Posted by Carole Dunn on March 04, 1999 at 13:24:33:
In Reply to: Re: Would you buy a rug on the Internet? posted by Marvin Amstey on March 04, 1999 at 11:36:29:
Your question is an interesting one. The paradigm shift is real, but I believe that most buyers will continue to want to see a rug or carpet firsthand before making a final commitment, especially if the price exceeds $1,000.
I was recently introduced to eBay and have been following the auction of particular types of rugs & carpets, noticing that the prices seem to be going up. There are some that I would definitely have bought, but I did not feel confident about their true value and because I do not know the dealers in question. Like many, I have read about the great amount of misrepresentation inherent in the rug selling industry. However, I have bought many other things on the Net, including vintage & collectible quilts on eBay.
My impression is that the eBay rug sellers and buyers know each other, and some of the buying and selling seems to go on amongst this group. I've noticed that the 1-time sellers don't fare well, often starting at a high price and getting no bids. Those rugs that sell well are usually of interest to a certain type of rug buyer, perhaps less so to the housewife somewhere who wants a modern carpet to match her decorating colors. IOW, the buyers and sellers on eBay are perhaps not the average rug buyer.
Carole Dunn