Welcome!
Do you want to buy something? Or know if it’s available? Perhaps you’d like to make a comment or know what something sold for? Do you have something that’s like something we sold and you want to know what it’s worth? Do you have something that you’d like us to sell for you?
How Can I Buy This Thing I Want?
- Look at the bottom of the post do you see the category of GONE! SOLD! or AVAILABLE!?
- GONE! SOLD!? Sorry. That means it’s no longer available. Even though we’d like to, we can’t sell it to you.
- AVAILABLE!? Excellent! Send Ed an e-mail (ed at communitywarehouse dot org) or give the store a call at 503-445-1449. Unfortunately we can’t hold items for you, so be prepared to pay us when you call.
- Sometimes items sell before being marked SOLD. We try to update the status of items on a regular basis but we often can only do a comprehensive update once a week. Please call to ensure availability!
- Do not send us your credit card number in an email or leave it on voice mail. It’s a bad idea. Just contact us and if the item is still available, we’ll let you know and arrange for payment.
- Yes, we can ship most smaller items. We do charge for it but we try to use the most cost effective means (often parcel post) to get it to you. If you need it in a hurry we can send it via faster methods.
- We can ship larger pieces of furniture but that doesn’t mean we will. Often the cost of shipping big pieces far exceeds the value of the item.
- We can ship certain items internationally but sometimes this is expensive too. Sending something from Oregon to south Australia costs a lot, that’s just the way it is. Also we fill customs forms accurately. Import duties may be expensive, but we won’t give false values so you can avoid them. Sorry.
- There are some items we won’t ship, like giant, heavy, fragile things with lot of glass. Yes, it’s unfair. If you want to arrange the shipping, or have an uncle with an old truck who is looking for an excuse for a road trip, please do. We’ll be happy to facilitate things here.
I can’t tell how much it is.
You’re right. At the bottom of the post is a price range. The cost of the item falls in that range. Email or call the store to get the actual price.
But I want it now!
Yep. And we’d like to respond to your inquiries and comments within minutes of you making them—because you’re our readers, our customers, the people who allow us to have the privilege of helping others.The truth is we’re often very busy, understaffed or making other plans. Sometimes the phones go unanswered and your e-mail sits in the in-box. It’s even true that sometimes things sell from the store and don’t instantaneously get marked GONE! SOLD! on the blog (see above). We’re doing our low-budget best.
We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Promise.
Why don’t you delete posts when the item has sold? Everything I want is something you had months ago.
Old posts show you what kind of items we had and may have again in the future. They bring you to us. We like you. Also, by showing you what we’ve had in the past you have an idea of what to expect in the future or what you might find in the store. The online inventory is only a small fraction of our stock.
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Comments Policy
Be nice. Don’t spam. Wash your hands.
We’re not a forum for sales by third parties either. Attempts to sell items via the comments will be deleted.
We will edit comments where you leave identifying info. Yes, this is the digital age and much of your info is out there already. But, let’s not make it too easy for identity thieves or creepy people on the internet to call you, OK?
If you must have something then leave a comment, call the store, email. We will get back to you as soon as we can. We won’t call you in the middle of the night or use your identity for nefarious purposes. Feel free to say “Mine” in the comments if you need to. It’s OK.
If you left a comment and it didn’t appear then it may have been caught in our spam filter. Luckily you sent an email or called so we know you want the thing you want.
Previous Sales Info
Eight and a half months ago we sold something that’s just like the thing you have. You want to know if you can retire on it or merely get a decent sandwich if you sell it. Bad news: We can’t tell you what ours sold for. We don’t keep detailed records of every transaction. We do a lot of bargaining and quantity discounts. Even if we did have detailed records it’d be too costly for us to look through them for you. Sorry.
What you need is an appraiser.
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Appraisals
Appraisers are professionals who can look at your piece and make a reasonable guess of what it is worth. We can’t do this.
Why?
First, calling us up over the telephone or sending vague descriptions means we can’t see your item. We can’t tell if there is weird damage or funky smells or if it is actually what it is supposed to be (think fakes and reproductions). Even if you send a digital picture there are limitations.
Secondly, these things take time. Time is money. We’ve considered charging for our expertise, but. . . we’d be expensive. And, our knowledge is limited. It’s pretty likely we’d have to do some research. Research takes more time. Time is money.
Third, markets vary. The same item could be worth very different prices in different markets. This is why global market places and international shipping exist. The chances are that we don’t know your market or your potential buyers.
Even if we did, your items may be worth very different amounts at different places in the same city. It’s one thing to sell a piece at an unadvertised sale held in your garage. It’s another to sell it to a collector at an exclusive high-end boutique. Market position is very important.
If you’re lucky, you might live somewhere that has a free appraisal night (like Bonhams). If not, call your local antique dealers and auction houses to see who they recommend. Do your own research and then hire a trusted professional. Not all appraisers are the same, so make sure you get one that knows something about your stuff. In any case, never sell the item to the person who’s telling you the value.
Expect to pay for the services of an appraiser. They have knowledge and skills that have taken time to build. This time is valuable and should be compensated for. Remember though, never sell the item to the person who’s telling you the value. It’s a wonderful way to get ripped off. Besides, since you’ve compensated them for their services they’re not going to take advantage of you by giving you a bogus appraisal and then trying to buy the piece from you.
Ultimately, we feel it’s too easy to get the specifics of your piece wrong and to do you a disservice so we don’t do appraisals.
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Selling Your Stuff
Do you have a basement full of National Geographic Magazines or the only extant painting of Napoleon’s right hand and you’re looking to unload them for boatloads of cash?
We wish you the best of fortune.
Unfortunately we’re not the place for you. As a small scrappy understaffed non-profit we’re not anywhere close to properly set up to help you sell your stuff to someone else.
We recommend that you try selling your item in an established marketplace. Perhaps Ebay or Craigslist would be a good fit. Maybe if you got a nice appraisal done, a reputable auction house would be a good place to go.
