Caveat emptor

Penny wise, pound foolish or just painfully wise? There are many things in life that as consumers we refuse to buy or are reluctant to buy unless the item is either on sale or available at a discount. Take clothes for school, many of us will wait for a back to school sale before heading off to the retail sunset. However, when it comes to making wedding purchases, there are some people who are using online auction places like eBay to buy everything from the wedding gown to the favors.

While I personally have not made any purchases from eBay, my husband and a few friends have bought things from eBay like computer peripherals and designer handbags. The most common comment from them is that as a buyer on eBay, you have to be extra careful about knowing who is the seller of an item, whether they have been a good or a bad seller based on their community rating. The rating and feedback system is helpful, however, the risk ultimately rests with the buyer. Among the risks involved, one must be aware of the return and exchange policies of the seller plus if the seller should obtain your credit card info, is the buyer made aware as to when the item will be shipped out and does the seller charge the card before shipping it out?

And, when it comes to buying from wedding vendors, brides and all people alike must be prudent about saving, but never sacrifice quality. After all, a wedding is a chance not only to make a good impression, but also a meaningful and lasting memory. In the end, I’d love to save a buck or two, but I’d be extra careful when buying through places like eBay. Besides that, would I want to tell my girl friends that I got my gown at eBay? Most likely not because the gown buying experience may be one of the challenging aspects of planning a wedding, but also the kind of experience you wish to share with close friends and family (e.g., mom, sister, or bestfriend). It's not only about buying, it's about the experience of sharing these memories with those we love. Buying it from eBay would just cheapen the whole thing for me. That's just me:)