TOBY WALNE: The 13 items that reveal ‘car boot sale rubbish’ is being sold at huge mark-ups on online antique giant Vinted… so can you STILL find a bargain there?

The online marketplace Vinted is no longer just for buying and selling second-hand clothes – it has now started dealing in vintage furniture. But is this internet giant offering an exciting new way to discover Antiques Roadshow treasures – or just tat that would look better in a jumble sale? Experts offer tips on how to trade in this online market without getting your fingers burned – and the true value of items listed.

Tricks to spot a hidden gem

Second-hand online marketplace Vinted now has more than 16million users in the UK, who use it to sell on clothes they’ve outgrown and snap up bargains from other users. Now it is pushing into the antique market. However, while you might get a good deal buying in this way, antiques experts warn that it is hard to guarantee authenticity.

Alex Davison, manager of Newark Antiques & Interiors, says: ‘It might save you as much as 20 pc buying from Vinted rather than using a dealer – but you could lose money as well. Specialists guarantee authenticity as they have a reputation to protect. There is no substitute to seeing an item in person and talking to a furniture expert.’

Photographs are one of the most important indicators of authenticity when making a purchase. If you are buying on Vinted from a seller you have not used before and the listing has just a couple of photos, alarm bells should ring.

Independent vintage furniture trader Paul Evans, of Nottingham, has occasionally used Vinted for picking up bargains. He says: ‘You want to see the item from all angles and any blemishes should be clearly shown – that means at least half a dozen high resolution photos. If it is not well lit, then this is a warning sign. Do not feel embarrassed about asking to see more pictures if there are not enough being shown on the website.’

Furniture previously treated for woodworm and any dents should be included in photos. Davison says: ‘Always look at the descriptions to see if they match up with the pictures. You should contact the seller and ask if they can guarantee authenticity or condition. This needs to be written down and can be used if it is later found not to be as described.’

Under the Consumer Rights Act there is no obligation for the seller to disclose faults, but misrepresenting goods is not allowed so it is always worth asking lots of questions.

Evans believes how an item is described on Vinted – and other websites – indicates the difference between a rare bargain and overpriced junk. He says: ‘If an item is described as “as new”, but that does not match up with the photos, then walk away. An honest trader will detail imperfections. In the unlikely event an item really is as new then you should expect to pay a huge premium.’

Second-hand online marketplace Vinted now has more than 16million users in the UK

Antiques can be junk

A genuine antique is a collectable item that is at least 100 years old – but nowadays it is also commonly used as a generic term used for an old item that should really be called vintage. When sellers on a website such as Vinted liberally use this term, it is wise to not take it too literally.

Evans says: ‘Antique and vintage could just be a cover term being used for worthless old junk.’ You should go straight back to the seller and ask specific details of age and ask them to verify what evidence they have.

Under Vinted rules if the item is ‘significantly not as described’ – which includes being a fake – then you can demand a full refund from the seller. You must do this within two days of receiving the item and include photos and description about the problem. They might ask for you to send the item back. You must initially pay for the postage, but it should then be refunded to your account.

As part of this guarantee, you must always pay a so-called ‘buyer protection fee’ when pressing the ‘buy now’ option on Vinted. Vinted said: ‘For items priced £499.99 or less, the buyer protection fee is 30 to 80p plus 3 to 8 pc of the purchase price. For items priced £500 or more the buyer protection fee is 3 pc of the purchase price. We do not share the exact buyer protection fee for every item, but it is clearly displayed on the website when you purchase.’ The protection fee is applied to each transaction made when you purchase. It covers safe payments, customer support services and a refund policy to help buyers claim a refund should an item not arrive, arrive damaged, or be ‘significantly not as described’.

But even with Buyer Protection, and rights under the Consumer Rights Act, this does not guarantee you will get the outcome that you want and deserve in this market.

Davison says: ‘We often come across antiques that have only just been made – the market is fraught with such dangers.’ He adds: ‘Typical signs to look out for with something described as antique includes the interior of items such as a chest of drawers that are made of modern wood and not aged. Look for joints and study legs to ensure they match and are not made of different pieces.’

Experts warns that ‘antique’ and ‘vintage’ could just be a cover term for worthless old junk

Do not trust all reviews

Buyers should consider what past shoppers have written about a trader in reviews – but experts warn that some comments should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Davison says: ‘Unfortunately it is fairly common practice for disreputable traders to get others to write glowing reports about how great they are and leave five stars. Telltale signs of fake reviews to look for include spelling mistakes and generic terms such as “really nice piece”.’

Vinted is no exception to the fake review problem. The Department for Business and Trade estimates up to one in six online reviews is a fake.

Vinted trader Jess Jones, 25, of Clapham in south west London, says: ‘A problem with Vinted is the descriptions often include limited photos, and the reviews can be fake – I have been cheated by sellers in the past. This is why I would be wary of buying antiques on the site.’ She adds: ‘But as the market develops and those, like me who grew up using Vinted for cheap clothing, start to look for antique furniture, it may become established.’

Treasure or tat?

We asked antiques expert Paul Evans to view a selection of 13 antiques listed on Vinted. We asked him to give a valuation for each and compare it to the listed price on Vinted to determine if it’s a bargain – or overpriced.