To find the best places to buy vintage decor, we considered factors such as the shop’s selection, appraisal process, return policies, shipping options, and customer service. Our top picks for scoring deals include Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace. For professionally appraised and curated collections, you may want to shop at Everything but the House, The Real Real, or Sotheby’s. Read on for the best places to buy vintage decor for your home. There are several perks to shopping on Craigslist, including the ability to find great deals, being able to pick up items locally, and even haggling prices. However, the site has its risks as well. Because you’re dealing with individual sellers, there’s no telling what the quality of the item will be, and there are no returns or dispute resolution available. Plus, Craigslist is also home to the occasional scam, so you’ll want to be extra cautious when communicating with sellers and avoid giving out any personal or financial information. There are several benefits to using Etsy as opposed to a marketplace like Craigslist. For one, all payments are processed through the site, so you know your financial information is safe. While return policies are set by individual sellers, the site will also help to resolve any disputes, allowing you to feel more confident with your purchase. Just be sure to keep an eye on seller locations as you shop—shipping costs can skyrocket if you’re looking at an item that’s located overseas. Return and shipping policies on eBay vary by seller, and some furniture may be available for local pickup only; be sure to use the site’s detailed filters to your advantage. However, to give you more confidence when shopping, the site does offer a Money Back Guarantee on most transactions—if you never receive the item, the product doesn’t match the description, or the seller doesn’t honor their return policy, you’ll be able to get your money back. Similar to Craigslist, haggling is common on Facebook Marketplace, allowing you to score great deals on vintage items. However, the same downsides apply here, as well. There’s no guarantee the item will be in good condition, the site won’t help resolve any disputes on items sold locally, and there are often scams hidden among legitimate listings. Facebook does offer a comprehensive safety guide on how to use its Marketplace, and it’s worth taking a look before you use it for the first time. However, shopping for vintage decor through Instagram isn’t always straightforward. Many accounts do things quite differently—some only use the site for advertising, forcing you to buy through their website, while others allow you to comment or message to claim items in their posts. There’s no option to pay directly through Instagram, either, which means you’ll often have to use PayPal or another online payment system to send money to the seller. Similarly, shipping varies wildly between accounts—some are local pickup only, while others may be willing to ship products for an additional fee. As you shop on Chairish, you’re able to browse through a wide range of categories, using filters to narrow down your search based on price, product location, shipping options, color, and much more. You can even save searches, and the brand will send you email updates when new items that meet your specifications are listed. There are a variety of shipping options available depending on the item, and while the brand will ensure you get your money back if an item is lost or broken during transit, you only have 48 hours to decide if you want to return an item—after that, sales are final. The prices listed on AptDeco include delivery fees, and the delivery team will inspect the furniture upon pickup to ensure there are no major quality issues. The brand will help resolve disputes between buyers and sellers, and it even has a money-back guarantee if you receive a wrong or missing item. With all of these benefits, the only major downside to AptDeco is that it’s only available in a few locations. Arguably one of the best things about Everything But the House is that all auctions start at just $1, which often means you can get amazing deals on big-ticket and designer items (however, bid increments can vary). When bidding on items, keep in mind that there are no returns, and you’ll also want to review your delivery options, including the shipping estimate, which can get quite pricey for large pieces of furniture. While regular items from One Kings Lane can be returned within 30 days, most vintage pieces aren’t eligible for returns—so make sure you love them before you buy. Products are typically delivered via white glove service, and the brand offers 20 percent off your first purchase when you sign up for their email list. As you shop on 1stDibs, you’ll notice there are both standard listings as well as product auctions, and the brand offers a promotion for $100 off your first auction purchase. There are a variety of shipping choices available, depending on the size and value of your buy, and the site has a buyer protection policy that’s designed to help resolve any disputes. If you’re local, you can pick up purchases in-store, but the brand also offers either ground shipping or in-home delivery for those who live farther away. They’ll even accommodate international shipping, though additional fees may apply. Plus, when you buy through the website, there are multiple payment options available, including Shop Pay, Google Pay, and even financing through Affirm. To bid in auctions, you’ll need to first create an account on the site, and you also may need to get approval from the auction house to bid on items. Live Auctioneers allows both absentee and live bidding—the former option allows you to submit a maximum bid amount before the live auction begins, and it will automatically keep you in the lead, increasing only when there’s a competing bid. However, keep in mind that there may be a “buyer’s premium” of up to 30 percent that’s charged to the person who wins the auction. When you shop from Food52, your items will ship for a flat rate of $9 unless you spend more than $149, in which case shipping is free. You have up to 30 days to return unwanted items, and unlike many other shops, the brand does accept returns on vintage pieces. Depending on what you order, The Real Real offers ground shipping or white glove delivery, and most items can be returned for a refund within 14 days. The brand often has promotions that allow you to save money on your purchase, and it also has a “First Look” program for $10/month that gives you early access to new items—a worthwhile perk for serious decor hunters. When you buy an item from Thrilling, it will be delivered via standard ground carriers directly from the shop that listed it, and shipping is free if you spend more than $120. There are even international shipping options available for those outside the U.S. The site has a 30-day return policy on its clothing and accessories, but unfortunately for those shopping for decor, all home goods sales are final. Sotheby’s has a dedicated shipping and logistics team that helps coordinate the delivery of items between sellers and buyers, and there is a wide range of shipping options available, including everything from standard ground shipping to armored shipping for expensive items. Purchases can even be shipped internationally if needed. After your item is delivered, you have just two days to initiate a return, and the brand reserves the right to decline any return or deduct it from your refund if the item isn’t in its original condition. You can buy items from Home Union through the website or even their Instagram account—all you have to do is DM them, and they’ll invoice you for the product. All vintage sales are final, and shipping or delivery isn’t included with your purchase. The brand will help to coordinate delivery or shipping as needed, but you have to let them know that you’d like a quote for it. One of the best parts about shopping via Ruby Lane is the site has a standardized return policy that all sellers have to agree to. You have up to three days to initiate a return, but keep in mind that you’ll be responsible for return shipping costs and may be subject to a restocking fee. The site may also help to resolve any issues between buyers and sellers. Many of the vintage items sold through Rejuvenation are ready to ship in just a few days, and many larger pieces qualify for flat-rate shipping. The brand often runs promotions throughout the year, allowing you to save money on your purchase, but keep in mind that no returns are accepted on vintage items. Rejuvenation also has several physical stores around the country, but many may not carry vintage pieces. Large furniture purchased from Elsie Green is shipped via a white glove delivery service, or you can pick up the item in person if you live locally. The brand has a flexible return policy, as they prioritize customer happiness, though there are cancellation fees on custom orders. Because Sunbeam is a small business, its shipping costs tend to be higher than you might expect. The brand will deliver items within 25 miles for $250 and to other locations for $550. Shipping can take between four to six weeks for larger items, and the brand doesn’t accept returns.
Price
Vintage finds can range from extremely affordable to investment-worthy pieces. It is important to develop a sense of your own budget as well as the general price range items fall within at each retailer you consider. Of course, websites such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Etsy—which feature finds large and small listed by individual sellers across the country—will have a broader variation in pricing than more niche retailers.
Returns
The return policies of vintage retailers can vary quite significantly—some brands give you up to 30 days to return items, while others provide just 48 hours or less. Additionally, quite a few sellers don’t accept returns at all on vintage items. For this reason, you’ll want to be sure to review a site’s return policy before you buy, especially if you’re not 100 percent sure about the purchase.
Shipping
Note that shipping furniture is not cheap, and if you wish to acquire an item immediately or do not have the budget to account for extra freight fees, you will want to tailor your search accordingly. In such a case, you may wish to focus on websites that offer local pickup or those that run promotions for free shipping over a specific dollar amount.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. While looking at different sources of vintage decor, she spoke to several interior design experts, including Reed Van Dyck, the owner of Good Chance Goods; Lucy Small, founder and lead designer of State and Season Home Design; and Michael Cox, principal at Foley & Cox. Using their expert suggestions, she evaluated each website and retailer on factors like overall selection, value, authentication, purchasing options, shipping, return policies, and more. She also has firsthand experience shopping at several of the sites included in this list, such as Facebook Marketplace, Rejuvenation, and Food52. Additional reporting was done by Sarah Lyon, a home, lifestyle, and wellness writer whose work has appeared in Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, The Everygirl, Lonny, MyDomaine, the Wall Street Journal, and more.
