Most dealers or private individuals do not have the time, financial resources, the know-how, the storage space, or even the desire to fly to Europe, fill an entire container and have it shipped back to the US. Most people just want to buy as much as they need when they need it. Unfortunately the goods aren't always available when needed or, more often than not, what we want shows up when least expected and often times costs far more than we know we should spend. In overseas buying, trust is a very big factor. If you don’t know who you can trust to just handle the gathering, loading, packing, and shipping of your goods after you leave for home, you can lose your shirt with little or no recourse. We want to eliminate those worries and at the same time offer a convenient and reliable method of maintaining an inventory or just buying a dining table.
The whole idea is to allow anyone to pick and choose from literally hundreds of pieces of furniture and accessories that our buyers find on every trip. Our buyers personally examine each piece for anything from missing cabinet bottoms to warped doors to mirrors that need re-silvering. When they find a piece that meets our selective criteria, it is photographed and put on our web site for your consideration. When on our web site you will be given a complete description including measurements and prices. We will provide several pictures from various angles and close-ups of distinctive decorative features and particular quality and period indicators, i.e. hand-cut dovetailing, beveled mirrors, etc.
Each item is assigned a "Dealer's" price, a "Private" buyer's price and the full "Retail" price. All of which are listed in the Buyer's Club descriptions. These prices include all of the handling, the packing, shipping, and receiving costs including customs. Any items purchased will be unloaded in our warehouse and held until you have it picked up or delivered. A delivery service will be available for a fee.
We believe you will be completely sold on this concept once you have seen the prices and the wide variety of goods available. But what if you buy something and when it arrives you don’t like it? This is where our “club” offers its biggest advantages.
First of all, we can help in remedying almost any cosmetic problem like the finish being darker or lighter, shinier or duller than expected, shipping scratches, or whatever. We are not responsible for repairing these kinds of problems, but we are well aware of who can, how much it should cost, and can get it done reasonably.
What if you just don’t like what you bought or even have found something else in the meantime and don’t want it anymore? The club will put your item up for sale in our store and will give you a complete refund, including shipping and customs fees, 60 days from the day the item is refused. There will be exceptions to this option on some items, but it will be clearly indicated in the description of the items where the exception applies.
Like anything else, problems can arise. However, you will have real people, here in San Francisco, who can help facilitate the resolution of almost any problem that may come up. Just keep in mind, if the advantages didn’t outweigh the risks, antique dealers from around the world would not be doing this very thing everyday.
To take advantage of this program you must have access to the internet and be able to pay when you buy. All money has to be in our accounts and ready for wire transfer before our buyers leave the European country in which they are buying. We spend just 5-7 days filling a container. Depending on what day the item is put on the internet, you may only have 2 days to get the money to us. Major credit cards are accepted but for those who prefer paying by check, overnight priority mail might be required. If the funds are not made available to us before we leave the country of origin, the sale will be cancelled.
While they are in Europe our buyers will upload into our web site the new things they are finding that fit our selective criteria. As a buyer you will have to check our web site daily to get first refusal on anything we find. The whole buying process will all be over in 5-7 days. Expect to allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of items purchased.
Send your questions or comments to antiques47@aol.com We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Antiques for Seven, Ltd., a California Corporation
dba: Grand Central Station Antiques