Canadians love their home renovation projects. Statistics show that almost half of Canadians are in the renovation planning process, are currently renovating, or have just recently finished a renovation project. But considering the average cost of home renovations comes in at $19,000, what can be hard to manage is the cost.
Over the past six years, renovation projects have almost doubled in cost. There are many contributing factors, leaving homeowners wondering where they can cut corners and save money. This is exactly why so many Canadians are learning the benefits of using online marketplaces to find the bargain fixtures they need in their home renovation projects.
If you’re new to the online marketplace world, we’ve got some invaluable tips for you below. These will ensure you get the best deal possible on lighting, plumbing fixtures, reclaimed wood, doors, and other materials.
What Are Online Marketplaces?
Let’s start with the basics for those who have never used these types of platforms. Online marketplaces refer to buy and sell groups, auction sites, and online classifieds. Generally, you purchase from sellers located nearby. Once you purchase an item, you need to go pick it up.
This is where an online marketplace differs from an e-commerce site such as Amazon. Amazon uses fulfilment centres to process and ship your order directly to you. Online marketplaces are made up of individual sellers who sell single items or lots.
Online marketplaces offer new, like-new, and used items. In terms of home renovation fixtures, that can be perfect. There is usually room to negotiate, and you can expect to pay much less than the sticker price in the store.
Make Sure You Do Price Comparisons Before Placing a Bid
The idea is that you can get a great deal on an online marketplace, but this is only if you know what counts as a good deal. Let’s say you want to purchase a kitchen table made from reclaimed wood.
Start by comparison shopping and getting a good idea of how much that same item would cost to purchase in a traditional store. It’s fair to expect a deal online, but don’t be surprised if you get a highball offer.
Because you’re buying from an individual, you don’t get the same warranty or in-store guarantees should anything go wrong with the item. This should also be factored into what you consider a fair and reasonable price.
Only Purchase from Legitimate Sellers
Besides comparison shopping, it’s also important to vet the seller. Look into any reviews left by past buyers. Many online marketplaces will provide this information and even show information such as a star rating, how common returns are, how quickly they respond to issues, and so forth.
You should be vetting more than just the sellers. Also, be mindful of the site or platform itself. Is it authentic and legitimate? If you send payment online to the seller, you want to know that your personal information is kept safe and secure.
Ask Questions Before Making the Purchase
Online marketplaces and auction sites are notorious for creating an atmosphere of competition. You are in competition with other buyers to get the item before they do. Auction sites have set times for placing bids before they close. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement and purchase an item you later regret.
For these reasons, you must ask questions before making any bids or purchases. Be sure to ask about the condition of the item. Ideally, the seller will share or post photos of the item to back up their claims. You can also ask how old the item is, if there is damage to it, the measurements or specs, if it’s still in its original packaging, if any pieces are missing, and so on.
Payment should also be clearly outlined. Buy-and-sell platforms typically offer various payment methods. Interac is one of the safest options, especially for more expensive purchases where bringing lots of cash to the pick-up site could be risky. Interac is widely accepted by online and physical merchants, and there are even casinos that accept Interac as a deposit method. For these reasons and more, it’s considered one of the safest and most legit payment options in Canada.
Arranging Pick Up of the Item(s)
Once you’ve asked all your questions about the item and payment options, you can discuss pick-up. Again, it’s best to discuss this before purchasing to ensure it works for you and the seller.
Experts always recommend picking up items in a public place with plenty of people around. Ideally, it should be in the daytime hours, or at least in a well-lit area. If the seller is pushing for a location that makes you uncomfortable, don’t feel pressured to say yes.
Some sellers will expect full payment in advance, but this comes with a risk. There is a chance you could get scammed, and they don’t show up at the pick-up spot. Instead, look for sellers who agree to payment upon your receiving the item. You can also compromise and send half the payment in advance, with the remainder delivered at pick-up.
It isn’t recommended that you meet the seller at your home or theirs, as this can be a dangerous situation.
Online Marketplaces Can End Up Saving You a Lot of Money
Online marketplaces have exploded in popularity for good reasons. You can find all kinds of treasures online that can be used in your home renovation project. Not only that, but you can often get a steep discount versus what you’d pay in the store for the same or similar items. Once you experience how enjoyable these online marketplaces are, don’t be surprised if you get hooked!
