Buying & auctions
Why ask for RAW photos before buying remotely
RAW files defeat AI retouching and exposure manipulation that can hide defects, fake patina, or alter color. A JPEG can be processed to make a crack invisible or modern glass look aged; a RAW cannot lie about what the camera saw. Requesting RAW is standard due diligence — evasive or slow responses are data.
The Method's take
The Insider Method's CR Generator protocol demands RAW files for any remote purchase above the affordable-loss threshold. Clue-to-proof discipline: descriptions and processed images are clues; only the unaltered file or live inspection is proof. A seller who balks at transparency is pricing in hidden risk you'll pay for.
The math
A concealed restoration or a color mismatch discovered on delivery costs €2,000–€15,000 in a piece you can't resell at cost, plus return shipping and lost time. Asking for RAW before the wire costs nothing; the 24-hour pass is €100. The equation is: zero cost to verify vs. the full purchase price at risk.
One question answered here saved you a mistake. The engine answers yours — the exact object, the exact number.
Ask the engine — 24h pass €100