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From The Dean Business is the topic of all who gather in the name of antiques, and much of that discussion lately has been on the decline in sales. If your listener is a store owner, big malls are to blame, if a seller in a mall, then mall sales stink, if it’s a flea market seller, traffic is down, if an ebayer, nobody is bidding. Ebay is blamed for the down turn in flea market and mall business, one overhears the conversation everywhere, except between Ebay sellers, who have other Ebayers or the newer Ebay competitors to blame. And all condemn the economy. We all try to put the blame somewhere. Some are hoping for Martha Stewart to proclaim that Jadite is back in fashion or give some other positive direction for buying. Maybe it will take awhile for things to shake out but it will get better for those of us that commit to survive. As the antique and collectible business was heating up in the 90’s, everyone wanted to get in to the action. Antique malls opened on every freeway exit, in old warehouses, abandon schools, churches and brand new tin buildings. Prices heated up to unrealistic levels, condition of merchandise was ignored, and quantity ruled over quality. And costs along with prices kept going up. These freeway locations cost more to open and everyone had to add air conditioning to older locations. And prices went up. Old downtown buildings were sold and converted from antique malls to condos, and sellers moved to new locations and prices went up. The trend is reversing, people stopped buying, malls and shops are closing. Some sellers have been forced to find cheaper locations to try to survive. Many low end sellers have left the business. Spots in even the best malls are now available, some with incentives of “empty space”, free for existing dealers to induce them to stay. We have left 2 locations that could not attract the traffic needed, one had switched to allow new items, both lacked friendly, knowledgeable service from the staff. Well folks we are still buying inventory. We’re buying because some day business will be hot at the malls, traffic will pick up at the flea markets and ebayer’s will bid instead of just looking. We’re buying because, when we go to estate sales, auctions, flea markets or garage sales now, I don’t see the hoards of people grabbing anything old, with no thought of value or condition. On second day estate sales, over priced items are still available and well run sales are more flexible with prices. Flea market sellers are offering discounts even before I ask. At garage sales, I can still find items of value to purchase, when I get to a sale at 10:00am, that opened 8:00. And we are learning to only buy items that actually sell. Items other dealers might pass up, as "what the heck is that?" Our mall items tend to be less collectible and more decorative or useful, a good book to read, pretty pictures for the wall, small furniture, lamps or book cases. Our Ebay sales need to have a name or key word that buyers will type in. "Plate" ain’t going to cut it. Someone is out there looking for items from Bendinroad NY, or wants a blue print from dinning car #679 used on the Andreas Fault & Dearhorn RR Line. And if that a plate is made by Bendinroad China Co. and has the AF&D RR logo, the bidding will pass your wildest dreams. Selling prices of more common items must join the real world, and the only way for the seller to lower prices is to buy more carefully today. It’s been tough to admit that last years’ inventory was bought in a rush, and needs to be cleared out at any cost to free up dollars, but we hope to learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat the same errors. Our recent experiences have all pointed to these conclusions, knowledge of your market is most important no matter where you sell. Bargains are out there for the person willing to invest the time and money. But a bargain is a bargain only after someone else is willing to pay more then you paid. Four other bits of wisdom I have heard or read over the years: "Buy low - sell high." and "It doesn’t matter what you sell an item for, its the cost that counts." and "Condition, Condition, Condition." and "Lower the price, I’m not running a museum here." That last expression reminds me of so many antique stores where you can’t read the price tag, because its faded over the years. And if you ask, the price is so far off reality, you know the store owner has never looked on the internet. And I love the expression, "IT BOOKS FOR". Wella fella, read the 1987 price guide on my book shelf that debunks its own pricing list. This comes from that old collecting guide: "The Price of an antique is entirely dependent upon the moods of the buyer and seller at the time of the transaction." Ebay has proven this one important lesson that predates its dominance as a selling tool. And that expression is bourn out every time we repeat a listing on Ebay with an identical item a week later, one left handed screwdriver sells with 47 bidders at a gazillion dollars and the second one is relisted before a bid at the starting price "steals it from us". From now on I’m only going to sell the first lefthanded screwdriver and let the second one sit on my mall shelf with a price tag of a half gazillion dollars, and hope that losing bider from that first Ebay transaction, sees it. Better yet I’ll hang onto it and let my estate try to unload it at 2 gaz’s when I’m gone. Or maybe I should be happy just doubling my money and selling it at a flea market for 4 bucks. If you see a guy out there buying like mad, only if the price is two bucks or less, can be shipped in a 6x6x6 box without breaking and it will sell for 100 times cost, THATS ME. The Dean
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