Check the weight before anything else. Small outdoor pieces, side tables, little stools, a two seater bistro set, get knocked around by wind far more than people expect, and if a table is light enough for one person to carry with one hand, it is light enough to end up on its side the first time a storm rolls through. Pick it up in the shop. If it feels flimsy there, it will feel worse on a deck.
Color wise, I would steer away from anything too bright or too trendy for a small piece like this, since it is usually sitting right next to bigger furniture and clashing colors show up fast in a small space. Black, charcoal and dark bronze finishes hide dirt and pollen film better than white ever will, and they go with almost any planter or cushion you add later. White looks great for about three weeks, then it looks like it needs a wipe down every single day, which, for something that lives outside, it does. Natural wood tones and woven resin in a honey or gray shade age the most gracefully and don't show scuffs the way a glossy painted finish does.
How it wears depends almost entirely on the material, and this is where I'd spend real attention. Metal pieces, especially anything with a powder coated finish, hold up well for years but will eventually show rust at the joints and screw points, so a quick check and a touch up pen once a season keeps that from spreading. Resin wicker looks the part early on but can get brittle and start fraying at the edges after two or three summers in strong sun, it just does. Solid wood, teak especially, goes silvery gray over time if you leave it alone, which some people love and some find sad, so decide which camp you're in before you buy rather than after. Wipe things down after pollen season, bring cushions in when it rains, and most small pieces will outlast the season they were bought for by a long way.
On delivery day, check the feet. Uneven feet on a tiny table will rock on a deck or patio stone no matter how good the top looks, and it's the single most common fault I've seen reported back. Check that any folding mechanism locks firmly, not just clicks, and look at the underside for rough welds or splinters before it ever goes near bare feet.
This kind of piece suits a small patio, a narrow balcony, or a porch that only has room for the essentials.