FURNITURE WOODS 101

We get a lot of questions on whether or not the furniture we list is comprised of solid wood or veneered.  We would like to take this opportunity to give our customers a brief explanation of the construction of antique furniture.  Most specialty cuts of wood i.e., tiger maple, bird’s eye maple, tiger oak (a.k.a. quarter sawn) crotched mahogany, Cuban mahogany, burled walnut, flame birch, flame cherry, etc., are applied to furniture via veneers.  These choice cuts of woods were prohibitively expensive and rarely used in their solid wood form.  However, there were exceptions to this.  When we are fortunate enough to encounter one of these exceptions, we try to be clear in identifying the solid wood construction.  In some cases, these woods are no longer available at any price.  If our listing doesn’t state that it is made of solid wood, then the furniture was made from a combination of veneers and solid secondary woods.  We list the specialty woods in our listings first, as that is the most prominent feature.  Please read descriptions carefully and look at all photos.  Ask any questions that you may still have.  Requests of additional photos are encouraged.  We hope this clarifies for you some of the mystique involved with buying antique and vintage furniture.

ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

We are estate liquidators of all types of vintage, antique, and period furniture (anywhere from 60 – 200 plus years of age).  We only offer clean, select items.  We are professional buyers.  We look at things in an entirely different light than the average retail consumer.  Our interpretation of condition might be different than yours.  We cannot possibly list every little scratch, nick, bump, etc. that you might normally find on furniture of this age.  We will, however, list any notable flaws that are of any significance.  Our listed prices reflect the condition of the item.  We usually provide photos of all angles for your inspection.  Please LOOK at all photos carefully.  We deal in high volume and occasionally we might miss something in our listings.  Nothing is ever intentional.  If something doesn’t seem right, i.e. dimensions, photos, etc., please ask and/or bring it to our attention.  We are happy to clarify any questions you might have or provide you with further details or photos.  Requests for additional photos are not a problem and recommended.  We are not experts in all fields covered by our sales, however, we do have over 30 years experience.  Ask all questions prior to bidding!  We will be delighted to speak with you over the telephone to answer any questions you might have.  No question is ever too small!  We will do our absolute best to address your concerns.  Lastly, like other buyers of our furniture have done, you are invited to come and inspect any merchandise on site that you might be considering.

We represent items to the best of our ability and in absolute good faith.  Take your time!  Please consult with your “dealer” friend, acquaintance, neighbor, etc. before you buy, as we have a no return policy.  If you are unsure, please don’t bid.  We do not accept returns on furniture, nor do we barter down the price after delivery for any reason.  This is how we support our family and every customer is important to us.  Our feedback says it all!

“BUY IT NOW” OR “BEST OFFER”

We use eBay’s “Buy It Now” or “Best Offer” option as our way of selling merchandise to you in the fairest way possible to all.  The “Best Offer” option allows you to barter for a price without having to stand by your computer to the end, just to have someone ‘snipe it’ away from you at the last minute.  You don’t have to wait for 7 days either!  Once an offer is made and accepted, that’s it!  You’ve purchased the item!  Just remember though, someone could come in and pay the "Buy it Now" price before any negotiations are completed.  So bid early to insure your treasure!   Like all other sales on eBay, this is a binding contract, so I can’t emphasize enough the importance of asking all questions first and looking at all photographs carefully.

***ATTENTION ALL BIDDERS***

If you’re not planning on picking your item up at our warehouse, DO NOT BID UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT THE SHIPPING OR DELIVERY CHARGES ARE GOING TO BE! We want you to be fully informed before making a decision to purchase one of our fabulous pieces of furniture.  We do follow through with reporting unpaid items.

RETURN POLICY

We regret the fact that all furniture and rugs are final sales.  Our furniture and rugs have substantial carrying charges to us that include, but not limited to, crating, shipping, materials, labor, trucking, warehousing, etc.  We ask you to examine the item closely, ask as many questions as you would like, call us, ask for additional photos, or if practical, come and look at the item.  We do our absolute best to give buyers the complete and most accurate description possible.  We enjoy a good reputation. If you have a “dealer” friend, acquaintance, neighbor, etc., please consult with them prior to bidding!  Our sales and policies are no different than any other live, real time auctioneers, so please be careful when bidding.  All sales are final, as-is, where-is.  Massachusetts law applies to all sales.

MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS:  If this item is to remain in the Commonwealth, we’re sorry, but the man wants his share of 5% sales tax L

We reserve the right to terminate any listing at any time.  Please understand that eBay is not our only outlet for sales.  We further reserve the right to sell to the highest bidder at our discretion (which is eBay’s own policy) at any time.

SHIPPING QUOTES

We do our absolute best to get you a quote within 24-72 hours.  SERIOUS BIDDERS ONLY PLEASE!  We are on the road looking for treasures, so there may be times where we cannot meet that goal. Please have patience!  It is our sole objective to get the item to the buyer in the most cost efficient manner possible.  If you’re really interested in a piece, follow the shipping & delivery guidelines below.  Contact us and we'll get the best price on shipping for you.  Of course, you are free to use your own shipper whom we will be happy to work with.

FREIGHT QUOTE REPS ARE CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.  WE CAN ONLY OBTAIN LIVE SHIPPING QUOTES MONDAY thru FRIDAY, 8–5.

**FREE**

**LOCAL PICKUP SERVICE**

SHIPPING AND DELIVERY POLICY

OUR DELIVERY:  Delivery is available within 100 miles of zip code 01151.  Additional fees apply and are determined according to service and location.  In some cases, smaller pieces cost less to ship than for us to deliver.  We will consider special circumstances beyond our delivery range.  We cannot assume responsibility nor do we provide for the installation of certain items that need a professional installer i.e. fireplace mantles, mirrors, sinks, etc.  We are non-bonded movers (which means a great savings to you), but assume all risks for merchandise until delivered to the buyer (some buildings require bonded deliverers only; bare that in mind).  While we are not “professional movers”, we have been moving, transporting and delivering furniture and fine art for over 30 years.  We are experienced and will get the job done right with no damage to your item or residence. 

SHOULD YOU BE BEYOND OUR DELIVERY RANGE AND NEED YOUR ITEM SHIPPED, PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON FREIGHT SHIPMENTS.

WE DELIVER TO

NEW YORK CITY!

FREIGHT SHIPPING

Are you new to freight shipments?  We want to make your purchase as hassle-free as possible.  We do all the work for you.  This includes making the shipping arrangements, handling Bills of Lading, forwarding your payment of delivery charges, etc.  At the end of an auction, please provide telephone number and name of contact person so that we can coordinate delivery.

There are 3 separate charges pertaining to freight shipping.

1.   DELIVERY - Where you want your item delivered to.  The choices are:  a. A commercial/business address for delivery with a dock or forklift; or customer removal from the truck, b. Pick-up at the local terminal in your area, or c. Residential delivery to your curb.  Generally, the least expensive delivery is to a commercial/business address with a dock or removal from the truck by the customer.  The next would be for you, the customer, to pick up your item at the local terminal, and the most expensive is always delivery to your residence at the curb.  Additional charges apply if you want residential delivery inside your doorway or if at the business address, there is not a dock or forklift and you need the item removed from the truck via a lift gate.

2.  CRATING - We charge actual cost of materials and a very small labor fee.  This charge includes the item being completely protected by bubble wrap, then it’s incased in a custom designed reinforced crate that we design and fabricate specifically for this item for safe transport. We fabricate the crates instead of subcontracting to a crating company because in doing this, you not only realize a substantial cost savings, your item is getting the best protection under our supervision.

3.  INSURANCE - The buyer must insure their item(s) as the seller will not assume responsibility for any damages caused by the shipper or their agent.  Most freight shippers only insure used items for 10 cents on the pound, therefore, additional insurance must be purchased.  We provide and utilize a third party insurance carrier. Insurance rates are determined by final costs and are extremely reasonable.

OTHER SHIPPING

Generally, items weighing less than 150 pounds and within certain size restrictions, can usually be shipped through either the USPS or UPS.  WE WILL NOT USE FEDEX OR GREYHOUND EXPRESS!!  EVER!!!  They damage more than they deliver!  Because of the horrendous handling of packages by FedEx on larger items, we have turned towards a carrier known as Forward Air to handle these packages.  They have hubs at most of the major airports and are currently branching out to accommodate door to door deliveries.  Shipping decisions are made on a case by case basis.  We will work with you to determine the best way to get your item to you, at the lowest possible rate, without compromising the safety of your shipment. 

All shipping charges are estimates, as we do not know what the actual crated weight will be until after completion and then verified by the shipper. Our estimates are based on actual uncrated weight plus an estimated weight of all packing materials to be used for safe transportation.  We will send you an additional invoice if there are any additional charges due.  Our history is that we have rarely had to bill for additional monies.  It is our goal to lesson the cost impact to the buyer on all shipping charges.  We DO NOT apply any additional charges!  We understand the extra financial burden to our customers that freight shipping can cause.  We get a substantial discount due to our high volume of shipments; YOU PAY WHAT WE PAY!

****ESTIMATED TURNAROUND TIME****

We do our absolute best to get your item crated and shipped within a timely manner; however, our general turnaround time for getting shipments ready for transport is 7 to 10 business days after cleared payment. Due to the complexity of packaging for safe shipment, we do not crate before receiving cleared payment.

PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Do not use eBay’s end of listing “Pay Now” option.  You need to contact us for payment and shipping information. After we have spoken with each other and coordinated your shipment, we will send you a proper invoice for your records.

We accept all major credit cards; Mastercard, Visa, Discover preferred.  WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYPAL. We are active merchants in our community and prefer to keep the revenue from credit card sales going to our local banking institution instead of the eBay money monster.

*****ALL SALES ARE A BINDING CONTRACT!!*****

We do understand that emergencies happen.  Any cancelled transaction, that we approve, will be assessed a 15% cancellation fee to compensate us for the time that our item has been removed for consideration from other buyers and any and all eBay fees.  Buyer’s remorse is not an acceptable means to cancel a transaction, especially with all the warnings we put in our listings.  We do follow through with reporting unpaid items.

FEEDBACK

We ask that you please take a moment to provide us with positive, REALISTIC feedback.  If it were to be anything other than positive, we want to hear from you to know what we could do to improve on our service to you.  We are committed to providing our customers the kind of personal service you deserve. 

Feedback is an essential part of buying and selling on eBay.  It provides a tool for both buyers and sellers alike to get an understanding of what your experience has been.  As sellers, we look forward to receiving feedback from our customers to know that they have received their merchandise, that they are satisfied, and that their experience with us has been a positive one.  Once you have given your feedback to us, we will then respond in kind.

****DSR RATINGS****

eBay has revamped their feedback profiles. As sellers, we are now rated in five separate areas; overall feedback, items as described, shipping and handling charges, shipping time, and communication.  The highest score is a 5.  That’s where we would like to be!  WE ARE FREIGHT SHIPPERS!  Please understand that we are custom building crates for furniture, not putting teacups in a box.  Hopefully, we will have more than one item to crate at a time.  It is approximately a seven to ten business day turnaround time.  We don’t control shipping rates! You pay what we pay!  Our shipping charges are the best that anyone can get. We defy you to find it cheaper!  Our rates are the actual rates with our 73% discount and nothing more!  Please take all of the above into consideration when leaving us ratings.

Ratings are very important to us!  With higher ratings, the fees that we have to pay eBay are reduced and we also gain more exposure in the listing pages.  FOR YOU, THAT TRANSLATES TO BIGGER SAVINGS!  In the end, it all comes down to supporting your merchant and not feeding the eBay money machine.

The purchase must be removed from the seller’s possession within 30 days of sale date.  Thereafter, a storage fee of $50 per week will apply to all purchased item(s).

Thank you for your consideration.  We will work hard to earn your repeat business and satisfaction with every purchase. If you need any further information or assistance, please feel free to contact us through eBay’s “Ask the Seller a Question” forum.