Look past the percentage
Don't just look at 99% — read the recent negatives and neutrals. Repeated complaints about postage damage or item not as described are red flags.
Buying Guide · How To
How to Check Seller Feedback Before Buying Antiques on eBay
Feedback is the single best signal on eBay UK. Here is how to read it like a regular antiques buyer.
We focus on timeless vintage-style finds and practical buying checks for UK eBay shoppers.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for UK buyers who want to use seller feedback properly before bidding on antiques and vintage decor, rather than glancing at a percentage and hoping for the best.
Example searches to practise checking sellers
These searches are useful examples for practising how to compare seller feedback, postage terms, returns and listing descriptions before buying.
Vintage brass lamp
- Best for
- Checking electrical safety notes, seller feedback and condition descriptions
- Typical price range
- £35 – £150
- What to check before buying
- Look for PAT-test mentions, clear photos of wear and detailed seller feedback on similar items.
Opens a live eBay UK search. Listings and prices change daily.
Antique wooden box
- Best for
- Checking condition, damage, woodworm mentions and delivery costs
- Typical price range
- £20 – £120
- What to check before buying
- Read descriptions for woodworm history, check measurements and compare postage quotes.
Opens a live eBay UK search. Listings and prices change daily.
Vintage wall decor
- Best for
- Comparing seller descriptions, photos and return terms
- Typical price range
- £15 – £100
- What to check before buying
- Compare how sellers describe age, materials and condition; note which offer returns.
Opens a live eBay UK search. Listings and prices change daily.
These are standard eBay UK search links for now. If affiliate tracking links are added later, this will be disclosed clearly.
Buying checklist
Run through these before you bid or click Buy It Now.
- Condition — read the description and zoom into every photo for cracks, chips, repairs and woodworm.
- Measurements — confirm height, width and depth in the listing before bidding.
- Delivery cost — heavy items often cost more to post than to buy; consider local collection.
- Seller feedback — look for 99%+ positive feedback and recent reviews from antiques buyers.
- Returns — check whether the seller accepts returns; many vintage sellers do not.
- Authenticity — be wary of reproductions described loosely as 'vintage style'.
Frequently asked questions
Tap a question to expand the answer.
How many recent reviews should I read?
Skim the last 20–30 reviews and read the most recent negatives and neutrals in full. Patterns matter more than one bad day.
Is a 99% feedback seller safe for expensive items?
Usually, but read what the 1% negatives say. A 99% seller with repeated complaints about postage damage on fragile items is riskier for a mirror than a 99% seller with one unrelated negative from three years ago.
What about sellers with very few reviews?
Not automatically a problem, especially for one-off house clearances. Keep the order value modest, pay via eBay and confirm condition by message before bidding.
Does 'Top Rated Seller' mean better antiques?
Not necessarily. The badge measures dispatch speed, tracking and returns — useful for new goods, less meaningful for one-off antiques. Read recent feedback regardless of badge.
Can sellers remove negative feedback?
Only in narrow cases (clear policy violations or mutual withdrawal). If a seller has a long, clean history with detailed positive reviews mentioning packaging and accuracy, that is a strong signal.
Keep exploring
Related guides
Small Vintage Furniture
Best Antique Chests for Period Homes on eBay UK
An antique chest brings warmth and storage to a period home in a way that modern furniture rarely matches. It sits at the foot of a bed, against a hallway wall or beneath a window, holding blankets, books or out-of-season clothes while adding honest age and character to the room. This guide shows UK buyers what to search for on eBay and what to check before bidding or buying.
Read guide →Small Vintage Furniture
Best Antique Chest of Drawers for Period Homes on eBay UK
An antique chest of drawers can add storage, age and character to a period home in a way that modern flat-pack furniture rarely matches. Whether it is an antique pine chest of drawers for a cottage bedroom, an antique mahogany chest of drawers for a formal room, or a small Victorian chest of drawers for a landing, a well-chosen piece brings weight, warmth and a sense of history. eBay UK listings can include genuine antique drawers, antique-style pieces and carefully restored furniture, so it pays to read each description closely before you bid.
Read guide →Small Vintage Furniture
Best Vintage Chest of Drawers for Period Homes on eBay UK
A vintage chest of drawers brings storage, character and period-home style to a bedroom, landing or guest room in a way that flat-pack furniture rarely matches. eBay UK lists vintage chest of drawers, vintage wooden chest of drawers, vintage pine chest of drawers, retro chest of drawers and newer vintage-style reproductions, so it pays to read each listing carefully. This guide is a practical run-through for UK buyers who want drawer storage with age and personality.
Read guide →Small Vintage Furniture
Best Vintage Storage Trunks for Period Homes on eBay UK
A vintage storage trunk is one of the most practical pieces you can add to a period home. It works at the foot of a bed, in a hallway, under a window or in a sitting room, hiding blankets, bedding, shoes, toys, books or seasonal items while adding honest age and character to the room. eBay UK listings can include genuine old trunks, vintage-style trunks and carefully restored storage pieces, so it pays to read each description closely and know what you are actually bidding on. This guide gives UK buyers a practical run-through of what to search for on eBay and what to check before bidding.
Read guide →How To
Vintage vs Antique: What's the Difference?
If you shop for older home pieces on eBay UK, it helps to know how the words 'vintage' and 'antique' are typically used.
Read guide →How To
How to Buy Vintage Home Decor on eBay UK
eBay UK is one of the best places to find vintage home pieces in Britain — you can turn up brass lamps, oak side tables, enamel signs and odd characterful bits you would never see in a shop. The catch is that listings vary wildly. One seller will show fifteen close-up photos, full measurements and honest notes on chips; the next will post a single dark phone snap, no size, and a £25 postage charge for a fragile mirror. This guide is about how to tell those two listings apart before you bid.
Read guide →Antique Mirrors & Decor
Best Vintage Wall Mirrors for Period Homes on eBay UK
A vintage wall mirror is one of the calmest ways to add light, age and character to a period home. The right decorative wall mirror brings depth to a hallway, softens a bedroom and gives a sitting room a quiet focal point without competing with the rest of the furniture. This guide gives UK buyers a practical run-through of antique wall mirror, vintage wall mirror and brass wall mirror searches on eBay UK, with checks before bidding.
Read guide →