What sort of taste do you have for furniture? Are you the modern, contemporary furniture lover? Or do you relish any beautiful piece of furniture that may be over or less than a hundred years’ old? Whatever your taste, you are sure to get them readily available either from a physical store or an online one. But before we dive into where you can purchase them, let’s do some education.

Antique. Classic. Mid-century. Vintage…I am certain you must have heard these words before now, and possibly believe they mean one and the same thing. Right? Well, not so exact. A little difference does exist a slight difference. According to the site www.antique-hq.com, the term Antique is used to describe an item that is over 100 years old. Classic, Vintage, and Mid-century are terms that can be used to describe any item that is between 25 years and above but less than 100 years.

Next…so let’s talk about buying vintage furniture whether in a physical store or on the internet (online). While it is quite a special experience and feeling to own a piece of antique furniture, the process of buying it is also as important.

Shopping for items online has dominated our lives in the past decade, and makes shopping in a store an old fashion activity. Buying that vintage, mid-century or antique furniture online or in a store is a choice the buyer has to make. However, we would love to share some pros and cons of doing this.

PURCHASING ONLINE

PROS

1.    Offers convenience as shopping can be done from anywhere or anytime without much stress
2.    Gives the opportunity to compare prices of same product across different sites
3.    It saves time
4.    Tends to be more affordable as the online store tends not to have the same overheads as a physical store

CONS

1.    Difficult to return if one is not satisfied with what is received
2.    It is more susceptible to fraud as, after purchase, one may or may not receive the good
3.    What is seen online may not be what is eventually received, as the furniture colour may differ
4.    There is no opportunity to physically inspect the vintage furniture to confirm its state before buying.

PURCHASING IN A STORE

PROS

1.    Offers certainty of what one is purchasing, what you see is what you get. Because we are dealing with vintage furniture items, a physical inspection helps identify any damage if any and helps prepare you on how best to handle it
2.    Who buys a chair without checking out to know if it is comfortable? Buying an antique chair gives the buyer the first-hand opportunity to check its ergonomic value. If you sit on it and it is not comfortable, you can change. The same rule will apply to other classic furniture you may be interested to buy.
3.    Offers opportunity for physical interaction with the seller, and should you need to return the mid-century stool you have purchased, it is much easier to engage the seller

CONS

1.    There is less opportunity to compare the prices of furniture item before purchase
2.    It is usually stressful with the logistics requirement and consumes time

As with any buying process, it is important to fully consider the pros and cons of buying any antique furniture item either online or in a store before taking a decision. This may depend on the different factors though, but ultimately, the choice lies with you. Go ahead and buy that antique, classic, mid-century or vintage piece of furniture you love.

More Information http://www.castleantiuqes.net/

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Donald Phillips