Posted by Katharine Hawks on March 07, 1999 at 01:10:46:
In Reply to: Would you buy a rug on the Internet? posted by Jerry Silverman on March 03, 1999 at 23:26:33:
: My question, then, is: Are we "there" yet? What will it take for people to send real money for a rug they've only seen pictures of? Would you do so? And, finally, how do you explain the apparent success of rug sales on eBay?
I am a novice rug buyer, and *all* of my rugs have been purchased online, through ebay.
I made my first purchase almost a year ago -- a very nice ersari, small size. Great wool, terrific color. I had fantasized about purchasing rugs for *years* but never did because I assumed it was simply beyond my reach. However, there are bagains to be had on ebay (less so today than a year ago), but they're there.
A few weeks ago, I purchased my first collectable rug on ebay. I am thrilled with it. Right now, it moves with me from area to area in my loft so I can see how it looks and feels in different lights, at different times of the day, and in different moods. That was a big risk for me on ebay, but I trusted the seller. Besides, I like a good gamble every now and then. :)
The trick for me has been identifying who I trust. If I trust a seller, I'm going to follow his or her guidance. I also accept that I'm going to make mistakes and loose.
As I continue to learn more, I keep my eyes open for bargains. If something isn't moving at the price it should and I like what I see, I'm likely to go for a winning bid (I got what turned out to be a WONDERFUL gabbeh that way.)
Ebay is the reason why I've "taken the plunge" into rug addiction, so to speak. I'm grateful for the handful of sellers willing to spend time educating novices like myself. As a result, I now spend more time thinking about rugs than thinking about sex *grin*
--Katharine