SHAWNEE POTTERY COOKIE JARS - BUYER'S GUIDE

• ALWAYS check seller's COMPLETED auctions. Look for identical items that have recently been auctioned on eBay. Often the same pictures and identical information is used by these sellers. Check for similarities.
• Do NOT bid on any private auctions - EVER. These auctions protect the seller, NOT the buyer. Stay alert, FAKES are not always sold via Private Auctions - all auctions require the same diligence.
• RESEARCH the jar to find out if it is a reproduction. Check this link and this link to see if the jar you are interested in is among the pictured reproductions and ask an expert to verify pictures and information!
• Be Careful of sellers who claim they have purchased the so-called collectible jars from estate sales, collectors, and garage sales or that items they have listed are from collections purchased through the years. Every jar I have checked using these terms has been a FAKE!
• Caution - Reproductions are knowingly and falsely marked "Shawnee" or "U.S.A." on the bottom.

• Be aware that sellers of FAKES change eBay ids often, may not answer your email(s) or have an invalid phone number listed with eBay.
• Always ask questions BEFORE bidding and the auction ends. Does the seller GUARANTEE the VINTAGE and AUTHENTICITY? Keep emails in case you have a dispute.
• Warning - reproductions often have "synthetically applied" crazing to make the jar look aged. They often are lighter in weight and shorter or taller in height.
• Beware of All Sales Final, No Money Back, As Is, or No Guarantee.
• Protect yourself by paying with a Credit Card or PayPal. NEVER PAY for a collectible with a personal or cashier's check. Expect Little or NO help from eBay!
• Use eBay's Escrow if you suspect that the jar you are bidding on or have bought is a FAKE. (eBay will hold the money until the jar is authenticated)
• Remember if you are in doubt, do yourself a hugh favor and do not bid - there will always be another jar!!

SUGGESTIONS IF YOU FIND OUT YOU HAVE BOUGHT A REPRODUCTION

• Be cautious when contacting the seller first.
• DO immediately file a dispute with Paypal or your credit card company (you did pay for it with a credit card?).
• DO file a complaint with eBay indicating the auction was falsely advertised as Shawnee Pottery.
• DO file a complaint with eBay objecting to sellers that hide behind Private Auctions or sell falsely advertised Shawnee.
• DO save invoices, receipts, shipping boxes and report to the USPS or mail delivery service (these are normally shipped USPS) that fraudulent advertised items are being sent through the mail.
  

IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT THE SELLER FIRST

• Email the seller and tell them you have researched the item and found that it is a fake. You would like to be refunded AND tell them to keep out whatever fees eBay charged them to list it AND the final value fee.
• If they won't refund your money, tell them you have no choice but to file a dispute with eBay AND PayPal. Refer to other similar auction items and corresponding numbers. Say they HAD to know this was a fake, since they have been selling the EXACT same item and that there was no way a rare Shawnee would ever be exactly the same.