Why
Buy From Here? What Makes Us So Special?
Buying
Stamps.
Absolutely anybody can view our listings of fine philatelic
material but in order to begin buying you must first complete
the quick and easy registration process. The registration
process is a one time ordeal and if you are already registered
it is a simple matter of logging in with your username and
password to be able to make repeat purchases. Don't worry
if you have forgotten your password as it is also a simple
process to recover a lost password by having it sent to
your e-mail address.
Buying and selling doesn't get much more simple than it
does here and we make every effort to ensure that every
buying experience is a happy one.
After registration simply search for the items you might
be interested in by using the search box and begin shopping.
You can search stamps using a variety of search criteria
such as the SG (Stanley Gibbons Catalogue) number, monetary
value such as 10/- or other terms that meet with your criteria.
Here are some examples, "1d black", "SG 5",
"£5 orange", "VFU", "Maltese",
"reentry", "die proof", "inverted",
"pl 33" etc.
Some search terms are broader than others so if you critique
your searches, you will get more relevant results. A search
for "1d" would turn up many different results
but narrowing it down to "1d black" would eliminate
1d reds unless the description states they were printed
from 1d black plates.
You can also just browse the whole list by categories or
check out only the new items or items with a price reduction.
Some items may be listed in more than one category if it
is relevant to more than one category, a good example might
be a cover with 2 different stamps on it.
The listings will display with reduced size thumbnail images
next to the description, simply click on the small image
to see a larger image or extended description of the item.
Larger and more detailed scans of any item will be sent
on request so do not be afraid to ask if you require a larger
scan or have a question that was not covered in the description
provided as we are always happy to assist.
The
Dreaded Buyer's Premium
For all buying we charge a flat rate of 10% of the item
purchase price. The small buyers premium helps pay the overhead
costs of running this site, merchanting fees for credit
card processing and offering the services that we offer.
Many auctions charge 10 to 20% buyers premium and even places
who don't charge a premium will either pass the costs off
onto the seller who increases the price to the purchaser
to cover it or the site itself will hide the premium within
the purchase price, either way you will still end up paying
for it one way or another.
We arefirm believers in honesty and prefer to be up front
with charges rather than levying hidden charges at the last
minute or simply charging them without telling you first.
I'm sure that most will agree that it is not an unreasonable
or extortionate fee for the service we provide. Many other
places charge much more and are less honest about it.
The buyers premium is added to the total at the time of
check out and is charged only on the actual items and not
on top of the shipping and handling costs.
Buying
& Sales Still Pending
Items marked as sold are not always necessarily finally
sold as some buyers might fail to complete the transaction
or have a change of heart and decide not to complete the
process. Sold items may be listed as sold or pending for
several days before being removed until the sale is final
and the time to return unwanted goods for refund has expired.
Once the period of 7 days after delivery to the client has
passed, the listing will be removed as finally sold, meaning
that a buyer has 7 full days to return an unwanted item
for refund if it does not meet with their approval for any
reason. You can still inquire about a sold item and inquires
will be dealt with in order if the item becomes available
for sale again due to the original transaction not being
completed.
Shipping
& Handling Costs
Buyers are also responsible for the cost of shipping the
item from where the item is located to their supplied address
as well as for the nominal cost of packaging and stiffening
materials to ensure safe and undamaged delivery. All items
are securely packaged to prevent damage and are sent registered
which requires a signature from the recipient.
Safety
From Internet Fraud
Internet fraud is a product of the modern computer age
and is on the increase as the Internet gives many dishonest
people an ideal opportunity to commit crimes almost anonymously.
Many online auctions have more than their fair share of
sellers that list fictitious items or items that do not
meet up with the deliberately false or overly stated descriptions.
Many people lose money by being defrauded in this manner
with little they can do about it if they are conned.
Here we prevent the eventuality of fraud by making it mandatory
that the items for sale must be in our possession before
we will list them. This prevents false descriptions and
lots which do not exist. The only exception we make to this
rule is with certain quality vendors who we have performed
many trouble free transactions with in the past and that
offer a full money back guarantee if goods do not meet with
your approval.
Furthermore we allow a return period before paying out
the vendor which allows a buyer to return goods that do
not meet with approval for a refund insuring that you the
purchaser are truly happy before we release the money to
the seller. It works almost like an escrow system and serves
to protect our registered buyers from the unpleasant buying
experiences encountered in many other sales or auction outlets
where sales are final and the administration appears to
care more about collecting various inflated listing fees
than protecting their buyers.
The fraud protection we offer is an excellent reason to
use our service all on its own besides the other benefits
becoming a registered member of Victorian Stamps offers
you.
What
Are The Benefits Of Membership?
A good question that anyone might ask. Becoming a member
gives you instant access to buy stamps from all over the
world from other collectors and approved dealers. Imagine
being able to buy from a truly international market place
and that is more or less what you have here.
Members can also submit their wants lists where we will
try to match your wants with what other people are selling
and try to supply you with items that meet your criteria
and stay within your budget.
It is simply a matter of completing one of our wants lists
forms and submitting it to us. We are often able to match
buyers to items being sold before they are even listed on
the site.
Members will also receive e-mail alerts when new lots are
added that meet with their criteria. Many people receive
dealers lists by snail mail and often miss out when someone
else receives their mail hours earlier or the day before
you do. With e-mail everyone receives notifications at the
same time and has an equal chance to acquire a real bargain.
Some sellers price items cheaply for a quick sale and there
are often bargains to be had if you are the early bird that
catches the worm.
Why
Buy From Victorian Stamps? What Makes Us So Special?
We aim to offer the finest philatelic material including
many items sold with certificates of authenticity from respected
expertising committees such as the RPS (Royal Philatelic
Society) meaning that you can buy with complete confidence
and know that you are getting stamps that are accurately
described.
You will find all kinds of items here from the very first
GB postage stamp of 1840 (the penny black) right through
to modern issues, stamps on cover, revenues, overprints,
die proofs, essays, plate numbers and many very rare items
that you will simply not find anywhere else.
We believe that you will find our service is second to
none and are of the belief that if you look after your clients
then they will return over and over again. We look at this
as a long term proposition and realise that personal service,
honesty and reputation is everything in a market as competitive
as philatelics.
All items we list carry a full no quibble money back guarantee
if they do not meet with your approval for any reason as
long as they are returned within 7 days and in the same
condition that they were originally dispatched.
We also talk to our customers as well as listen to them
and believe that good communication and understanding a
clients requirements is key to establishing a good working
relationship. We are always happy to listen to new ideas
about how we can improve the service that we offer to you.
We want to be the best and believe that with your help that
we can be the best!
Occasionally, we make mistakes, we are only human afterall
but are always happy to put right any mistake we may have
made such as an error in a listing or missing a fault which
should have been noted, just tell us if we get it wrong
and help us to get it right.
Queen Victoria Line Engraved.
Buying
Your Stamps From Here.
