What we are building, and what we are learning

The show ended before the item I wanted

Nothing is lost. Where the item went, and how to be told when it comes back.

How do I send a show to a friend?

Copy the link. What they see if they are not signed in, and the one thing worth saying with it.

How do I know what is coming up next in a show?

The lineup is on screen. What it does and does not tell you, and what to ask.

The seller is holding it up and I still cannot see it

Ask. What a reasonable seller will do, and what it tells you if they will not.

account

How to find something you bought months ago

There is no search box. What there is instead, and how to get the invoice again.

buying

How to follow a seller, step by step

One tap — and then the part that actually matters, which is making sure you get told.

The Metzee team3 min read

How to join a live show, step by step

From the browse screen to in the room, what each part of the screen is, and what to do if the video will not start.

delivery

Can I change my delivery address?

Not from the app. Two things that do work, and the window for both is before dispatch.

bidding

Can I bid in two shows at the same time?

Yes. The warning is about winning both, not about bidding in both.

Collecting furniture and homeware

Start with small objects you can carry home. Furniture is the expensive way to learn.

Building a wardrobe from second-hand womenswear

Keep your own measurements, and always ask what seam allowance is left.

Building a wardrobe from second-hand menswear

Measure one shirt you love. Everything after that is arithmetic.

Learning to buy lots

Bid on what you can see. The discipline is the entire skill.

Starting a collection, whatever you collect

A focus beats a pile. That is the whole of it, and it is harder than it sounds.

Starting a handicraft collection

Buy from makers you can ask. The conversation is most of what you are learning.

Starting an art collection

Buy what you want to look at. Attribution is the expensive way to learn you were wrong.

Starting a saree collection

Pick one weave and buy several. The hand of the fabric is the lesson, and it cannot be read.

Starting a cinema memorabilia collection

Lobby cards and stills before posters. Smaller, cheaper, and they teach you the paper.

Starting a cricket memorabilia collection

Programmes, tickets and scorecards first. Signatures are the expensive part of the education.

Starting a sports memorabilia collection

Begin with programmes and tickets. They are cheap, dateable, and nobody has to take your word for them.

Starting a mineral collection

Buy labelled specimens. An unlabelled mineral loses most of its value the day you forget.

Starting an antique collection

Buy small objects, handle many, and never refinish anything.

Starting a bag collection

Learn leather on unbranded pieces. Brand prices without provenance are the expensive lesson.

Starting a jewellery or watch collection

Start with silver and honest unhallmarked pieces. Stones are where beginners lose money.