How to order — 5-step process | LAPIERRE MARKET

Order in five clear steps

This page describes the buying journey on lapierremarket.fr, step by step, with associated lead times and options at each tier. It is designed to give you a complete view before ordering, with no surprise at billing or delivery.

The journey is more structured than a typical purchase on a new-furniture site, because every vintage piece is unique: we cannot reprint an identical product in case of incident. Each step has a precise function in the quality chain.

Step 1 — Browse the catalogue

The catalogue is organised along three complementary axes, matching the three ways one looks for a signed piece.

By collection. Collections are thematic editorial selections (USM in rare colours, Scandinavian modular furniture, vintage tableware, Italian lighting). They allow discovering an overall coherence rather than an isolated piece.

By designer. All pieces signed by a particular designer are gathered on a dedicated page: Pierre Paulin, Charlotte Perriand, Vico Magistretti, Achille Castiglioni, Eero Saarinen, Hans Wegner, Le Corbusier, Jean Prouvé, and the full pantheon we reference. Each designer page includes a sourced biography, a recap of iconic pieces, and the up-to-date list of in-stock pieces signed by them.

By editor. Editors structure another reading of vintage furniture: USM Haller, Cassina, Ligne Roset, Knoll, Vitra, Artemide, Flos, B&B Italia, Fritz Hansen, among others. Each editor page retraces the firm's history, the designers who worked for it, and representative pieces.

On each product page you find: photographs without cosmetic retouching, structured description (designer, editor, estimated year, dimensions, materials), documented actual condition with mention of visible wear marks, recorded markings and serial numbers, associated authenticity certificate. The editorial discipline is documented on our sourcing process page.

Step 2 — Reserve

Once the piece is chosen, two options are available at order time.

Full payment at order. Simplest path. Full settlement at order validation, by card (3D Secure 2.0 required), or by SEPA wire for higher amounts. The piece is immediately reserved in your name and enters the inspection-restoration queue.

Thirty per cent deposit. For pieces where you want to lock the reservation without immediately committing the full amount (order placed during a move, awaiting a project delivery, internal validation for a professional order), we offer reservation by thirty per cent deposit. The balance is called before shipment. This option is not systematically active on every piece: it can be unlocked through prior exchange at `infos@lapierremarket.fr` or via the contact form.

Once the reservation is logged, the piece moves to "reserved" status: it disappears from the public catalogue and cannot be shown to another buyer. This discipline avoids the conflicts that occur on less rigorous sites where a piece is promised to several buyers at once.

Step 3 — Workshop inspection and restoration

Before shipment, every piece passes a final inspection and, if needed, light restoration. This step takes five to ten working days depending on piece and initial condition.

The final inspection covers the following points. Consistency check with the product card (the delivered piece must be strictly the one described, with no possible substitution). Marking and serial number check, photographed one last time before packing. Test of mechanical elements (recline mechanisms, drawer slides, articulations) on pieces that have them. Assembly checks: refixing of detached elements, retightening of original screws.

Light restoration, when needed, follows the patina philosophy documented on our sourcing process: intervene minimally, preserve wear marks that authenticate the piece, never touch up. Concretely, this may mean: feeding dried-out leather with dedicated oil, gently polishing pitted chrome to remove oxidation without flattening the surface, refixing a loose seam, repainting a USM frame in original RAL when the editor still produces the colour. No heavy intervention is performed without prior agreement: a full re-cover, re-chroming, or renewed veneer are decisions to be discussed.

The inspection-restoration phase is documented by final photographs made available to you before shipment. If the inspection reveals an undetected defect, we let you know immediately: you can then cancel the order with full refund, or accept a partial credit covering the defect, or request refurbishment with an additional agreed lead time.

Step 4 — Delivery

Once the piece is inspected, it is packed and shipped according to the delivery zone.

Paris and Île-de-France. Delivery via Cocolis or our partner art-handling carrier. Indicative lead time: one to three working days after shipment. For bulky pieces, delivery on confirmed slot with optional in-home assembly. Delivery cost is calculated by volume and accessibility, in market range for specialised carriers.

Mainland France outside IDF. Delivery via Colissimo (standard pieces, up to thirty kilos) or specialised carrier (bulky pieces, leather furniture, glass tops, marquetry). Indicative lead time: three to five working days after shipment for Colissimo, five to eight days for the specialised carrier.

European Union. Delivery via partner carrier for bulky pieces, or DHL/UPS for standard pieces. Indicative lead time: five to ten working days after shipment. Intra-EU formalities are automatic (no customs, CE marking preserved on relevant pieces). VAT is handled per the regime applicable in the destination country.

Outside the European Union. Delivery on specific quote. Indicative lead time: ten to twenty working days depending on destination, customs formalities, and chosen carrier. We handle export formalities (compliant invoices, customs codes, EORI, certificates of origin where relevant). Local duties and taxes on arrival are borne by the recipient under the agreed Incoterm (default DAP: delivered at place, duties unpaid).

Declared-value insurance is systematic on every shipment. Insurance cost is included up to a standard ceiling; above that, an additional cover is offered on quote for very high-unit-value pieces.

Step 5 — Receipt

On receipt, the standard procedure is as follows.

Inspection at delivery. The carrier waits while you check the general condition of the package and piece. Any visible damage must be noted on the delivery slip: this is the condition for activating transport insurance if needed. If full inspection is not feasible at the kerb or in the lobby (volume, weather, no witness), state "subject to full unboxing" on the slip.

Optional white-glove delivery. For an additional eighty euros incl. VAT (Paris-IDF), white-glove delivery includes full unpacking by the delivery team, removal of packing materials, and placement of the piece in the room of your choice with assembly if needed. This option is recommended for modular sets (USM, Cassina sets, Knoll configurations), for fragile pieces (Castiglioni lamps, glass tops), and for buyers without the human or material help required to unbox a Togo sofa or a heavy USM module alone.

Final check and signature. Once the piece is unpacked and installed, verify conformity with the product card and description: markings, dimensions, general condition. Keep the documentation received (authenticity certificate, descriptive card, delivery slip, insurance certificate where relevant). Any non-conformity or damage report must be made within forty-eight hours by email to `infos@lapierremarket.fr`, with photographs: this is the window retained by our transport insurance to engage compensation.

Trust and guarantees

The full journey is framed by the following protections.

Shopify Payments secured. All card transactions run through Shopify Payments, processor compliant with PCI DSS Level 1, with strong 3D Secure 2.0 authentication. Your card details are never stored on our servers.

Authenticity certificate. Every piece is delivered with a signed certificate stating the designer, edition, estimated production date, and recorded markings. This certificate engages gallery liability in case of subsequent discovery of inauthenticity.

Legal conformity warranty. Under articles L217-3 et seq. of the French Consumer Code, you benefit from a two-year warranty from delivery, covering conformity defects existing at delivery.

Hidden defects warranty. Under articles 1641 to 1649 of the French Civil Code, you are covered for any hidden defect rendering the piece unfit for expected use, within two years of discovery.

Fourteen-day right of withdrawal. Under article L221-18 of the Consumer Code, you have fourteen days after receipt to exercise withdrawal without justification. The full procedure is detailed on our returns page.

For any pre-order question

If a question remains before ordering, the fastest channel is the contact form or an email to `infos@lapierremarket.fr`. Response within forty-eight working hours. For full terms of sale, see our terms. To understand how each piece arrives in the catalogue, see our sourcing process.