Ok - welcome to part three. By now, you have chosen a general gift or item you would like to find, and have done a little research to determine what would make that item collectible.

Now - where should you buy your item?

My favorite place to begin looking is eBay. You can, of course, find everything on eBay.

When you begin looking, try to make your search as narrow as possible. We talked about that last post. Also, browse the eBay categories to find the most likely category, and then search within that category.

For instance, under Jewelry/Watches, there is another category for Vintage/Antique, and then more categories for costume, fine, new vintage, and reproductions. If you click on costume, and then search for earrings, you will be able to narrow down the listings to a more manageable level.

Now that you have some items to consider, here's what to do next.

First, look at the auction listing. If the pictures are poor, or there is very little description, or the seller can't give you at least a little information about the age of the item, then leave. Don't buy from them - there are plenty of sellers who have similar items and know how to list them. The exception to this is if you are very familar with the market, and really know exactly what you're looking for.

Second, look at the feedback. If they do not have a high rating, they may be just starting out, or they may be selling only a few items. Click on the number by their name, look at their previous sales and the comments. If there are any comments that cause you concern, don't buy from them.

Third, ask any quesions you may have before you bid or buy. Where did the item come from? How did they determine its value? Or how did they identify the item as being collectible? You want to buy from someone who has done at least a little research. Not someone who picked this up at a garage sale because "it looked old and should be worth something."

If you find a specific item you like, I always search on google for that exact item. You will find more information about it, including what other sellers and sites are selling it for.

After all that (whew) you will have found a good, collectible, antique or vintage gift.