feedback from new buyers. Often what happens is they do not contact the seller to try and resolve an issue before posting negative feedback.
By checking the seller's feedback you are just looking to see if there is a regular pattern to the negative feedback that would show that the seller is not someone you can trust and safely do business with.
3. Carefully scan the auction for pictures of the historic fountain pen on which you plan to bid. A good seller will post multiple pictures from multiple angles, and will write a full description of the antique pen. They will include in their written description any chips, marks or other problems with the pen.
They should also shoot close-ups on any damaged areas or issues with the classic fountain pen itself. A good seller will eliminate as many surprises as possible so that you, as the buyer, have the best mental picture possible of the item on which you are bidding. If you have any doubts or questions e-mail the seller. If they choose not to reply and answer your questions fully, then this likely is not a seller you want to do business with.
By doing your research so you know the value of an item, by bidding carefully and as unemotionally as possible, you can often find amazing bargains on eBay while at the same time finding sellers of vintage fountain pens whose auctions you can confidently bid on.
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