Introduction to buying second hand furniture online
It is important to use different techniques when looking for second hand or used furniture when shopping online. I use the term second hand to describe any item that has been previously used, and therefore not a new item. Many types of furniture can be a good bargain second hand. Of course most wood based products that are not made of fiber board can last a long, long time. Items that contain upholstery present other challenges and show signs of wear and tear much more easily. Some people are uncomfortable sitting on upholstery used by another family. A remedy to mitigate this issue can be to recover the piece in new fabric if that eases your concern. Thus, you can enjoy a traditional classic piece of furniture with your own flair for fabric and color selection.
Antiques come to mind for me when I think of second hand furniture. By definition an antique is over 100 years old. I can tell that you there are lots of other great classic traditional pieces that are much newer than 100 years old. The old adage "you get what you pay for" holds true when considering second hand pieces. A quality constructed piece of furniture is built to last for a long time and thus, can provide for a good bargain for the persistent online shopper.
Television shows such as Antiques Roadshow have popularized the bargain hunting experience. It is a rewarding feeling to get a great deal on something to learn later that it is much more valuable than what you paid for it. The by product of this popular TV show is increased competition as more and more people are bargain hunting.
The greatest obstacle to bargain hunting is having proper knowledge of furniture. Knowledge is paramount to be able to spot pieces and identify then to a manufacturer and an approximate date of construction. Other items of importance are being able to spot condition and also if any piece has been materially changed or hand reconstruction work performed. Reconstruction work makes the piece of furniture less original and thereby typically lowers the value of the piece. Another challenge is the number of imitations of the original piece. Let's face it. Once something becomes popular, competition will always attempt to duplicate it. These duplicates are often only worth a fraction of the original design and yet can be deceivingly difficult to identify as knock offs.
If you are interested in older pieces of furniture consider increasing your knowledge on the subject. There are many bargains out there to be hand if we can spot them. I wonder how many times I have walked by items at a resale shop, antique shop or garage sale and passed right by the incredible bargain.
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