# Anyone have a booth at an Antique Mall?



## SeaGoat

Since I was young Ive had a fascination with antiques.
Never anything serious, so I havent learned anything too serious. I can tell quality from meh and thats about it. 


I just love it. 
Fotunatly for me the city I live in is 'The Largest Antique Shopping Destination in America. 
(Yes! :sing


Im a stay at home mom and Ive picked up a hobby of refinishing things here and there and would like to start building a small inventory in the case I decide to (dare I say) open a booth..

We have something near 10 malls in a 3 mile radius, so I have a plethora of different kind of people to rent from. 
There are definitely 2 mega malls (over 50,000 sqft each) that gets TONS of traffic and a few side ones that get a decent enough amount, then a couple of 'meh, I guess I have a little time to stroll through these'
Its also apparent that some stores are more strict about what they let in. Some are more refinished things, some are more of a flea market style, some have a lot more handmade things, some is a little mixture of everything


I noticed a sign in one of the mega malls that said they had room available at $0.75/sqft
I dont know if this is high, low, etc
When I go in to ask about applications what kind of questions should I ask?


What kind of prices do yall pay (if you dont mind me asking...)?
What have you found that sells (I know this will be geographically different, but Id still like opinions)?
Do you enjoy it or has it become more of a pain in the rear?
Any advice?

Pictures of your booths?


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## clovis

We have booths in antique malls, but truthfully, we make better money selling at an indoor flea market.

My best advice is that you should go visit all the malls in your area, and talk to them about renting booth space. Ask them what the rent is, plus what percentage they take of the final sale. 

Generally speaking, those with waiting lists to get a booth are probably getting a higher foot traffic count than those that are half empty.

Also ask them about the length of the contract. Month to month, or is it a year long lease?

You need to look at the value you are getting for your money. I've seen people move to a mall to save $20 a month in rent, but their sales are half what they are at the best place. 

In a nutshell, I'd rather pay $200 a month in rent for a vibrant mall and get $1,000+ in sales than pay $125 a month and struggle every day to make the booth rent.

As well, talk to as many vendors as you can, but take what they say with a grain of salt. Vendors can be catty and full of vicious gossip. Learn to weed those people out, and look for the tried and true vendors who speak the truth. 

I am not an expert in selling antiques, but the economy has been tough. Prices are not what they used to be. I set out an early 70's board game today for $10, but this game used to bring $75 to $100 back in the day. I have some molding planes that once would have fetched $25 each. I have them marked $12 each, and they are gathering dust.

Nearly everyone has a smart phone these days, so checking prices is easy for many consumers, and many antiques have been soft.

We have done quite well many months, especially at one mall. I am having trouble keeping enough quality merchandise in that booth for that urban market. One of the other malls used to be awesome, but something in the overall marketplace has changed. I don't know if it is $4 gas, the economy, our market, a shift in demographics, or my product selection. I suspect it is all of the above. 

Lastly, if there are that many malls in your area, will you be able to buy enough antiques to keep a booth full?


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## SeaGoat

That is why I want to collect a small inventory before I jump into anything..
All the malls out here are slammed. The one who has space just opened a basement area that I fear won't get as much traffic (because as I heard an older lady say, 'there are stairs')


This is something I've always wanted to do, but since I'm only 25 (look still in My teens) it will be harder to be taken serious. 
But like I said, most of the owners are super nice.. there is this one mall (one of the mega) Where someone, not sure if he's the owner or manager, seems like a nightmare to work for. I saw him telling at his employees about how about they kept things behind the counter and when they told him it was unclaimed items he yelled even louder "I don't care! Clean it up! "
I don't like that kind of management.. but it's one of the higher trafficed places



What kind of questions can I ask when it comes to how sales are and goot traffic and what sort of items sell?
I don't want to walk in stepping on toes


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## clovis

Sarah,

*Do NOT worry about your age, or how young you look!!!!!*

Business is business. No one cares what you look like. They only expect that you can pay the monthly bill/rent, and that you act professionally while conducting business at their place. 

I would encourage you to have self confidence in your endeavors, and not worry one iota about your age. Just act like you have all the confidence in the world, be positive in attitude, and act as if you've been selling antiques all of your life.

I started a full time business when I was 25. I had $92 to my name, and not a dime more. The bank wouldn't open a simple checking account because I didn't have a $100 minimum to open it. 

I was successful in that business because it was sink or swim, literally, and I worked _hard_ and with as much enthusiasm as I could. I didn't care about anything, like my age, even though my peers kept telling me no one would take me seriously...as I carried home order after order, and kept a roof over my head for the next 16 years.

Only once did someone challenge my age, but when I look back, he was really asking "Are you serious and tough enough to handle our work?" When I replied that I was serious about never dropping the ball on his orders, he handed me a $1,200 order. He and I later grew to become close friends, and I still consider him 'to have my back' if I ever needed him. For many years, I had the security codes to his business, and had keys to his vacation lake property, for free use anytime I wanted.

Remember, the only thing holding you back is YOU. 

Business is simple: Get the item, display it, sell it, get paid. Period. No more, and no less. Really is that simple.

Go get 'em...and don't look back! Have fun!!!!


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> What kind of questions can I ask when it comes to how sales are and goot traffic and what sort of items sell?
> 
> I don't want to walk in stepping on toes


You need to ask those questions about traffic and sales. The owners get asked those questions almost every day. 

Don't be afraid to tell them "I want to be in the most happening place at the most happening time, and have the best booth location in the whole place."

BTW, as a side note: The best advice I was ever told in business was "Smile a lot. You can say all kinds of things if you smile while you are saying it." That bit of advice carried me through some tough business negotiations when I was in over my head when I was young!!!!

As for what to sell? Truthfully, you probably have a better grasp on that than I do. 

Everyone has their own personality and flair in malls and flea markets. That is what makes AM and FM's so interesting. At one FM, I am the tool and train guy. Our sales are really good, and my repeat traffic is outstanding. I have been told many times "We always stop here to see if you have _________ before we go to Lowes/HD/hardware store."

Let your own personality and flair shine in your case or booth. People will enjoy that, and you'll start building a business from that. 

I have found that 'antiques' from the 70's and 80's are selling a bit better than the 'real' antiques that I carry, like 100 year old wood working tools. Is this a change in demographics, and a change in the tastes of the buyers?????

At another AM, Mid Century and Modern, along with Hollywood Regency, is *smoking hot*. I have gotten some *crazy* prices for some items in these areas. I am sold out of most of these items, and am now a bit worried about where I am going to find more.

Just remember: This business is about finding the item, displaying it, selling it, and getting paid. 

Have fun!!!!!!!


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## SeaGoat

Thanks for all the wonderful advice!


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## clovis

I hope it helps.

I want to be an encouragement to you. There is some pretty good money to be made if you have good products and enough foot traffic.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not:

This business is about finding the item, displaying it, selling it, and getting paid.

Oh...and have fun doing it.


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## clovis

Sarah,

I forgot to say if you are unsure about the business, start small.

We started with a 5 foot shelf in a flea market about 9 years ago. The rent was $35 a month. My wife was using 4 of the shelves, and I convinced her to let me sell small junk I bought crazy cheap on the very bottom shelf. I sold more junk on that shelf in a single weekend than she did all month.

We then moved up and rented a booth 50/50 with my aunt. That lasted for a few months, and we took over the booth 100%. 

Today, we are in 3 AM's, and 1 FM. We have 5 booths/cases total in the 3 AM's, and 5 booths in the FM, and thinking about adding yet another to make it 6.

Starting off, unless you know exactly what you are doing, don't rent the 10' X 80' section in the premier area. Just get a case, wall, or half booth and grow from there.


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## SeaGoat

I was thinking of starting small. I don't want to jump in and suddenly owe a lot of fees with no sales.. yikes!


I really wanted to get in before christmas..
They really seem to do a lot of business then.

What have yall foundto be your best selling seasons and buying seasons?
I read buying is usually good in spring, when people do spring cleaning


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## clovis

Around here, the biggest selling season is between Nov and March or April. 

But on the other hand, a snowy week or an ice storm can crater anyone out traveling.

Summer can be good too, with more people traveling out and about, hitting the malls and markets. 

We usually get hammered in August. It is back to school month, and people are taking 'last chance to go anywhere' vacations before school starts again. It is hard to make any serious sales with most people at shopping malls buying clothes for their kids.

This coming August, I think I am going to slash prices on anything that has been sitting around for a while, just to boost sales. But then again, it is hard to sell anything when the foot traffic is totally gone. 

About Christmas: We usually do well up until th 19th or 20th, but it depends when Christmas falls for the year. The week after Christmas can be spectacular because more people are off work, and often, they have money to spend, but it depends how the holidays fall. Just be well stocked.

Just remember that your mileage may vary. You have different seasonal temps and weather than we do here in Indiana. Do you ever get ice storms in GA? We got hammered in January because of ice, and one of the FM's we are in was closed for 2 1/2 days. 

Have fun!!!!!!


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## jlxian

Clovis, your advice to Sarah is wonderful and well received. I've had a booth for a little more than 2 months, and still haven't found the break even mix of stuff and prices. Right now I'm selling stuff from my home. When that runs out (LOL!) hopefully I can restock from purchases at garage sales. Thanks for the advice!

BTW, I pay $30/month and 10% of my sales. Very small booth, about 5' long and 3' deep.


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## SeaGoat

Yes Clovis! Thank you!
I thought I replied, but I guess my phone didnt send it...


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## clovis

You are welcome.

I wish I could tell you what to sell, how to price it, and how to make a million dollars. The truth is that everyone is different, and and every market and mall is different.

I can tell you that people want to buy clean stuff, and stuff that works when they take it home. 

I've seen vendor after vendor fill booth after booth with dirty and stained clothes, broken tools, faulty electronics, and toys that are both dirty and worn out. Their stuff is passed by, and they get a reputation for having a booth full of trash. Often, I see them desperate to make booth rent, and they start raising prices to cover the shortfall. Often, they can't see the forest for the trees, and start filling those booths with absolute trash that they find.

I'd rather have a sparsely filled booth with clean, usable items than an overflowing one full of garage sale leftovers.

As a case in point, we often have friends and family drop off their garage sale leftovers. Just last week, a neighbor brought us 5 very large trash bags full of garage sale leftovers. 

You know what we kept? A single desk lamp and 5 brand new trash bags. We sorted everything, and all five bags worth went into the trash cans. I am excited about the 5 free trash bags though!!!!!

You might think that is mean of us, but she told us "throw away anything you don't want." What's funny about this is that she too is a failed flea market vendor who just couldn't understand why no one wanted to buy her stuff...but every item was dirty, broken or just plain trash. 

We have another neighbor that is having a GS soon, and I am thinking about making her an offer on the whole lot. It is CLEAN and NICE stuff that has been well taken care of in the past. This stuff would sell well because it is stuff that people want...not salt shakers that are missing a lid, a broken amber glass ash tray from 1985, or a dirty baby outfit with stains. 

If anyone is totally new to this game, I would suggest that they consider buying and flipping stuff that they would own personally. Your booth will begin to show that personality over time, and you will begin to grow a reputation for the cool stuff you stock your booth with.

Again, carefully select your merchandise. I think it is better to have 10 Willie Nelson LP's than a stack of 1,000 1970's elevator music records. I'd rather have 8 clean A&F t-shirts than 12 bags of stained baby clothes. Record collectors don't buy elevator music records, and not many moms that I know will put their newborn in an old and stained outfit. 

Then, again, YMMV. I am just reporting what I've seen and experienced over the past 8 years or so.

Are you tired of my ramblings yet???


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## SeaGoat

No way! They are very insightful! 


I agree about the trash. I have been walking malls (and I say walking because usually I can't afford the pieces I want, I have expensive taste) for years and sometimes I peek in cluttered booths and nust get so overwhelmed. Plus you have to do a funny dance to get around breakable things. Its rare there is a deal to be found in them anyways, but sometimes..
My favorite ones are more open and with a few large furniture pieces tastefully displaying smaller pieces.


The stuff I'm starting to collect is only things I would put in my house. I'm using the guest room to store stuff and just decorating with it (though. I think ill find it harder to part with some of it this way..)


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## jlxian

Yes, Clovis, I've been very careful to clean and even repaint/touch up things I've placed in my booth. I've checked pricing on etsy and ebay and priced my items slightly less. So far the things that flew out of my booth were one of those long rectangular tool boxes with the wooden handle ($12.00) and a very large barnwood shelf with compartments ($20). I've also sold a few BH&G books. Not making my rent, so far, but I'm hopeful. One thing that hurt sales in June was that the shop was closed because of a fire next door. And even though it is open now, it does look a little scary with some of the windows boarded up. I'm hopeful sales pick up soon. Your advice is invaluable!!!


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## clovis

How was the foot traffic before the fire?

I would consider using some social media to help boost awareness that the market is open. Facebook, maybe? 

I don't think you have to do a complete hard sell on FB, but maybe a simple post of "Glad that ___________ is open and doing well, even though the place next door is a mess. Come see my booth!!". You could also 'check in' on FB on occasion too, just to put the word out there.

Is this a small market, or a big one? 

How long have they been open?


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## clovis

One other sales motivator that we do is to make small notes and tape them to the item.

I just use copy paper, and cut the sheet into 4 pieces.

I use a marker and hand write notes like:

"Tested and works fine. Plug it in at the front counter to test!"

"From a super clean estate. Priced to sell fast!!!! Only $20"

"Nicest vintage Coleman camp stove I've ever owned. This one is a gem!!! Only $30"

"New records added July 13th. Awesome old school country LP's!!!!!"

"Cool vintage wood decked skate board. Circa 1981. Get old skool for just $20"

"There are shovels, and then there are quality shovels like this one!!! Lifetime quality. Your great grandson will be using this one. $15" 

"Brand New and Factory Sealed. Just $5"

"Dresser with 5 drawers. You clean up and fix. Priced to sell fast @ $45"

On a socket set: "They don't make quality like this anymore. $30"

What is amazing is that when we put these these notes/signs on the items we have to sell, they are generally the first items to go, and they generally go FAST.

You might have to be careful about over-doing it with the signs, but 5 or 10 in a booth will attract people to look.

Try it out. It really does work!!!!


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## clovis

Okay, here is a sign that we should be embarrassed to put on an item:

"My wife said that NO ONE in the entire world will pay $1 for this ___________. "

I haven't used this one in a while...but when we were starting out, my wife and I used to bet each other if something would sell or not. 

It was fun back then....


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## clovis

Oh, and I almost forgot:

We use those signs to also note problems/issues with an item too.

"Nice vintage CB radio. Powers up, but I have no way to test."

"Cool old lamp. Missing cord. Priced accordingly at $4"

I personally think that buyers like the candid and truthful notes, and we never have a problem selling these items either.

Hope these posts are helpful to you all.


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## SeaGoat

Yes.. when there is an item I'm interested in and it needs to "operate" somehow its always more assuring when there is a note.

Social media is also a nice way to advertise. 
I've thought about making a Facebook page people can "like" to get updates on inventory..


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## clovis

FWIW, one thing that sells well for us at the flea market are toys especially if they are priced right.

Clean toys always sell well, and are worth the time and effort. We always put the toys on the bottom shelves where kids can see them. Other toys, those that are really meant for adults, like race car die cast models and operating toy trains, go on upper shelves where adults can see them. 

If you are selling toys in indoor flea markets, expect to have to straighten them every time you go in. They do get messy, and you might be surprised how many parents will allow their kid to strew toys all over the place, and never think that they should pick them up.

You might also stay away from toys that contain lots of items, like a box of blocks. They are hard to display. I like single item toys, like a horse, or car, or truck. 

As always, if you are trying toys for the first time, ease into them, trying to sell a few to start off, just to see how they do in your market.


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## SeaGoat

I actually have a lot of the larger metal tonka toys. Around Christmas I found some in the malls and my son's out grown them so they are just sitting in the garage gathering dust.
...and I know what you mean by small multi toys. We do not even allow them at home


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## jlxian

Thanks again A LOT, Clovis, for your suggestions. I love the idea of placing little personal notes on items. I will try this. Before the fire, I think foot traffic was "okay". And it is what I would call a medium sized market. Not a little shop with 10-20 vendors and not an endless mall, but the entire first floor of an old clothing store, maybe 50-75 vendors? I notice now the owner has big signs on the front 'I assure you we are open' so maybe the traffic is down. I don't know. I know he is in it for the long haul so I want to try to stick it out as long as I can. I will also try your ideas of using social media to promote the store and my booth. Wonderful suggestions!


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## BarbadosSheep

I pay $1.00 per foot, plus 10% commission. It's about average for this area, which is a good antique destination due to the number of malls in the area.


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## jlxian

I found myself wondering today about when to add some fall decor. I don't want to do it too early, but don't want to be late. LOL! Suggestions? 

Clovis, I took your advice and promoted my booth and the shop on facebook, reminding people it is open, and added some pictures of my items. Hope it helps.


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## SeaGoat

If you have some you know will be harder to sell you could put them in the booth for 10% off early, then I would maybe add them around late august?
Back to school and Fall seems to go hand in hand with people


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## jlxian

Good idea Sarah! Thanks!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> I found myself wondering today about when to add some fall decor. I don't want to do it too early, but don't want to be late. LOL! Suggestions?
> 
> Clovis, I took your advice and promoted my booth and the shop on facebook, reminding people it is open, and added some pictures of my items. Hope it helps.


I've found that Christmas and Halloween items sell year 'round. 

As for seasonal stuff, fall items will sell best in the fall, and spring items in the spring. But what I've found is that good clean quality items will sell anytime. It really doesn't seem to matter in our market, if it is priced right.

WTG on the FB post!!!!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Clovis, I took your advice and promoted my booth and the shop on facebook, reminding people it is open, and added some pictures of my items. Hope it helps.


Excellent!!!!

One thing about advertising is that it does pay off, but you never know which half of your advertising is working, LOL.

You know, if just one person swings in to the market over the next week, and happens to find the bargain of a lifetime, they will be more likely to come back and visit, again and again. They might not buy anything from you in 3 months, but it is worth it in the long run.

You've reminded me to 'check in' on FB when we are at the FM and AM tomorrow! Between the wife and I, we must have 200 friends.


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## clovis

If you all don't mind me rambling some more:

Always remember to move stuff around in your booth to keep a fresh look. Personally, I think it is advantageous to turn a booth upside down, drastically changing how it looks. We often call this 'resetting' a booth.

For whatever reason, resetting a booth will generally spur sales. For instance, I had a tea kettle that I let sit for 6 months in one spot. I was amazed that it hadn't sold. I moved it to the front of the booth, and BAM!!!, it sold the next day. I could tell you about a million items that this has happened with. 

I think that resetting is important because there are many once-a-week shoppers that visit a store. If you have the same merchandise, sitting in the exact same spot, and leave the same shelves in the same place, those shoppers will walk by a booth week after week and never even look at your items. I know that I am guilty of the same thing, and will walk by every 'stale' booth in the mall. Why would I want to look at the same things week after week, and if there is nothing new to look at, why bother looking at all?

Major grocery stores reset their shelves and stores quite often, and so should you. It keeps the customer looking, shopping, and curious to find the next item.


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## jlxian

Thanks again Clovis! I try to stop in to my booth once a week on a lunch break and tidy up. Still don't have as much or the right kind of display space as I would like (DH needs to help me with this) so I have to settle for some bottom shelves right now. But I do change things around somewhat. Having been a regular haunt to the town flea markets for several years I know what you mean about the booths looking the same all the time. I got to where I knew what was in a booth and if it didn't look different I wouldn't go in. So I realize that is valuable. 

I plan to use your sticky note tactic in the near future. Have to come up with a chunk of time (and Sat or Sun is my only really good opportunity) to do this. 

Please do ramble on with all your thoughts and suggestions. I sincerely appreciate them! And I'm sure there are others who are reading who appreciate them as well.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> I plan to use your sticky note tactic in the near future. Have to come up with a chunk of time (and Sat or Sun is my only really good opportunity) to do this.
> 
> Please do ramble on with all your thoughts and suggestions. I sincerely appreciate them! And I'm sure there are others who are reading who appreciate them as well.


When we were renting shelves, we used to 'flip' all the items at least once a week. All the stuff on the bottom shelf went to the top shelf, and the top to the bottom, and so forth.

I think that the radical changes in a booth/shelf, even though they are they same items, really spurs sales. I think it is a key to success in the business.

A new booth across from us opened with new vendors two months ago. This is a prime spot in the FM. I recently heard them complaining about poor sales, and blamed the flea market. In reality, they have changed nothing in their booth, with the same old overpriced Holly Hobby cake pans sitting in the same place, and the same stained Tupperware sitting in the same spot on the shelf.

But the gal who sells beautiful home decoration stuff in the other booth next to us almost seems to have a line of people wanting to buy her stuff. She routinely moves all of her stuff, generally about twice a month, and when she is done, it looks like a totally new booth, even though she hasn't added a thing.

Turn those booths, inside out and upside down!!!!


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## clovis

Oh, Jean...I forgot to mention that when using those notes, use tape and paper, not Post-it notes. The Post-it notes will fall off after time.

We also always put a self adhesive price label on the item, along with the note. This helps prevent people from switching tags in the market.


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## jlxian

I will definitely do the shelf flip thing --- great suggestion! And my labels so far have been 1x1 with a string (Walmart product) with a description and price. But if I make my tags bigger or add a second "tag" I can add those personal comments. Which I definitely plan to do!  I hit the back to school area of Walmart for cheaper tape just for my flea market labeling!


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## SeaGoat

What do you use as "dividers" between booths?
Usually isnt the renter responsible for that?

I usually see peg boards, shutters, old windows, etc.. Sometimes I get confused because the dividers "clutter" it up..

Ive thought of using sheetrock so I could easily paint it and get a "new" look every now and again..


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## jlxian

The booths in the mall I use have premade dividers made of pegboard. I've seen old doors, screen doors, and standing shelves used for dividers. An opportunity for creativity! I like the idea of using sheetrock. You could even use wallpaper along with your paint on the sheetrock.


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> What do you use as "dividers" between booths?
> Usually isnt the renter responsible for that?
> 
> I usually see peg boards, shutters, old windows, etc.. Sometimes I get confused because the dividers "clutter" it up..
> 
> Ive thought of using sheetrock so I could easily paint it and get a "new" look every now and again..


Around here, the walls are already in place, and owned by the malls. Painting is not allowed, and damage to the walls is charged back to the dealer.

I've been in malls where the dealers built their own walls, and what a mess!!!

FWIW, I've seen people make the mistake of building a roof over their booth. One gal built a cool 'barn' out of her booth using old barn wood, and built a roof using rusty sheet metal. 

That was a cool booth, and interesting to look at. But, as you came upon it, it was so dark inside that you literally would have needed a flashlight to see what was inside of it. That vendor lasted 2 1/2 months, and the mall still can't rent that spot!


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## clovis

Here is another one of my ramblings:

Planned, progressive mark downs.

I believe that the hardest part about being in the flea market business is figuring out how to price items. If we dealt in the same exact items every month, we could figure it out over time. We deal in a vast array of items, yarn, toys, tools, games, antiques, electronics, records, trains, garden stuff, etc.

Sometimes, we get items that I really don't know what it is worth. For instance, I picked up a short wave radio last month. This one was a vintage, cheap knock-off, probably dating to the late '70's. 

Often, we start with the price that we'd like to have for the item. I put $30 on the radio for the first month, then marked it down to $25, and just before I marked it down to $20, it sold. 

Progressive mark downs do work. Of course, there is a chance that your buyer would have snapped it up had it been priced at $20 the very first day. Then again, that is a whole 'nother philosophy...flip it fast at a cheap price, or wait for a bigger profit on the item?

Be careful with the progressive mark downs. You need to keep selling stuff to pay your rent, and to keep your booth looking fresh with new items. Remember, you are not a museum, but a business that needs to make a profit.


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## jlxian

I've been wondering about this Clovis! Thanks! How long do you wait before you begin the mark downs? 2 months? Less time?


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## jlxian

With pegboard walls, what is the best way to add vertical display? Add the pegboard shelf holders or bring in my own freestanding shelves (in an already TINY booth)? I know I need to get my stuff up and at eye level. And I can't spend a bunch of money either. Will pegboard shelf holders hold very much weight?


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> I've been wondering about this Clovis! Thanks! How long do you wait before you begin the mark downs? 2 months? Less time?


I think it really is about how much you want to rid your life of the item, LOL.

Most often, it is just a guess for us. Sometimes it is about how our sales are, and sometimes, it is about how much new stuff we are bringing into the booth.

Many of our planned mark downs also on big items that take up too much space. I typically mark big items, like dressers, camping tents or basketball goals so they will sell quick, but sometimes we try to get as much out of them as possible.

I typically use progressive mark downs on items that I don't really know what the value is, or on big stuff that hog space in a booth.

I wish I could give better advice, but truthfully, it is going to depend on you, your philosophy on selling, your booth space, and how fast you want to flip your money.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> With pegboard walls, what is the best way to add vertical display? Add the pegboard shelf holders or bring in my own freestanding shelves (in an already TINY booth)? I know I need to get my stuff up and at eye level. And I can't spend a bunch of money either. Will pegboard shelf holders hold very much weight?


We use our own free standing shelves as well as pegboard hooks.

Hooks can be expensive to buy.

There are several grades of hooks, ranging from thin and cheap to "I want to hang a big block Chevy engine from one of these". 

I prefer the 'big block Chevy' hooks, but then again, I sell a ton of heavy tools.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> With pegboard walls, what is the best way to add vertical display? Add the pegboard shelf holders or bring in my own freestanding shelves (in an already TINY booth)? I know I need to get my stuff up and at eye level. And I can't spend a bunch of money either. Will pegboard shelf holders hold very much weight?


Another option is to buy metal shelf brackets, screw them into the wall, and put a 1 X 12" board across, just like you would in your garage.


----------



## clovis

jlxian said:


> With pegboard walls, what is the best way to add vertical display? Add the pegboard shelf holders or bring in my own freestanding shelves (in an already TINY booth)? I know I need to get my stuff up and at eye level. And I can't spend a bunch of money either. Will pegboard shelf holders hold very much weight?


One last rambling...

Some time ago, the Wall Street Journal had a very interesting article about how Proctor and Gamble was training their sales force in overseas markets.

In many countries, it is very common place for a person to open up a store in the front room of their house, and since square footage is a premium in these tiny markets, P & G was looking to sell more product in a very competitive environment.

Their sales push was "to own the sky", and pushed their sales reps to encourage the banners, advertisements, and product displays that hung from the ceilings. 

While I think that hanging junk in a flea market booth can actually hurt sales (mainly because it isn't inviting to the shopper and who wants to hit their head on the fourteen ladles and a pitch fork hanging from a 2" X 4"???), it leaves the question:

Do you "own the walls" in your booth??? Are you making good use of all the square feet on the pegboard????


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## jlxian

All well taken, Clovis. I like the idea of progressive markdowns until something finally sells. I will definitely employ that tactic on a couple of things I already have in the booth. 

I'm getting really antsy about getting the potential out of the booth, so I'm hoping I can "own the walls" in that thing this weekend. DH has a Sunday with me on his calendar and doesn't know it yet. LOL. I'm thinking that since floor space is at a minimum, I will try to go with the shelf brackets and boards as high as I can reach. I don't plan to hang anything across the top, as tempting as it is. I agree, it makes it too dark in an already kind of dark place. And no way to rig up extra lights either. 

Now I have to figure out a way to display the gigantic tvs (not flat screen) I need to get rid of -- a new ball of wax! 

Thanks and have a great weekend!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Now I have to figure out a way to display the gigantic tvs (not flat screen) I need to get rid of -- a new ball of wax!


Personally, I wouldn't even consider taking a TV to a flea market.

In my experience, a used TV is a serious *boat anchor*, and will hog up valuable space in your booth, especially if you don't have electric and an antenna.

Even before the new, thin, flat screens were on the market, it was hard to sell a TV. Anyone wanting a TV wants to see it work completely.

I was at a thrift store today, and they had an entire wall of TV's, all plugged in and working, most had remotes taped to them, and even at $9.99 for a 27 inch model in nice cosmetic condition, there is an inch of dust on top of every unit. They simply are not selling.

Donate it, list it on a free site, recycle it, or whatever...but IMO, you are wasting time, effort and energy taking those to a FM.

YMMV, though. 

PS-I don't mean for this post to sound harsh, just trying to share my experience with you.


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## clovis

Another one of my infamous ramblings:

Greet and engage your customer.

I am amazed how few vendors will greet or engage the casual shopper, even while they are looking in their booth.

I don't spend any extra time at the flea market, but when I am restocking or resetting a booth, I try to say hello to everyone that stops to look...and I also try to greet those just walking down our aisle.

Of course, I am a 'people person', and I enjoy meeting and talking to new people. I have met the most interesting folks in this line of work, and have learned a great deal from them. 

I think saying hello is not only being friendly, but it also opens a dialogue between you and the shopper. Over the years, I found that many times, you are able to learn what they are shopping for, and it gives you an opportunity to show them something you might have. 

Just a few weeks ago, a gal wandered right into our booth while we were restocking and resetting a booth. She probably couldn't have picked a worse time to walk right into the middle of our work, but I struck up a conversation anyway. Turns out that she collects turquoise dishes, and unbelievably, we had a turquoise pitcher that was still boxed up. She loved the piece, and we struck a deal on it for $15. Then she wanted to see what else we had, and bought another piece for $12. I would have never been able to sell those items had I not said hello, and asked what she was shopping for. 

I'm not suggesting hard sell, high pressure, or in-your-face tactics. Just a friendly greeting and a relaxed conversation. It builds good will and customer service for the flea market or mall, and can add profits to your bottom line. 

Finally, greeting customers is a good way to help deter any would be shoplifter, which is a stark and sad reality to this (or any) business. This is the reason that Walmart pays to have a greeter at every door, every hour that the store is open, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.


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## SeaGoat

I 2nd no tvs.
I see them in flea markets and honestly jump over the booths that have them. 
They just seem like they would be broken and if you have something that is broken, what's the rest of your stuff like?
...may not be true, just my thought process


Being friendly will be the hardest thing for me.
I'm super friendly, but an extreme introvert. I have learned to not be afraid to say 'hi how are you', but once the conversation goes past there I have no clue where to go and it starts getting awkward quick.
I'd make a horrible salesman


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## jlxian

Okay thanks for the input on the tvs. Since we bought them at flea markets (for my kids' rooms) I figured we could move them along that way too. I'll just donate them to Salvation Army or some such place. They work fine, but my kids don't want them in their rooms any longer. Much appreciated advice and input!!

I did the booth flip thing yesterday when I was there to move in more books. Hoping to see some movement of merchandise. There was only a handful of people in the store, but at least there were customers. 

I'm also coming up with new ideas for things to put in the booth --- I visit Pinterest a lot for these ideas. Do you and or other readers have websites you use for inspiration?


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> I 2nd no tvs.
> Being friendly will be the hardest thing for me.
> I'm super friendly, but an extreme introvert. I have learned to not be afraid to say 'hi how are you', but once the conversation goes past there I have no clue where to go and it starts getting awkward quick.
> I'd make a horrible salesman


I stick to the basics:

"What do you collect?"
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"How are you?"
"Where are you all from?"

I typically answer with a lot of:

"Neat!"
"Cool"
"That's awesome!"
"That's interesting!"


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> I did the booth flip thing yesterday when I was there to move in more books. Hoping to see some movement of merchandise. There was only a handful of people in the store, but at least there were customers.
> 
> I'm also coming up with new ideas for things to put in the booth --- I visit Pinterest a lot for these ideas. Do you and or other readers have websites you use for inspiration?


Good to hear that you 'flipped' the booth. I find that my sales always go up after we move stuff around.

My wife loves Pinterest, which has helped us with knowing what people want and will buy. Not a bunch...but some.


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## SeaGoat

Im crafty and plan to put some things Ive crafted in my booth, so I use pinterest as well. 
Nothing major. 

Different chalkboard ideas, candle holders, etc

If you want to share some ideas, my Pinterest name is 
Sarah Faircloth


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## jlxian

Will do Sarah! I'll PM you with my pinterest name.


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## clovis

This thread has helped me too...

We've been very busy in the last few months, and I've been remiss on writing the notes and hanging them on items for sale. This thread has motivated me to get busy and write more notes.

I hung five notes last Friday on items that had been sitting for a while, and three of them have already sold!!!! I spent some extra time today, even though I was beat tired, writing new notes and taping them to items.


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## jlxian

That's good to hear. Nothing like a little discussion to get the thoughts and motivation going. I plan to give the note-thing a try; just haven't had an opportunity yet. Again, thanks for all of your input Clovis and Sarah! Brainstorming is great.


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## clovis

Most of the malls and markets that we are at offer daily online sales reports. 

I think it is great. We check every day to see what sold, and where we stand for the month. 

I hear some vendors say that they never use this free service, but for us, it is an awesome tool to check what has gone out the door. It makes knowing when to restock a cinch. Even if gas was free, I still would rather log in for 60 seconds instead of driving one way for 30 minutes.

Do you have free online sales reports, Jean?

Sarah, do the malls that you are looking at have it?


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## SeaGoat

Umm theyll post a "Booth of the Month" and various things around the malls everyday, but they dont really post anything that was sold. 
Last thing I saw posted that was sold was some very old car, talking like mint condition Model T, that was bought and sold and being shipped to Germany


But they do frequently post sales. 
One mall frequently has sales where every booth is at least 10% off with some vendors doing 20-30% sometimes 40-50%. 
It is one of the highest trafficked malls, but Im a little iffy about being told when my stuff will and will not be on sale. 
I mean, usually all the malls do it once or twice a year, but this guy does it all. the. time. 

Does yalls malls do that?


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## clovis

Sarah, our malls do offer sales for vendors.

I was referring to our online sales, which are uploaded every day.

Most malls use mall-central.com. Each day, after the mall closes and uploads the daily sales information, we log into to mall-central using our mall's name, our booth number, and our password. After entering that, and hit submit, our daily sales will pop up.

It will look something like this:

08/01 318 1 3 YARN 2.00 6.00 66.28
08/01 318 1 1 WRENCHES 0.50 0.50 60.28
08/01 318 1 1 TOOL 5.00 5.00 59.13

This has the date sold, our booth number, the quantity sold, the item description, the price of the item, the extended price, and the daily running total.


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## jlxian

LOL, no. We get our total at the end of the month with how much we owe if any for rent for the next month. I'm hoping that for July I at least break even or even have a little profit! That's awesome, I wish my market had this service! I'm going to ask about Mall-Central.com next time I go in. Thanks for the heads up!


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## SeaGoat

How neat! When I start poking around for applications I will ask about this. 
That is a very neat system!


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## clovis

The handwritten notes taped to items do work in promoting sales:

I sold an arctic line hooded jacket today, and it was one of the items that I had put a note on. 

Granted, it was a nice jacket, and looked to have never been worn or washed. I'd 'spect that a jacket like that would have cost $80+ at TSC. This one had two snags on the pocket, both about the size of a dime. 

Someone got a steal of a deal on that coat, and I sold a cold winter jacket in the middle of the summer. I am pretty sure that the note was the factor in getting someone's attention. Who gets up in the morning, on a hot and humid summer day, and says "hey, let's go walk around a flea market and look for an arctic lined coat, size adult medium"? 

FWIW, I always hand write my notes with a Sharpie marker. These notes are bold, and are never ever written in cursive...always printed. I use 1/2 sheets and 1/4 sheets for my notes.

My note read, if anyone cares:

DEAL O' THE DAY!!!!
---------------------------------
DICKIES ARCTIC LINE ACTIVE JACKET
-----------------------------------
LOOKS NEW-NOTE SNAGS IN POCKET
-----------------------------------
A STEAL @ $15


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## SeaGoat

I defiantly don't wake up on hot muggy days in search for jackets - lol


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## jlxian

Headed to my market on my lunch break today to settle up for August. Here's hoping I get a little something in profit from July. Fingers crossed!

Oh and I will remember to ask about the on-line sales site.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Headed to my market on my lunch break today to settle up for August. Here's hoping I get a little something in profit from July. Fingers crossed!
> 
> Oh and I will remember to ask about the on-line sales site.


Jean,

We need to do something about getting your sales into profits.

In all the years of doing this, I've only had two months of owing booth rent...and I was really bad sick during that time. 

While technically I lost money, I also 'sold down' the booth, and cleared it of a bunch of junk.


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## jlxian

Yes, yes we do. Phooey. I owed $4.80. Now granted my booth mate will pay me $15 for her half of the rent for August but I'm so READY to actually turn a profit. Maybe it is time to do some markdowns. And I definitely need to do handwritten signs. Yes, I'm ready to make profits. Thank you Clovis.


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## jlxian

What do you think about pinning pictures of like items with actual retail prices for comparison? I have a vintage draftsman stool in my booth which is in EXCELLENT condition. Marked $45. They sell online for up to $395. Would showing this comparison be helpful? Or am I nuts to think I can get $45? I know if I had a pair it would be lots better.

Edited to add: I have two stool I'd like to sell. One with a back and one without. So, I found some pictures of like items on google. Printed them up and under the picture wrote--- Get the industrial look for your kitchen. One only --- yours for just ....$.


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## clovis

I've never done that, Jean, but it could be a good idea.

One thing that I've learned over the years is that items will sell better, with higher prices, in different venues.

For instance, the draftsman stool might be a tough sell @ $45 at a flea market, but that same stool might fetch $145 at an antique mall that we have a booth in. 

I've not had a hard time though selling higher end items at the flea market. Our FM gets tons and tons of foot traffic, and as long as it is priced within reason, it generally will sell. I think that there are quite a few real life pickers and dealers that routinely walk our FM to pick up items. They also know that items sell well in different venues, and they make their money buying and taking it somewhere else. 

I wish I knew what to tell you on the stool. I just don't know. I think $45 is reasonable. Maybe the right buyer hasn't walked in yet?


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## clovis

Jean, do you have a good spot in your mall? Is your booth located in a place that gets decent traffic in the mall...or are you stuck in a back corner?


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## Fire-Man

jlxian said:


> I'm so READY to actually turn a profit. Maybe it is time to do some markdowns. Yes, I'm ready to make profits. Thank you Clovis.


I want to Chime in here and say----In My opinion---If you are not making a Profit in a "busy" Location there Is something Wrong.

If the location is not busy---That is the Wrong Place to be!

WRONG---can be----You Got the Wrong Stuff for your location. 

If you are selling alot but not making any Money---you are either paying to much for your items or selling to cheap or your overhead is to high.

Let me give you a example on the wrong place. We(wife and I) open a place and run it ""just on the weekends"". At the same time A friend setup in a indoor Flea Market, 3 months later the friend is out of Business, Hardly no sales, not enough sales to even pay the booth rent. 6 Months into our weekend Business, we had sold $40,787.00, with a profit of $19,226.00 after ALL expences(rent, utilities, cost of items, paying a helper, etc).

Example of the wrong Items---We set-up at a outdoor Flea Market one day---several Friends sell or try to sell at this FM every Sunday---they sell from a few dollars to the most one said he had sold lately was 60 some bucks. They all told us that we would be wasting our time coming to sell there "people just are not buying now" they said. We setup between some of them. One did not sell $10(not enough to pay his $10 table fee) One sold $33. One sold NOTHING. We sold $1246.00 that day(everything we sold was $22 or less). Nothing to do with Location there----everything to do with having the "right" stuff to sell.

You spend your time buying resell items/things, renting a spot, setting up things to sell-----I wish you the Best In Your Sales! 

4 things to remember---Location, Items, Price and if you Man Your Booth----Personality!


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## SeaGoat

Jean, Maybe if you took a picture of your booth it could help? 

When I plan on opening one I want some sort of creative chalkboard to write inviting messages
I always like those


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## jlxian

I have some pictures which I will try to upload. 

Thanks for your advice, all! 

The booth is in the center aisle of the store, about 6 or 7 booths back from the front. I think it is a good location. Keep in mind some people still think the place is closed because of the fire next door. The market still has boarded windows and some "crime scene" tape across part of the front. Not ideal, but he's waiting on an insurance settlement. There are several big signs which say OPEN on the front of the store. 

There is another bookshelf opposite the short shelf which has a lot of books.

I will appreciate your (brutal?) honesty. THANKS in advance. 

When I "flipped" the booth the other day, I moved the blue items to the top shelf and generally rearranged the other things. Blue always catches my eye!


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## Fire-Man

jlxian said:


> Thanks for your advice, all!
> 
> 
> There is another bookshelf opposite the short shelf which has a lot of books.
> 
> I will appreciate your (brutal?) honesty. THANKS in advance.


I Feel, You Need to Put Some "Stuff" in there. If you got just those few things and some books--I do not see how you are making enough profit to pay the rent. JMO


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## SeaGoat

You might want to have a few headliners in there, or maybe a large headliner with some back ups ready to go when they sell..

I'm not a fan of the paper towels. Idk why, but as a buy I would be turned off.
Not to sound mean, and I might be a snobbish shopper, but from what I see there is nothing drawing me in to look.
Maybe its the stark white walls and shelves. Are you allowed to paint them?


----------



## Fire-Man

SarahFair said:


> I'm not a fan of the paper towels. Not to sound mean, and I might be a snobbish shopper,


I feel The same way! Paper Towels Gotta Go! And Put Some Stuff in There----OH I already said that!


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## jlxian

THANKS! Yes, the paper towels were a spur of the moment thing to cover the shelves. I will change them out with something colorful. I do have more stuff to put in and will get it in there this weekend. Just didn't want to over crowd! No, I don't think I can paint the walls. I've thought about using cheap wrapping paper as a colorful backdrop. Maybe funny pages or newspapers? 

You don't know how much I appreciate the input. Thanks so much! I'll take pics of the "reformed" booth to share.









LOL, this could be "How Not to Stage your Flea Market Booth!"


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## jlxian

SarahFair said:


> You might want to have a few headliners in there, or maybe a large headliner with some back ups ready to go when they sell..


Sarah, what do you mean headliner? A large awesome item for sale? Thx!


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## SeaGoat

Headliner meaning something that catches the eye...
To me, while it might be quality stuff, everything in the booth seems mundane.
If you had a couple nice mirrors or unique lamps that would catch the eye and draw people in to check the price tag they might be a little more opt to check out the prices on your other items as well..


Newspapers might be to "noisy" and I fear wrapping paper might be ehhhhhh...
If you cant paint but want to add color maybe get some old windows and paint them eye popping colors like red, turquoise, or yellow. You could do the same with shutters.
Display them as they would be used in the house.. There are TONS of ideas on pinterest 

Make large chalkboards out of old dresser mirrors (I just finished one in red that is going in my kitchen and Im in love with it!)


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## jlxian

Thanks so much Sarah. I'll come up with something and will post my "after pictures". 

I vacillate between being inspired and being overwhelmed and just wanting out. You all help me maintain the Inspired Mindset. THANKS!


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## SeaGoat

jlxian said:


> Thanks so much Sarah. I'll come up with something and will post my "after pictures".
> 
> I vacillate between being inspired and being overwhelmed and just wanting out. You all help me maintain the Inspired Mindset. THANKS!


hahaha I know I will go through these motions as well, which is why Im putting off opening a booth myself till I know the ins and outs well enough


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## jlxian

Well, I'm not sure you will ever be READY. Just jump in and go.


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## clovis

Jean,

With all due respect, I agree that you don't have enough in your booth. 

You also mentioned that you have books on the other side of your booth. Maybe it is just me, but books have been poor sellers in the past year. Big, nice quality picture books, printed in full color, still do well. Titles like "Axis Aircraft of WWII" and "Fabulous Cars of the 1940's" will still command a good price.

We were hoping to spend part of our day "trashing out" the booth, and pulling all the books that haven't sold in the past year. These are going to visit the local recycling bin.

We occasionally "trash out" the booths. I think it is good for keeping a good look in a FM booth, and helps declutter all the stuff that hasn't sold. Those unsold books are getting on my nerves!!!

Now that I've said that, I sold $24 in woodworking magazines today out of a booth. I picked up a very large lot of woodworking magazines at an auction for $3, and they have sold well at 50 cents to $1 each, with the large majority priced at $1. I would guess that there were 400 to 500 magazines in that lot. I've sold over $40 worth this week alone. And over the weekend, we sold about $20 worth of other books.

As always, YMMV, but books, especially older titles, have seemed to have fallen off a cliff!


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> hahaha I know I will go through these motions as well, which is why Im putting off opening a booth myself till I know the ins and outs well enough


If you have the desire to be in the business, and have a source for product, the best way to learn is to jump in with both feet.

Of course, you need to have the time to do it too...and never start up using credit cards to finance your venture. 

I've seen people act like they are super successful 'big wheels', buy like mad at every auction and estate sale, and have no idea what they are doing, and finance it all with credit cards. These people *never* make it in the business for very long.

These are the people that spend $950 on a corner cabinet that in the real world, is a hard sell at $300, and they have to find the right buyer. 

You see, when you use credit cards to finance a business, you are much more apt to make bad decisions with that money. But when you carry around cold, hard cash, you are much more likely to spend that money wisely, and make good buying decisions.

Sarah, use cash to fund this business. It will keep you in business over the long haul, and within the world of reality.

Trust me on this one, friend.


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## SeaGoat

We deal in nothing but cash anyways. Cards, even debit, scare me..
Right now I'm working on gathering inventory.. problem is, everything I buy I want to keep for myself - lol

Being a stay at home mom I've got more than plenty of time on my hands, especially with the boys going back to school..

I'm actually scared to go to the auctions. 
I don't know what things are worth and the only other auctions I've been to are livestock where I've never bid.
I guess you have time to look over things and compare on ebay or the like.. and I guess maybe I should go sit in a few just to get the feeling of it, but are there really deals to be had?


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## clovis

Learning values of items...and what it will sell for...will take a little time.

I have spent hours upon hours of my life studying completed listings on ebay.

I still think that pricing of items that we put in the booth(s) is the hardest part of this business. 

As for auctions, in our area, it is the place to buy. I go to estate auctions and industrial/commercial auctions. I generally stick to auction companies that I know and trust. 

When I was starting out in the FM business, I focused on all the stuff that I could buy cheap, which was generally speaking, box lots at $1 or $2 a box. Of course, I was also buying anything I could get on the cheap...I once bought 700 record albums for $6. 

The advantage to this is that you learn while doing, and you don't risk a bunch of money while buying. 

FWIW, stay with your local auctioneers and attend the auctions of regular people's estates. Stay away from the traveling auctions where they bring in semi loads of stuff and stage an auction in your area.

Auctionzip.com is a great place to find auctions in your area.

estatesales.net is a great place to find tag sales in your area.

Hope this helps.


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## MJsLady

Clovis, thank you for your insights and tips.
I know the estate sales in my area are really over priced, some times there are good deals but most times unless it is something you want for your own use, they are too high. 

My favorite auction company has gone out of business and i am hesitant to try the new one. I remember one was said to cheat (they had bidders set up to bid things up if the auctioneer thought the bids were too low.)
There is a newer one now that I may try when I am more sure what my plans are.


----------



## clovis

MJsLady said:


> Clovis, thank you for your insights and tips.


Thank you for your kind words.

I am not an expert. I am just sharing what I've learned over the years and are from my perspective and my market.

It is important to remember that all markets are different. What sells well here might be a real dog in your area, both geographically and in each respective retail setting.


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## MJsLady

> I am not an expert. I am just sharing what I've learned over the years and are from my perspective and my market.


Umm isn't that the definition of an expert?

When we first moved here i worked in one of these malls. I got paid a small sum and got a free booth. I did pretty well there. Out of all the jobs I have had, that is the one I miss the most.


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## SeaGoat

MJsLady said:


> Umm isn't that the definition of an expert?
> 
> When we first moved here i worked in one of these malls. I got paid a small sum and got a free booth. I did pretty well there. Out of all the jobs I have had, that is the one I miss the most.


I want to risk part time I'm one so desperately, but every time I've seen a 'help wanted' sign its always asked for some knowledge in antiques


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## clovis

MJsLady said:


> Umm isn't that the definition of an expert?


Thank you again for being kind...but I am the farthest thing from being an expert.

My game primarily has been to buy large lots of stuff on the cheap, and flip it fast, while trying to extract as much potential or profit as I can.

I know dealers and resellers that are making far more than I am. All of them have a game or niche too. Most of these dealers _really_ know their subjects, have a network of retail buyers that they can sell their goods to, and know the marketplace well. 

Truthfully, much of my work has been dumb luck, and I am not kidding about that, LOL. Like they say, a broken clock is right twice a day.

Even though I know a few subjects fairly well, like postwar Lionel trains and both new and vintage Fiestaware, there are many that are far more knowledgeable than I ever will. Most of these real experts have forgotten more than I'll ever know.

And like I mentioned in one of the early posts on this thread, I am getting my clock cleaned at one antique mall. I still believe that it has to do with my product selection, the economy, and the changing tastes of retail buyers. Not that long ago, we were selling $600 a month on a consistent basis (in a show case), and now, I can't seem to give anything away. Our sales at this AM haven't even been lackluster...they've been horrid!!!

I do have some experience buying and selling, but an expert? Not in a million years.


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## MJsLady

Sarah, check yard sales for some Schroeder's or Kovel's guides and study them. Those at least out here are the 2 ranking books uses. 
Take them and visit some malls and research what they sell. 
According to the gal I worked with I had a "knack" for picking up good items. Everything I picked up I researched.
My focus was limited to china/dishware/milk glass type stuff.
Just take sometime and do some research and when you apply (I have never seen a help wanted for our malls I would jump at the chance to do it again!) tel them you are learning but need some guidance. All they can say is no right?


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## jlxian

clovis said:


> Learning values of items...and what it will sell for...will take a little time.
> 
> I have spent hours upon hours of my life studying completed listings on ebay.
> 
> I still think that pricing of items that we put in the booth(s) is the hardest part of this business.


You got that right! I know that when I SHOP in a flea market I'm incredibly cheap. Usually don't want to spend very much at all. 

Learning curve at work..... 

Do any of you sell on-line as well? And if so, how is that working out? 

Unfortunately I did not get to work on my booth over the weekend. Too much of the home life got in the way. I did prepare some stuff to take to the booth and will do that this week.


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## SeaGoat

I have sold flea market type stuff on a local fb group. Made almost $200 in a few days time


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## jlxian

I'm beginning to be intrigued by this idea. May have to give it a try. Thanks, Sarah!


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## clovis

It has been an interesting August so far.

We started the month with very strong sales. Because many of the different area school systems are starting school at earlier and more staggered dates, I thought we might have dodged the dog days of August this year.

Not so. Our sales had been super strong, but they dropped a bit on Saturday. The slight drop turned into a horrific plunge on Sunday, and continued it's cratering effect today. I'm sure that tomorrow will be just as bad. Historically, August is an awful month for us.

I spent some time today resetting the booth, adding handwritten notes, and marking some items down. I even (regretfully) made a few deals on things that I shouldn't have marked down, but I felt it was better to turn the money and make the sale in this dead month, rather than letting it sit.

I don't know what else to do. The foot traffic is way down since school started today. 

Ideas, anyone?


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## SeaGoat

Here in Ga we had tax free weekend for school supplies. I don't know if y'all have that..
School is also starting back for us this week and I've noticed a lot of people (myself included) are trying to stuff in one last summer vacation..

I don't even know if putting things on sale will help if you don't have the foot traffic.
Maybe the next drab month you know will be coming up go ahead and advertise a sale and bring in special items for that sale

Like, the last two weeks in July put up signs in your booth
'August Sale
....Special items brought in only available during sale...
Don't forget to check us out, everything atleast 10% off'

Maybe have a small table with flyers they can take to remember


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## jlxian

I'm wondering if once school starts if a whole other demographic might begin shopping -- you know, the folks who were tied up with kids all summer. Just a thought. Sounds like you have had a good August otherwise, Clovis.


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## MJsLady

I do sell some books and patterns online at Amazon and Etsy.
Admittedly if i devoted more time to it, I would do better. Right now it is a fun surprise when I get notified of a sale.
I plan to begin devoting more time to etsy in a few weeks. I also plan to use Amazon to build a store when i decide what route i plan to take with it. Since iwth these avenues there is no fee unless the item sells I can take chances! (Well Etsy charges a .20c listing fee, still better than $100 a month for a booth whether i sell $100 worth or not)


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## SeaGoat

If you come across hardback books that are hard to sell but have a unique or decent color and a nice some you can use them as display shelves. 
This does 2 things - cheap display and gives buyers a spur of the moment design idea right there in your booth


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## clovis

MJsLady said:


> I do sell some books and patterns online at Amazon and Etsy.
> Admittedly if i devoted more time to it, I would do better. Right now it is a fun surprise when I get notified of a sale.
> I plan to begin devoting more time to etsy in a few weeks. I also plan to use Amazon to build a store when i decide what route i plan to take with it. Since iwth these avenues there is no fee unless the item sells I can take chances! (Well Etsy charges a .20c listing fee, still better than $100 a month for a booth whether i sell $100 worth or not)


We've done well selling patterns too. 

On ebay, we list the weird and uncommon patterns, and the common patterns go to the FM booth and get marked 50 cents or $1.


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> If you come across hardback books that are hard to sell but have a unique or decent color and a nice some you can use them as display shelves.
> This does 2 things - cheap display and gives buyers a spur of the moment design idea right there in your booth


I saw a very cool variation of these book shelves.

Someone took 1 inch thick books, and separated the covers from the bound pages. They took a board, 1 inch thick, and glued the covers to the board, wrapping it so you couldn't see the board. It made a cool shelf!!!


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## jlxian

The market my booth is in had a robbery the other day. So my booth partner and I have decided to call this one quits. We'll empty by the end of the month and wait for a better market opportunity. I'm bummed, but then again maybe a better flea market with better traffic will become available. And I can concentrate on accumulating a good inventory.


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## SeaGoat

Yeah, I wouldnt burn yourself out in a bad place. 
There are other markets and Id wait for prime opportunity


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## jlxian

Thanks Sarah. Gave it a go, learned a tad of information. The owner was/is quite accommodating, but I think it is time to move on. And now maybe I can get excited about the idea again.


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## willow_girl

> 4 things to remember---Location, Items, Price and if you Man Your Booth----Personality!


The latter is really important. If you're sitting in the back reading, or playing on your phone, you're missing out on sales opportunities.

I always marked my prices high enough to allow a bit of wiggle room. If I saw someone pick up an item and look it over, I'd immediately offer a better price. 9 out of 10 times, you'll make a sale that way. Heck, when I'm _buying_, that same tactic works on me! Just can't resist a markdown. ound:


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## clovis

Jean-

Sorry to hear that you are giving it up for now. I do look forward to seeing you jump back in sometime in the future.

This can be a lucrative and profitable business. I once paid off a nice Pontiac largely with the profits I made from flea marketing, and then paid off the remaining balance of a house with flea market and ebay profits.


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## clovis

willow_girl said:


> The latter is really important. If you're sitting in the back reading, or playing on your phone, you're missing out on sales opportunities.


Truer words may have never been spoken.

I used to attend a trade show every year, and was stunned by the number of people manning those booths who would sit on a cell phone, or had a newspaper spread out in front of them.


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## jlxian

Checking Craigslist this morning and I see some people just post pictures of their booths and list some of the items in them. I will definitely do this once I get my new booth up and running. I think you mentioned this Clovis, but it didn't sink in.


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## clovis

Jean,

If you are moving out, wait until the last possible minute before you actually move.

My thoughts are that since you've already paid for the space, you might as well use it until the very last day.

We once had booths at a local flea market that abruptly lost their lease. Of course, the some vendors rushed to get their stuff out, and wasted their lives gossiping about the fact that the lease was lost, even though it was a business decision by the building's owner. 

We stayed until the place closed, and moved our stuff out during the last few hours that they were open. We actually were taking full truck loads to this FM the very week that they closed, because buyers were in the 'frenzy buying' mode. Our sales were simply off the charts, and we had one of our best months ever!!!! 

Over the years, I've seen people move out of booths two weeks early, even though the rent was paid through the end of the month. It is simply crazy, if you ask me.


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## jlxian

Yes, I do plan to wait until late in the week next week to get the most out of the rent. And maybe sell something. I did consider going in and slashing prices, but decided not to. I'll take everything to a mall with better traffic sometime soon. As you can see, since I still come to this thread, I'm not out of the flea market business yet!


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## Fire-Man

willow_girl said:


> The latter is really important. If you're sitting in the back reading, or playing on your phone, you're missing out on sales opportunities.
> 
> I always marked my prices high enough to allow a bit of wiggle room. If I saw someone pick up an item and look it over, I'd immediately offer a better price. 9 out of 10 times, you'll make a sale that way. Heck, when I'm _buying_, that same tactic works on me! Just can't resist a markdown. ound:


If you Man your booth, your personality Is At The Top Of the List for ways to improve your future business----Thats why the Wife and I did so good. We talked/spoked to everyone that came in to our place. People Looked forward to coming back. When we ran our 6000sqft indoor place---we had So Many people coming back often. We Had several that would come twice a day to see what we had put out "new" during the day. They Liked What we Had and They Liked the way They Were treated. If they told us they had a sick family member or someone had to go to the hospital, Doctor etc----we made it a point their next visit to ask them about "IT". People appreciate being treated Good and Really Appreciate a GOOD Deal---Willow_Girl!!


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## thesedays

Before reading the rest of the thread, I've been doing it for about a year. In my case, it's just a hobby business, but it's been a lot of fun.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...ng-booth-indoor-flea-market-antique-mall.html


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## thesedays

jlxian said:


> Okay thanks for the input on the tvs. Since we bought them at flea markets (for my kids' rooms) I figured we could move them along that way too. I'll just donate them to Salvation Army or some such place. They work fine, but my kids don't want them in their rooms any longer. Much appreciated advice and input!!


FYI: Many Salvation Armys and other thrift stores don't take TVs any more, or if they do, flat screens only. The "fat" TVs just plain old don't sell.

If your town has an organization that helps with furnishings for women escaping domestic violence or people who just got out of prison, that kind of thing, they may want them.


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## thesedays

Another FYI: Whenever you go to restock your booth, ALWAYS take more with you than you think you will need. Even if it doesn't look like you sold anything, you may be surprised at how many items can go bye-bye (i.e. sold) and your merchandise won't sell if it's just sitting in your house, unless you list it on eBay.

And trust me: People buy the weirdest stuff.

Everyone's right about one thing: This is the slowest time of the year for places like this, for all the reasons mentioned.

Another thing: If you get an EIN (Employee Identification Number), you can deduct your mileage, and possibly your health insurance too, in addition to all your expenses.


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## edcopp

I have some consignment space at the Logan Mall, in Logan Ohio. It is in a locked glass front display. The mall owner takes care of all the paperwork, like collecting sales tax, and taking credit cards. They do the selling for me, and they get a commission for that, as well as rent for the space.

They settle up with me twice a month, with a statement and a check. There are about 90 dealers there, and they are open 7 days. On state route 664 about 1/4 mile North of Wal-Mart complex. I mostly sell coins and "small" antiques.

As for IRS there is no need to have an EIN to use all the "ordinary and necessary" business deductions. The EIN is only necessary if I have employees, I do not. I do go to flea markets, coin shows, yard sales and the like. My travel expenses are deducted while I shop for merchandise.


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## thesedays

I went ahead and got one anyway, because it was only $7. 

I would also recommend that you avoid any mall that requires a lease. I lost too much money doing that.

I sell books, along with VHS and DVD movies and some other things, and one thing people have told the mall owners is that while I may charge more for my items, they've also found that my movies actually play. You'd be surprised how many people try to sell garbage, as has been pointed out many times.

I was also doing some craft and vendor fairs, but with one exception, I'm not going to do that again because it just wasn't worth it to me. A couple times, I didn't even make back my rental fee.


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## clovis

thesedays said:


> Another thing: If you get an EIN (Employee Identification Number), you can deduct your mileage, and possibly your health insurance too, in addition to all your expenses.


There really is no need to get an EIN.

Filling out an IRS Schedule C or even a Schedule C-EZ, in addition to your 1040 forms will suffice.


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## thesedays

clovis said:


> There really is no need to get an EIN.
> 
> Filling out an IRS Schedule C or even a Schedule C-EZ, in addition to your 1040 forms will suffice.


One of the antique malls I use issues a 1099 at the end of the year. That will make things a lot easier.


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## SeaGoat

thesedays said:


> I went ahead and got one anyway, because it was only $7.
> 
> I would also recommend that you avoid any mall that requires a lease. I lost too much money doing that.
> 
> I sell books, along with VHS and DVD movies and some other things, and one thing people have told the mall owners is that while I may charge more for my items, they've also found that my movies actually play. You'd be surprised how many people try to sell garbage, as has been pointed out many times.
> 
> I was also doing some craft and vendor fairs, but with one exception, I'm not going to do that again because it just wasn't worth it to me. A couple times, I didn't even make back my rental fee.


I was going to try craft/vendor fair type deals for my paintings and various other crafts but looking into cost and time plus it being such a hit or miss market I held back and decided a antique/flea market would be better suited.


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## jlxian

We notified our mall owner that we planned to empty the booth today... Nope! must give 30 days notice. So I've got to pay another month's rent to let him store my stuff. Not very confident of sales --- Now would be the time for me to try all of the ideas you all have shared with me. And maybe some serious prices markdowns. I can't see hauling more stuff to the booth now, though.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> We notified our mall owner that we planned to empty the booth today... Nope! must give 30 days notice. So I've got to pay another month's rent to let him store my stuff. Not very confident of sales --- Now would be the time for me to try all of the ideas you all have shared with me. And maybe some serious prices markdowns. I can't see hauling more stuff to the booth now, though.


Sorry to hear that.

I'd be tempted to fill that booth to the brim, and slash prices on everything. You are going to pay for the month whether you use it or not, and you might as well stock it as much as you can. Those items aren't going to sell sitting in your garage/basement/shed.

For us, buying is the easy part. I can easily buy far more than I could ever sell. So my attitude tends to be 'sell it while you can', because I can easily replace the items down the road. IMO, cash in hand is better than an item sitting there taking up space and tying up the money that I invested in it.

YMMV.


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## clovis

Also, with Labor Day weekend just a few days away, I'd stock the booth as best I can for all of the people who will be walking the FM and AM's.

Sales are generally very brisk over the LD weekend, at least for us.


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## jlxian

Definitely considering slashing prices Clovis! Thanks.


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## MJsLady

Clovis, what are some good go to resources for info?
I am researching several very different types of collectibles for the family's estate sale and man some are easy to locate (David Winters cottages i found a few decent places)
and some (lanes End Tea for One bone china sets) are supposedly offered but you go to the link and can't find any.

There there are the Indian pottery pieces... and hummels and Waterford and Heisey and goodness knows what else i have not been shown yet.
I used to have books on this stuff but got rid of them when I gave up my booth.


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## clovis

eBay is far and away the best tool for researching, IMO. We use the completed sales lists.

The printed collectors guides can be invaluable, but I only use those guides that are considered the authority in their respective fields. There are numerous toy train books on the market, but Greenberg's is considered the authority, and is the only one I use. 

Other than that, I can't offer much help. Truthfully, we don't run into much that we can't find somewhere. It isn't that I am arrogant and know a lot, (in fact I am a neophyte with most everything), we just keep dealing in repeat stuff, and also, in things that we happen to find easily.

I have some art (oil on canvas) pieces that are quite good, but I can't find the artist anywhere. And just this week, I sold some 6 inch army men that I couldn't identify, but I listed them anyway. Thankfully, a collector emailed me with the maker, and I was able to revise my description.

I also frequent:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/garage-sale-finds/

It is a smaller group of posters, but some of them are VERY good, and know their stuff.

Maybe this forum can help.


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## MJsLady

Thanks Clovis.
I am hoping I can get to the house and get some good pictures this weekend to send to online collectors for some items.
The sooner we close this estate the happier i will be! No one is fighting over hwo gets what it is just hard going to dad's house every few weeks and not seeing any real progress. I want to get together with family just because not to deal with family business.


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## clovis

Don't forget your local library for collector guides. Our library has a pretty good selection.

Also, the good thing about ebay is that for most items, someone out there eventually will list one identical to yours.


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## clovis

Wow...just wow!

As I said earlier in this thread, August is typically our hardest month of the year, mostly because it is back to school month.

I am almost shocked...but giddy too.

This August has been one of the best months we've ever had in all the years we've been selling.

eBay has been strong.
One of the antique malls that we sell at...Wowza!!! Best month ever at this location!!!
Flea market has had super strong sales. I feel blessed!!! 

At the same time, another location we have at another antique mall is still slow. I'm making rent, but not a whole lot more. I still don't know what I'm doing wrong at this place. I'm thinking about switching it to more low dollar, flea market stuff to see what happens. I don't know if it my product selection or if it is the foot traffic. We routinely had stellar months at this mall when we started there.

Again, I am thankful and feel very blessed. It feels great to have such a good August!!


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## clovis

Thank you for all the 'Likes'!!!!!

We worked today, stocking the booths. The FM was busy today with shoppers, and as usual, sales were brisk. I love Labor Day weekend because sales are generally very strong.

As usual, I greeted every shopper I could, and interacted as much as possible. I know many wouldn't believe this, but I sold almost $75 today, just by being friendly and sharing conversation with the customers. This $75 is in addition to whatever was sold while we weren't in the booths.

Last week, I sold an additional $40 to a guy shopping for tools. This guy had walked into our full booth, but never saw some of the tools that I had, and I started a conversation with him because he was carrying some mill files from another booth.

He wanted to see some similar tools that I had, after I mentioned them. We walked back to my other booth with me, and we struck a deal on a pile of stuff I had.

This leads me to another topic: Bundling. 

Bundling is often used by buyers as an effective tool to bargain for better prices. Maybe you've seen it on American Pickers.

But honestly, bundling is an effective sales tool too. This is especially true when buyers are hesitant to pay the asking prices, and or can't decide which of the tools they should buy. I went back through the pile, and picked out all the tools he was hesitant about, and bundled them up at a good price, and he agreed. Both parties were happy. He got the items he wanted, and I turned a pile of rusty wrenches into $40.


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## jlxian

A bit of good news over the weekend. One of the stools I posted a picture of way back in the thread sold. I had it priced at $45, someone offered $40. SURE! So now my booth partner and I are rethinking vacating the booth, at least for a few more months. Partner still hasn't put anything in the booth but is sharing rent with me. If we stay, I'd hope she would add some inventory. I've neglected the booth the last couple of weeks because I thought we were going to leave it. Have out of town plans for the next week or so, but when I get back I will my renew flea market fever, hopefully.


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## jlxian

After tallying rent and commission, I MADE MONEY in August! YAY. Sold several of my husband's spy novels, the stool, and an antiquey casserole. I'm thrilled. Will load up the booth this weekend with more stuff. And Clovis-type notes will be attached!


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## thesedays

jlxian said:


> After tallying rent and commission, I MADE MONEY in August! YAY. Sold several of my husband's spy novels, the stool, and an antiquey casserole. I'm thrilled. Will load up the booth this weekend with more stuff. And Clovis-type notes will be attached!


Great! 

:nanner:


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## clovis

I tell ya, figuring out how to price stuff is absolutely the hardest thing we do.

I picked up about 300 vintage beer cans today out of an estate, for free. All these cans date to the mid to late 70's. I don't think there is anything of real value; the owner kept all of the early cone tops. A quick check on ebay also tells me that I don't have big dollar items.

There is part of me that wants to mark each can at $1 each, and hope that they fly out the door. Another part of me wants to mark them $2 each, and trash what doesn't sell in a few months.

Not knowing what or how to price them is absolutely driving me bonkers.

300 cans x $1 = $300
300 cans x $1.25 = $375
300 cans x $1.50 = $450
300 cans x $2.00 = $600

Who wouldn't want an extra $300 in their pocket? At the same time, I am not a museum, and want the cans to sell...

It is driving me crazy...


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## Fire-Man

clovis said:


> I tell ya, figuring out how to price stuff is absolutely the hardest thing we do.
> 
> I picked up about 300 vintage beer cans today out of an estate, for free. All these cans date to the mid to late 70's. I don't think there is anything of real value; the owner kept all of the early cone tops. A quick check on ebay also tells me that I don't have big dollar items.
> 
> There is part of me that wants to mark each can at $1 each, and hope that they fly out the door. Another part of me wants to mark them $2 each, and trash what doesn't sell in a few months.
> 
> Not knowing what or how to price them is absolutely driving me bonkers.
> 
> 300 cans x $1 = $300
> 300 cans x $1.25 = $375
> 300 cans x $1.50 = $450
> 300 cans x $2.00 = $600
> 
> Who wouldn't want an extra $300 in their pocket? At the same time, I am not a museum, and want the cans to sell...
> 
> It is driving me crazy...


1-$3ea
10 or more $2ea
100 or more $1.50ea
300, $1 ea


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## clovis

Fire-Man said:


> 1-$3ea
> 10 or more $2ea
> 100 or more $1.50ea
> 300, $1 ea


Thank you for the suggestion.

I wish I could work it this way, but the malls and indoor flea market require us to set a firm price on each item. They won't allow us to offer progressive pricing based on quantity. 

One place that we sell at is 96,000 square feet, and generally speaking, they are far too busy to tromp off to confirm "the sign said if I buy 10 or more...".

If I were manning the booth every day, this pricing game wouldn't even be an issue. I am in a booth about twice a week, at best.

Our tags have to be made, with firm pricing...no discount deals, no percentage off sales, no bundling deals...just a firm price on each tag.


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## MJsLady

Clovis, then I would go $3.00 each for a couple weeks, maybe a month then go down from there.
anything you get is a bonus, since they were free to you. Though I realize free stuff that doesn't sell i8s not fun!


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## clovis

Well, for better or worse, we priced the cans at $2 each. 

They aren't eating up too much real estate in the booth, so we might give them some time.

I was probably being too ambitious asking $2 a can, especially the plain ones without color. 

Who knows...

One thing that I've learned is that you can never second guess your customer...not in a million years. Stuff that I think will sell quickly will sit for 6 months, and stuff I don't think will ever sell will find a buyer the minute I set it out.


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## jlxian

Keep us updated on how the cans sell. I think you did the right thing starting out at $2 each. You can always reduce the price in a few weeks if they don't move. I agree, figuring out how to price things is soooo hard.


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## jlxian

Took a load of Halloween and fall items to the booth today. Owner told me that the upcoming fall fair in our town is like their "super bowl". They expect 60,000 people downtown. And will staff the store with 5 people rather than 1. You can bet I'm going to scurry home and find some more to fill the booth. 

I have a question for the experienced booth holders (Clovis?): I began keeping an inventory of every little thing I put into the booth, but realized that chore alone was keeping me from taking things in. Do you keep an inventory of everything you take in and sell? 

I'm energized!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Took a load of Halloween and fall items to the booth today. Owner told me that the upcoming fall fair in our town is like their "super bowl". They expect 60,000 people downtown. And will staff the store with 5 people rather than 1. You can bet I'm going to scurry home and find some more to fill the booth.
> 
> I have a question for the experienced booth holders (Clovis?): I began keeping an inventory of every little thing I put into the booth, but realized that chore alone was keeping me from taking things in. Do you keep an inventory of everything you take in and sell?
> 
> I'm energized!


If you have an event like that, get that booth stocked as deeply as you can. Of course, you don't want it so full that it is a hazard, but get it as full as you possibly can, and don't leave one inch of empty space.

Here is what I've found about out-of-towners and travelers: They are typically very good about buying items when they see them. If I had a dime for every time I heard "Well, I'll think about it. Might come back next week. I jus' live across town", I'd be rich.

The travelers see something, and know they won't be back for a good while.

Nothing is 'old hat' to travelers. Everything they look at is new to them.

And of course, if they are traveling, that probably means that they have a budget that allows them to do so...and that often equates to a bigger wallet to buy stuff. 

I know that all of the above is true for me. I'm more likely to spend money on something if I am out of town, or if it is a one day event, like a festival or train show. 

I'm telling you, if the festival traffic makes it way through the door where you are located, most often, the sales will be terrific. 

Therefore, if I have interesting, unusual or more high end items, I get those out and displayed before the travelers come. I am more likely to sell $40 and up items than I am a $3 hammer. 

As for keeping records, it really would be impossible for me. I'd have to hire four full time accountants to keep up with the inventory. I bought 5 large boxes of nails and screws (for $1 each) last week, and have sold about $40 worth at $1.00 to $1.25 per package this week. That is an inventory nightmare. 

Simply stated, the volume we handle is far too large, and overall, I feel that keeping inventory is impossible. I'd probably do it if we handled $500 vases and $300 antique guns, but for the junk/treasures we sell, it is too much work and a full time job within itself.


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## jlxian

Hooray, good news, Clovis. Thanks for your insight. I may even break out my Jewel Tea dishes and try to sell them. 

The building is very sloooowwwwllly getting its window glass back in that was broken during the next door fire. Owner swears it will be finished by the time of the festival. I certainly hope so.

And I'm relieved to drop the inventory book! Whew.


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## SeaGoat

Ugh! Im sloooooowly stacking inventory...
My biggest problem is I want to keep everything for myself! 

I picked up a Vintage Milton Bradley "Dandy" guillotine paper cutter for $2.59 at the thrift store the other day. People are selling them from $20-$80 on the internet.. and mine is in better condition than most.

Its actually funny. I had been thinking about the one we use to use in art class in elementary school and how I would like to have one.. walk into the thrift store a couple weeks later and there it sits. You dont really see these often - and they arent cheap


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## jlxian

Lucky find Sarah! WOW! Yes, I would love to have one of those paper cutters. Now to decide whether to keep it or sell it..... what a nice profit you COULD make!


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## clovis

How is everyone's sales?

We had an exceptional August, and a very, very good September.

October, so far, has been strong, but our sales are beginning to suffer significantly. I think the drop in gas prices helped us more than anything. I think that the federal shutdown is beginning to crush our sales. 

We don't have paid TV, but I can only imagine what the "right" news channel is saying 24/7 about how the sky is going to fall. This is exactly what happened back in December, 2012, when one of the channels talked non-stop about the fiscal cliff, Obama, and how he was going to quit paying the troops, who would then lay down their arms, and desert in droves.

Of course, they didn't say it themselves, but interviewed commentators who did, and they replayed it again, and again, and again.

I can only imagine what they are saying now, not to mention the other stations. What kind of trash talk are they spewing? 

In the mean time, people get scared, and quit spending money, and that crushes little people like us. I don't enjoy being the brunt of someone's attempt at 'swaying the public' with their political trash. In short, those people have a mission to get us to hate the other party, but I am paying the price for it.

FWIW, we don't have but a handful of Federal jobs in the area, so it's not like the economy is impacted that much, not like D.C.

Okay, it is time to step off my soapbox.


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## jlxian

My sales in September weren't great, but I neglected the booth for a variety of reasons. My own fault. 

I find it interesting how the second hand market seems to be thriving, at least in this area. Goodwill and Salvation Army are always busy stores as are the flea markets. And people still have yard/rummage/garage sales most weekends. Whether people are actually spending money, I don't know, but it looks that way to me. Your booths will be a better barometer of the situation, I think, Clovis. Keep us posted!


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## clovis

Today was the day that vendor paychecks came in, so lots of vendors were in today.

Business seemed brisk, judging from all the empty spots in our booths. 

We are already trying to stock for the upcoming fall/winter/Christmas season. Around here, the fall and winter months, generally speaking, are our best months. 

Thank you for the reference about "being a barometer" for sales, which I wish were the case...but it isn't. The used/junk/antique markets are just too sporadic and too far apart to be a barometer for anything. I could be busting at the seams with business, but just 50 miles away could be dead as a door nail.

I'm still hoping and praying that our business keeps up, and that the yahoos in DC get their act together and quit playing games and treating us like pawns.


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## jlxian

Hoping too for a good fall/winter, market-wise. Here, I think the people who frequent the yard sales during warmer weather probably cruise flea markets during the winter as an alternative.


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## Cygnet

I sell Barbies and other small dolls on eBay but I'm seriously thinking of opening a booth filled just with vintage dolls and for items that I don't, for one reason or another, want to sell online. (Usually I don't want to sell something online because it has a flaw and eBay buyers are notorious for not reading descriptions and then getting upset even though a problem was clearly disclosed.)

I know those creepy modern porcelain dolls don't sell. But how do _genuinely _vintage dolls do? i.e. ponytail Barbies, vintage Ginnys, Mego action figures/dolls, Dawn & Rockflowers, Tammy and family, etc? I don't do baby dolls or anything breakable. 

I am aware that stuff could be damaged or lost by accident by buyers. I figure I would attach each doll to a stand with a zip tie, attach a baggy of accessories like shoes and other small bits to the zip tie, and sell the doll, accessories, and the stand together. This makes it harder to undress the dolls or lose shoes. (I'd probably also put a sticker with a printed photograph of the doll on the bottom of each stand, along with the price. Solves the problem of price tag swapping.)

Every antique mall in the area has a waiting list, so I won't be selling anything soon, but I do intend to ask to be put on their lists. I _can _sell other things besides dolls -- I like vintage toys too.

Anyway, what do you guys think?


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## MJsLady

Cygnet, i wish folks out here would carry the really vintage stuff.
Instead the carry the newer stuff (80, 90 and so on) at vintage prices. 
I LOVE Dawn and the Rock Flowers but no one around here ever has any.
I collect those kinds of dolls along with Raggedy dolls.


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## SeaGoat

Cygnet said:


> I sell Barbies and other small dolls on eBay but I'm seriously thinking of opening a booth filled just with vintage dolls and for items that I don't, for one reason or another, want to sell online. (Usually I don't want to sell something online because it has a flaw and eBay buyers are notorious for not reading descriptions and then getting upset even though a problem was clearly disclosed.)
> 
> I know those creepy modern porcelain dolls don't sell. But how do _genuinely _vintage dolls do? i.e. ponytail Barbies, vintage Ginnys, Mego action figures/dolls, Dawn & Rockflowers, Tammy and family, etc? I don't do baby dolls or anything breakable.
> 
> I am aware that stuff could be damaged or lost by accident by buyers. I figure I would attach each doll to a stand with a zip tie, attach a baggy of accessories like shoes and other small bits to the zip tie, and sell the doll, accessories, and the stand together. This makes it harder to undress the dolls or lose shoes. (I'd probably also put a sticker with a printed photograph of the doll on the bottom of each stand, along with the price. Solves the problem of price tag swapping.)
> 
> Every antique mall in the area has a waiting list, so I won't be selling anything soon, but I do intend to ask to be put on their lists. I _can _sell other things besides dolls -- I like vintage toys too.
> 
> Anyway, what do you guys think?


I'm not sure about dolls. Seems like they sit around in the malls around here. I buy metal vintage toys that are still very much usable (ie Tonka trucks/tractors)
Toy horses I see selling well, cows, pigs, and roosters as well. 

If dolls were my specialty I would probably get a smaller booth and advertise my eBay / website big in there. 
I don't know much about doll collectors, but from what I see on fb from a couple people they are always searching for a specific doll. I don't think they really buy on a whim, but who knows..
Maybe have a beautiful clean cut display wall of some dolls / advertisement and fill the rest of your booth with the toys 

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## clovis

I wish that I knew how to advise you on the dolls.

We mostly deal in tools and household. I used to be able to sell new-to-made-to-look-old dolls as fast as I could buy them, but even those have seemed to slow.

You might be surprised though. You might do very, very well. I have found that toys from the 70's and 80's sell pretty well. Maybe you try a mix of all types, based on what your knowledge and area???

I say that it is worth a try, and encourage you to do so if you feel like it is right to you.

Go get 'em!!!


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## Cygnet

MJsLady said:


> Cygnet, i wish folks out here would carry the really vintage stuff.
> Instead the carry the newer stuff (80, 90 and so on) at vintage prices.
> I LOVE Dawn and the Rock Flowers but no one around here ever has any.
> I collect those kinds of dolls along with Raggedy dolls.


I'm convinced most casual antique sellers (and many buyers) do not know the difference between a vintage Barbie and a modern one. 

FWIW, there is value in Barbies as vintage collectibles up until about 1985. Some of the Superstar era dolls made from 76 through about 1982 are worth hundreds of dollars in mint condition.

After that, most of the value is either as toys or for artists who want a specific face mold. (Excepting the limited edition collectibles, though those seem to be the most valuable in the days immediately after Mattel's website sells out and the eBay sellers start listing them.)

Dawn is one of my favorite vintage dolls, and one of the most frustrating. Finding them in pristine condition is quite difficult.

ETA: One real easy way to tell an older Barbie from a newer one is to look at the back of the head. If there's NO date, then the doll is at least mid 1980's or older. They started dating the heads on the back somewhere around 1985. Ignore the actual date -- it's just the date a design was patented, and Mattel uses the same molds over and over. If the doll costs less than a couple of bucks and looks to be mid 80's or earlier, it's often worth picking up even if you don't know which Barbie it is. You can ID them later by looking at the eyeballs (every Barbie made from the 60's on has unique eyes) and the value once ID'd, for a good condition older doll, can run from around $5 to _thousands_.


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## MJsLady

I know! I once scored a black Francie for $5 and had to sell her to repair our car. She sold for around $300 back in 1992. 

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## SeaGoat

Do yall think taking something like an antique kidney desk and restoring it to a non-traditional color would devalue it?
For example, would taking away the mahogany stain you traditionally see them in and paint it black.


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## jlxian

Sarah, again it depends on your buyer. So many flea market furniture buyers these days are gravitating to painted furniture. They don't see the piece as an antique, just a funky item for their home. But an antique buyer will see that differently and not like the paint. Me, I'd probably not paint it. 

Also depends on the condition it is in. If it's not in excellent "antique" condition, painting may be the only way to get any kind of return on your investment. 

Hope this helps. This is a hard question to answer. Hopefully others will have some advice.


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## jlxian

Here are some pictures I took of my booth after I loaded it up on Saturday. Sorry for the quality of the pics --- my cell phone camera is not great.


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## SeaGoat

It looks a lot more fun and inviting! 

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## jlxian

Thanks Sarah! Hope the stuff sells and I don't have to haul it home! HA!


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## SeaGoat

I walked around about 3 malls this weekend in search for items for my home. We are about to start a few projects (remodel bathroom, new carpets, etc) and I am going to be refinishing furniture (Just a few end tables, but I want to do them so they match)

A few of the things I found I REALLY loved were all a flat(ish) black. 
I am REALLY in love with this, what Im guessing is a buffet. They want $500. 
I couldnt find a makers mark with the quick look over I gave it.. There are a few dents/dings/scratches in the paint... but I LOVE it. 
Still ... I dont want to pay $500. 
Can anyone help me date the piece or give me an idea on who made it and what kind of offer I can get away with?









This next piece is a desk that has been in the shop for I know over a month or 2, probably longer. They are asking $200 for it. Its obviously not the original color and it wobbles a bit. Would asking $140 be a slap in the face?
















This next piece is obviously not an antique, but I need a bench desperately. They are asking $135 and everything in the booth is 30%.. so It comes out less than $100..
Which is a pretty awesome price because benches around here are HIGH










My only problem is... Im shopping on a beer budget right now. 
Ill have to slowly acquire the pieces.. Im just not sure which one I should start with 
Im thinking the bench, since there is such a great price on it, but then again, its in a darker "corner" of the mall. The buffet piece is at the start of one of the first couple isles, but higher priced furniture seems to sit longer, but then again it is a unique piece. 
The desk, I love.. I havent seen another like it around here.. Yeah, there are the fold out desks, but I really like the black. Sure, I could paint one myself, but after all the work of searching, stripping, painting, etc etc 
:catfight:


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## SeaGoat

Here are a few other items I am interested in and what they are going for in my area

If yall could help me date the pieces I would appreciate it..
I couldnt find any makers marks with a quick look over and Im not very good at dating yet

Desks
This one was about $140









$160









$200









This is one I was considering redoing. Its scratched pretty bad on top. They were asking I think $140.. and I was considering offering them $80?









This one had no price at all while everything else had prices.. Its scratched terrible. I know its been in the booth for months and months
Any suggestions on what I should offer?









Sideboards/Buffets
These are all running about $400-$500

1940s?









This one may have been over $500
It screams 1920s, to me, but again, Im not sure









1940s?









This is a sofa table. i think $200 or $300 was the asking price


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## SeaGoat

Vanities 
They were running about $250-$350


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## jlxian

Oh my I love ALL of these! I say make your offers and let the negotiations begin. I have no clue where to start though. Keep us posted. On the desk that has been in the booth forever, I'd start at $50 or $75 and go from there.


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## MJsLady

A lot of the malls here offer layaway too.
It never hurts to ask.


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## SeaGoat

They do have layaway plans... Ive seen stuff in the downstairs on layaway. 
The thought did cross my mind today 

Is it rude to haggle and then put something on layaway?


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## jlxian

I don't think that would be rude.


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## MJsLady

I don't think it would be! 

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## thesedays

MJsLady said:


> I know! I once scored a black Francie for $5 and had to sell her to repair our car. She sold for around $300 back in 1992.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Homesteading Today mobile app


I found a Barbie catalogue from the mid 1960s in a box of stuff at an estate sale. It's the genuine article - not a replica - in near mint condition, and worth about $40.

Today, I went to my booth that usually does quite well, and I've sold TWO ITEMS since September 19th! :smack :shocked: I stopped at a Salvation Army on the way home, and this place sometimes gets expired but still edible produce from a local Wal-Mart, a store I personally boycott, free for the taking and as much as you want. I got a bag of mixed greens, a pie pumpkin, and 3 avocados, so my trip wasn't totally wasted.


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## SeaGoat

I was going through some of my mom's things these past couple days and realized I have about $500 worth of silver coins. 
For now I want to hold onto them. 

I also discovered 55 pieces of plated silver flat wear and searving accessories from 8 different patterns. 
On one hand I would feel guilty selling "the family silver", but on the other hand I know there are several real sets of silver floating around the family through various close relatives and since none of these the sets arent near complete I kind of don't feel as guilty
...plus these sets are not near tip top condition...

Because the sets are so incomplete I don't know if someone just bought pieces here and there as a hobby, or if they were once complete sets. I'm thinking someone just picked up pieces here and there. 

I looked up all the patterns and noticed some places sell very used pieces for 50% off regular/like new condition. 
If I do sell I guess I'd ask 50% off individual pieces then a discounted price for the lot? 

The ages of the pieces range from 77 to 108 years old, so maybe wear and tear is expected and people still buy?

Has anyone had success with plated silver in their booths? 
Should I try other avenues?
Or Are the pieces to win to even try and I should just keep? 

I've included a couple pictures of a few of the pieces. All were tarnished. I did a quick polish to a couple pieces to compare and see what I was really working with. 
And if anyone can help me identify the grape shears, they have no markings 

The pictures are defanitly more gold than the actual pieces


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## SeaGoat

Would asking $250 for all 55 pieces be unreasonable?


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## SteveD(TX)

My wife and I had booths at 8 different Dallas area antique malls beginning in 1985 for about 10 years when she started teaching. Never made much of a profit but it was fun. Then, there were at least 30 antique malls in the area, now there are maybe 2 or 3. And the two good ones that I know of charge such high rent, I have no idea how it would be possible to make money renting a booth.


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## SeaGoat

SteveD(TX) said:


> My wife and I had booths at 8 different Dallas area antique malls beginning in 1985 for about 10 years when she started teaching. Never made much of a profit but it was fun. Then, there were at least 30 antique malls in the area, now there are maybe 2 or 3. And the two good ones that I know of charge such high rent, I have no idea how it would be possible to make money renting a booth.


One of the big malls in my area is charging $80 for an 8x10 area

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## jlxian

Sarah, no clue on the silver flatware. They are beautiful pieces! And YES, hang onto the silver coins! My dad's collection of OLD silver coins disappeared after he died -- I hate to think what happened to it.


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## clovis

Jean,

How are your sales this month?

Our sales are holding up pretty well. All of our locations seem to be doing okay.

How did your big weekend go? Did you sell a bunch of stuff?


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## jlxian

Clovis, I made some sales, but when I checked last week not all of the Halloween stuff had sold. Hopefully some more sales happened over the weekend. I will check on the booth again tomorrow. 

The building still looks terrible, but at least they are working on a restoration. It was disappointing that it looked so much like it was under construction on the day of the festival. There were TONS of people in attendance on the square. I went it in there and a couple of other markets on the square that day and the other markets were crowded but not "ours". I'm trying hard not to be frustrated and want to see how it goes when the building restoration finally is completed. I may break even this month, we'll see.


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## jlxian

Okay, just settled up at the flea market for October. I made $29 in sales in October. 10% commission and $30 rent and I ended up owing $3.90. Phooey. Talked with the market owner and told him I'm frustrated and trying to hang on till the remodeling/facelift get finished. Told him I plan to haul in Christmas stuff on Monday since I'm off of work then. He said Christmas things are beginning to sell, especially "boxed" Christmas stuff. Sigh.

We talked a bit about how some folks buy things you would never expect them to buy. He said there is a man who frequents the place that buys every long hat pin that comes in. Another man buys barbies. Another man buys women's magazines. I've been throwing magazines away! I may try to sell some at $1 each, which he says is the going price.


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## SeaGoat

I'd be frustrated as well! 
It arms like they have been remodeling for a very long time

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## jlxian

Well, yes they have, Sarah. The market owner doesn't own the building, somebody in California does. I'm guessing there have been insurance issues (because of the fire next door that caused all of the damage), but I really don't know. Today he told me coordinating the contractors has been a nightmare. If all goes as planned, the windows and new doors should go in this week, then the bricking up of the facade. Then it won't look like a derelict building anymore. IF. I'm not holding my breath. His plans for the facade sound lovely, so when it is finally done it will be nice and should attract customers.


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## clovis

Jean,

We sell magazines, generally speaking, for 50 cents each.

Specialty magazines sell for $1. These include woodworking, train, Civil War, etc.

Magazines can be a hit and miss proposition. I've sold hundreds of woodworking magazines over the past several months at $1 each, but I can't hardly give away _This Old House_ magazines at the same price.

We work magazines the same way we work vinyl records. Anything that has been sitting for a while goes directly into the recycling bin. The only exception is when we can add to the existing magazines with new stock.

For instance, I've been lucky enough to carry home armloads of _Model Railroader_ for free. I should trash the existing stack of MR magazines that I have now, but since there is a train show coming up later this month, I might get lucky again and find more back issues of MR.

But, nonetheless, I can't call magazines to save my life. Some titles will sell like mad, as the _Civil War Times_ did for many years, but I can't give them away these days.


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## SeaGoat

I know at the thrift store they try selling those gossip magazines from like 2 years ago...
They don't sell, at all. 

Hobby magazines would raise interest because they hold knowledgable information. 
Knitting, woodworking, hobby farms, possibly even equestrian magazines

Style magazines for houses and clothes become dated quickly. Maybe ones from the 50s or earlier would sell better

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## clovis

You are right, Sarah.

IMO, one mistake that sellers make is that they let magazines sit way too long in booths, and they keep stacking more into the booth, even though the other Good Housekeeping from 2003 haven't sold after a year.


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## thesedays

Sounds like you're both doing relatively well. :happy:


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## jlxian

Clovis, so Better Homes & Gardens would go for 50 cents, but something like my son's Guitar Player might sell for $1? Wish I had thought of this, I've been throwing magazines away like a mad woman. I used to save EVERY magazine that came in the house, but that was before the internet and pinterest. Hardly need to save them anymore. 

Do you ever bundle magazines? I've seen that before in booths, but never bought any. Tried it at a couple of garage sales I've had and was not successful at all.


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## clovis

BHG would either go directly into the recycle bin or...I might give them a week or so. If they are old, I'd recycle them, no question. Newer copies would get marked 50 cents.

Guitar Player would get marked $1. It shouldn't matter how old these are if they have tab and chords in them. Of course, I wouldn't let them sit forever.

Just my 2 cents.


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## thesedays

I have magazines at both booths. National Geographic is the first one that always comes to mind, and I also have some Goldmines that I picked up at a rummage sale (turned out my old neighbor was the subscriber!) and the expensive British music magazines like Q and Mojo often sell well, especially if you price them at $1 or so. I've also sold a few copies of Cook's Illustrated.

General interest magazines like BH&G, etc. are best being given to the library. They want issues within the past year or so, or VERY old magazines which they can use for their archive.


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## clovis

I thought of you all today as I restocked and straightened the booth.

My woodworking magazines have really sold well. I sold $10 worth of them just yesterday.

I still haven't sold a single copy of _This Old House_ or _Civil War Times_. This is very surprising to me because the Civil War mags used to sell like mad.

I have only 3 copies of _Model Railroader_ left out of the stack of 100 (?) that I got for free. I could have carted off a truckload of these at the last swap meet, but I was afraid they would just sit. I'm kicking myself now!!!!

As a side note, I can't wait until the last Saturday in Nov. The train swap meet is coming up, and I am going to it, loaded for bear. I spent $220 at the last meet, and almost tripled my investment, if not more, and did it very quickly. My trick is to buy cheaply priced trains and flip them at the FM. 

Then again, knowing my luck, the vendors at the train show will have jacked their prices through the roof, LOL.


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## Lookin4GoodLife

I think This Old House tarnished their brand when, like so many of the earlier home improvement shows, they lost their minds with their projects. Somebody would buy a $250,000 house and spend $100,000 on renovations and additions..... I mean ok, maybe you have a $400-450,000 house now, but what happened to the DIY nature of the show? I also used to enjoy New Yankee Workshop but when it got to where Norm would bust out $10,000 worth of tools to build a hope chest...... no longer interested!


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## clovis

Lookin4GoodLife said:


> I think This Old House tarnished their brand when, like so many of the earlier home improvement shows, they lost their minds with their projects. Somebody would buy a $250,000 house and spend $100,000 on renovations and additions..... I mean ok, maybe you have a $400-450,000 house now, but what happened to the DIY nature of the show? I also used to enjoy New Yankee Workshop but when it got to where Norm would bust out $10,000 worth of tools to build a hope chest...... no longer interested!


Amen!

I've been saying the exact same thing about the shows for the past 10 years or more!!!

I still would have thought that their magazines would have sold. There is a strong old house renovation crowd in the area.


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## jlxian

Okay, let's discuss Christmas stuff for sale in booths. What sells? What is a bad idea? 

I have some ornaments I'd like to try to sell, and have been trying to decide how to display them. I'm thinking a tree branch, maybe spray painted white, stuck in a jar of sand or other stable "base", and then hang the ornaments for sale on that. I also have Christmas table cloths, and various baskets. Is this a waste of my time?


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## Lookin4GoodLife

Speaking as a consumer, I would rather buy something unique from your booth than the same ol same ol that everybody else gets from Walmart or the Hallmark shop. I personally love the ornaments that flash or move in some way, but they're getting hard to find now. I have a Santa that looks like he's climbing down a chimney, a ball with a train running around inside, a mouse photographer holding a camera that the bulb flashes like he's taking a picture, etc. I think the tree branch is a good idea as long as things are hung on there securely enough customers won't accidentally knock them off and break them.


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## SeaGoat

Uhh I'd say if you have the room, set a visual scene to draw people in. Make me want it..
Folded up table cloths are a pain to fold and unfold in tight booths I'm already afraid of knocking items over in.
Seeing them displayed is a lot more appealing and more likely to trigger my impulse buy

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## clovis

One of the funny things that I've learned is that holiday stuff, especially Christmas and Halloween, will sell year 'round if it is priced right.

Easter, Valentines and St. Patrick's will slowly sell until the month of those holidays.

Try to display your holiday junk in a manner that will draw people in, just like Sarah said.


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## clovis

Hey, fellow resellers:

The Thanksgiving weekend can be an outstanding time for great sales. Make sure your booths are neat, clean, and most importantly, well stocked.

As mentioned before, flea markets and antique malls tend to draw travelers. Most of them are like me in the fact that they have a "better buy it now because I won't be back any time soon" mentality. 

I often find that out of towners are apt to splurge on higher ticket items. 

We restocked yesterday for the weekend, but I am now kicking myself for forgetting to take a box of tools and some trains that I have. It is a half hour drive for us to one location...I can't believe I forgot them at home!


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## jlxian

I've procrastinated getting my Christmas stuff into the booth. Will head in on Friday as early in the day as possible. The store will be open this coming Monday night too for the Christmas parade, Mayor's tree lighting ceremony, and open house event on the square. Which is good. I did check on the booth yesterday and it looked like nothing had sold. So *@%& discouraging. The good news is the refacing of the building is ALMOST done. Hope the holidays are good for all of you who have booths!


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## clovis

How did you do this weekend?

Our Friday was okay, but Saturday made up for that in a big way. I thought we would be slow Sunday, but was very pleasantly surprised by a good day of sales.


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## clovis

Are you all hanging in there with the FM business?

I am tremendously thankful for an outstanding month of sales so far in December. All of our locations are doing well, but the FM is over the top this month.

Our sales tend to drop off sometime in December, generally around the 17th or 18th, but this year, sales stayed strong until the 22nd. They should be back to some pretty good days after Christmas, but I am almost sold out of the good stuff!!! 

We have been trying to fine tune some of our booths, trying to offer more items that we've done well with in the past. Generally speaking, I've used the shotgun approach, usually offering whatever I can find cheap at auctions, with a main focus on garage/barn/shed junk and tools. (It is _all_ junk after you've been in this business as long as I have! And yes, even the $3,000 piece of furniture is referred to as junk! Yikes!!!)

Some of the fine tuning is paying off in spades, and I am thankful. Toy trains have done especially well, so I have been hitting train shows whenever possible, and buying for trains to flip in our booths. It sure is nice to check a sales report to see that we sold $55 worth of trains in one day. 

I am even considering travelling overnight to a huge train show in Chicago in January, weather permitting. 

I still believe that $3 gasoline is helping the economy more than anything. At $4 a gallon, I believe that too many families are getting hurt by the high cost. We used about 50 gallons last month, which is low when compared to many families. At $3 a gallon, that leaves us an extra $50 in our budget than when it was $4. I know this sounds like simple math, but I think that gas prices are really affecting our sales. 

Remember to stock up the day after Christmas. The travelers and out-of-towner's will have free time to walk the malls. Keep your booths looking good and well stocked between Christmas and New Years!!!


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## jlxian

At Thanksgiving I took all of my Halloween stuff out of my booth (hadn't sold much at all), and replaced with Christmas. I've been afraid to go back, I will admit. I hate the disappointment. The building has been refaced, with new doors and windows and looks much more welcoming now. I talked with the owner about the idea of a "grand opening" and he seemed hesitant. I will give the new looking building a couple of months before I make my final decision about keeping my booth there. I hope other people here are not having the disappointment I've been having!


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## Lookin4GoodLife

My brother has a small antique mall down in south GA. He said they've been real slow. They keep telling us the economy has recovered, but seems like folks don't have a lot of money to spend. I think a lot of folks are afraid of what's going to come with the healthcare situation. He's thinking about closing after the first of the year.


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## happychick

No we don't, but we have friends that do. After their rental I don't think they make a whole lot, but they make some.


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## jlxian

Went to pay my rent for January --- I actually profited 15 cents! LOL! And had already sold 2 items for this month. So maybe the slump is over. I sold several books, my son's insulated coveralls, a pair of dresser lamps, and a handful of Christmas ornaments. Not a huge deal, but anytime I don't have to PAY my rent is good. Yay. I've been extremely discouraged, and now my "partner" has officially decided she won't ever be joining me in the booth. I still plan to wait another couple of months, see how the spring season pans out and then decide whether to stick with it or not. I may try to find another partner. I wish I could be sure there is actual traffic in the store and that I'm not just selling to other booth holders.


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## jlxian

Good news, a crafty friend of mine and fellow flea market lover has decided to try out joining me in the booth for a couple of months. I know she will have great ideas about how to breath new life into the booth and the addition of her merchandise will help with the visual appeal. I'm stoked again. And I've been making mental lists of all the stuff I have at home that I can put up for sale. 

I've also been trying to decide what way to lean as far as what to put in the booth. is it too soon to put garden themed objects in there?


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## Fire-Man

Lookin4GoodLife said:


> My brother has a small antique mall down in south GA. He said they've been real slow. They keep telling us the economy has recovered, but seems like folks don't have a lot of money to spend. I think a lot of folks are afraid of what's going to come with the healthcare situation. He's thinking about closing after the first of the year.


Sorry to hear about your brother's place. Tell him that Antiques are not where he needs to be right now. Can he change his place around and put some items in that people need and advertise that change?

I keep reading this Thread and see some of you are not making anything to speak of so I thought I would post again to give you all some encouraging words------I Promice you people are spending money---for what they need and some wants. I am only messing with Craigslist and Face Book a little and I am Making a few hundred extra per month average. I made $182 just Thursday buying/reselling. A few weeks ago we carried some "junk" to a night auction and sold over $800 worth---we got around $650 after commision---just stuff we had stored. Again---I promice you people are Buying!! I wish You all Luck----I wish Everyone of you could sell $1000's per month in your Booths etc. 

Maybe you could make a few Changes and increase your sells alot. Good Luck!!


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## jlxian

Thanks Fire-Man for the words of encouragement! What types of things are you finding sell the best?


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## Fire-Man

jlxian said:


> Thanks Fire-Man for the words of encouragement! What types of things are you finding sell the best?


Thats where your "Home Work" comes in. You have to find what people are looking for in your area. Antiques will not sell in my area except to a few of the Wealthier people. Low to middle class can not afford them---things are just to tight. Most Low to middle class people are where I have made most of my money. Finding out what they are looking for and selling it where they feel they are getting a deal. 

I can take these good, used, clean, items-----pots, towels, bedspreads, sheets, comforters, good jeans, coats, Good tools, etc to the FM and sell out, if the price is right. Then alot of other Items will sell too, if they are at a deal. Where alot of vendors that sell used items mess up is trying to get almost new price for it. I had rather sell $1500 worth of items and make $500 in one day than to "try" and sell this $1500 worth for $3000(almost new price) and sell only $30 worth in a day.
People are Hunting a deal, If you are going to pay $15 for something that sells new for $20 and you mark it $19, you are going to take it home with you. You need to buy it for $5 and sell it for $10 then it will move quick. If you can not buy it at a good price----Forget it.

For Manned booths----Treating Customers Good, draws them back to you----to be treated good again. Example, I have walked the rows of FM tables, look at things people have for sell---most of the sellers will not even speak, some of the ones that did were no more than a grunt. When I sell I try to speak to everyone, invite them in to look around, ask if they are hunting anything in particulier, If I have it I show them where it is, if I do not, I tell them---I sure Will Keep my eyes Open and try to find it for them.(and I do Look) I try to be-friend them, Listen to what they have to say, so the next week they will stop and speak, look around and buy something. I ask them about things we talked about the last time. I Promise you that you will sell alot more treating everyone special!

The things I sell mainly now of FB and Craigslist are thing that I find at a deal and resell them at a deal. I buy a $300 gun(used price) for $200 and resell it for $250/$260. I bought a box of Jeans for $2 at a Auction(no one at this Auction likes to resell clothes) I sold these jeans for $40 on FB. I buy a enclosed trailer that is worth about $1500 used for $1200 and sell it for $1400, a set of tools that are worth $200 used ---buy for $100 and sell for $150. Finding a Deal happens if You keep looking(always remember----"Early Bird gets The Worm"! Last Thursday I bought a electronic Item that was worth over $500 new---"If" it worked. I bought it for $15(had $18 after buyers premium/tax was added)(no other bidders went any higher) The Item worked and I sold it that night for $200. This is where doing your home Work Pays Off good!! Hope some of this Info can help---Good Luck In your Sales!!


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## clovis

Fire-man is right.

The key to this business, IMO, is getting stuff bought right, and selling it right. This is especially true in this economy.

The train cars that I've been buying at train shows: I am picking up anything I can for $3 or less, and flipping them for $5-$6.50. So far, they have been flying off the shelves. I could probably get more for the cars. You see a ton of cars at train shows for $8, but they are sitting at those prices. As long as I can keep the trains moving, and hence flipping my cash, I am happy.

While I believe the economy is improving, there still isn't a ton of cash out there, and antiques seem to be a hard sell at full price.


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## MJsLady

I tell folks the key to selling is not to be set on "book " price. 

For example I collect Currier and Ives blue dinnerware (Old Grist mill is the big plate not the pattern name)

The large dinner plates are listed in books for about $8. (last I looked)

If I am in an antique mall and the dealer has this stuff over flowing all over and on the floor I will stop and look. If it is all marked at book price that is all I will do. 
These things can be found at yard sales and thrift stores for $1-2. I might be willing to pay $4 for the dinner plate but not $8. The amount of stock consistently in the store shows no one is willing to pay book price for it.

My exceptions are the rare pieces, which I can't afford yet. 

Book price does you no good when the customers will not pay it. The rule of thumb when I had my shop on most things was charge double what you paid. On some things we could do better than that but we sold antiques. Depression glass, old milk glass/china and so on. Not newer items. I lucked into a stock of old milk glass a whole pile of it once for $95. Some pieces were trash and I got rid of them cheap and fast. Others I put on ebay and sold for $30 to $60 per piece. I more than tripled my $95 investment. 

I did this on ebay for a while. It paid the grocery bills and for my yard sale hobby. My goal this year is to begin on ebay again. There are too many antique malls here and they all charge high for rents so I will not do that. 

Research is a big thing too. Get to know your niche. Mine was old dishware, china, glass and toys. Salt and pepper shakers are a big thing with me. I was even able to tell an antique mall owner what she had when I bought my last set. She had no clue they had such a unique history. (I would have passed since they wanted book price but Beloved insisted I get them since the cats had broken my original set from my mom)


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## Fire-Man

clovis said:


> Fire-man is right.
> 
> The key to this business, IMO, is getting stuff bought right, and selling it right. This is especially true in this economy.
> 
> While I believe the economy is improving, there still isn't a ton of cash out there, and antiques seem to be a hard sell at full price.


I Love helping People, I Love seeing People Do Good. I Love seing People making Money for their Time. I have helped a few Local People improve their sales. I do this and do not ask for a penny---I Love hearing success stories later from these people(some just do not put the effort in to become a success).

I want to add a few encouraging words for the ones of you that want them---Please understand this is facts not wanting it to sound like I am bragging. I run a business by the Book so to speak. I keep up(on paper) with EVERY penny that goes out and comes in, including All gas, tires, any expence of the business. We use a money pouch around the waist at the FM---We start out with the Exact amount of money each Day so we can keep up with each penny that was sold that day. It is put on paper That night, so what I am about to share is facts and not guessing.

Clovis mentioned the Economy getting better, and I agree it is slowly picking back up. I want to say this----I hear this SO many times---"people are not Buying, moneys to tight" thats a False Statement to prove what I am saying here is some numbers.

Lets back up a few years. I started FM selling once and a while before 2008 but got more steady in 2008(Bad Economy time). But for full year figures lets start with Jan 1 2009 through Dec 31 2010. Keep in mind that we only sold on the weekends and "most" of this time we sold in a OutDoor type setting(had to put the stuff out daily and put it back up--unless we slept in the trailer---which we did some). If it was going to rain or stay TOO cold---we did not sell. We only sold smaller items, rarely a new item, never furniture, beds dressors etc(we did sell 2 dining tables and chairs in 2 years) We wanted to sell things that were easily picked up. We mainly sold things that were below $10, but did sell a few items above $20(dining tables/chairs went for $65 and $80, I sold 3 guns those 2 years between $100 to $230. $230 was the most expensive item sold during those 2 years at the FM. 

We sold a little over $100,000 those 2 bad Economy years, with a profit of 47% after all expenses. Now Understand, when you sell these numbers, you do not just get up on Saturday morning and go set up and sell, We spent alot of time during the week finding/buying items to resell. We sold ALOT of "stuff".

Again as I said in a earlier post, If you carry the right Things, price them right, treat the buyers right, those things WILL sale----even in a bad Economy. If your "stuff" is not selling, you got the Wrong Stuff for your area or its priced Wrong. Again I am Wishing You all the best. 

If anyone has a private question, remark feel free to send me a PM.


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## clovis

Fire-Man said:


> Clovis mentioned the Economy getting better, and I agree it is slowly picking back up. I want to say this----I hear this SO many times---"people are not Buying, moneys to tight" thats a False Statement to prove what I am saying here is some numbers.


Overall, I agree with what you are saying.

There is some money moving out there, but what I've found is that people are not buying 'wants', but needs.

I do indeed see a direct correlation to the price of gas at the pump. When gas starts falling, our sales go up. When gas goes to $4, our sales drop. I have watched this time and time again. When the average family spent another $20 a week on gas, times four weeks in a month, that is $80 pulled out of their budget. Where we are set up, $80 for the average family is $80 they are not going to spend at a flea market, if they even decide to go in and walk around.

Here is what perplexes me:

We made great money in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and did okay in 2012. But when Dec. 20 of 2012 rolled around, we have had a massive struggle on our hands. 

The economy, IMO, finally caught up with us here, and we've had to fight for every last dime we've made. The first 6 months of 2013 were *hard*.

I know what most will say: "You are dealing in the wrong stuff" or "that your prices are too high". That is *NOT* the case here, and if you could spend 10 minutes at my booths, you would agree that I'm doing this right.

I've never dealt in high end 'foo-foo' antiques...or any thing high end for that matter. I've always focused on garage junk, tools, barn and shed junk, etc., and my prices reflect very good values for the buyers.

It is just that their are no buyers, whatsoever, at times, especially last year. Am I still supposed to stand all day at an auction to buy a shovel for $3, haul it to a FM, and sell it for $2, just so someone can get a good deal?

I tell ya, when there are NO buyers whatsoever, you get to wondering "Is this how it felt in October, 1929?" 

And when there are no buyers, I don't feel compelled to drop the price of a nearly new $32 pitchfork to $5, just to get someone to buy it, even though I paid $8 for it at auction.

There is a fine line, IMO, figuring out how to get the most for your stuff, and still getting it to sell. 

But again, you are right. You've gotta have the stuff people are looking for, and be able to sell it at an attractive price. That can be a tough sell in this economy...I've been doing this for 10 years, and doing it for a full time living for the past 3 years. 

Very good discussion, Fire-man.


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## jlxian

Clovis, I'm kinda glad to hear you say that it has been tough. It is the pits for you, but it makes me feel better knowing that it's not completely something I'm doing wrong. My impression is that there are no shoppers --- for whatever reason. I plan to move my focus mainly now on every day things for homes ..... we'll see how that goes.


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## clovis

Things started picking up in July, and we did okay for the rest of the year, ending up with our best month ever, in 10 years, in Dec. '13. By May of last year, I was actively looking for full time employment. It really was that bad, and I'm not the only dealer in the area complaining about poor sales.

So, after much work, and fine tuning of our booths and selling strategies, we've gone from a banner December...and fallen off of a cliff for January. The flea market has been closed 3 days due to weather, and they might as well been closed 5 more days for the "impending doom" type of forecasts, and closed for another 2 days while people felt safe enough to venture out in the snow and ice. 

As of today, we are down $950 in sales for the month, comparing where we need/should be for the month.

I simply don't see how we are going to recover $950 in lost sales and come out okay for the month. 

It is frustrating, I tell ya, and depressing too.


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## jlxian

Ouch. That's a huge hit. Hoping the rest of January helps to make up for some of the losses.


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## Fire-Man

clovis said:


> Am I still supposed to stand all day at an auction to buy a shovel for $3, haul it to a FM, and sell it for $2, just so someone can get a good deal?
> 
> I don't feel compelled to drop the price of a nearly new $32 pitchfork to $5, just to get someone to buy it, even though I paid $8 for it at auction.
> 
> Very good discussion, Fire-man.


What kind of pitchfork you got with a value of $32(must be a High Name Brand)? All the years I have sold, I never sold a pitchfork, shovel, hoe or rake that I can remember.

I had Items That I set a Price on and would not come off that price. I did that with items that I had rather keep for personal usage than to let go any cheaper. 

Clovis, have you checked other FM's within a couple hours drive of you? None of the ones in my area were worth setting up at. I sold at one a little over a hour away that is a GOOD FM.

If the FM does not draw Customers to it----You right-----you can not sell if you have no one to sell to. If thats the Case, I would Hunt another place or set-up my own place in a good location.

We were volume sellers I guess would be a way to describe us. I rather sell that pitchfork for $12 and make $4 than to sit on it for weeks. Once a Month before we repacked what was left, we would pull pretty much every thing off our tables that we have had for more than 4 selling weekends(kept a few select items). 

These pulled items would be carried to a outdoor Auction during the next week and sold to the highest bidders(no matter what they brought). We did this to make room for new(used) things----putting new things on our tables weekly was a BIG help to keep people coming back weekly---They always seen alot of different items. When we ran the indoor Yardsale, we have had the same customers that would come back in as much as 3 times in a day-----to see the different Items we put out daily---early bird gets the worm---type customers. 

When Working the FM, We had a storage place on my farm and all our things we bought would be prepped and put into stacking totes---we had 200 to 300 of these. They were stacked in a "holding" area---ready for the FM when needed. On Fridays I would back the enclosed trailer up to this storage and handcart several totes high per trip into the trailer. When I got all the totes in the trailer I could get---I then layed other things in any hole/space I could find in the trailer----we went with a Load if we were selling on Saturday and Sunday.


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## clovis

The flea market we are at, an indoor place, with cashiers up front, has very,very good foot traffic, generally speaking.

The location is not the issue this month, it is the weather. A full week of TV weather people preaching doom and gloom...and then two days of snow and ice, plus the high on one of those days was -11.

The location was not the issue for the first 6 months of 2013, it was the economy and high gas prices, period. Lots of people walking around, but no buyers. 

BTW, the pitchfork retails for $32, and I got $18 for this one, and it lasted exactly one day. I don't remember the brand, but you know a good tool when you see one, and this was like new. I probably should have put $22 on it, in hindsight.


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## SeaGoat

That is my problem. I want competitive pricing, but i don't want to under sell and end up burning myself.


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> That is my problem. I want competitive pricing, but i don't want to under sell and end up burning myself.


While pricing is the trickiest part of our business, don't let it dissuade you from getting in the business.

In the old days, you could buy a table for $200, and flip it for $500. In today's market, you might buy that table and try to flip it for $395, just to keep your cash moving. You might even mark it down after a few months to $325 if it hasn't sold already.

But then again, what do I know? Every market place is different, and I don't deal in furniture.

The trick to this business is flipping your money as much as you can while making enough to pay your expenses and make a profit.


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## clovis

We had our single best month ever, in ten years of doing this, in December, 2013.

Now, due to the weather, we are on track to have our worst month ever. 

I am frustrated, to say the least. We are off over $1,000 in sales, compared to where we normally are this time of month, and the deficit keeps growing, day after day.

Yes, I am a _little_ short on stock in the booths, but it isn't horrible. I still have plenty of stuff that is of interest of buyers...but the problem is that I have no buyers due to the weather.

I went out to buy today, wanting to find some good stuff, hoping to add some flair to the booths, but, in essence, came out with nothing good.

We are expecting another 3-5 inches of snow this weekend, followed by a three day plunge in the temperatures. 

It is depressing to have worked so hard, had great success, and now experiencing a bust for the month, and I don't know how to fix it.


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## Fire-Man

clovis said:


> , we are on track to have our worst month ever.
> 
> and I don't know how to fix it.


Time and patience.


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## clovis

We spent the day restocking and cleaning the booths today.

I focused on getting every last item we had into the booths. We can sometimes be a little lackadaisical about getting an item or two to the flea market when the car is already full, but today, we were in hyper-drive. For instance, I had a handful of books that I wanted to read before taking to the FM, but they got priced and put out. I had a stack of train cars destined for ebay, but they went to the FM too. I sold one of the cars already, so that put a few extra dollars in the 'sold column'. 

We didn't have a bad day for sales, but it wasn't the blockbuster that I'd hoped we would have. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are our biggest days of the week, by far. I need some good weekends to help make up for the bad month.

Right now, the plan is to keep hitting our buying spots on a daily basis, in hopes of picking up more good stuff for the booths. 

I am also going to try to double-down and hit some auctions too. I'm a little light on tools, so it would be nice to pick up a truck load of tools.

If anyone has ideas, please let me know. I could use them right now!!!!


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## SeaGoat

Where do y'all buy from? I know there's auctions, but I am a little auction shy... yard sales are non-existent this time of year


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Where do y'all buy from? I know there's auctions, but I am a little auction shy... yard sales are non-existent this time of year


Thrift stores and estate tag sales.


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## Fire-Man

SarahFair said:


> Where do y'all buy from? I know there's auctions, but I am a little auction shy... yard sales are non-existent this time of year


I bought from yardsales and regular Auctions. Before the TV Shows caused them to Go Crazy with the Bidding mostly Storage Lockers. I have bought as many as 7 in one day, spending several thousand, taking a day and 1/2 to get them emptied and put into My Storage, several BIG trailer loads. Then the Process starts----going through All of It. Then buying a couple more the next couple days, etc, etc. etc. The process keeps going! We did Most of our going through them the days we were running the "Indoor Yardsale Store". When we were selling at the Flea Market we would go through them in our spare time prepping things and storing into stacking totes----ready to take to the FM!


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## Fire-Man

I went into the Biggest Indoor "consignment/un-manned booth Store" yesterday I have ever been in, covered most all of a City block. Was in a HUGE tobacco warehouse---Many, Many rented sections where people rent a spot, set it up, then a person at the front door collects the money for the "sellers"----This Type Spot. I was in there almost 3 hours, during the middle of the day----killing time between 2 auctions that were a few miles apart. I seen 1(one) person buy something---In 3 Hours. Only about 25 different people come into that place----I feel Sorry for the "sellers" they have spent Soooooo much time setting up their beautiful "area" some of these area's look like they deserved to be in Good House Keeping Mag. When we were selling at our Indoor Yardsale store---in the dead of Winter, one person could not work the cash register most of the time, bag the items and get the customers out in a timely fashion. I have seen 3 of us working the front with several in the line waiting. We were in a 5800sqft building, not a 200,000sqft warehouse-----BUT, We Had To Man our Place!!


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## Lookin4GoodLife

Just a point of interest, any of you guys ever been to the "World's Longest Yard Sale"? It ends up near where my Mom's family is from in North Alabama. Travelling that a few days would make an interesting summer vacation, I think. 

http://www.127sale.com/


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## SeaGoat

See that is the flea market here, the one manned cash register and just rows and rows of booths. Not many people go through there, at least when I go through anyways. 
I'm a little more hesitant about starting there. 
The antique malls get people in and out all day 7 days a week, well one is closed on Sunday (HUGE no-no in my book) and a couple are closed Monday (a slight annoyance).


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## clovis

Indoor FM are the way to go around here.

There is one guy that owns about 20 flea markets in different locations. He has it figured out, and all of the locations seem like great places to sell.

Open 7 days a week, 10 am to 7 pm, year 'round.

Booth rent is $150 a month, no commissions.

The nice things about indoor flea markets, if they have good foot traffic:

1. We don't have to be there. I was sitting on a beach over vacation, and every hour of the day, someone was selling our items and taking the cash for me.

2. No set up costs, no travel time, no sitting around all day hoping a crowd show up, which is basically what the outdoor FM have turned into around here. The outdoor FM people cry the blues every time I see them.

3. Buyers have to pay the marked price. If you put $5 on a shovel, there is no room for negotiation. The buyer either pays the price or leaves without a shovel.

4. No early morning set ups. No getting up at 2 am to drive to a FM to set up by 6 am.

5. No rain, oppressive heat, and no freezing cold. Air conditioning in the summer, and heat in the winter, and no rain to contend with.

6. Our weekends are free. The big FM's around here, or at least the ones worth setting up at are on Sundays. I prefer to have my Sundays free.

The negs:

1. Breakage, shrinkage, and general loss of items because you can't be there to watch everything. Breakage and shrinkage is a fact of the FM business, and you have to accept that going in. Nonetheless, it is frustrating. Over the past two months, someone has purposefully broken trains I had in a booth, and has stolen parts. We don't have them on camera...yet...but when we do, that person will learn what the inside of a jail looks like.

Truthfully, though, the greatest theft is from other vendors, and not the outside public. Sure, there are thieves that will steal you blind, but the biggest losses come from other vendors. 

2. Tag switching. It does happen, but we go to great lengths to mitigate it happening, and it does work.

3. Remember the price tags? The downside is that someone might pay $18 for a wrench, but not the $20 you priced it at. They walk away, and we lost a sale. Pricing is tough and tricky!!!!

4. Everything has to be priced, or it doesn't sell.

5. If you are in a FM where the manager doesn't care about theft or breakage, you need to get out today. A good FM is made or broken by the manager. 

6. If someone walks into your booth and leaves it a mess, it will stay a mess until you come back to clean it up. This happens a lot, and I am amazed at how many people are so disrespectful of other people's merchandise. This is why we will never sell another comforter or quilt in any booth. Too many people will leave them in a wad, or drop them on the floor where they stand.

7. People pick stuff up out of your booth, and will carry around until they find a better deal in another booth, and leave your item sitting there.


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## Cygnet

I've been trying to get a booth at a local antique mall to sell dolls at. They've been putting me off for months, telling me there's a long waiting list, etc., even though I assured them I sell VINTAGE dolls and Barbies. They were reluctant to even put me on the list, supposedly because it's "long." 

I finally showed up with an armful of REAL VINTAGE BARBIES from my own collection plus a really nice Sweet Rosemary grocery store doll (in a mint dress) and asked again about getting a booth. 

Wow, what a different reaction now that they've seen what I have to sell!

Seems like they may bump me to the front of their "waiting list" and I may be in there as soon as next month, or March at the latest. Boy, what a turnaround in attitude -- apparently, despite what I'd said, they'd assumed I would be selling poor condition modern Barbies, faux antiques, and junk. 

(This antique mall is very busy and has tons of merchandise.)

The dolls I brought in were clean, with perfect hair, were zip-tied to Kaiser stands (to be sold with the dolls), dressed in pristine period-appropriate clothing or their original outfits, had an attached baggy with matching shoes and accessories zip-tied to one hand, and basically were ready to display as soon as they went home with someone. (I buy kaiser stands in bulk, so I'll probably sell extra stands, too.) 

I think the clincher was when one of their customers started asking if I had any Skippers and I said, "Not right now, but tell me what you want, and I can find it for you."

I got exact details from the customer -- she wanted to replace childhood dolls lost in a fire -- and I'll call her when I can find them. 

The store manager had been convinced that, "Dolls don't sell," until he saw what I had. Dolls don't sell if they're dirty, falling apart, stained, and dressed in ill-fitting mama made stuff. If they look like they just came out of the box, and they're real vintage Barbies, they'll sell!   

On another note -- I see where some of you are struggling with bad weather. I sell a ton on eBay (eBay has recently improved some of their seller protection policies, too) and eBay sales are better the worse the weather is. For some things, it might be worth diversifying and selling some of your merchandise online. When the weather outside if frightful, people tend to curl up with their computers and shop online.


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## clovis

WTG, Cygnet!!!

Our ebay has been decent too. I am blessed to be able to have decent ebay sales during this time, but I need both the FM and ebay to do well so we can do well.

We had a decent day of sales today, and I am thankful. At least the running daily deficit has subsided so far, but that will change tomorrow. We are expecting 3-4 inches of snow and a high of 10 degrees. That won't only hurt sales, it will kill them.


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## SeaGoat

I've just received my eBay invoice, and wow! Between Paypal and eBay fees I feel like I'm being robbed blind! 
I'll be moving to etsy after these last purses sell...


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## jlxian

Clovis, do you think the drop-off in sales may be because it is the post-holiday season and people are just trying not to spend, period?


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## jlxian

The owner of our flea market building has been formulating plans to have an "open air" market in the basement on the weekends . The kind of market where you set up for the day and sell whatever you can. I'm not interested in that, but I'm hoping it brings more traffic to the first floor.


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Clovis, do you think the drop-off in sales may be because it is the post-holiday season and people are just trying not to spend, period?


Not at all. 

January is traditionally one of the best months of the entire year. People have more free time, and they tend to shop when they don't have to mow, attend soccer games, or go on vacation.

Generally speaking, February and August can be tough months. February is a short month, and if there is any post-holiday drop off, it tends to happen then for us. August is back-to-school month, and sales at the FM have dropped off in the past, but last August for us was very good.

The snow and bitter cold is killing us, nothing more, and nothing less.


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## thesedays

SarahFair said:


> See that is the flea market here, the one manned cash register and just rows and rows of booths. Not many people go through there, at least when I go through anyways.
> I'm a little more hesitant about starting there.
> The antique malls get people in and out all day 7 days a week, well one is closed on Sunday (HUGE no-no in my book) and a couple are closed Monday (a slight annoyance).


The store where I have my new booth is closed on Wednesdays. The old owner was an avid golfer, and he decided to do that because that was traditionally their slowest day, so when the new owner purchased the business, he figured he deserved a day off as much as anybody. So far, this one seems to be doing quite well, and I just opened it on the 2nd.


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## Cygnet

SarahFair said:


> I've just received my eBay invoice, and wow! Between Paypal and eBay fees I feel like I'm being robbed blind!
> I'll be moving to etsy after these last purses sell...


I actually don't feel too bad about my eBay fees. My profit margin would be lower if I had to have a brick and mortar store, drive to it, insure it, pay for the utilities, clean it, etc.

The case I hope to rent in the antique mall will have a rental fee, and I'll have to drive to it repeatedly (a fifty mile round trip) to clean, organize, and restock it. I'm assuming a certain percentage of shrink, as well -- something I don't have to deal with very often on eBay. (I count orders missing or damaged in the mail or fraudulent buyer protection cases as the eBay equivalent of "shrinkage" but those don't happen very often at all.)

Even if you're just selling out of a show room on your own property, there's always expenses.


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> I've just received my eBay invoice, and wow! Between Paypal and eBay fees I feel like I'm being robbed blind!
> I'll be moving to etsy after these last purses sell...


I'll be the first to say that ebay's fees are high. I'd like to have back half of what I've spent with them.

Back in the day, when their fees were much lower, it was easy to find cheap mark downs at a store, and list them on ebay. It is much harder these days, at least with the stuff that I find, to buy it, list it, pay the fees, and make a profit.

But on the other hand, I am thankful for ebay, and feel that it is a blessing, despite the problems and the high fees.

The antique malls take 10% in commission, plus the monthly rent, plus a 3% fee if the customer uses plastic of any type to pay for their purchase.

The local auction barn charges 30% to 50%, unless you are selling a car, which is 10% to 20%.

Ebay is expensive...but where else can I sell a vintage 50 year old sweatshirt for $41, or a Lionel train car for $50, which is tip-top of the market?


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## SeaGoat

Yeah, I like the wide net that eBay casts, but it's just aggravating.


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## clovis

Ebay has the buyers, but due to their policies and high fees, they are putting themselves in a position to be knocked off their throne.


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## SeaGoat

Yeah, I've read they are trying to become an Amazon and cater more towards large distributors. 
I've noticed a lot of those distributors are China based companies


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## MJsLady

As much as I dislike Ebay I am going to try them again. 
Amazon book sales are slow and some of what I have does well on ebay.
Plus I can sell things I have not made there as well.


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## Fire-Man

I wish I had the time and the typing skills to do a Ebay set-up on a BIG scale. I got a "friend" someone I know from the Auctions. She would never tell anyone her Ebay selling name if asked(its a long name--I got it wrote down at home is what she would say). I got nosey one day and took a few minutes and found her. On her list of completed sales for the last 15 days she had over $6000 in sales,(mouth open/jaw hitting the floor) alot of listings that did not sell. I would keep checking on her----some times a few hundred per day, some times only a hundred. I had not looked in several months and looked again last week, only $2600(+) for the last 15 days. I seen her at a Auction last Saturday for the first time in several months(the Auction I seen her at weekly had closed so being she lives about 1 1/2 hours away from me--we do not attend the same Auctions anymore---I just decided to drive into her area last Saturday). I ask her is she was still Ebay selling(she probably thinking I forgot her Selling Name)--lol. She said yea but it has Slowed down So Much----I am thinking---yea from 6 grand per 15 days to 2500, Poor baby!!! LOL.


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## SeaGoat

Ugh! I can't even think of what her fees are. 
I sold 2 things equaling to around $250. 2 other listings never sold. EBay alone took $50 + the fees when the other items do sell. PayPal takes 2.9% + $.30 for every transaction that comes in. 

That will eat into etsy sales. I think etsy charges $.20 for a 4 month listing. They will transfer to an online bank account for free. I guess I'll be checking out my options with online banking.


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## MJsLady

That would be awesome. I might not mind the fees so much making that kind of income!


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## clovis

Thank the Lord for blessings.

We had a stellar Saturday, and a very, very good Sunday.

I am still down $600 for the month. I doubt that we'll do very well this week with an arctic blast coming our way again. 

The big problem is that we get paid once a month at this flea market. Getting paid once a month makes it difficult to manage good cash flow when sales are poor. 

Out of the checks that we'll get early next month, I have to pay booth rent, our household bills, living expenses and I have to keep buying to keep our booths well stocked. 

It all sounds easy until you are doing it for a living. And truthfully, the only people I've ever known to really understand cash flow problems are other people who own a business.

We had such a tough year in 2013, due to the political bickering in Washington. And I also feel that high gas prices and the bad economy has finally caught up with our area. (I've believed for years that we are two years behind what they are saying about the economy on the coasts.) We've worked our tails off trying to get caught up, and we've gotten kicked back down by the weather.

At least we can make it on what we've sold so far. It will be a tough squeeze for the next few months, but at least I can pay the bills.

I am thankful for the blessings over the weekend...I really am!


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## jlxian

Clovis, what part of the country are you in? --- if you don't mind telling. You can just say a state if you want.


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## clovis

I'm in Indiana.

How are your sales this month??


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## jlxian

I've been a chicken and haven't checked. I'm sorry. A friend of mine is going to go in on the booth with me next month, and I've just procrastinated doing anything until she brings her stuff in. I'm hoping to come up with a new layout and display. She's pretty artsy/craftsy. The actual market/building has been getting a lot of media attention in recent days; and the owner plans on beginning an "open air" market in the basement beginning in mid-February. I'm hopeful these factors will be beneficial.


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## SeaGoat

Maybe she'll bring in a "theme" being so artsy/crafty.
The booths that have a "look" to them really catch my attention.


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## jlxian

Saw this post about how to make a one-wall booth work. Has some great ideas I hope to put to use --- like she wrote it for me! 

http://vintageshowoff.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-one-wall-booth.html


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## clovis

Thanks for the link, jlxian!

There are some cool booths there. It does go back to the post I made some time ago about "owning the walls". This is one mistake that I see new vendors make time and time again; many just toss stuff into a booth without even thinking about how to best use the space they have.

Since I am best at stating the obvious, here is this one: Making an attractive and cute booth takes a ton of time and some money too. 

Sure, if you already have the stuff, like shelving units, sitting around, it is pretty easy. But if you have to go out and hunt for them, it can be time consuming and expensive. Nonetheless, I am always on the lookout for better shelving for our booths.

One thing that is difficult and time consuming is being able to keep plenty of merchandise in the booth that fits your decor or scheme, if that makes sense. And if you are into selling, and getting stuff gone, it is a hard task sometimes to keep up. 

For instance, we have a spot in an AM that is super hot for Mid-Century and Industrial. I can sell every piece we bring in there, but finding MC is pretty hard, and I am an active buyer. If you saw our booth right now, you probably wouldn't be impressed.

Not sure if any of this makes sense, but I hope that it helps. One thing that hurts us is that we don't have storage, so I can only buy what I can fit into the booths, more or less.

YMMV, of course.


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## jlxian

Makes perfect sense to me Clovis. Right now I don't have a theme, decor, or scheme, LOL. Don't know that I ever will. I guess my booth is more like I tiny garage sale because I'm trying to sell stuff from my home. Hopefully my new partner will have some ideas. 

Love this thread, and I love everyone's ideas and comments. Thanks so much to you all.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Hi everyone!!! I've spent the last week reading every single post in this thread!!! I'm so happy it is still active. I just signed up so I can finally participate, that is if you'll will have me. I'd like to especially thank Clovis for you valuable information, and jxlian for sharing her insights. I am 29 years old and just opened my first case at an antique mall last Sunday. I always went there hoping to find 80's toys, but lately it's been real bad. I know I'm not the only one disappointed so I decided to do something about it and make my own case of everything that I like. Here is a picture of it, I'd appreciate feedback. I have three shelves with flat prices to make it easier for the customer. I have more stuff to put out, but I'm afraid of over cluttering. Thanks again everyone!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Here's my case, I'd appreciate any feedback. I know it's not exactly what you all deal in, but still would love to hear your advice. Thanks, you all are the best!!


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## jlxian

David, it looks great to me! Clean and tidy and easy to look at everything. 

Welcome to the thread. I'm coming up on one year with a booth, and it has been more disappointment than success for me, but I'm hopeful that 2014 will be better. Good luck with your case!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thank you! Yes I think you're on the right track, and it sounds like the building is finally repaired right? haha I've been following your history. I sad that your Halloween booth didn't do so well. I was showing pictures of your booth to my girlfriend, a Halloween nut, and she wanted two things right away!!!


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## jlxian

Ha! Phooey! And yes, the building is getting repaired, and moving forward with an "open air" market to be held in the basement beginning in February. I'm not taking part, but hopefully it will bring some new traffic upstairs, too.


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## Desmoinesdavid

I hope it does...after reading a years worth of post, I feel part of your booth. I set up on Sunday and went back Monday to stock more items, and I was sad nothing sold. Haha. But they were just coming off a 15% off weekend sale which the store was packed on Saturday. I wish I set up earlier. My AM has you pay your last months rent first, and I got a gift card equal to a month of rent. I'm going to give it my all for three months and if it fails, oh well, I tried and I'm not out serious money. But I hope it does good, I love the thought of wheeling and dealing And meeting other interesting dealers such as the people on this forum  BTW Sarah when are you going to give it a shot already? Lol


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## Desmoinesdavid

BTW does anyone know how toys from the 80's sell at their AM or FM? I created my booth because I feel that my favorite store has been neglecting this demographic when they used to be good. Even though I want to cater to this group of people, I feel like I am excluding a lot of potential customers by not offering traditional antiques. Also, is it a good to have an unique item displayed even though it will be expensive and take a while to sale? Or is it just taking up valuable space. My thought is that it will definitely make people stop and catch their eye. And even though they most likely won't buy it, they might see something else they like where they might've not seen it before. Sorry for the rambling, I'm doing this on a phone to make matters worse.


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## jlxian

That was my outlook when I first began David, to give it a few months and see how it goes. Hopefully you will have tremendous success! 

I do not know anything about toys selling. I've been pondering pilfering some of my kids' toys to sell. My son (21) has sold a few things in the booth, his nerf gun sold very fast. His Guitar Hero (too faddy I guess) hasn't moved. My guess is Clovis, at least, will have some good input for you.


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## Desmoinesdavid

It would be an honor to hear from the Great Guru Clovis, even though Clovis seems to modest to admit his/her greatness  That's good to hear that the nerd guns sold quickly. Everyone is right though about pricing being difficult though, I want to offer a good price but with 10% commission and 10-15% sale every other weekend, plus rent can take its toll. I want to be able to have enough money to be able to buy things to restock the shelf and some for my pocket. One good thing though today is I work at a military base, and the garbage guy here says they throw away all sorts of old military stuff, including old pictures. I can rescue these items for cheap and be able to sell them at a great price too. I'm sorry for blowing up this forum, but I've been excited to talk to y'all!!!


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## jlxian

It's always good to have a fresh outlook on things and someone else to bounce ideas off of. How terrific that you will have access to the discarded military stuff! Wow.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yeah we'll see how that goes. So did you sell your Halloween signs? They were really cool! Yeah I have guitar hero guitars I'd like to get rid of, but I have a feeling so does everyone else Oh we'll maybe in 20 years they'll be worth something!


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## jlxian

Yes, the two signs with the drapey material sold. That actually was about all, except the flat pumpkin that was lighted and to hang in a window. You can never know what will sell!


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## Desmoinesdavid

I know that when I showed my girlfriend, she said she would snatch up that graveyard and dead end sign in a heart beat. I was disappointed when I seen that you didn't end up having a good month that month because I thought for sure you would. Do you have anything in your booth for Valentines? I was thinking about making signs or something along the lines of letting girls know that their guys would love a gift from my case for Valentines. I know I sure would.


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## SeaGoat

If you get a bunch of military pictures and small items it might be neat to make a shadow box type thing. 
Someone had a booth here that has some civil war bullets found at Kennesaw mountain put in small shadow boxes. They were $40 or $60 a pop. Kinda high in my eyes, but that's not really my forte. 


It's kind of hard getting started here. There are so many malls people pick over the thrift stores/Garage sales/estate sales so fast.
This winter has made me realize something though. 
I will pay a little extra for a building with HEAT. A few of the buildings are from the 1800s and have no updated systems and are so cold you can't stand it in there. Who wants to shop like that? 
I can stand a hot building because you can walk by the big fans, but the kind of cold that makes you walk crooked, nope.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yeah that would be a great idea. By having a locked case, it would make it hard for people to go through a box of pictures. This would display them better. One of my main agendas is to keep everything easily seen, and the price tag easily seen. I'm going to go in tomorrow to set some stuff up for my first weekend. I've acquired a toy from 1984, and if you were a boy in the 80's, it will instantly take you back. It's higher priced, but I'm hoping it will be an attention getter for my target customer base, and they'll stop to take a longer look.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yeah no heat is a major bummer, you want people to be comfortable while they shop. Good observation.


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## clovis

Desmoinesdavid said:


> It would be an honor to hear from the Great Guru Clovis, even though Clovis seems to modest to admit his/her greatness  That's good to hear that the nerd guns sold quickly. Everyone is right though about pricing being difficult though, I want to offer a good price but with 10% commission and 10-15% sale every other weekend, plus rent can take its toll. I want to be able to have enough money to be able to buy things to restock the shelf and some for my pocket. One good thing though today is I work at a military base, and the garbage guy here says they throw away all sorts of old military stuff, including old pictures. I can rescue these items for cheap and be able to sell them at a great price too. I'm sorry for blowing up this forum, but I've been excited to talk to y'all!!!


First, and foremost, welcome to the forum and this thread!!! It is great to have you here!

Thank you so much for the very, very kind words. You put a smile on my face today!

But in reality, I am no guru. I'm just a hack that has handled a bunch of junk in the past ten years. And honestly, I am in an AM that I just can't figure out. I am doing _something_ wrong, but I can't figure it out. In this case, I think I am going to close this booth, but may consider opening again sometime in the future.

As for your case:

I love it!!!! It is a cool case, and a great idea.

I would suggest getting some taller items on the top shelf. It looks like it needs some "height", if you will, at least for the interest factor. 

If you have more stock, get them in the case, ASAP. The more items you have in the case, the more people will think you have. At the same time, there is a fine line of getting a case too full. Shy away from being cluttered, and impossible for the people working there to get an item out of the case.

Okay, this might sound crazy: You can make risers out of scrap painted wood, let's say 2 x 2 x 4 blocks. The trick is to have several sizes in height, and they have to look professional. Sandpaper, primer, good paint and elbow grease is your friend. This will help give depth and importance to those little figures, and always put the best ones on the tallest risers. You don't need many risers, but even a few might really help in the back of the case. Does this make sense??? Just an idea.

I would be open to mixing what you sell in that case. As a general rule, I am seeing fewer vendors excel with just one genre in AM's. This is really a YMMV.

Personally, I think you need more items in the case. In this business, you might think of it in terms of "I need items that would total (if sold) to 5 X my monthly booth rent."

That number is going to be different for everyone, for a myriad of reasons. If your case rent is $50 a month, then you need minimum of $250 in that case. In reality, that number probably should be much, much higher, but I'm just trying to share a way of thinking. 10 X your rent would be more in line as a minimum, and 100 X rent is a goal that you might shoot for. Again, my numbers are probably wrong, but the idea is what I am stressing.

This is why some of the coin vendors do so well in AM's; they have deep stock equaling many times their booth rent. 

Often, I see people rent a $150 booth, and fill it with $71 worth of merchandise with never a thought of what they are doing. 

I hope some of this helps!!!!!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> That was my outlook when I first began David, to give it a few months and see how it goes. Hopefully you will have tremendous success!
> 
> I do not know anything about toys selling. I've been pondering pilfering some of my kids' toys to sell. My son (21) has sold a few things in the booth, his nerf gun sold very fast. His Guitar Hero (too faddy I guess) hasn't moved. My guess is Clovis, at least, will have some good input for you.


Toys at FM sell really, really well if priced right. I'd buy a truckload of clean toys every week of the year if I could find them.

Toys can be messy though. Expect to pick up and clean up the booth often. 

Always put toys down low so kids can get to them. Always put board games, which don't seem to sell anymore, up high because they have too many pieces in them, and kids will dump them.

We do our best with regular toys: Cap guns, tractors, trucks, Fisher Price, horses, animals, Nerf guns (!), clean dolls, cars, baby toys, plastic doll houses, play kitchens, etc. 

I shy away from: electronics, fad toys like beanie babies, toys with a thousand pieces, and anything plush or stuffed.

ETA: Stay away from sports balls! Guess what every 8 year old wants to do when he sees a basketball? Yeah, start bouncing it everywhere!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thank you so much, I've been waiting all day hoping I'd hear from you. I read your post out loud and was discussing it with my girlfriend, and we like the idea of little risers! 

We have a lot more stuff to put up, but since we are doing an inventory program through the apple ap store, it is taking a while to get the whole routine now. We just wanted to get stuff up while we were getting the other stuff in the system.

We plan on reorganizing and stocking more things tomorrow so we are ready to go for the weekend. I found this thread last Thursday on google and I read late into the night. The following day I rented my own first case. You were the deciding factor Clovis, and I'd like to thank you.


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## clovis

Desmoinesdavid said:


> Thank you so much, I've been waiting all day hoping I'd hear from you. I read your post out loud and was discussing it with my girlfriend, and we like the idea of little risers!
> 
> We have a lot more stuff to put up, but since we are doing an inventory program through the apple ap store, it is taking a while to get the whole routine now. We just wanted to get stuff up while we were getting the other stuff in the system.
> 
> We plan on reorganizing and stocking more things tomorrow so we are ready to go for the weekend. I found this thread last Thursday on google and I read late into the night. The following day I rented my own first case. You were the deciding factor Clovis, and I'd like to thank you.


I am honored by your kind words. 

Being in the resale business is different for everyone, and everyone wants something different from it. The trick is to figure out _what it is exactly_ that you want to do, and then make it work.

When I started this FM business, I was only looking for supplemental income. We were working the Dave Ramsey program, and I wanted added income to pay off our debt. Getting a part time job was out of the question, due to time constraints. 

My game back then was to buy mass amounts of stuff, flip it cheap and get it gone fast. If I could clear a $1 profit, it was gone. I sold a ton of stuff too cheap, but I got what I wanted: A debt free life.

These days, we work FT in the business. My wife and I both ebay and FM every day. We aren't getting rich, but we have freedom, and work from home. We no longer spend our lives commuting to the city to be chained to a desk somewhere working for an impossible boss, which is what my wife was doing. It was killing her!

In all, the economy has been tough, but it didn't effect us until last year. Money was still flowing fairly well.

Anyway, figure out what you want from your business, and figure out how you can make it work. 

Don't be afraid to try new things, especially if you have an interest in them. A case or booth is often a projection of your personality and interests, so let them shine when you can. As well, it never hurts to flip stuff, even if you don't like it, if you can find it cheap. 

One giant word of caution: *Use cash to float this business!* When you use your own cash to buy product, you will make much, much better decisions than if you buy with credit.


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## clovis

Okay, since I am on a roll, here is one trick that I will share, but I might delete it soon:

Deleted.

I'll delete most of this after you all hit the like button...I'll know that you read it.

HTH!!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Awesome! I am glad I checked one last time before I went to bed. I was researching auctions in my state. 

I have read and soaked in everything and taken it to heart. I am going to pursue this full force and I am blessed to have access to your advice.

I am setting up tomorrow, and am going to do a little overhaul. I will take your advice and implement it. I might not get to the risers just yet.

Thanks for everything, youve been like a celebrity to me theses last couple of days. Btw, how did those 300 beer cans turn out?


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## Desmoinesdavid

Well, I'm off to bed. Today has been awesome. Thanks everyone! Tomorrow will be a busy day for me! I'll let you know how it goes. Jxlian, I hope to hear updates on your booth too. Well hope to hear from you tomorrow, have a wonderful night.


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## clovis

Desmoinesdavid said:


> Awesome! I am glad I checked one last time before I went to bed. I was researching auctions in my state.
> 
> I have read and soaked in everything and taken it to heart. I am going to pursue this full force and I am blessed to have access to your advice.
> 
> I am setting up tomorrow, and am going to do a little overhaul. I will take your advice and implement it. I might not get to the risers just yet.
> 
> Thanks for everything, youve been like a celebrity to me theses last couple of days. Btw, how did those 300 beer cans turn out?


Thank you so much for your kind words. They are humbling, but I am not an expert at this game. There are thousands of better vendors than I am, and some people who are pulling down some serious checks and profits with what they know and sell. 

It is also important to know that anyone can do what I am doing, but I can't hold a candle to the others here. For instance, I know absolutely nothing about Barbie dolls, books, toys of the 80's, or antique furniture.

Truthfully, those who do, will sell circles around me every day of the week, and make more money doing it.

For instance, give me a box of Barbie dolls, another box of video games, and yet another with books. I _might_ be able to pull a few of the good ones out, but a Barbie dealer can spot a rare 1972 issue Ken doll from a mile away, buy it for $2, and flip it for $200. I'd be lost with the books and video games though!!! 

I've got to sell a ton of shovels to make $200 in profit, LOL!

The bottom line: knowledge is *key* if you want to be successful. Study everything you can. It will pay off in spades! 

On the risers: booths are always a work in progress, and one you have to keep up on over time. You might scrap the risers in 3 months and go with something better, and then scrap those a year from now.

The beer cans are still selling. I'd guess that we've sold 75 of them so far, and they don't take up much space. I need to move them because I think they are getting 'stale' in the booth, but I haven't had the time yet.


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## jlxian

Your experience and willingness to share, Clovis, is invaluable! You may not think of it as expertise, but for those of us who are muddling along, having someone to get ideas from is terrific. Think of it like parental wisdom!! LOL. Thanks so much. 

I've been scouring the internet for ideas about flea market booths. Most of what I've seen has been for fru-fru type set ups (not what I will be doing), but some ideas, like the link I posted earlier in the week, are generic enough that I can take away something that might work for me. 

It will probably be the weekend before I get to visit my booth. I'll update everyone then. 

Have a good Thursday, everyone!


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## clovis

Thank you for the kind words, Jean!


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## MJsLady

Clovis, the big difference for us between those bringing in big money and you, is that YOU are the one helping us. They are not. 
I do not have a booth but I am beginning again to sell on line. Mostly books, toys and china ware. I have been out of the loop for over a year am will go slow but I read your posts and wish I could just give you a big hug for your help.


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## clovis

MJsLady,

Thank you for the kind words!!!! They are humbling!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yes Clovis, we respect you tremendously because you share advice with others when there is nothing really in it for you! I went to restock just now and to build up my case.

I am completely shocked, I sold 11 items since Tuesday and made my rent plus $30. I am so excited. I haven't even made it to the weekend yet!!! 

I implemented your advice today by building using more space on my top shelf. I did this by using tape on the back side of my Nintendo games and sticking them to the wall. This allows more products easily seen, and creates N 80's atmosphere instead of a boring white wall.

Since my case number is 250, I made everything on the top shelf $2.50. Below that, everything is priced $5.00. I think this will work good because people can browse the shelves without worrying what the price will be if they like something.

I need to stock more, was anticipating selling so much. I just hope in the coming days couples will browse my case and the girls will see their guys drooling over some of my stuff. With Valentines day coming, they'll have a perfect gift in mind. 

Here's pictures of my updated case. THANKS EVERYONE, YOU ALL ARE THE BEST!!!


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## thesedays

I FINALLY got a booth at a very busy antique mall, and I made a profit the very first month - and the owner admitted that it's been a lousy month because of the weather.

AND

a second busy mall has a booth for me too, and I'm going to move in as soon as the current owners vacate.

After treading water all this time, it looks like I might finally start making some money at this hobby!

:bouncy:


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## Desmoinesdavid

Heck yeah thesedays!! I think having a busy mall helps out quite a bit. The mall I rent from is open 12 hours a day, 364 days of the year! I'm glad to hear about your success!


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## jlxian

Wow David, congratulations!!!! And to you thesedays!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thanks! The employee at the store came over and talked to me while I was stocking. I think I have a buzz going around my case haha. There is some kind of contest going on in February where I can win $150 and no commission. He was telling me about how what I was selling moves pretty quickly. I think I found the right niche, how long will it last idk.

This AM was like one of my favorite stores, but I noticed in they were neglecting the 80's... Half the customers there are born in the 80's. It's kinda like Sarah's signature, instead of complaining I should do something about it. I can't wait to see how the weekend goes. I really like your signature too Jxlian


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## jlxian

Okay, I stopped in to chat with the owner of my flea market and asked him what he thinks sells the best. Antiques, toys, OLD video games, furniture. He said the folks who were kids in the 80s and 90s now have discretionary income and buy old toys. I asked about stuffed toys, and he said some, but not really. So I'm guessing action figures, trucks, cars, barbies, that sort of thing. He said the guy with the booth who sells old video games makes a killing every month. Yesterday some college kids were in who bought a bunch of old picture frames for their diplomas, etc. He mentioned $12 when he talked about the frames. He also said that things people NEED sell well. So, I'm going to have to revamp my approach, altogether, I think. It was good to talk to him.

David, I love your Gumby figure!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Haha thanks!! I won it at a state fair and it's been in the trunk of my car for two years so I figured why not so I slapped a $2.50 price tag on it. It's takes up too much space though, so I hope it sales relatively quick, or else I'll take a page from Clovis and toss it.

Yes that's what I was figuring, people around my age are starting to get better jobs and are wanting things to remind them of their "good ol days."

I'm looking forward to the weekend. If you try to get into the old video game market, lemme know, I've been a collector for years now and can offer advice on certain things in that department.


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## jlxian

My son (21) loves old video games so I don't think I'll be selling any anytime soon. LOL! Thanks though David.


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## MJsLady

David, there was an old video game that sold on ebay last week for... I forget now but I think it was $90,000.
Hubby gets news alerts from newegg and they wrote about it, when they wrote it was at $22,000.

Goodness!


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## Desmoinesdavid

I bet you it was the nes world championship game. It is like the most sought after game  crazy ridiculous. 

Yeah I don't think you'd have much luck strong arming your son for games, he probably has a Kung fu death grip on them lol. 

I need to go back and restock my case tonight for the weekend. I didn't bring enough yesterday. I just hope some of the customers will be back in to see that I keep my case updated and fresh.

Hopefully Gumby will find a good home this weekend


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## jcatblum

I picked up a box of pokemon Gameboy games (some original some advance) for $2 at a yardsale a while back. Went to give them to my nephew, then thought to search them on eBay first. I think I had 4 that were selling for $20-$30 each. Think I ended up with $130 from that $2. Don't discount all video games, but I do agree many are only worth a couple bucks. I got lucky since there are some mad crazy PokÃ©mon collectors out there!

I think gumby is an attention getter. Someone will snatch him up!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yeah definitely research the games before you sell them. Some are worth quite a bit, like the older game boy Pokemon.

That was a pretty good turn around. I bought an old Nintendo game pad with the box at a thrift store a few years ago for $1. You can see it in the older picture I put up. I put it in the shelf for $30 on Monday and it sold Tuesday morning. 

Not all things will be like that but it's always good to find a diamond in the rough. Gumby better work his magic and make me some money lol.


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## jlxian

Gumby might be a magic talisman!


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## Desmoinesdavid

I should put a NFS tag on him to generate some mystery about him. I just think he's happy being out of my trunk, poor thing.


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## Mrs. Thankful

Just want to jump in because I too have been reading and following this thread gleaning valuable knowledge that I will hopefully be able to use when I get a booth.

Thank you folks


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## Desmoinesdavid

Heck yeah! I read through the whole thread and started an account because of the awesome people! They gave me the confidence I needed to just jump in the water sink or swim. So far it's been great. today is my week anniversary! Even though it was a couple days (Sunday) before I got stuff on the shelf.

I hear Clovis' voice in my head every time I do something to my case haha. That dude is really something else. Good luck and be brave


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## clovis

Thank you, David. 

I got a kick out of your kind words!!!


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## clovis

If you all don't mind me opining some more:

We are starting to get into tax return time, so make sure that you have your booths neat, organized and as well stocked as you can get them.

There is a reason that major retailers, like Walmart, offer tax return check cashing. It is simple economics: People tend to spend their tax checks like mad! 

If you have good stock sitting back, and you've been lollygagging and not getting it out, do so soon, especially on higher end items, like furniture. Smalls will still sell well in 'tax season' and often, the buyer will buy _all_ the trains you have on the shelf, instead of just a few.

Tax season is often a season of splurging by shoppers. 

Be ready, and be well stocked.


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## clovis

I forgot to mention:

Super Bowl Sunday can sometimes be a real challenge for sales.

A very late kick off time is best for those of us in the reselling business. Typically speaking, there will be shoppers on Sunday, but for us, the best foot traffic will be early in the day, and start tapering off as game time grows closer.

Keep up the great work, everyone!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Wow didn't even think of that, I just restocked again tonight and put out higher priced items tonight, not even thinking about tax returns. You must've sent me some esp's or something haha.

You so reminded about the Super Bowl which is a downer. That's my favorite time to go shopping, the stores are always so empty. 

Does any of your places do mandatory sales Clovis? I'm kinda worried about what to do with the 15% off valentines day sale coming up. I have an item I spent $70 on and selling it for $100. If it gets sold on that day, it's $15 off from the sale, another $10 off commission, and if they pay with card another $2.50 off. Leaving me with a profit of $2.50 which I had to drive across town and back to get it. 

I don't want to look like a jerk and take the item out during the sale, but making $2.50 off an item that cost me $70 seems like losing money. 

I had an idea hit me like a hammer easier tonight. I'm case #250, so I have an everything $2.50 shelf, which seems to be my most popular thing right now. I'm wondering for the days of the sale if I should take out my higher priced items and have a case #250 entire case is $2.50 sale go on.

That way there is a huge selection of cheap stuff that is the most popular with the customers right now, and I still make out good. Thanks for reading, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for misspellings or grammar, I'm on a phone.


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## MJsLady

David I hate typing on my phone. I have fat finger syndrome! (Though I do the same on my pc and have no good reason (ie excuse!).

I think the idea of doing the cheaper stuff that weekend is a good one.
Your time processing the $70 item is worth more than $2.50. 

Personally I would rather a seller remove such and item than mark it up 15% for the sale.


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## clovis

David,

That is a challenging scenario, and one that I encounter on occasion. 

The malls we are in do not have mandatory mall-wide sales. One place has two or three mall-wide sales per year, and even though they try to brow beat us into participating, it is optional. 

One suggestion might be to mark the item at $110 or $120. Maybe even higher?

What are comparable models selling for on ebay? Have you checked the completed listings on ebay?

Our AM's have the option to add the word "FIRM" to price tags, which means that there is absolutely no discount available whatsoever. If the tag says "FIRM" on it, no discount will be given during a sale, and no discount will be given during non-sale times either, when an automatic 10% is given when the customer requests it.

Of course, the automatic 10% off is only for items marked more than $20. The AM's here do not discount anything under $20, and I am surprised that your mall does.


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## Mrs. Thankful

How much stock is enough to begin? 

I have a desire to sell everything I own (plus make stuff) to get us a true homestead. I like finding and fixing and "upcycling". 

How do I know when I have enough stuff to take the plunge?


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## Fire-Man

Mrs. Thankful said:


> How much stock is enough to begin?
> 
> I have a desire to sell everything I own (plus make stuff) to get us a true homestead. I like finding and fixing and "upcycling".
> 
> How do I know when I have enough stuff to take the plunge?


Do you have a Saturday or Sunday available? I would find a """"Good"""" Flea Market and go at daylight and set-up in the "Best" spots and pedal these things that day. Get your feet wet so to speak before opening/renting a spot in my opinion. You do not have to sell anything for less than you want for it----might have to bring it all back home with you at the end of the day if your prices are to high, BUT you do not have to give anyone any percentage of what you sell. 
Here it cost $10 to rent a outside table for the day at the FM, If you sell $200--$190 is yours.

Alot of times you can get more for your things at the "Right" Auction House(after commission)---its according to what you got to sell. Example, I would have sold you 2 sets of dished for $5 per set to get rid of them. I took these to a Auction, with a old bedroom suit I tried to sell on Craisglist for $150--no takers. These items sold for almost $1300, 2 sets of dished went for $590---The "Right" Auction House can get you Top Dollar for "Good" Items.

If you want to set-up a Booth----just make sure you are going to have enough to sell that will cover all expences and make some profit each month. Good Luck!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Mrs. Thankful said:


> How much stock is enough to begin?
> 
> I have a desire to sell everything I own (plus make stuff) to get us a true homestead. I like finding and fixing and "upcycling".
> 
> How do I know when I have enough stuff to take the plunge?



Today is officially my 7th day and have put 110 items in and today's sales report says I've sold 27 items. That equals about two months rent for me so I'm excited.

A good rule of thumb I learned from Clovis is that you want to have enough where 10% of your merchandise equals your rent. If you can substation that, you have enough.

GUESS WHAT EVERYONE? GUMBY SOLD!!! I miss him already. Hopefully he has a good home  I sold 16 items today alone. The employees jumped me as soon as I walked in the door. I feel like a rock star! I'm so glad I decided to do this!


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## clovis

Mrs. Thankful said:


> How much stock is enough to begin?
> 
> I have a desire to sell everything I own (plus make stuff) to get us a true homestead. I like finding and fixing and "upcycling".
> 
> How do I know when I have enough stuff to take the plunge?


So, are you thinking about doing the FM think for a short while to stockpile cash for a homestead, or are you thinking about the FM biz as a full time gig for your income?

Either way, it can be a ton of work, and it does take time.


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## clovis

Desmoinesdavid said:


> A good rule of thumb I learned from Clovis is that you want to have enough where 10% of your merchandise equals your rent. If you can substation that, you have enough.


Just remember that it is going to be different for everyone and for every location. There are a ton of variables involved in this equation. Cost of booth rent, margins on items, commissions, and what each individual wants from the business.

For instance, our stock is much higher, but I also make my living doing this work. I've got to have the stock on hand. I once met a gal who only FM on the side because she wanted vacation money. "If I can clear $200 a month in profit, I'm totally fine with that" she said. Her stock needs are going to be far lower than mine.

For those who think they can make money with a $150 a month booth and only put in a stack of junk Corelleware and an arm load of dirty comforters...I'll promise you that these people will lose money quickly, LOL.


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## Desmoinesdavid

My prices are comparable with ebay. So far my 2.50 shelf is a hot thing. I think the day before the sale, I might fill my case with all 2.50.

I have mixed feelings about the sales. I think it's already hard enough on the vendors, but on the other hand, it really does pack the store with a sea of people. They do give a calendar 4 months out to give time to prepare. 

February 14, is the first sale day, so ill see how it goes. Ill keep you updated


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## clovis

Desmoinesdavid said:


> Today is officially my 7th day and have put 110 items in and today's sales report says I've sold 27 items. That equals about two months rent for me so I'm excited.
> 
> I sold 16 items today alone. The employees jumped me as soon as I walked in the door. I feel like a rock star! I'm so glad I decided to do this!


Good job, David!!!! You are on track to be successful!

I'd like to help you fine tune this business, if you don't mind me sharing some thoughts and questions:

I am thrilled that your sales are good. At the same time, I want you to be sure that you aren't underselling your goods. Anytime we undersell our goods, we are also underselling ourselves, our expertise, and our time. Of course, we're back to the fine line between moving product and getting the most for the item.

You've had a fantastic run so far, and that is a good sign that you've hit a good idea and a good market.

Can you sustain this level of sales, and continue to find enough product to keep a booth full? 

Have you looked your items up on ebay, in the *completed sales*? There is no sense in selling a figure for $2.50 to someone who is going to resell it on ebay for $15 to $20.

As a trick in this business, at the beginning of each month, I go to the FM manager and ask "Who is moving in this month, and where are the new booths located?" Normally, I am in a dead sprint to get to those booths, because some of the newbs make the mistake of under pricing their stuff, and there are gems to be had. I've been known to buy a cart full or two, and then remark it and put it into my booth before we leave. 

Last summer, a new vendor moved in, and had a Lionel train set for $18. It was a low end set, and I bought it, and marked each car individually and stocked it in my booth before I left. I cleared $88 on that set. A week later, another vendor moved in, and I bought a commercial stapler for $5, which I promptly sold on ebay for $200. And a month after that, my wife found a set of glasses for $4 that sold on ebay for $79. 

Please forgive me if I am stepping on your toes. I just want you to be successful for the long haul, and not a flash in the pan for a few months.

Can you tell that I spent a good amount of time selling my stuff too cheap?? I can tell stories that make me sick to this day...


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## jcatblum

David I hope Gumby has an amazing new home where he can soak in the sunlight everyday. I just wanted to say your prices are comparable to eBay, but without shipping. You could get away with 50c to $1 more than eBay sell price & your item would still be cheaper. I have bought way too many fisher price little people on eBay. That $3 person cost $5 or $6 with shipping.


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## SeaGoat

lol Clovis, I think that is so funny about the train set. 


Thinking about it, children of the 80s and probably early 90s are having kids themselves now, and what do parents want to do with their kids? 
Relive their childhood through them. 
'Oh my gosh, Jimmy! I used to have hours of fun playing with this as a child!'

We buy one of our kids the diecast huge Tonka trucks from Am/Fm
Sometimes, a lot of the time, they are rather rusted and have high price tags on them. 
I won't be giving my kids an expensive rusted toy, and I won't be collecting rusty toys for my collection. 
So there they sit, months to years later. 


Id say keep eyes out for the Texaco air planes as well. My dad is a collector and I've seen them move out of the markets pretty quick.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yes I took shipping into consideration. I am more than doubling my money on the 2.50 shelf. It's basically my greatest profit maker but it's just a small amount at a time. 

I take shipping into consideration and sometimes ill price just a bit below it, or a bit above that. The employee yesterday said he even called in his friend yesterday to browse my booth. 

I have higher priced items that will sell, but will have to wait for the right buyer to come in, but at least I'm constantly selling stuff in the mean time.

Clovis, they said I can pay my rent ahead of time. What's your opinion on that? Part of me wants to use my first week paycheck to pay off the next 2 -3 months. Plus I have the gift card they gave me I could use for another month. If I get all that paid off now, all money I'd make would go straight into my little business.


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## SeaGoat

Personally, I'd pay rent while you have it


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## jcatblum

I wouldn't pay rent in advance, you may want to leave your booth & be stuck since you are paid up x amount of months. 
Glad to hear you are making sure your pricing is comparable with eBay & you are staying in the black. Totally understand the smalls keeping your booth rent covered. People don't put much thought into an item that is less than $5, it is the $20+ that they think on IMO. The smalls are impulse buys & will serve you well. Think you have found an awesome niche!


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## clovis

Personally, I don't pay rent in advance. I like to keep my cash liquid.

You never know if/when someone will call and offer their lifetime collection of 80's toys, including every video game you can imagine, and you might need that cash.

Also, if the place were to close suddenly, without warning, and that does happen on occasion, they are going to have your money. 

IMO, cash should stay in your pocket until the bill comes due, and then pay it promptly.


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## clovis

David,

I wonder what would happen if you started marking up the 2.50 items to 3.00 or 3.25.

I think that the trick is figuring out what the market will pay, and the item still sell.

I know that this is just a small example, but if you went to 3.25, that is an increase of .75 each. If you sold 100 per year, that would add $75 to your profits.

And like jcatblum said, I don't think you have to match ebay completed sales...the buyer on those items are still paying shipping. The retail buyer standing in front of your booth knows that too.

I'm afraid that you are selling too cheap. The rush of customers is a sign of that, even though you have probably found an excellent niche in that mall.

Of course, it depends on your selling philosophy. If fast flips are your thing, that is cool. I just want you to be successful two years from now, and not a flash in the pan for a few months.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thanks for the wonderful advice everyone, I really do take it to heart.

I was thinking that myself Clovis. I was thinking about bumping the minimum. I went to some video game stores that sale old games to price compare, and I found I have wiggle room to bump up my prices and still compete with them.

I'm on track for about sales of 150 items a month so. Just a .75 raise would make a noticeable difference. Just that alone would cover rent and then some.

I might bump it up when I get my new shipment it.


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## Desmoinesdavid

Ok so I've been thinking it over and I might raise it up to 3-3.50 range. I'm still in a too selling price range and I don't believe anything will sit long.

I've been tPing my games to the back wall to build height, save room, plus it's actually kinda decorative and sets the theme opposed to a boring white wall. The store manage even complemented me on it yesterday.

So I wS thinking yes l'll raise the prices, but I'll take out a shelf and tape up a huge selection to the wall. It'll cost more, but they will have. Bigger selection to choose from, and the presentation will be awesome.

Some people might like the way it looks on the wall Nd buy it just for wall art, kinda how they do with vinyl records.

I got a couple major deals I'm working on so if they go through, I think I'll change my game (no pun intended) up.


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## jcatblum

David, I wonder if you could do something like this to display games? 
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/315603886357609645/
I know you can't mount them to the wall but a piece of 1/2 MDF the size of the back of your case, paint them a eye catching green or blue & do plexi glass for a front ledge so the entire game could be seen?


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## Desmoinesdavid

Wow I love that Jcat!!! Thanks for the link! I display my ninja turtles at home on similar shelves. I feel special when people take time to suggest things for me. Thank you, and I'll keep that in mind.


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## clovis

I mentioned that game day sales can be lackluster and challenging.

Our sales were about half of what they normally are. Yes, half.

Many people have bought into the myth that the NFL is good for business and for the team's city. 

We were out earlier, during the game, and every business we passed was dead. Normally, our McDonald's is very busy most hours of the day. Tonight, they had exactly three cars in the entire parking lot. 

I wonder how anyone in America could say that the NFL is good for business, and say so with a straight face. It might be good business for the elite rich who continue to line their pockets on game day...but not for the rest of the nation.


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## Desmoinesdavid

You are right, I was anticipating it because of your warning. Sure enough, when I went in to stock the shelves, my sales today sucked. 

Everywhere is empty


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## clovis

I was hoping the best for you, David.

One bad thing about the SB being in Feb. is that it is already a short month. I've got to sell just as much stuff as any month, but we only get 28 days instead of 31...not to mention that today's weekend sales are roughly what they might be on a decent Wednesday.


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## jlxian

Okay everyone I restocked my booth yesterday with some new stuff. Moved things around a bit. And marked down some of the things that haven't moved. I did take pictures, and after I got a good look (read: larger on the computer screen), I see I really need to DUST the booth. YUK. Wish I had done that while I was there but I had DH with me and he had just about had his fill of the market by the time we left. 

Anyway, I broke down and priced and placed some of my collected Harker ware dishes. I bought these things about 25 years ago, piece by piece, and they've just been taking up space. I will never use them to eat from, and my kids don't care about them. So they went in the booth. If they sell, I may also try to sell my Jewel Tea dishes. 

View attachment 22403


The pink depression glass came from my mother's house. I don't recall her using it; I think it may have belonged to my grandmother. I've loved it, but it is taking up space and I need the money. 

I really have got to figure out how to get shelves up at eye level. 


Fingers crossed. We were in the FM about 2:00 p.m. and it was actually BUSY. But the streets in town were definitely dead. Everyone was already partying I guess.


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## Mrs. Thankful

I want to do it as a business not temporary. But I would be in the FM arena not AM. The FM and AM indoors is $85 per day so I will not be doing that LOL 

I will be scouring the FM spaces and YS spaces for $10 per table outside in the warmer weather.


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## clovis

If you were ever to have enough of the right stock to set up in a market that charges $85, it might not be a bad deal.

Of course, if I'm paying $85 a day, the market better be pretty stinking good with lots of foot traffic and lots of buyers. 

I'd rather be at an $85 a day market and have brisk sales for most of the day than be at a bad market at $20 a day.

What will you be selling, BTW?


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## Fire-Man

Mrs. Thankful said:


> I want to do it as a business not temporary. But I would be in the FM arena not AM. The FM and AM indoors is $85 per day so I will not be doing that LOL
> 
> I will be scouring the FM spaces and YS spaces for $10 per table outside in the warmer weather.


I LOVE the outdoor tables at the FM. The inside booths do not do good at the FM I go to--OK, but not great according to friends I have made there that have a indoor set-up.

Having said that, there is several other FM closer to my home that the outside tables do not do very good, because that section does not draw many people. Used items do not sell good at them. 

I Highly recommend a person checking out the FM's in driving range from their home----To see which one is the best to sell the type stuff you have.


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## Desmoinesdavid

I love that color of blue Jean  you've had those dishes for 25 years? Wow! That basket should sell for sure with Easter around the corner. Are you sharing you space yet with your artsy friend?


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## jlxian

She hasn't been in touch with me about it yet, David. I'm not going to hold my breath about her joining me, after being disappointed with my other friend.

I like the little basket too. I've been amazed it hasn't sold by now. Thanks!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Give it till mid Febuary to early March, it will sell!!


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## jlxian

LOL, it has been in the booth since the beginning --- May of last year. BUT, I missed Easter, so you may be right!  We will see!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yup, they say timings everything lol that basket is perfect for spring decor. Are the blue dishes Harker? Idk anything about that subject. I like your cute little sign  Walmart sales plastic sign holders for like 97 cents in the picture frame section.

I wonder if you had a little print out of Wikipedia or something onHarker dishes and displayed it next to the plates if that would help generate interest. If a lamen like me were to walk by I wouldn't know the difference, but if there was some information on it, I'd at least stop to read it. 

I'm not trying to offer advice, I've only been doing this for a week and 2 days now lol Just kicking around a few ideas I plan on trying myself with certain higher priced items in my case.


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## Desmoinesdavid

P.s. By providing information on Harker dishes, it would help us average dudes out a lot. somebody might get if for their mother for Mother's Day and tell her that they're Harker as if they were experts


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## Desmoinesdavid

http://home.lightspeed.net/~ccolbert2/harkhist.htm
I am now an expert


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## jlxian

Actually the "sign" is a new apron I got as a gift a hundred years ago. I thought if I left it in the package it would seem NEW, but I'm thinking I need to take it out and display it better. I didn't mean to leave it in that spot. Didn't realize I had until I was looking at my photos. 

I like the idea of posting signs next to things. I've tried using signs as suggestions of what I would use an item as if I were to buy it.... like I have a blue enamel ware tea kettle which is a lovely color, but not much good for a tea kettle any longer. If I kept it (or bought it) I would use it as a planter on my porch. So I have a little picture of a similar item used that way taped to the handle. So far, no sale though. I've been hopeful that as spring approaches I can push that sale.

Thanks David!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yeah I have a few signs up, but I need to make more. I am going to make a few signs why something is special, or a few signs daring them to price check on ebay. Not sure yet. This is this is what I have so far since my last restock. I have a butt load of stuff coming in so this weekend it'll be a complete overhaul.... I CAN'T WAIT!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

And Clovis, I might bump up the prices even more to the 3.50-4.00 range on the less popular games.

The games I've been selling we're all from my collection so I knew they work. I have a lot coming in that I need to test and clean. I've bought professional cleaner designed for the old Nintendo games. I'll have to take the cartridge apart clean it which also helps prevent future corrosion and test it. I would hate to sell faulty products.

I think I can make this work to my advantAge by making a sign with pictures of me going step by step taking apart the cartridges and cleaning with the special solution explaining the process. That way the customer can purchase the product in full confidence.

I also plan on making a little montage of pictures with my case and vendor number attached to the tv while testing the games that I'll update every so often. 

I think this can be a win win, I can charge more and the customer has greater confidence. Whatcha think?


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## jcatblum

I think showing that you are fairly priced is a good thing to do. Also great to educate people on what you have for sale. I use those clear display signs for pricing & info. I trim scrapbook paper to fit in my computer printer & make signs in a word doc. At staples I saw some curved sign holders & really liked them, but not for $10 each. 

Those who need more risers try wrapping foam board in fabric - look for big pieces of foam for packing TVs & such. Think it is an easy way to raise smalls like action figures. For large non breakable items I would prop them up on a foam shelf. When I did farmers markets I propped all my baskets of produce on old 3 ring binders or foam board, the better the customer can see you items the more sales you make. If you went with a themed booth you could change out the fabric each season.

I agree check out the market before investing to much into your plan & talk with other vendors if possible. Just down the rd there is a market $5 a day, no limit on space. May draw 100 people in a good wk. in OKC the FM charges $7 - I think they bring in 1000 people on a bad weekend.


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## Desmoinesdavid

I know it's a lot more work, but work isn't really work when you enjoy what you are doing. to me I take pride in restoring and preserving part of my childhood so people can enjoy it down the line. I also feel good about having quality products and not have word get around that I'm selling trash. Ok I'm done talking now sorry everyone


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## clovis

David,

That case is looking good!!!! Keep up the great work!!!!!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thanks Clovis,that means a lot coming from you. I can't wait for you all to see what I have in mind. It'll probably be this Saturday, stay tuned...


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## jlxian

Link to a facebook page dedicated to dealers and vendors with booth space. I think it is the same page with the advice I had linked to in a previous post. 

https://www.facebook.com/vintageshowoff


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## clovis

How has everyone's sales been so far this month?

We got off to a slow start, but had a good Saturday. It was a bit warmer here today, so I thought we'd have an outstanding Sunday.

Boy, was I utterly disappointed! Our sales for today were just awful. 

We are getting yet another cold snap this week, with wind chills down to -17. Can anyone guess that I am getting sick of fighting the poor sales due to the weather??


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## Desmoinesdavid

Yup, snow has been dumping on us here, and it's been slower. 

I'm having ebay trouble and people flaking out on me when it comes to selling me stuff. But all is starting to come around. I acquired some good stuff today. I posted one of those ads on craigslist about hints I want to buy and to at least hear my offer. I got $190 worth of stuff for $75.

Went to a military auction yesterday and got some awesome stuff too. I got two civil war documents signed and everything for $97.50, which I could sell for $100 a piece easily compared to other booths.

I'm still waiting for a couple more packages, then I'm going to have a reinvention grand opening I'm so excited. For right now I'm letting whatever sells, sell. I have a new bigger, better, bolder vision coming soon.


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## clovis

David, that is great!!!

Keep up the good work!


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## Desmoinesdavid

Thanks, I have a new found energy and drive where I used to feel lethargic.

I'm loving this new life style, it's like a gambling rush.


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## clovis

David,

If you don't mind, I'd like to share a word of wisdom about this business. Most likely, you already know this, but maybe someone new to the business might not know.

If you are having good success with whatever you are selling, other vendors are going to take note. Mall employees will also talk you up to the other vendors. "The new guy in case #284 is really killing it. His sales are as good as anything that we've seen in a long time" they will say.

Often, when the mall is talking you up, it is in response to a vendor that is complaining about poor sales, low foot traffic, or the lack of advertising the mall has. 

And, of course, most vendors struggle from time to time, and they are always looking to cash in on some success. They can be nosy about what you are selling, your margins, and where you find your product.

I am routinely asked about our booths, the mall, the rent, our profit margins, and more often than not, the source of our products.

Do *NOT* ever share where you are finding your product. This is pretty important, and is a mistake that I see lots of new people make in this business. 

Anyone that is successful in this business already knows where to buy product. They already know that auctions, swap meets, estate sales, flea markets, pickers, etc. is where you can source product.

Generally, I speak in very broad terms when I am asked those questions.

"I buy large lots."
"Mostly estate auctions."
"I've been collecting _______ (insert item here) for years."
"We've got a guy that sells us end lots and partial pallets."
"Those came out of a big collection/estate that I bought."
"Well, ya know...here, there, and everywhere."
"That came from an estate just outside of the city." 

Lastly, one BIG mistake that I see people make is bragging about how great their sales are at that location, especially if they have specialized items or new items that anyone can find if they search hard enough. People who boast about their great sales are asking for trouble.

For instance, when the candle fad was starting, there was a woman who had a booth of nothing but candles, and her sales were off the charts, according to the FM employees (those employees do talk!!!). The vendor routinely bragged about the thousands she had sold, and the thousands she made in profits.

It didn't take long for the world to catch up with her. Within 30 days, there were 4 more new booths full of candles, and within 60 days, there were an additional 3 booths, plus 2 cases full of the same brand and style she was selling. I think there were 10 vendors in that FM selling candles. The original vendor closed up and moved out the following month. 

A word to the wise: Be very, very leery of the vendor who is needling you about where you find your goods. 

The last thing you want is to find out that 3 more vendors in your mall are selling the same goods for 1/2 the price you are.


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## jcatblum

Any of you have vintage art knowledge??? & model horses?? I have found an 8x10 painting that was done by Nancy Strowger in 73. She is known well for her custom model horses in the 70s & 80s. I can't find anything to help me get a guess of the value. Seems none of her work every really comes up for sale. Any suggestions on where I should turn?


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## clovis

Of all the items we research, art has always been the hardest.


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## jcatblum

I know most vintage art is not very valuable. There is a model horse auction site, so if I decided to sell the painting I will prob turn there. It is a nice painting & I would be happy to keep it.


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## clovis

I found a roll of oil on canvas paintings at an auction a few years ago. I think there are 5 paintings that have been cut from their frames.

Of course, I know _nothing_ about art, but these appear to me to be an upper level college student paintings.

All 5 paintings have various women as the subject. I'm guessing they date to the early 30's or before. None are signed.

I should probably mark them $25 each, and just flip them for the money, but there is a part of me that wonders if they are by a famous artist painted during their undergrad or graduate level years.

Maybe I've been watching too many episodes of _Antiques Roadshow._


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## clovis

One other thought about art that I've found:

Not even the self proclaimed 'experts' always know what they are talking about.

We scored a pair of sofa paintings at an auction for $2. I marked them @ $45 each and put them in the booth. Out of the blue, in walks an area art 'guru' who proclaimed that he worked for 20 years as an art appraiser.

I asked him about our pair of paintings, and he quickly dismissed them as being hand painted copies of someone else's original work, most likely painted in Asia and imported to the US market to be sold in a new furniture gallery as a cheap accessory. When I objected with a few points, he derided me, and told me that I'd be lucky to get 1/2 of my asking price for the pair. He really dogged on the paintings and chided me for thinking they might have value.

I've learned, since then, that those paintings did indeed have some value, and were painted by a California artist. They _might_ have been valued at $500 to $600 for the pair.

I'm not sure that I would have netted much more than $90. I believe that I would have had to ship them to a larger market to realize anything close to the $500 value, and due to the size, shipping would have been expensive. Any auction or dealer would have taken another 30% or more. So, if they would have sold for $500, the auction house would have taken $150, and shipping would have been $200 at minimum, leaving me with $150. I'm not sure that the extra time and labor to research and pack would have been worth $60.

FWIW, the paintings sold a few days later to two women who are interior designers.

Experts don't always know what they are talking about. I've found this to be true in other areas of collecting too. I own an extremely rare dealer sign that a self proclaimed 'expert' in the field has claimed it to be unknown to their hobby, but then also was eager to buy it for $200, but only if I agreed to waive any special packing charges, and then meet him 2 hours from my home so he "could take a chance on it."


(Even if he called tonight and said he'd pay $2,000 for the sign, I'think that I charge him a delivery fee of at least $200 to meet him 2 hours from my home!)


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## shannsmom

I hadn't looked at this thread since last year, I wish I had, there's been such great posts! We started FMing in 2011, and did it much like you, Clovis. We used cash to start (had just finished becoming debt free except the house, thanks to Dave Ramsey!), I had just been laid off from the local hospital and DH wanted to sell some video games, so we used some of my severance to get a little inventory. The first morning, we made over $600 in 4 hours and were hooked lol! We plowed most of that money back into inventory procurement. Sales were great and it became our home business (it is good to be your own boss, even in the bad times!). In 2013, sales tanked. As much as 90% compared to the same month of previous years. We live in a poor area, which just seems to have gotten worse in the last year, with tax return time being the only time people have money to spend. However, we started selling on Amazon, and those sales have been great, easily making up the difference in local sales. We have a few friends who sell the same type of items we do in their own retail stores, and they report similar sales slumps, with 2 of them closing their stores. 

To keep our heads above water, we have had to keep an eye on what's working or not, and be willing to change. We have moved from just video games to games and dvd's, and flipping toys, household goods, etc. You're right, the key is to buy cheap and always be looking.

The outdoor flea market we sell at has a rent of $15 per table per day, so not a high cost, but their traffic is way down. If it rains, nobody comes there, if it's cold, nobody comes there. And they quit doing any kind of advertising about 2 years ago, we're hoping they will kick it back up soon, as so many regular vendors have dropped from every weekend to 1-2 a month, like us. In December of 2012, we were bringing in $500-1,000 a day there (only 2 days a week, so it's not as exciting as it first sounds lol), in December of 2013, we hovered around $100 a day, and missed a couple due to weather. We only went on the 18th and 19th in January, but made over $400 that weekend, so maybe it is going to pick up this year. People still seem to be buying necessities and food, but we are entering tax return time, which is usually great for us.

We have an absolute ton of things that we need to get out there to sell, and your posts have given me some renewed energy to get it done! Thank you!


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## jlxian

Just read an idea about having a facebook page devoted solely to your booth, of course including photos of the merchandise. What do you all think about that?


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## jlxian

Question --- which is better --- spend the time and money on a piece, say a stool, to fix it up and price it at $50 and MAYBE sell it; or to leave it as is and price it at $20 and very likely sell it? Of course I'd rather have the $50, but I'm wondering if people at flea markets aren't looking for something to fix up on their own? I'm really torn about this.


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## jcatblum

For me I enjoy working on furniture, but if I ever figured in the time I spent fixing it the price would have to be so high that it wouldn't sell. I have an oak corner shelf, sold one as is. Never got a buyer that followed through picking up the other one & second time I listed it I didn't get any hits. Was about to either put some darker stain on it or paint it, however I know I will loose money on the labor. 

We have a local store that keeps up their page with new products & they also post on the local buy sell trade Facebook page. It really helps get their store out there & draws interest, people are always commenting & asking questions on the buy sell trade page. It is crazy cousins resale in Chickasha, ok. Not sure if you can find it if you search FB. Does it help their sales?? I dnk, but many people don't know their store exist so it does get their name out there.


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## clovis

*Shannsmom*,

That is fantastic! 

Sorry that 2013 has been so hard for you. I know that it was for us too, especially the first half of the year. 

I still believe that $4 gas and the rising cost of everything is really affecting the economy. As well, I believe the aftershocks of the recession are really settling in with many families.

Keep up the good work!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Question --- which is better --- spend the time and money on a piece, say a stool, to fix it up and price it at $50 and MAYBE sell it; or to leave it as is and price it at $20 and very likely sell it? Of course I'd rather have the $50, but I'm wondering if people at flea markets aren't looking for something to fix up on their own? I'm really torn about this.


This is often a tough decision for us: Where do I best spend my time to make the most money?

Back when we were part timers in the FM, I had time to fix and clean stuff, I did so. These days, I try to objectively look at each item, the amount of stuff I still need to process, and then the big question: Is it worth my time to clean or repair this item?

Since we often deal in mass amounts, generally speaking, the answer is no. 

Of course, every item is different. 

Am I going to spit-shine and polish a $300+ agriculture tester I am about to list on ebay? You betcha.

Am I going to spend 3 hours cleaning up a pile of long handle tools that won't help them sell faster? Nope.

Is it worth spending 2 hours cleaning up an antique saw that should bring $100? Yes.

Sure, I wiped down the Zenith tube radio, but if someone wants to polish the light scratches on the top of the bakelight case, they should buy the polishing compound for $14.99 and spend a few hours of their time doing it, LOL.

Now, to answer your question, I'd probably leave the stool the way it is, and try to up the price to $22 or $24. Less work, and more money.

YMMV.


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## SeaGoat

I struggle with the redoing of items.
Mostly furniture. 

I have two end tables I spent countless hours sanding, creating a design, making sure the striping was perfectly straight, painting, And sealing. They are truly one of a kind. I was going to ask $70 for the pair. 
The SO scoffed at this and told me I put too much work into them for that and to keep them because he liked them so much. 

I see this one page I follow on fb. I'm absolutely repulsed by what she does to antique furniture ... And then her asking price! 
She'll get a buffet or China cabinet (in perfect shape mind you)sand it down, slap some paint on it, "age" it with unattractive colors, and then ask 1000s of dollars for it. 
Actually, I haven't seen her post anything In a good many months. 

In today's world majority of people don't seem to want to pay for craftsmanship and detail. 

Im a diy-fer and its a hard hurdle to get over... 
I mean in the fact that, if I can do it, so can they, so why should I even bother?


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## jcatblum

Sarah I understand you on pricing, but I bet you could ask $75 each on the end tables if they were nice. Then it isn't a price that would cause you to fall over. I recently did a china hutch, searched for the perfect one for my own space. After finishing it I said I wouldn't even consider selling it unless I could get at least $450 out of it. I know for me I would have to fall in love with it to spend that much money. Same with the oak shelf I talked about earlier. When I listed one DH told me to put $50, I put $40 & was doubtful if it would sell. I had a dz people in line ready to snatch the shelf up. I would have given $15 maybe $20 if I found it. Really have to put aside what we are willing to pay & push the limits of what others will pay.

Oh & pinterest has cut into some profits. However, look around & you will see many postings or items that people bought & never got around to. You can charge that because you did do it, not them! I did a wall unit & it cost at least $30 in primer & paint. Sure I had it on hand, but I had paid for it at some point in time. We forget sometimes when we use those items we didn't go out & buy for the project at hand.


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## clovis

In a way, I think Pinterest has hurt the resale markets instead of spuring them on.

I've over heard more than once, "Oh, we can make that ourselves. I saw one on Pinterest."

One other thing that I have noticed is that many Pinterest crafters don't want to pay anything for materials. I have a box of license plates in my booth, most marked $1 to $1.50 each. I actually heard two women complain about my prices on those plates. "We should be able to find these cheaper. Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 50 cents unless they were from the 30's or 40's" they said. (Like the ones we have on ebay for $25+ each, and are selling briskly at those prices.) 

While my wife is addicted to Pinterest, I've found that it has brought on a mentality of "Oh, I can do that." A few years ago, a simple Shabby Chic paint job would 'wow' many customers.


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## jlxian

Another very relevant (to me at least) post from Vintage Show off blog: How to make a narrow booth seem wider. http://vintageshowoff.blogspot.com/2014/02/tips-for-narrow-booth-make-narrow-wall.html


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Just read an idea about having a facebook page devoted solely to your booth, of course including photos of the merchandise. What do you all think about that?


I've been thinking about this question for the past few days.

Personally, I have mixed thoughts about it. If you do it right, and can attract followers to your FB page, then I say go for it. 

At the same time, I've seen people use FB to advertise absolutely everything they can pawn off on someone. IMO, it gets old, really quick. I'm not talking about the occasional post of selling a mower or a band saw. I'm talking about the dude that posts everything he has, every other day, for sale.

I had a friend that was posting three or four items every day. I'm not sure what got on my nerves the most...his outlandish asking prices, or the cutesy descriptions he tried to write: "Small knee hole desk, loved for years by a local artist; this recent estate find will store your treasures, and give a purpose to any room. Well aged patina on early American drawer pulls offers this quaint piece of furniture a touch like no other. Asking $285, negotiable."

Come on, man. That piece of junk is one step above Sauder. A hard sell at $45 at any flea market.

That dude got unfriended. Life is too short to have to wade through 25 posts a week from him.

In short, if you can pull it off, try it.

As always, in any of my posts, YMMV.


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## SeaGoat

Another outlet for advertising is instagram. 
It's MADE for pictures.
You can simply hastag your city and business name. 

For example..
I have an antique desk pictured
#antique #desk #Monroega #sarahsantiques #antiques #antiquesofinstagram


And then you can do additional searches of hastag that will generate views. 
If save it for more unique pieces. Like, I would do your whole dish set. Advertise it as for sale. 

We have a lot of shops here in monroe that advertise that way. 
One tattoo guy posts EVERY picture he draws. It's super annoying (to me) but it's helped keep generating business and he had a lot of followers


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## jcatblum

Think stats say 10% of Instagram followers will be customers. If your taking pics just make sure they are good pics.


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## Allen W

Clovis

I seen in a post about you buying under priced items and reselling them in your booth, my mother in law would do that to when she had her booths in a couple of antique malls. One store was on route 66 and had a fair amount of tour bus traffic, she sold a decent amount of used paper backbooks, westerns mainly, at that one.


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## shannsmom

Clovis, I think the $4 gas and higher prices for almost everything has definitely hurt resellers. We were still shocked at our horrific holiday sales locally, though! But, like any other business, you have to hang in there, rough patches will probably not last forever. I am so glad we didn't take the big jumps we were toying with, though, like opening an independent retail store, we never would have made it. 

We went back to the outdoor flea market this past weekend, and while it didn't seem incredibly busy, we did quite well and were pleased with sales by the end of Sunday. We heard several people talking about their tax refunds, so that had to be what spurred it along. Whatever it was, we will take it lol! So, while we had been taking a break for a while, we decided to get back at it till at least the end of April, then maybe slow back down to every other weekend. 

Oh, and I have to agree with you about people seeing you make money, and copying you! Two years ago we had that problem, with 3 booths copying us, as well as people asking exactly where we bought our merchandise, wanting to know how much we made, etc., to the point of being rude! The copying booths eventually gave up, and we are pretty much the only people selling games regularly again. Sunday the veggie vendor stopped by and basically said the same thing. So many people have set up identical booths to his, he is barely making it now. He used to have 4 booths in a row, now has 1 and had to lay off his helper. He has been there for about 20 years, so hopefully he can just ride this out as well. 

Thank you for posting your insights, it is very helpful to read about your and everyone else's experiences!


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## clovis

I am glad you are making some money, Shannsmom!

It is funny...you all are making money selling video games, and I swore them off long ago. I have lost money, albeit just a little, on every video game deal that I've ever bought. Sure, if I could pick them up for pennies on the dollar I might try it again, but for the most part, I will never touch another game or game system as long as I live, LOL.


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## shannsmom

It is funny! Here we can't make money selling antiques, but we do make money selling video games and DVDs. I will admit that it is really because DH is an avid gamer and knew off the top of his head what games were highly sought after and which were common. He also is able to repair game consoles, and after we were at the flea market for a few months, we were approached by the owner of a few local stores to repair things for him, he introduced us to other store owners, and we quickly had a side business. They all also give us good deals on games or movies we are looking for, which has been helpful. That's our primary focus, but we also sell toys, and flip household items when we can get them cheap enough. We always have a movie/game table, and frequently get a 2nd table for "junk" (toys, clothes, kitchen items, etc). We have let it be known to the store owners we know that we will buy lots of items when they just need quick cash, so we are often offered giant boxes of Star Wars collectibles and things along that line for pennies on the dollar. 

Two years ago we swore off selling DVD's, the going price at our flea market had gotten down to 50 cents! That is not worth it to purchase them and resurface them! But last year we bought about 10,000 of them, as we can now sell them for $2 each, at that we can make enough profit to make us happy  Of course, the top of the line or collectible things go online since people will pay more in other parts of the country. It is a business of constant watching and adjustment, for sure! 

On the subject of adjusting, keeping up with developments in your area of sales is also important. DH said to quit buying games around the middle of last year. The new systems (Xbox one and PS4) were coming out and he knew that sales for the previous systems' games would be wonky during the adjustment, and we needed to see what our new selling price and therefor our new set purchase price would be. And he was right, I think that's part of why our sales slumped so much, people were hoping to be able to afford the new systems, now most around here have found they can't, and are buying games for the systems they still have. So waiting has paid off.


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## jlxian

I stumbled upon another blog pertaining to flea market/antique mall booths. Hopefully one or more of you will find it interesting. http://vintagerescue.typepad.com/vintage_rescue_squad/booth-tips-and-advice/


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## shannsmom

Thanks for that link, jlxian! Even though we don't sell antiques, I enjoyed it  While looking at the pictures, though, I decided it is a good thing we don't sell them....I would probably let a LOT of that migrate home lol!


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## SeaGoat

shannsmom said:


> I would probably let a LOT of that migrate home lol!


That is my problem


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## jlxian

Went into the market yesterday to pay my rent for March. First I checked on my booth and all of my blue dishes I had put into the booth about three weeks ago are still there. The booth did look like a few things were gone, but I couldn't place what they were. So, discouraged, I went to the counter to pay the rent. While I was scrounging for my checkbook the owner says I owe you $17.50! I MADE MONEY! Turned out that most of what sold was things I had marked down and most of that was my sons stuff. So the $17.50 all went to him. LOL. He was happy though. One piece of my Harkerware blue dishes had sold, a covered pitcher. I'm bummed about the other things. The owner gave me a pep talk and said that things are really picking up --- tax refund season gets people out. And warmer weather too. 

On Saturday I'm FINALLY meeting my friend who is going in on the booth with me. She will be bringing a few things to place. And I hope she can help me re-stage the entire booth. I know it needs it. I have got to figure out how to use my vertical space from about waist high on up. 

So a little progress report for you all.


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## thesedays

I lost money this past month, but that's understandable because the weather around here has been so bad. Business is terrible for everybody.


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## jlxian

It's incredibly frustrating, thesedays!


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## clovis

How is everyone's sales so far?

We finished February with a decent month at the FM, which surprised me. We often struggle during the second month of the year because it is a short month.

I am definitely still having a hard time figuring out the antique malls where we rent space. I still wonder if antique malls aren't fading from popularity, as is collecting in some respects. 

Indoor flea markets have really grown in popularity in our area in the past 10 years, and I believe that has hurt the malls too. 

For the first time ever, I lost money at one of the antique malls and owe $22 in booth rent.


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## jcatblum

Clovis I think many physical retail locations are fading. When we can buy something with a few clicks on our phone why visit a dz shops looking for it?? 
I don't think collecting will ever go away, there is always at least 1 item that can make almost any buyer weak. 
I noticed when I was in OKC that each time I drive by the antique store on the corner from the state fairgrounds always has customers in the parking lot, while many others you can't tell they are even open. Made me think..... Location location location.


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## clovis

I agree, jcat.

Once upon a time, I spent hours of my life scouring antique malls looking for old Lionel trains. 

If I want something these days, like a Lionel Lackawanna 2321 maroon top, all I have to do is tap on the ebay app on my phone, and I have instant access to ten of them. In all those years of shopping, I don't believe I ever saw a 2321 at an AM.

The indoor FM where we make most of our sales is, generally speaking, very busy, every day of the week...if it isn't bitter cold, expecting 7 inches of snow, or if the Colt's aren't playing.

Personally, I think the FM's have stolen the a big part of the AM crowd. Who wants to walk around and look at overpriced antiques when you might be able to score something cool and unique at a FM for a fraction of the price it would be at an AM?


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## jcatblum

Our FM here try to price like AM. Only bargains to be had are from the ones that are setting up at the FM as a yardsale. I love going to see new things, but do NOT like to get out in shop in the cold. Tax checks will be rolling in so this month should be looking up for a sellers!


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## clovis

Many of the outdoor FM's around here seem to be dying a slow death too. Back in the 90's, you couldn't find a place to park, and walking the aisles was like walking Disney World on their busiest day of the year. 

The vendors at the local outdoor FM (OFM) have been crying the blues for many years. They say that they no longer have the crowd, nor the buyers. Back in the day, the big time collectors would go to the OFM to hook up with the serious dealers.

Personally, I think that the IFM's here took both the crowd and the vendors from the OFM's.

From a vendor's perspective, it is $25 a day to set up at an OFM, but I can rent a full booth at an IFM for $150 a month.


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## SeaGoat

Interesting how malls very around the country. 

Our AM aren't really overpriced. 
Yeah, sure, there are some things I scoff at, But most of its reasonable. 
(Usually everything's under $500)

The owners I've noticed are a lot more lenient about what you can sell so it's pretty much a mixture of AM/FM. 
I mean, you won't find the chewed up plastic dog house for $60 at the AM (and yes, I couldn't believe that price) like you will at the FM down the road..

I honestly try and avoid the FM in town because they are too lenient. 
It's a anything goes in there. 
Dog beds that smell like urine, reallllly old shoes, loose nails and screws.. 
I get trying to make a dollar, I really do, But when the establishment smells from outside the door ... its time to rethink some things. 
These people give FM a bad name.


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## clovis

Our IFM is really clean.

As far as what you can sell, they are very lenient, but they will tell you to move stuff out if it is a problem.

One time, some one was selling badly out of date candy. That vendor was told to hit the road. I'm not talking about a few months out of date, but stuff that was several years old.

They also will ask anyone to stop selling poor quality new stuff. The big issue with this, like the people selling store returned and rebuilt air compressors, is that the customer buys it, gets it home, finds it not working, and then the customer is ticked. While there is a 'no returns' policy well stated on every door, some people come in screaming and yelling trying to get a refund.

The bottom line is that the staff isn't paid well enough to take the abuse of someone demanding a refund, and overall, the IFM wants happy customers, just like every other business in the world.

If you are selling stinky stuff at this IFM, you will be asked to remove the stuff or face having it removed for you...and they won't even call you to let you know that your stuff has been pulled.


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## thesedays

The mall nearest my house is having a bus stop by this weekend! They do have a small cafe, so that's going to be part of the draw.


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## clovis

Wish me luck.

Tomorrow is an estate tag style sale. I find some killer deals at these sales, but they are very hard to work, IMO.

I have scoured the 102 pictures that the estate company posted, and found about 12 items that are really worth going after. The bad part is that we have to wait in line, and at 9:00 am, they let about 15 people in, which is a mad dash to find the things you want somewhere in the house.

I hate trying to find the original Herman Miller chair, while someone else is picking up the super rare Stanley #1 plane in an original box down in the basement for $5. It is maddening to me to try to be in eight places all at once, all while knowing that I am losing out on some killer stuff.

At the last sale, I asked about a bench vise, and the estate worker quoted a price, and then asked me how my wife and kid were. In mid sentence while telling about my fam, some old man walked in, interrupted and said "I'd give $25 for that vise over yonder." So, I lost a $150 vise to an old man.

Overall, I prefer auctions. Sure, you have to wait all day sometimes, but at least everyone has a chance at an item.

If you are an hour late to an auction, they will still have stuff to sell, but if you aren't two hours early to an estate tag sale, the only thing left will be dirty stuffed animals and boxes of old Cool Whip containers. 

I should be relaxed, as many times as I've done this, but I still get somewhat tense before the tag sales...and the agony of losing a mint condition Mid Century star burst clock for $5 to a college girl because she thinks it would be cool if she spray painted it neon green...sometimes I want to scream! LOL, but true!


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## jlxian

Eager to hear your stories about the estate sale, Clovis! I've never been to one like that and I'm not sure I could handle that set up either. Frustration! Good luck.


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## clovis

The estate sale went well, but I am exhausted. My day started at 6:00 am, and I didn't stop working until 7:15 pm. 

I went early, and was the first one there, showing up before the estate sale employees and any other buyers. Being first in line was a big plus, but it never guarantees that you'll find anything you want.

I spent about $300 on:

2 aluminum rockers from the late 50's.
6 Mid Century wire magazine racks, end tables, etc.
1 box of TV and Radio Tubes.
A very unusual milk box
A small lot of NOS AC Delco and Ford sparkplugs
About 20 long handled tools
1 lot of N scale trains, NIB
1 Wilton bench vice
2 very cool garden fence gates
A very large lot of small cigar boxes filled with hardware
1 box of Jarts from the 1950's. I sold the last set I had for $100.
Set of pipe dies for threading iron pipe
A large armful of women's clothes from about 1966 to the early 70's.
1 Westinghouse 1920's brass fan in very rough condition. About $75 to $100 on ebay.
1 Coleman lantern in stunning condition.
The balance was in tools, which are far too numerous to list. I love tools!!

I passed on the ugly Herman Miller chair. It was too rough to have any real value. 

Should have bought the two steel framed art deco style outdoor chairs, but they were priced at $100 for the pair.

One big score was finding a city directory for 1964. They gave it to me, most likely for buying so much, but I would have paid $25 for it. I would think it should easily fetch $100-$200 on ebay, but I haven't checked.

So far, we've already taken the big stuff to the IFM. We've marked $684 worth of stuff, _if_ it sells, we'll be golden. I might take some of it to an AM where we sell; Mid Century is H-O-T there.

Nonetheless, it is easy to sit here and tell you how easy the picking is, and the grand amounts that I hope this junk brings. But even after going to auctions all of my life, and being in this business for years, I've never left an auction, estate sale, garage sale, retail store where I spent a pile of money, and didn't think, at least once, "a fool and his money", LOL.

Thanks for letting me share.


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## jcatblum

Great finds Clovis. Being there early pays off, especially if you can take a companion that is knowledgeable enough you can split up. I send DH to look for very specific items, he doesn't do well if there is bunches to pick from.
I always get excited when I find Jarts or lawn darts! Got a box that had never been opened a few yrs back & a used set at the same thrift store. That store has stayed on my regular list ever since.
I would not do so good at picking tools, each of us having our own strengths makes this a wide field to be in.
DD14 is a toy guru for her age. We were at a sell where another reseller was picking toys. DD went behind & snatched up several they had not chosen. They had passed on at least $100 of toys. The person with them even commented on how DD seemed to know more about toys. DD15 is into dresses. I passed on a dress that was 99c the other day. She snatched it up, brings anywhere from $75-$125 everytime one is listed on eBay. Evidently Madonna wore the same dress in an 80s video, go figure!


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## MJsLady

Clovis, I think mid century mod is becoming hot everywhere!
I would love one of those rockers! 
I hope it all brings what you ask for it!


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## clovis

Thank you for the replies.

*Jcat*: Nice picks! Care to share about the dress?

*MJsLady*: We put $85 each on the rockers. They should sell at that price; I typically see them priced at $125. Who knows though? I can't ever seem to second guess the buying public!


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## clovis

BTW, I've had a few surprises and a few disappointments with yesterday's haul.

The Ford spark plugs in the original boxes? Yeah, used. I should have looked at them first, but was in a hurry. A total rookie mistake! I figure that I have no more than $2 in them, so no big loss.

The AC Delco oil filter? Well, it is not the super desirable one that everyone wants, I don't think.

Surprises, so far:

The Westinghouse fan was a good score too, but that thing is really rough.

The N scale trains were an awesome pick by my wife. She grabbed them up while I was grubbing around in the basement overpaying for used spark plugs and an undesirable oil filter, LOL. There are more train cars than I expected, almost 2X as many. I know HO and Lionel O fairly well, but I know nothing about N scale.


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## jcatblum

The dress DD picked was a Loralie. Our goodwill has 2 colors on sale every wk. one color is buy 1get 1 & the other is 99c. When formals go for 99c I grab up the modern ones, they are usually an easy $20 sale especially this time of yr. not very many older ones are desirable. 

Bummer on the parts, I know it is hard to check everything out when you are rushing to grab up the good finds. It's always a gamble not checking everything over. 
DD spent 99c on a Disney 1000 piece photomosaic puzzle & she is still trying to figure out if it is all there. Stuff in boxes are always a gamble!


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## clovis

Thank you for the info on the dresses!

On my deal, I lotted up the plugs and filter with the radio tubes. It was a sheer gamble on my part, but one I take quite often if they are cheap enough.

I bought a sleeve of GM plugs too. They are new, but I don't have high hopes for them. I still have to look those up. I had 6 GM plugs a year ago that sold for $50 on ebay.


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## SeaGoat

Is that really how "cheap" estate sales are priced? 
I've never been to one thinking they want top dollar for everything


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## jcatblum

IMO when you shop estate sales you learn quickly which companies are affordable & the ones that are not. I love the ones that post LOTS of photos & catalog prior, but those are the ones that are more expensive usually. 
One company locally does 3 day sales. Thur-Sat. Those are nice since you can go & not miss prime yardsales. 
Some families host their own estate sales & those can be awesome!


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## clovis

In our area, 99% of all estates are settled by auction. Any estate of size is generally sold at an on-site auction, meaning that the auction is held at the house where the people lived.

A new thing in our area are tag sales. These are on-site sales too. There is only one company, so far, selling estates with tags. For the most part, they are pricing stuff to get it sold. In their early days, they were putting crazy amounts on furniture, and letting all the smalls go super cheap. We've had more than a few 'wowzer' moments, like the $25 asking price for a cheap camp cook set, but I bought two vintage lanterns for $15. One lantern sold on ebay for $125, and went to Japan, and the other sold at the IFM for $35.

These guys at the local estate company are just winging it, I think. They are making up prices as they go, but tend to be on the very cheap side. I could write blogs on all the killer deals I've gotten from them. We've butted heads a few times, and I've been frustrated with a few things in the past, but all in all, I've made great money at these sales.

As always, YMMV.


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## thesedays

Is it even legal for a thrift store to sell lawn darts? It's certainly legal for people to own them, or sell them privately.


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## clovis

I don't know, thesedays, but I'm not telling, LOL! 

The fact that ebay won't allow them to be sold on their venue makes any Jarts hard to sell, but it also has made them more desirable by jart enthusiasts, IMO.

Back in the day, when the economy was booming, I found a bunch of Jarts and made very good money selling those.

The Jarts that I bought on Friday look to be pristine, but the box is badly damaged.

The oldest Jart sets are getting very hard to find.


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## jlxian

Great finds Clovis! I'm eager to hear how your sales go. 



We went to our local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store over the weekend looking for bathroom fixtures specifically, and just looking in general. I found one of those wooden handled toolboxes our grandpa's all used to have, larger than a shoebox, in lovely weathered condition. $2.00. I snatched that baby up. I'm thinking I can get at least $12.00 maybe $15.00 for it. I'll start out high and see how it goes.


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## clovis

Jlixian: I'd put $16 on that tool tote...and maybe $20 or higher. At $16, I would expect it to fly off the shelf in the first few days, and would expect it to sit for a while at $22-$25.

Sometimes we have progressive mark downs on items. We start with a much higher price, and gradually mark it down as the weeks go by. Progressive mark downs are much easier when you only have one or two booths.


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## clovis

I am happy to report that we've already sold quite a few items from the recent estate sale.

One of the aluminum rockers sold for $85 the very day we set it out. I suspect that I sold it too cheap. 

We have sold several long handled tools @ $10 each, a table saw roller stand for $25, and some miscellaneous junk. 

We haven't sold any of the stuff on ebay yet. The N scale trains should sell for $4-$5 each at an AM, but the big score was a passenger car set that we listed yesterday on ebay for $100. We have about 25 other cars, but at $5 each, I think they are better at the AM than eBay.

I bought a large lot of cigar boxes at this estate, all filled with hardware. Each of these small cigar boxes have a knob on the front where the owner had made them into a drawer, of sorts. At the ES, the women were swooning over the boxes (and complaining that they were full of hardware), so I quickly snapped them all up for $12. I'm guessing we have 35-40 cigar boxes. 

We are taking the hardware out, and put them into Crystal Light containers, and mark them about $1.50 each, which is an outstanding value for those who know how expensive nails and screws are these days. The old 99 cent box of nails is now $5 at Lowes. I've sold a TON of hardware in the past years. Much of the hardware comes from the bottom of tool boxes that I've bought, and adds a $1 or $2 to the bottom line, even though most people would trash it all.

We've marked the cigar boxes at $5 each. Past history tells me that they _should_ fly off the shelves at that price, but women can be as fickle as they come! I think that they will sell crazy fast...or sit for eons until I mark them down. 

At any rate, I am blessed. I am thankful for the sales!!!


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## jlxian

Clovis, I'm drooling over the finds you got at the ES! Oh my. My husband would have loved those cigar boxes full of "stuff"..... what treasure! And of course the boxes are treasure in and of themselves. Sigh..... 

Okay, I'll take your advice and begin with $22 on the tote. We'll see what happens! I noticed that a lot of stuff I marked down last month has begun to move so markdowns do help. Maybe regulars to the market watch to see if things will be reduced in price. 

My house is still so chock-full of STUFF that I hate to go out looking for more STUFF to put in the booth, but finding that tote at the Re-Store was so lucky. I was amazed they sold it so cheap. I guess they need to keep things moving.


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## clovis

clovis said:


> We are taking the hardware out, and put them into Crystal Light containers, and mark them about $1.50 each, which is an outstanding value for those who know how expensive nails and screws are these days. The old 99 cent box of nails is now $5 at Lowes. I've sold a TON of hardware in the past years. Much of the hardware comes from the bottom of tool boxes that I've bought, and adds a $1 or $2 to the bottom line, even though most people would trash it all.


One philosophy that has served us well over the years is "it all adds up."

Many years ago, I read a book about an envelope company that couldn't turn a profit. The owner went to an envelope and printing trade show, and happened to run into a janitor that worked at another envelope company. The owner was bemoaning the fact that they were losing money every month, and the janitor asked "How much are you getting for your scrap paper?"

At that point, the company had been paying big bucks to have it hauled off. They bought a baler, and started selling all of their waste paper, and was able to start turning a profit immediately. 

In the FM business, the sales of 50 cent and $1 items add up fast. At every auction, I see people buy a box for one single $10 item, and throw out $25 worth of 50 cent to $2 items. 

These cheap items tend to sell fast, and can add great profits to your bottom line. Many buyers think nothing of spending a dollar on an item at a flea market. 

The trick is knowing what to trash, and what to keep and mark.

Another trick is to limit your time involved with these low cost items. There is no sense spending 6 hours trying to fix, prep or mark a handful of items that will bring $4 at the flea market. KWIM?

So, what are you getting for your scrap????

As always, YMMV.


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## jlxian

Excellent advice and insights, Clovis. And much appreciated! Thanks!


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## jcatblum

I too thought the toolbox was worth $20+, but I know everyone's location is different. 
We have a "variety store" in town that will allow you to consign anything, but you would be lucky to get $8 for the tool box. Drive 20 miles to a populated area and $20+ would be easy.


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## clovis

Ain't that the truth, jcat?

You couldn't give away a wrench at one AM we are at, but I can't keep them in stock at another place.

I think this is why we have such a tough time with pricing. An item is worthless at one place, worth $30 at another...and $50 at another.


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## jlxian

Checked on my booth yesterday. I've sold $5.00 worth of stuff this month. Bummer. Hoping the upcoming PRETTY weekend brings people out and about and that they have tax refunds in their pockets.


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## thesedays

A while back, I found several dozen unopened, unused patterns (Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick, Vogue) at a rummage sale that was shutting down, and picked them up for almost nothing. The ones that had an Amazon post got listed on there, and the ones that didn't are in my book booth.

I'm selling more patterns online than I am books. I should have started doing this a long time ago!


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## jlxian

Thesedays, are they vintage patterns? I have a ton from the 60s/70s, which may not be vintage, but might be interesting to someone. In fact, I have a lot of sewing notions which I'm sure would be interesting to some people, but I just don't know how to go about selling. Lots of old buttons and other carded notions I inherited from various places.

A friend FINALLY is joining me in the booth and took some of her things there over the weekend. I couldn't help her because of other plans, but I'm hopeful her items will help draw people in to the booth for a look-see.


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## thesedays

Depends on how you define "vintage". They're mid 90s or newer; I realize styles change all the time, but most of the clothing ones are for things like scrubs or simple blouses or dresses. Others are for toys or home decorations.


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## Allen W

thesedays said:


> A while back, I found several dozen unopened, unused patterns (Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick, Vogue) at a rummage sale that was shutting down, and picked them up for almost nothing. The ones that had an Amazon post got listed on there, and the ones that didn't are in my book booth.
> 
> I'm selling more patterns online than I am books. I should have started doing this a long time ago!


The wife sold a bunch of vintage patterns on ebay a few years ago, it seems like doll clothes and aprons were popular.


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## thesedays

Aprons are making a comeback, for both men and women.


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## clovis

We've done very well selling patterns on ebay. We look nearly all of them up, but it seems like specialty patterns do the best.

I especially keep my eyes out for historic patterns and anything Disney. Recently, we sold some different sun bonnet patterns that would be correct patterns for the 1800's. I think we sold them for $12.99 each, and a few months ago, I sold an 1800's era overcoat pattern for $15.

The common patterns are taken to the FM, and sell briskly at $1 each.

Vintage buttons sell very well on ebay, or at least they did the last time I looked them up.


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## clovis

I wanted to mention that we ended March with the best month ever. I think we beat our December 2013 sales by over $100.

I am very blessed, and very thankful.


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## jcatblum

Awesome to hear Clovis! Congrats on the good month!
On vtg patterns I have NEVER bought one to resell. I find LOT & LOTS, just never feel like I find any real good patterns.


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## clovis

jcatblum said:


> Awesome to hear Clovis! Congrats on the good month!
> On vtg patterns I have NEVER bought one to resell. I find LOT & LOTS, just never feel like I find any real good patterns.


In my experience, most patterns are not worth the time to list, IMO. 

Like I mentioned before, keep your eye out for Disney patterns, and re-enactor stuff. Those tend to be a great way to turn a 50 cent garage sale find into $10-$15 on ebay.


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## clovis

How are everyone's sales for April?

After having a stellar March at the FM, April has been slow and soft. The nice weather is hard on sales. Everyone is out enjoying the warm and sunny weather, and not walking around a FM.


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## jlxian

When I checked last week, we had sold one $1.75 item. Total. The wooden tote box, marked at $20, still had not sold. The flea market owner did point out that the weekend before had been a city-wide rummage sale day in a neighboring community. The weekend that just finished was GORGEOUS --- so either folks were out working in their yards or maybe hitting the flea markets. We can hope they hit the flea markets. I'm taking a few items in today on my lunch break, so I will see if anything moved. Fingers crossed.


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## jcatblum

jlxian I hope you get a few good sales this wk!
We did a craft show 2 wks ago, was the first nice day in a LONG time. The attendance was OK, but not amazing. The organizer blamed the nice weather on the low attendance.


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## thesedays

jlxian said:


> When I checked last week, we had sold one $1.75 item. Total. The wooden tote box, marked at $20, still had not sold. The flea market owner did point out that the weekend before had been a city-wide rummage sale day in a neighboring community. The weekend that just finished was GORGEOUS --- so either folks were out working in their yards or maybe hitting the flea markets. We can hope they hit the flea markets. I'm taking a few items in today on my lunch break, so I will see if anything moved. Fingers crossed.


It's such a crapshoot, isn't it?

Several days ago, I was restocking at one of my booths, and a woman was walking around with 3 young children, two of them of an age where they might have been interested in some books I had with me. They were, and when I told the mom that I would be willing to negotiate the price, offered to pay $1 each for books I had marked at $2. I accepted, and sold all of them. I'd rather have $5 than not have $10, KWIM? And I managed to fill in the hole while I was there.


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## clovis

If you can replenish your stock easily, then $5 is always better than not having $10, IMO.

There is always the fine line between giving stuff away too cheaply and getting it sold for a better margin. I am apt to let some stuff go cheap, but price other stuff at fair market value.

It is always a tough call, and pricing is always the toughest part of our business.


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## clovis

I am getting my clock cleaned this month.

I tell ya, it is aggravating and depressing, at the same time. Our March sales were record setting. This month's sales are brutal.

We are well stocked, but there is little foot traffic, and people are not spending money.


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## SeaGoat

Just wait till it gets too hot to enjoy the outside weather. People will want to get out, But not stay in the elements


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Just wait till it gets too hot to enjoy the outside weather. People will want to get out, But not stay in the elements


I would, but I have health insurance premiums, homeowner's insurance, and property taxes due before sales pick up. I also have to have an income to live.

This is the craziest thing I've ever seen. These months really give meaning to "feast or famine", LOL.


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## jlxian

So sorry Clovis! I hope things pick up for you somewhere along the way. I'm slightly comforted to know that your sales are in the dumps too --- makes me not feel so bad about our terrible sales this month. But I'm not relying on the income to LIVE. That's hard, I know. Hang in there!


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## thesedays

I was at one of my booths today, and am nowhere near meeting my rent. He did say that April is often one of their slower months.


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## clovis

I think the thing that is throwing me for a loop is that everything seems so backwards, and nothing is predictable.

Traditionally, February and August are our toughest months, with the summer being slow at times. We've had a pretty good Feb. 2014 and Aug 2013. April has never been a hard month, but this April is cleaning my clock.

We depend on those monthly sales, and with our upcoming bills, there are some rough times ahead. Quite frankly, I am running out of ideas.

Part of me wants to spend every other day buying for the FM, and spend the off days marking the junk and taking it to the FM. The risk with this is that I could tie up a ton of cash, and still not sell enough to make the month.


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## jcatblum

Clovis you have spent enough time sourcing merchandise that you have to have some good personal collections around your home. 
No reason to spend extra money out shopping. You can shop for free around your home. Bet you could fill a box from each main room in your house. Lots of new merchandise for your booth & no cash out of your pocket today. 
Hope sales perk up for you soon.


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## clovis

We do have junk, but 99% of it is either listed on ebay, or going to be listed.

Here is what I have on hand: One tool box, one box full of junk, ready to go, one Coleman lantern, and maybe a few items from an estate sale a few weeks ago, but I am talking about a few items, and not anything significant. 

We have five spots at the FM. Three of them are 8 x 12, and two are 4 x 12. Those booths have an voracious appetite for junk.

The booths aren't super stocked, but they aren't empty, either...not even by a long shot. Adding new junk draws in the buyers if the foot traffic is there to see it.

This thread is helping me figure out some new thoughts, and maybe an idea or two.

Thank you for letting me share my FM experiences. I do appreciate it.


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## SeaGoat

Hmm..
If you are on Facebook try to find a local flea market group.
Mine is called XXX County online flea market.

I sold about $200 worth of j-u-n-k in a couple days (I'm talking beach towels, kids sheets, floor mats, old light fixtures, etc)

People are always looking for deals on that thing.


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## jlxian

Off subject, what does the tag "forum supporter" mean by my name?


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## SeaGoat

I'm on my phone and don't see it. 
Did you donate any money towards the site?


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## jcatblum

Amazing how junk is more valuable that "treasures". When I see the finished prices on eBay junk drawer lots I am always at a loss for words!


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## Belldandy

jcatblum said:


> Amazing how junk is more valuable that "treasures". When I see the finished prices on eBay junk drawer lots I am always at a loss for words!


Wait...there's such a think as a junk drawer lot on fleabay? 

I HAVE to see this! :bouncy:


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## clovis

jcatblum said:


> Amazing how junk is more valuable that "treasures".


FWIW, we use the term "junk" to describe all the stuff that we sell. It all becomes junk after years of being in this business.

I have a $300 tester used in agriculture listed on ebay. I have a big box of train cars ready to go to an AM. I have a big box of better grade tools ready to go to another AM, probably worth $250. 

We refer to all of it as junk, LOL.


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## jcatblum

Sorry Clovis! When you said junk I figured you were referring to low value smalls. Stuff that most would not see much dollar signs out off. Many time it's the small junk that is certain to pay the rent... Since they always sell. The higher dollar items are those that take a special buyer. Special buyers spend more but are harder to find than those buying smalls.


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## jlxian

SarahFair said:


> I'm on my phone and don't see it.
> Did you donate any money towards the site?


I found the explanation under a sticky in the Admin part of the forum. Apparently you get the designation if you 1) donate $, or 2) are an active part of a forum.


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## seagullplayer

I have had good luck on our local Facebook sale sights. I don't sell much, but the few items I have listed sold with-in hours. I sold six chickens in less than three minutes last fall! 
I buy more there than I sell.
Biggest downside is people coming to the house, unless you meet them someplace.

Most of ours are called " XXXX county for sale or trade"


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## SeaGoat

seagullplayer said:


> I have had good luck on our local Facebook sale sights. I don't sell much, but the few items I have listed sold with-in hours. I sold six chickens in less than three minutes last fall!
> I buy more there than I sell.
> Biggest downside is people coming to the house, unless you meet them someplace.
> 
> Most of ours are called " XXXX county for sale or trade"


It's true, the SO detests people coming to the house.. 
I'm not comfortable with it either, but when you sell a $5-$10 item it's not worth the gas to meet someone


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> It's true, the SO detests people coming to the house..
> I'm not comfortable with it either, but when you sell a $5-$10 item it's not worth the gas to meet someone


This is one reason I dislike Craigslist as a selling venue for our stuff.

I had a $100 item listed on CL. It would have sold for $135 or so on ebay. A guy emails me and wanted it for $75, and I agreed. Then I reluctantly agreed to meet him, which was about 20 miles from home. When I got there, he said that the best he could pay was $50. I abruptly picked up the item, did an about face, and started walking towards my car....and he followed me...and paid the $75.

The last item I sold on CL was a pressure cooker, and while I made $45 in profit, I had to wait 20 minutes for the guy to show up.

If it works for others, I am happy for them, but for me, I am tired of people playing games with me.


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## SeaGoat

Oh yes! LOVE those kinds.

One lady had me meet her 10 miles into town. 20 minutes after not showing up I texted her..
"Oh I can't make it"

Whaaaat?
And you didn't have the common decency to let me know???
Still fires me up.


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## jlxian

Ugh. Stopped by the booth today to check on things. NOTHING has sold.


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## clovis

The spring weather is killing us this month. 

Gasoline is almost $4, and I am hearing reports that many people are still getting big bills for the past winter's heat. Neither of those are helping.

We made a big judgement call today, and skipped going to an estate auction. I usually do my best at auctions, generally speaking. Instead, we decided to restock today, and take stuff that we bought at an estate sale yesterday. We really wrestled with making this decision.

We set off for the FM. I was excited when I pulled into the parking lot. This FM shares a lot with a McDonald's, a bank, and a small strip mall. At first glance, I was thrilled. I couldn't see a parking place anywhere, and this is a big lot. We got a bite to eat, and I was excited to get to work. 

As we drove the 400 feet to the FM, my heart sank. The parking lot was almost empty! Apparently, everyone in town was at McD's today, and left to do other things, rather than walk around the FM.

Normally, we never stock and clean on Saturdays. The aisles are generally so busy with foot traffic that we literally can't get anything done. Once you get 3 or 4 guys in a booth musing over your long handled tools, and maybe a calf feeder bucket, you can't even get new stuff moved into the booth.

It was so slow today that it is exactly what the crowd feels like on a Tuesday morning. It felt like a dead Tuesday so much that it was eerie.

Our sales were soft today. I am getting my clock cleaned this month. I'll have a big chunk of money pulled out of our sales for next month's rent, so this check is going to be small. I am getting tired of struggling through these tough months. It is sickening to have worked so hard all month and have a paycheck decimated by overhead...and have nothing at the end of the month. In actuality, our work this month is an accumulation of many previous months work. Our booths looked fantastic when we left today, and our stock, for the most part is very, very good. 

I miss the days when we did this part time just for the fun and extra cash. I really, really do.


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## jcatblum

Clovis I know you already sell online, & you are working hard to make everything AWESOME at your booth. Seeing the empty market sucks, but in the other hand now you know for sure it is lack of foot traffic. Would have been much worse to have shoulder to shoulder people & minimal sales. 
My eBay sales just began to turn around Friday & are back to average. I really don't do Facebook, however the Facebook groups are VERY helpful in learning items to snatch up & tricks to listing. Maybe take a few days & focus on eBay since your booth is fully stocked. Maybe even use the markdown manager & do a 10% off sale to catch some buyers attention. 
If you have any items ending soon, do not relist them. Once they end click sell similar. That brings you back to the top for new traffic. You are giving up you free relist, but I have noticed many sale & get much more traffic when it is treated as a new item. 
Hope this week is prosperous for you!


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## clovis

I am blessed to have had a very good day of sales, which helps. It isn't earth shattering amounts, but these sales have helped my outlook and attitude, at least for today.

As a side note, since we went to restock, we've already sold about $66 in stuff that we took on Saturday. I am more than happy to have flipped our money so quickly on those items.

One of the big things that is really jacking up our sales and cash flow is that we only get paid once a month. Our months run from the 1st day through the end of the month. The month closes out on the last day of the month, and we get our checks on the 10th of the next month. It all sounds so easy when written here. I don't get too worked up about it, those pay dates and the cash flow can be tough.

For instance: If I buy $300 worth of junk on March 29, and take it to the FM on April 1st, and it sells right away, I am out that cash for about 40 days. Sure, that money will come to us in time, but I still have an empty spot on my shelf for that amount of time, theoretically speaking. If The item sits until May 1st, I am now out about 80 days on my cash. If I were just playing around with $50 here and there, it would be a little different, but I am often dropping $500 at a sale in the blink of an eye.

With the check that I get on the 10th, I have to pay bills and still have enough to buy more junk, not to mention the rent and overhead of having the booths. It is sometimes like walking a tightrope above a shark tank, LOL. 

When we have slow months, like this one, our cash flow problems start compounding at an alarming rate. 

I miss the days when we did this on a part time scale.


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## jcatblum

Clovis glad things are looking up & restocking made an impact on your bottom line. It's always hard to know if you are putting out too much stuff or not enough. Guess now you have to fill another box to take this week.


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## jlxian

If Mother's Day (the thing I always asked for on Mother's Day, a day of flea marketing) doesn't bring in some sales, I am seriously considering closing out. Our town does have tourist traffic during the summer, but I'm not sure I can handle much more of this. And my poor friend who did go in on the booth with me hasn't sold ONE THING.


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## jcatblum

jlxian not sure where you are but if you get many summer tourist it might be worth holding off. I know everytime I go to any new town I LOVE to hit all the non chain stores. People will spend a bunch of money on vacation that they wont normally spend. 
How long have you had your booth? May want to find out whose booth has been there the longest & compare what they have to yours. Not saying copy them, just try to evaluate what they specialize in & how its displayed. What ever they are doing must work in your store if they have stayed 5 yrs or so.


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## jlxian

jcat, I've had this booth a year. My mood has been pretty raunchy for several days, and no doubt colors my ideas about whether to keep the booth or not. I'll hope for that to lift soon and see what my outlook is then. Thanks.


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## seagullplayer

Seems to me if I had a booth Facebook groups would be something I would work heavy. Someone wanted to buy it, tell them to pick it up at the booth?

Cures the folks at the house and having to meet them with one stone?


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## shannsmom

I'm just checking in here after not doing do for a while, and hate to hear everyone has had a rough April. Add us to that list, too, our Amazon sale dropped off dramatically (where we earn most of our money), and we haven't been to the flea market too much, 3 or 4 days for the month. The sales there were okay, not great, but enough to give us cash to keep buying. We did spend a lot of money at a friend's store that was closing, got great deals and are now just waiting for people to buy it all 

We can find no rhyme nor reason for the drop in sales, but it is frustrating since it came at a time of higher cost of living and then, just to add icing to the cake, the flea market raised it's rent by 20%....vendors are cutting back the number of tables they get and how often they come there....it's been 2 weeks since they told us all about the rent increase, and yesterday when I went to pay them for Sunday, they tried really hard to talk me into coming Saturday as well....they don't normally beg for business! I don't expect sales to be good this weekend, due to the flooding we had this week, so many people are cleaning up. But maybe they will come there to replenish things, you never know. Oh, the flea market also issued a "no rainchecks" order, so you can no longer cancel and roll that rent to another day, so we will just go and hope for the best. However, with them suddenly being so hostile to vendors, we did rent a booth at a market in the next town over for the 17th, along with some other vendors, and may start going there once each month. 

As usual we all have to adapt and hang in there. I hope it picks up for everyone, though.


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## thesedays

My Amazon account hasn't done well in the past few weeks either. Good to know, in its own way, that it's not just me.


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## jlxian

Went to pay booth rent today and as I suspected I had only sold $3.25 worth of stuff in April. The market owner told me that "April is always a terrible month" and says it is because of people having to pay taxes and because they are just then able to get outside in their yards and do work that needed to be done from the winter. Maybe he's right. It's hard to be encouraged. I hope Mother's Day sales show improvement. Anyway, I wanted to share this market owner's thoughts about April sales with you all.


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## shannsmom

jlzian, those reasons sound legit, at least to me!I know I have been outside a lot more, and not on the computer, or shopping, so if others are doing the same, that could explain the drop in online sales so many people are experiencing. Our local sales have plummeted, too, but we just had all that flooding and well, the place is just a mess! The flea market owner said he suspects it will be weeks before people are out to replace all the clothes, games, etc that they lost, but we're really hoping it picks up sooner than that.


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## SeaGoat

I haven't been antiquing since Christmas. 
First I was broke
Then came spring
The weather is wonderful
And I suspect when it's too hot to breath outside I'll be looking for something to do that involves getting out of the house, but not outside


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## jlxian

I think the heat of summer will help, too. When people just want to go someplace cool where they can spend a good chunk of time. Hope so, anyway!


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## thesedays

One of the people who works at one of the antique malls where I have a booth also works at Lowe's in the lumber department, and he says he knows where everybody is right now.


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## SeaGoat

thesedays said:


> One of the people who works at one of the antique malls where I have a booth also works at Lowe's in the lumber department, and he says he knows where everybody is right now.


It's true, I've been there


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## jcatblum

Clovis any updates? Are sales turning around yet?


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## clovis

Sales are nothing but horrid. It feels like October, 1929 all over again.

The FM is as dead as a door nail. Very little foot traffic, and sales are unbelievably slow. 

We had a minor bump in sales on Mother's Day, as to be expected, and today wasn't too bad, considering it is a Monday.

As of today, we are off about $600 for the month, according to my guesstimates. Even if the month turned around today, and went back to a normal month, it is very difficult to make up $600 in sales. 

Memorial Day weekend should really help. Sales are typically great on MDW, judging by history. Let's hope that it holds true for this year too. 

We are taking two loads this week, even though our booths are already busting at the seams with good stuff. I want the booths to have good merchandise that is priced right when people return to shop. 

For a short while, I thought the economy was normalizing, at least to a degree, but am now beginning to think again that people are simply too stretched to spend money. Property taxes soared here a few years ago under a 'tax and spend' Republican governor, and we've lost the manufacturing base we used to have. One single plant in our town once employed 1,200 people just a few years ago. There is a tremendous downward pressure on wages, not to mention gasoline at almost $4 again, and sky high grocery prices.


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## jcatblum

Hate to hear the bad report Clovis. 
Our spring weather has been amazing. There were several local craft shows last weekend & all vendors fussed about the lack of foot traffic. 
Memorial Day comes early this yr so maybe you can pick up some lost ground. You still have another Saturday after Memorial Day.


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## clovis

I have been reluctant to post on this thread, as of late. I am afraid that I am turning this thread into "The Clovis Diary", LOL..

Anyway, here goes: We had another dreadful day of sales. Tuesdays are our worst day of the week, so it is expected. When things are this bad, you hope and pray that a well healed contractor comes in and drops $200+ on tools that I have in the booth. You hope that the local First Baptist Quilter's Guild drops by and purchases every fat quarter you have, all 280 of them. You hope that someone from the American Legion finds your Maxwell House coffee, and buys 8 cases, since it has 2015 dates.

So far, this month, no luck on any of those. 

Just a few years ago, I could almost buy anything and pay any price for it, with no worries. Someone would be along shortly to buy it, and give you a profit for your work and risk. There hasn't been a single time in the past year, during a buying opportunity, that I haven't had a little voice in the back of my head saying "Will that sell? Really, will that sell?"

I talked to 5 vendors today, and they all agreed, this is the worst that they have ever seen it.


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## SeaGoat

I like your diary 
It gives us a guide on what to expect during the good and bad times. 
At least you know it's not you. 
We had a mall advertising a bunch of booths up for rent a few weeks ago. Must be hard times around here as well


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## clovis

Thank you for the kind words, Sarah.


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## jcatblum

Clovis there are many that read your post & take something good & helpful from your words. Think of all who are considering jumping in & have only seen people talk about the good times. If you only talked about those days where you had $500 in sales or turned $1 into $100 everyone else would begin to ask what they are doing wrong!


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## clovis

Thank you, jcat, for the kind words.

There are always ups and downs in business, and the reselling business is no exception.

I've seen slow times in this business, but I have never seen it this slow. The first 6 months of 2013 almost destroyed us, but by July, 2013, business really picked up. The rest of the year increased steadily, and I truthfully thought that the economy was starting to get out of the woods, so to speak. I felt that I had pricing power again, meaning that I could start marking items closer to their real value, instead of playing the 'get it gone' game.

I simply don't know what to make of the whole thing. I really don't.


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## jlxian

Love your posts Clovis! I get so many things from your posts, not just information. Camaraderie is probably the most important for me! 

I read an Op-Ed piece this morning that said statistics claim retail sales in April were flat everywhere. The gist of the Op-Ed was that people don't have any disposable income. The woman running the flea market next door to where my husband works told him that she thinks sales are bad because of gas prices. I guess it must be true about sales being flat --- although I certainly spend my fair share (and more, no doubt) at WalMart. 

I have not checked my booth since Mother's Day --- actually I'm afraid to. Nothing had moved prior to the weekend, anyway. 

Fingers crossed the warmer months are better for everyone, flea markets included. 

Keep your posts coming everyone!


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## thesedays

I hit 2 of my booths today, and am going to pull one of them at the end of the month. Granted, it's just an endcap for which I pay $35 a month, but so far this month, I've had $6 in sales.

It's just not worth it.

Later, when I was at my other booth, I ran into a lady I know who it turns out used to have a booth at that same mall, and she withdrew it for the same reason - insufficient sales. In addition, last year that mall flooded (which had never happened before) and since the river's getting high, I'm concerned that it might happen again.


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## clovis

Interesting that you are pulling a booth, these days.

We are thinking about pulling one booth at the IFM too. 

My wife wants to pull it. We aren't selling much out of it. I argue that our sales are down in that booth because we haven't been putting the stuff into that booth like we used to.


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## earthymomma

This thread is what made me find this forum!! ;-) 

I am actually trying my hand at this for the very first time! Rented out my booth this past week and will start moving in tomorrow! I am extremely anxious and excited! I'm doing a variety of smalls, repurposed/upcycled items, and refinished furniture. Met a few vendors this past week as well and they said they've been doing extremely well! 

I'd love to see photos of y'all's booths? My brain is working overtime trying to come up with stellar staging ideas lol


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## thesedays

I gave my notice at the booth, and they want 30 days so it will be at the end of June. That might be an advantage, because from now on, I just won't add anything, and will have less to haul out 6 weeks from now.


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## jcatblum

Pinterest has unlimited staging ideas.


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## SeaGoat

I noticed the local thrift store started staging a few sections. Very pretty displays. 
They also seem very proud ($$$) of those displays. 
They wanted some $20 for a beyond tarnished, oh what would you call them, buffet warmers that are kept warm with the candles on the bottom. 
I'll give you $10! (But I'd feel like a jerk haggling with a not for profit thrift, and the lady scares me)


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## shannsmom

Clovis, I am sorry that sales are down so much for you, but I still love reading your posts, as Jlxian said, it is the camaraderie that helps us all, I think. 

We tried a new flea market last weekend, and were so excited about it....until we sat there and didn't sell a single thing! Our friends from our regular market went as well, and they sold 5.00 worth of stuff, not great after paying 18.00 for the booth! For us, it is also an hour drive each way, so we won't be going back. So, back to our regular one this weekend, even though we are mad about them raising rates. We have also come to the realization that we will have to go most or all weekends this summer, not only 1/2 or less as we had planned (100 degree days there are just no fun!), I am a bit saddened by this, but we must do what we must do. 
Last summer is when sales tanked for us, but our online sales kept us afloat. Online sales are down this year, so I am a little concerned. As far as this coming weekend, we have done really well every other Memorial Day weekend, as much as $1,000 a day, so I am hoping it will be good. We will run a sale, though, since so many people here are still recovering from the floods and don't seem to be spending much. 

I hope things pick up for everyone, and soon!


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## jlxian

I didn't even think about this weekend being a holiday! I better get to my booth and do a little tidying up and maybe bring in a few things I've been delaying on selling.


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## jlxian

earthymomma said:


> This thread is what made me find this forum!! ;-)
> 
> I am actually trying my hand at this for the very first time! Rented out my booth this past week and will start moving in tomorrow! I am extremely anxious and excited! I'm doing a variety of smalls, repurposed/upcycled items, and refinished furniture. Met a few vendors this past week as well and they said they've been doing extremely well!
> 
> I'd love to see photos of y'all's booths? My brain is working overtime trying to come up with stellar staging ideas lol


Welcome Earthymomma. As you can see a lot of us are discouraged these days. I hope you have good luck with your booth! I have posted a few pictures of my booth (a few months back, you can scroll back and see, I hope). I'm not very good at staging. Please share pics of your booth when you get it all set up!


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## earthymomma

jlxian said:


> Welcome Earthymomma. As you can see a lot of us are discouraged these days. I hope you have good luck with your booth! I have posted a few pictures of my booth (a few months back, you can scroll back and see, I hope). I'm not very good at staging. Please share pics of your booth when you get it all set up!



Thanks!! I sure will, spending this week taking over loads and getting ready for this weekend. I'll take some pictures this afternoon and share


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## thesedays

Sales aren't booming at my booths, but my Amazon.com account is! I've sold 5 books in the past 24 hours, and 8 this week! :nanner: I normally don't sell that many in a month! Guess I must have what people want! 

Yesterday, I shipped a book to Italy, and I just found out that earlier today, I sent one to a county jail. Keeps things interesting, I guess.


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## clovis

We restocked today. The booths are fulling, and some are busting at the seams.

We had a good day of sales, but we have a long way to go to have a good month.

Praying that this weekend is profitable. Memorial Day weekend is typically very good for business, and let's hope this year is no exception.


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## shannsmom

Okaaaaaay, well, we will only have 1/2 of this weekend to sell, but I hope it is good for all of us! When I went in to pay for our booths for this weekend, they had rented them someone else, she looked down her nose at me and said "since you didn't come last weekend"....several of us regular vendors went to the other flea market, and since I had followed the rules and called ahead to tell them we weren't coming, that should not have affected this weekend, so it seemed like they heard we were at the other place and were punishing us. She asked if we were coming the next 2 weekends, and when I said yes she got a lot happier...seems childish to me, but since they are in charge and seem to be our best avenue for sales, we will play the game they dictate. 

Anyhoo, I hope everyone does really well this weekend, I know we all put a lot of thought and work into our businesses and could use a good month of sales!


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## SeaGoat

lol - talk about uncomfortable!
These days they better be happy to have vendors


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## shannsmom

Yes, they should be! There were LOTS of empty tables today and one other vendor said there were lots yesterday as well. We've noticed more empties since they raised the rates. It was not a bad regular day, lots of small sales, but it was abysmal for Memorial Day weekend. I'm glad we got what we did, though!


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## earthymomma

Went to add a few items to my booth today (just moved on on Tuesday) already sold a handful of items and it's still fairly sparse in there lol but encouraged of sales in general!
View attachment 29847
View attachment 29848


A few pics


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## jlxian

My husband and I visited one of the other local flea markets on Sunday and when we were leaving I asked the owner how his business had been. He said April had been awful. He said they do get a lot of travelers because they are close to a highway exit. Their rent is 3x what I'm paying now, not feasible for me to move there. There were a lot of people in the market while we were there.

Earthymomma, your booth is looking nice!


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## clovis

Sales have been picking up a little.

I was hoping for a BIG Memorial Day weekend. Sales were on the soft side. What is funny is that sales for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week have been higher than sales over the weekend. I am thankful!

We are going to close out one spot at an AM on Friday, and I am thinking about closing out another booth at another AM next month. Sales are just too slow to justify the work, cost, etc.

I believe that the indoor flea markets are taking a serious bite out of the foot traffic at the area AM's.


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## jlxian

OH! I forgot to add that my husband visited his brother over the weekend. The brother has a flea market booth where he sells building supplies and is doing VERY WELL. This is in a town south of Tulsa.


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## earthymomma

jlxian said:


> OH! I forgot to add that my husband visited his brother over the weekend. The brother has a flea market booth where he sells building supplies and is doing VERY WELL. This is in a town south of Tulsa.



I have a ton of family south of Tulsa!  and that's awesome someone is doing well!


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## thesedays

The mall nearest my house where I have a booth called me yesterday and told me that an opening had come up, and it was mine if I wanted it. Not only is it in the same section of the building, which is air conditioned (the main area isn't), it's RIGHT NEXT TO my current booth, so moving everything will be easy. It will also cost a little more than twice as much as my current space, BUT I can also stock about 5 or so times as much. :buds: 

I met one of the people who ran that booth; the other one had a health emergency and needed to pull out ASAP, so I may be able to start moving my things over as early as this weekend. I will need to paint (the cubicle's wall is currently turquoise; I bought some eggshell paint at the ReStore) and hang curtains to cover up an unused door, but otherwise, I'm good to go.

:thumb:

Like I said, I gave notice at one booth that has been a money and time pit, and I'm going to do the same at the one that's 40 miles away. It won't be easy, because I really like the people who work there, but I can still drive up there occasionally and pay them a visit.


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## SeaGoat

AC will be nice!


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## clovis

Sales have picked up a little, but we aren't setting any records. I'd love to sell another $300 before the month ends, but that would take a miracle. Right now, I'd settle for a strong Saturday.

The booths are full, with some of them busting at the seams. One booth is a little short on stock, but by no means bare.

I've talked to several people that own businesses in the area, as well as many other businesses. EVERYONE says that sales are slow.

Hoping for a strong Saturday. I have more than enough stuff to sell to have a $300 day. Time will tell though.


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## clovis

If ya' all don't mind me spouting off with more of my blog type posts:

Attractive booths get attention, and look great to the general shopper, but I do have a word of caution, if you don't mind.

Sometimes, IMO, a decorated and staged booth can be a detriment if you are not careful. I think there is a fine line between having an attractive, cute and staged booth and having one _too_ attractive, cute and staged.

If a booth is _too_ cute and _too_ perfect, the average shopper will walk by, glance at the booth, and walk by, without looking at anything. I believe that the shopper looks at it as a dainty place, and if they pick up anything and buys the item, they are in effect, _messing the place up._ Who wants to be the blame for messing up a perfect place????

For instance, there is a new booth directly across from our 'main' booth. It is beautiful in it's display, and not one item is left undone. I'm not talking about a clean, well staged booth, but one where every last item has a perfect place. She has a table, set with linens, napkins, doilies, chargers, plates, napkin rings, cups and saucers, and a centerpiece in the middle of the table. When I say that the booth is perfect, I am not kidding. It looks like the place you would want to bring the First Lady to have tea and crumpets if she came to town, and wanted to meet with you about promoting literacy for children. 

The vendor does have nice, clean, high quality items, and overall, her prices are reasonable. Not bargain prices, but fair enough for the quality of items she has.

Now here is the funny part: My wife was working our booth last week, and was hidden from this vendor's view. The vendor was showing off her booth to a girlfriend, and said, "it is going to take a while for people to learn that I'm here. The problem is the FM. I've only sold $22 this month." Then, as she pointed at our booth, she added "and I can't wait until we get some other people with nice booths to make this place better", and said it in a condescending tone.

Well, she's been there three months, and I'll venture to guess that she'll be gone in less than two more months, but it wouldn't surprise me if she moved out this Saturday.

The problem is that her booth is too well decorated, and too perfect. IMO, a vendor needs to display pretty and interesting things in such a way to get the shopper's attention, and cause them to come look at the item, but not to overdo it with decorating. One extreme is to have a booth be a dumping ground for junk, and the other extreme is to decorate or stage a booth too perfectly. There is a middle ground somewhere where the item is appealing, attractive, and easily reached by the customer. 

Customers want to dream a little with the items that they buy, and when you think about it, aren't most items that we buy promoting an image or dream that we have in mind? 

When you set a table with a black floral cloth, with matching cloth napkins, plum napkin rings, and the perfect color of chargers, in a way, at least the way I see it, you are taking the 'dream' away from the customer. I know that this idea sounds insane, but there probably is some truth to this. In the customer's mind, they see that the perfect napkins can only be used with that table cloth, but if they had been neatly arranged elsewhere in the booth, the customer can imagine that those same napkins might match the purple table cloth she has at home, and another customer can imagine using them as fabric, and sewing them into pillow cases. 

Another mistake this vendor has made, IMO, is that she hasn't moved the first thing around since she has been in the mall. Moving items in a booth is critical, and promotes sales of items. 

I would also like to point out that I believe that this vendor made another blunder: In her mind, she wants the mall to be something that it isn't, and it is reflected in her attitude and tone of voice. Can a vendor bring something new to a mall, and create a market for themselves by showing the customer something different? Sure they can! Thousands of people do this every day, across the world. But, if you have the arrogant mindset of "I'm going to change the face and mindset of this mall because my tastes, decorating ability, and selection of merchandise is so superior", you probably have a whole new lesson to learn about selling in a mall environment.

Attractive, interesting, cute, fun, well organized, but not too perfect, is the key, IMO. 

Of course, as is with everything I post, *YMMV.*


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## SeaGoat

It's true. 
As a consumer if a booth looks "too nice" I won't want to enter and walk around. 
What if I bump something? 
It screams delicate, do not touch! 

I would think if you had an odd piece of something it's okay to display it in a more suggestive setting, but I agree, don't over do and take the imagination of the customer away. 
.... and don't over suggest ....
Meaning, don't make me feel like I have to buy the WHOLE table setting 

Sure, set your antique tea and coffee makers with the cream and sugar dish on the buffet, but don't make it look too fancy where I'm going to feel guilty if I buy just one piece


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## jcatblum

When something is over staged it also makes you think it is too expensive. 
When I do craft shows there are many times I have to tell people it's on to pick up the soap & other products to sniff them. People who are considerate really don't want to misplace items or mess up your pretty display. 

I think an eclectic look is always something to aim for. If shoppers wanted something that Cordinatir they would go to Dillard's.


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## clovis

Thank you for the additional comments on my post. I realize now that I could have said everything that I needed to say in about six sentences. LOL.


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## clovis

Something fun:

My daughter loves earning money, and sometimes she will offer things for sale in our booths.

In the past week, I spied that one of our neighbors were having the windows replaced in their stunning 1920's late Arts & Crafts home. It is a shame, IMO, that they ripped one of the most beautiful architectural features out of this home. 

The old sashes were stacked in their driveway. I told my daughter to go ask what they were going to do with the sashes, and they not only gave them to her, but loaded the sashes and drove them to our house!!!

I haven't had any decent sashes for resale in years. There was a time that I could get 'moon money' for any multi-light sash with good glass, but couldn't give away a large single light sash. In fact, I once sold three single light sashes for $2 each, and was thankful that someone bought them.

I think that she can mark the single light sashes at $10 to $15 each, and the ultra cool multi-light sashes at $25+. I am tempted to mark the very cool nine light sashes at $45 each.

I very much want to teach my daughter how the real business world works, so I might charge her $10 for gasoline, since the truck is full of sashes, and I will have to make a 50 mile round trip so she can take them to the FM. I don't want or need the $10, but I want her to know that expenditures can eat into your profit, and in the real world, those sashes aren't going to get there for free. This is about getting her to think about business, and that you have to spend a little money to make big money. 

For fun, I offered to buy all the sashes on the truck for $100 in cash, but I would be selling them and keeping all the profit for myself. It was cool to see the wheels turn in her mind, and she declined after thinking about it for a few minutes. I upped the ante to $150, but she has decided to keep them and sell them herself.

I love working with my little one on things like this. It gave me yet another opportunity to talk with her about always being 110% honest in her business dealings, no matter what.

In total, if she sells the sashes at $10 and $25, she will make about $470.


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## SeaGoat

I think that's pretty cool! 
Teach her to bargain young. 

My dad will negotiate prices, but we were hardly around when he did. 
My mom was never a negotiator. 
My sister and I just don't understand how it works, or rather, we are scared to put it into action.

If your daughter can say no to you and practice with you I think that's great


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## thesedays

I was going to pull my booth that's 40 miles away, and when I called to inform them of this, they told me that there's a small booth - really a closet - for $25 a month that will be available next month. I'll just move some stuff there, and the rest of it into my expanded booth. I'm OK with that.


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## clovis

We closed up one case that we had rented at an antique mall. I did so, with regrets, but we can't justify the time and expense when you consider the poor sales.

This mall is near the heart of a downtown, and only has street parking. For years, there was free parking everywhere. A few months ago, the tax-and-spend politicians decided to install parking meters, at a rate of $1 an hour.

I noticed that our sales dropped off significantly when the meters were installed. I believe that many mall shoppers are the type that swing in when they have 20 minutes to spare. If you have to drop a $1 into a meter, just to kill part of your lunch hour, you probably won't even stop.


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## earthymomma

Well as of Saturday we had officially paid booth rent for the month! With only having had stuff in our booth for less than 10 days of the month I was just hoping to clear rent and we did! We may even end up with a small check ! Feeling very blessed! This upcoming weekend is the malls actual grand opening ( they just opened April 1). There has been a ton of advertising for this event along with a parking lot flea market that's going to happen. Hoping to get a ton of projects done this week (I do a lot of upcycled, repurposed and refinished items) and that this weekend will be immensely successful!


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## shannsmom

Clovis, it is such a good thing to teach your DD about expenses and operating costs at a young age! She is going to be so far ahead of other people lol! The grandson of the owner of the flea market we rent booths at hangs out at our booth a lot and even though he is 18, he has no concept of this. He'll ask how sales are and if we say "eh, just okay", he'll say "well, did you at least make booth?" and if we did, he thinks that's great. We've tried to explain to him that that just made $36 for his family, we're still sitting at $0 and we can do that at home on the couch! He has no concept that you have to pay for things in the beginning to be able to make money. He is a great, polite kid, though, and we've tried to help him see how to make money, we used to give him a list of things we would buy from him if he found them in his 12 hours of wandering the flea market each Saturday, and tried to explain that he needed to add in a profit margin for himself and consider what his time was worth for finding the items....it never sunk in, though. He's in the perfect position to make a fortune flipping things but just doesn't want to put the work into it. Sadly, he just finished 12th grade a few days ago but did not get a diploma, he has to go to adult high for 2 classes, and has decided to put it off till the fall. He has brought some of his friends to hang out at our booth as well, and none seem to be motivated or have enough understanding of things to get ahead. Now, our 12 year old DD, is just like yours lol! She is quite good at finding things to resell, can haggle down the item to a price she's happy with and also get most things she wants for herself at a great price. I wish I were half as good a shopper when I was even in my 20's! But she also takes into account the cost of doing business, and even sets herself a little budget to buy things to flip when she wants to save up some money for herself. She even offers to pay part of the booth rent if she is going to put things on the table, and if she wants to get rid of toys or clothes or such, but doesn't want to put the work into getting them ready, she says up front that she only wants half the selling price since I am doing the work. I know I'm her Momma and a bit biased, but I think she is going to go far in life!


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## thesedays

My $27 a month booth is bigger than I thought! It doesn't have much square footage, but it's shaped in such a way that I won't have to move a lot of things out. I don't have to move it all until the 15th, so next week, I'm going to take care of things.

I cleared out the smaller booth at the new place and moved it to the new spot right next door. It's a work in progress, that's for sure!

And not only did I not make rent at 2 of my places, my sales were only about 1/3 of the rent. Good thing I have my Amazon store to make up for it.


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## clovis

How is everyone's sales?

We've had a mixed month, so far. Several slow days, but have been blessed by good sales in the past few days. It is wonderful to have two weekdays that are as good as any weekend day's sales.

We've got a long month ahead of us...let's hope that the rest of the month is okay!!!


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## jlxian

We sold $11.50 worth in May. Nothing so far in June. I posted new pictures on my facebook page. 

Congrats Clovis on some good recent sales!


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## thesedays

Stinks, doesn't it?

I got my downsized booth taken care of, and my upsized booth too. I'm selling things out of the bigger booth, too - and I'm VERY happy about that, because that booth rents for $136 a month. It's an exhausting process, and one I'll be going through to a smaller degree at the end of the month when I pull my 4th booth that isn't doing so well.

Sold 2 items on Amazon today, too! :hobbyhors


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## earthymomma

This past week has actually gone really well! I think things are continually picking up, seems the grand opening did it's job . We sold 2 larger items and a handful of small items, only about $20 shy of our rent being covered for the month already (our months start on the 5th)


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## clovis

Good job, earthy!


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## shannsmom

Last weekend was decent for us, and yesterday was pretty good! most of our friends at the flea market said they had pretty good days, as well. I think what's helping us is that school has been out 2 weeks here, and the kids are driving people nuts lol! We (and our friends) sold every video game system we had, and someone even tried to buy the one we had taken in for repairs! Now, the heat is causing people to be a bit rude and difficult to deal with, but that's the price for making money sometimes, isn't it? We have only been able to set up on Saturdays so far this month due to family obligations, but the rest of the month will be able to work Saturday and Sundays, so we can get back on track. Funds have been perilously low lately (due to sales being so low), but we did get a chance to make 2 great bulk buys, and they have paid off well in just the last week...that makes you kinda refocus and get back on the ball. Plus getting past all the birthdays and events of the last 2 months makes me feel more refocused.

We've had a small surge in Amazon sales, as well, which is nice, as it had been slower than normal for the last month. Traditionally, for us, summer is slow slow slow for local sales, and Amazon saves us, but it did not look like it would lately, so I am glad to see the uptick. 

On a side note, a couple we have become dear friends with gave us their booth permanently (it is attached to ours), since they now only come once a month, and moved one booth over so they can just rent it when they feel like it. The market owners continue to be discourteous to vendors, so our friends are talking of selling all their inventory and quitting. A lot of regular vendors have quit or lowered the number of booths they rent. About 1/3 of the indoor vendors have quit. The lack of vendors is great for those of us sticking around (less competition= more sales), but the attitude from the owners stinks. As they get fewer and fewer vendors, they get more frustrated and share that with everyone.


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## clovis

We are continuing to have mixed days of sales.

Yesterday, a gang buster day. Today, a Sunday, which happens to be Father's day, our sales were just horrid. Horrid, as in "it has been sleeting for two days, and a major ice storm is coming, followed by up to 8 inches of snow" type of horrid.

Generally speaking, Father's day can be pretty good for sales...but not this year.

Go figure.


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## clovis

A crazy week:

Sales for the past Sunday were awful. Typically, weekend sales are terrific, and traditionally speaking, Tuesdays are just really, really, really slow days.

This week? This Tuesday was a good day for sales. Not enough to make up for the awful sales we had on Sunday, but surprisingly good.

Go figure!


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## shannsmom

Clovis, you're right, it's a crazy month! Yesterday we did well, a little above our goal. Which was a good thing because today, awful! It took from 7 till noon to make $45! If you take into account that we had to pay $36 for the booths, we made $9. But, if you take into account what we paid for what we sold (yes, we sold so few things that I could actually keep track of it!), we lost $2! Other vendors said the same thing, so we left early! No point in sitting in 102 degree heat for nothing! Also lots of empty tables. You used to have to fight for tables on our row, today we had 5 empty booths to 1 side of us and 4 to the other for 1/2 the day. And the annoying thing....the people who did bother to stop at the tables were offering 1/2 or less of what everyone was asking, no matter how low or reasonable the price was! Haggling over 50 cent items that were new in the package....really!?!?


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## clovis

Sorry to hear that, shannsmom.

I've had more than my fair share of silly offers, and I don't typically man the booth since we are in an indoor flea market, set up like any antique mall.

$3 for a shovel that retails at Lowes for $30? $2 for a $28 sledge hammer? I don't mind cutting a deal, or listening to reasonable offers, but I don't jack with the extreme low ball people. Generally speaking, I smile politely and say "thank you, but I need to stay at $__ on this item."


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## clovis

BTW, we had an okay weekend. Not great, but I can live with it.

Also, my DD sold a window for $15. She is thrilled!!


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## clovis

Earthymomma,

How are your sales??? You mentioned that your opening weekend was great. I hope your sales have continued to be good!!!


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## earthymomma

Thanks for checking in Clovis, I've officially surpassed rent and still have 2 weeks left before payout. So we will at least get a check this month. I am very thankful. Things seem to be steadily picking up. I finished several larger projects and dropped them off on Saturday morning as well (a metal buffet, refinished bar stools and a full length mirror) so that should help as well


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## clovis

I am on cloud nine!!!!

We had an absolutely fantastic day today!!!! What a blessing!!!! 

It is odd to have a great day of sales on a Monday. I'm not sure we've ever had such a great Monday.


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## clovis

My daughter picked up four more sashes from across the street. While it is hard to see this stunning example of a late Arts & Crafts home be denuded of it's beautiful windows, I'm glad that she was able to pick up a few more cool sashes.


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## thesedays

clovis said:


> Sorry to hear that, shannsmom.
> 
> I've had more than my fair share of silly offers, and I don't typically man the booth since we are in an indoor flea market, set up like any antique mall.
> 
> $3 for a shovel that retails at Lowes for $30? $2 for a $28 sledge hammer? I don't mind cutting a deal, or listening to reasonable offers, but I don't jack with the extreme low ball people. Generally speaking, I smile politely and say "thank you, but I need to stay at $__ on this item."


Flea markets and garage sales are NOT the same thing.

My 4th booth, the one that wasn't doing well, was paid up until Monday, but I got an urge to pull it this morning, so I drove out there and did it.


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## earthymomma

I'm definitely starting to see the odd trend as well! Lol I brought in a ton if stuff over the weekend and had very little sales... But tomorrow was an incredible day! Go figure on a Thursday lol


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## shannsmom

Clovis, that's exactly the kind of offers we are seeing, $3 for a $30 shovel! I am a people watcher, so am always watching and listening to other booths, and I am surprised how many people don't make much more than they pay for their booth. I mean, it's hard to sit at an outdoor flea market in the Fla summer! Yesterday was not great, but at least we cleared $100 for the day. The only people who seem to be making good money are the vegetable sellers, food sellers and puppy sellers. I did manage to flip some coupon purchases, I had gotten barbeque sauce really cheap and sold them for triple what I paid...and sold out  

I do feel fortunate that we have online sales to fall back on, so many other vendors don't do that for whatever reason. So we have pulled all of our PS3 and Xbox 360 games from the flea market where they can't sell for $3 and put them online, where they sell easily. And of course, now people ask where they are....ummm, you should have bought some at ANY time during the last year and we would bother hauling them back out for you, but you didn't, so we will sell them where they will actually be bought. 

Summer is normally slow locally for us, so we're not 100% surprised, but bucking that trend would be nice lol!

I'm glad to see some of ya'll are having good days, it is a nice reward for all the work everyone does!

ETA: A friend of ours got so tired of the lowball offers, he made a sign that said "All reasonable offers will be considered, unreasonable offers will be treated as the joke they must be and laughed at accordingly"!


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## clovis

Shannsmom,

Sitting in the heat in an Indiana summer is too much for me...I can't imagine the Florida heat and humidity!

That sign about offers is too funny!

One thing that I like about our indoor flea market is that once you price something, the price stands. The cashiers cannot make any deals, reduce prices, etc. Of course, this is a double edged sword. Many people like to negotiate, or make deals on stuff. Since we aren't there to negotiate on prices, it turns into a "take it or leave it" scenario. I'm sure that we've lost tons of sales over the years because someone was willing to pay $8 for something, but not $10.

Oh, BTW, great job on the BBQ sauce!


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## shannsmom

Clovis, we are all about comfort lol! We take tarps to try to stop even the smallest ray of sun from hitting us, and have at least 3 fans. We are currently playing with the idea of fans blowing out on the customers...maybe if they linger over our 750 dvd display, they will see something they have to have? Or, it might make non buyers block the table up from peole who might buy? 

I had wondered about the ability to negotiate at antique malls. We have only shopped at one, and it was going out of business, so the prices were 50% of the things that were left, quite reasonable! It was funny, we were buying an eclectic assortment of things to resell, and the mall owner was trying to talk us into buying the mall! We weren't planning on spending quite that much that day!


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## SeaGoat

At our antique markets I know you can take the item up front and ask they call the dealer or sometimes the dealer has given the desk permission to knock 10% off if asked


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## MJsLady

Here some will call the owner and ask others won't.

I prefer the ones who call myself though that group is father away, they are monstrously huge and way more fun to go digging in!

The one downtown though is very nice, just wish it didn't have so much new stuff and more old stuff, kwim?


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## earthymomma

SarahFair said:


> At our antique markets I know you can take the item up front and ask they call the dealer or sometimes the dealer has given the desk permission to knock 10% off if asked



That's how ours works or you can request they call for any items above a certain dollar amount


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## clovis

As a general rule, the antique malls will call if they feel as if the buyer's offer is reasonable.

Typically, the FM will not call, but they do make exceptions, especially if the offer is reasonable, and the vendor is open to being called. I am surprised to learn that many vendors don't want to be bothered by a phone call, and have insisted that the FM never call them. FWIW, the FM will not call unless the price is $50 or $100.

I really, really like one of the AMs here. They are great about filtering out silly offers, and seem to negotiate for the better, on our behalf. One day, I had a glass top cigar display box marked $135. The buyer offered $85, which I accepted when they called, but negotiated $95 with the buyer after we hung up.


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## clovis

For those wanting to get into the indoor flea market business and antique mall selling, it important to remember to:

1. Build relationships with the management, when applicable.
2. Never lose your cool with those who work there.
3. Have respect for those employed at the IFM or AM

One *huge* mistake that I often see vendors make is loosing their temper or being outright disrespectful when dealing with mall owners, managers or employees.

I've seen mall management ask vendors to move out, or end the rental contract immediately. Once, I witnessed an outraged vendor really "let them have it", and the minute that he left, they ended his rental contract, and moved every last item that he had in a booth into a back room. The manager instructed the cashiers not to ring any more items for that vendor, on the chance that an item or two still might be lingering somewhere in the mall.

I've never understood why some vendors act like they own a mall, and I've never understood why so many vendors believe that they have to yell and make a big scene to get their point across. 

Being kind, polite and respectful, all of the time, will pay off in spades. When there is a problem, those who work there will be on your side, and they will tend to work in your favor.


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## clovis

With the Fourth of July weekend almost upon us, don't forget to stock your booths well.

As mentioned before, holiday weekends can be very good for sales.


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## clovis

How did everyone do over the holiday weekend?

We had very good sales, but nothing over the top. One nice thing about holiday weekends is that sometimes, it brings in foot traffic, who see items, and often, they will return to buy it later in the week.

FWIW, my DD is ecstatic. She sold two windows priced at $45 each over the weekend. I think that she has spent the forthcoming $105 (in total), about 87 times already. Yesterday, it was a computer. Today she wants to buy an iPhone. It is fun to listen to her dream...


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## shannsmom

Yay for your DD, Clovis! 

We only went Saturday to the flea market due to family obligations, and the sales were not as great as we had hoped. Just enough to keep us coming back, lol! But it was one of those days that I just had to enjoy.... the weather was good for here (only about 93 and humidity was not too bad), we got to see most of our friends and we had out of town family stop by and sit with us for a few hours, so it was a good day. We have quite a few repeat customers and it was one of those days where our regulars kept us going, buying movies mostly. And I sold quite a bit of the toys I had cleaned out of the "gift closet", so we cleared up some space, another plus!

The only bad side, at the end of the day a man and woman came by and decided they wanted to rip open toys that were still sealed in the package, umm no! They barely speak english and are always up there acting boorish and offering 1/10 of what people have items marked at, so I just told them to get away, I would not sell them anything! It takes a lot to make me yell, but that guy trying to yank open a package saying he wanted to see what was inside (because I guess the picture is not good enough!) did it! I even tried to explain that if they opened it, I could no longer sell it as new, and couldn't get the same price for it, to which he said that was not new (what?!?!) and I could just tape it! There's one in every crowd, I guess.


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## clovis

I hope everyone is enjoying good sales this week. We've been blessed to have a very good month so far. I feel very blessed...but why can't every month be as good as this month has been??

Our booths are pretty full, but I went to an estate auction today. The sale bill looked pretty good, so I figured that it would draw a big crowd. I didn't get to the auction until almost 11:50, and thought that I would have a hard time finding a parking place. 

When I arrived at the site, there were no cars there, at least to speak of. I momentarily thought that the sale had been cancelled. I parked in the back, which is normally full, yet there were no cars there. I grabbed an auction number, and was surprised to get #138. Numbers start at #100.

There was almost no one there. They were almost giving things away. I started buying, and bought everything I could for the next two hours. My truck is overflowing, and the car is fairly full. I'll have to make at least two more trips to get the big stuff hauled, and quite possibly, three.

I feel for the guy selling this stuff. Lots of it was being given away. He should have had a big tag/garage sale, and then taken the leftovers to the auction. But, on the other hand, he seemed to be happy enough to be rid of his stuff, and the money it was selling for.

I am now kicking myself for not being at the auction earlier. But, at the same time, hauling this stuff to the IFM is going to be challenging, and I have enough stuff to fill another booth!


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## earthymomma

So far this month has been ok for us! Booth rent is almost paid for the month and I have a few more large items almost refinished and ready to head there early this week. Last week we received our very first check which was pretty exciting lol. (It was after our first full month) 

Clovis I'm so glad you are having such an incredible month, and I'm so glad your DD sold some more windows! My DS refinished a table last month but it still hasn't sold yet, I want it to for him so badly! Lol


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## clovis

Thank you, earthy! My daughter is so excited about the sashes! 

I hope your son's table sells quickly!! I think it is great to get kids involved with money making ventures. There are so many valuable lessons in these ventures, and prepares them for the real world.

Glad to hear that you are doing well!!!!!

BTW, are you buying stuff to flip also, or are you just focusing on stuff that you can refinish, and then flip? 

Got any tips or items that are selling well for you?


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## earthymomma

The larger furniture pieces I have i almost always have refinished, I also have quite a bit of antique and vintage smalls. I've only been at this for a month and a half so I haven't seen as much of trends as I would like. Oil lanterns have been a great seller so far, but my milk glass hasn't been touched lol. 

What are some consistent good selling items for all of you guys?


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## clovis

Item that consistently sell for us? That would be a long list...

Garden stuff is moving pretty well, but it isn't quite as hot as it was a few years ago.

Anything galvanized; buckets, pails, coal buckets, small cans, feeder buckets...it doesn't matter, as long as it is galvanized, it seems to sell, in any condition. I sold a coal or ash bucket this week for $8, and the bottom was totally rusted out!

I am generally a tool/barn/shed/garage guy, and we have one booth pretty much dedicated to that type of stuff. Long handled tools are strong sellers, especially if you can find better quality tools without issues.

We've been very blessed to have built a decent business in fabric, which we stumbled upon by sheer accident. I had sold a ton of fabric in the past, but for whatever reason, it got to the point that I couldn't give away fabric, even though I was mostly marking it $1 to $2 a yard. We happened upon a ton of fabric that was all cut to 19" X 22", so I called my aunt to ask her how to price it. "Those are fat quarters", she explained. So, now, we seek out fabric when we can get it cheap, and 95% of it gets cut into fat quarters, generally priced at $1 each. You are not going to get rich doing this, but it does add to the bottom line. For instance, we found $2 worth of fabric at a thrift, but cut into FQ's, it retails at $24. 

We sold $12.50, almost all of it in FQ's, today alone.

There is another vendor at the IFM that is bundling FQ in the cutest bundles of 4, and tying them up in ribbon for $3.50. She sells those like mad, but I think she is selling too cheap. 

As well, I think most quilters and crafters like to be able to select their own colors and fabrics at $1 each, instead of being forced to buy 4 in a bundle.

We generally use our rainy days to cut fabric, should we stumble into large lots of it. Again, you won't get rich selling FQ's, but it sure helps the bottom line.

ETA: I just added up our fat quarter sales for this month, and we have sold $46.50 so far in July.


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## thesedays

clovis said:


> For those wanting to get into the indoor flea market business and antique mall selling, it important to remember to:
> 
> 1. Build relationships with the management, when applicable.
> 2. Never lose your cool with those who work there.
> 3. Have respect for those employed at the IFM or AM
> 
> One *huge* mistake that I often see vendors make is loosing their temper or being outright disrespectful when dealing with mall owners, managers or employees.
> 
> I've seen mall management ask vendors to move out, or end the rental contract immediately. Once, I witnessed an outraged vendor really "let them have it", and the minute that he left, they ended his rental contract, and moved every last item that he had in a booth into a back room. The manager instructed the cashiers not to ring any more items for that vendor, on the chance that an item or two still might be lingering somewhere in the mall.
> 
> I've never understood why some vendors act like they own a mall, and I've never understood why so many vendors believe that they have to yell and make a big scene to get their point across.
> 
> Being kind, polite and respectful, all of the time, will pay off in spades. When there is a problem, those who work there will be on your side, and they will tend to work in your favor.


The owner of a store where I have a booth had a vendor like this; he sold LPs but they were not displayed properly. He pulled his booth after a couple months (yes, he assumed he'd get rich doing this ) and used a bunch of profanity while pulling it. 

He will not be welcome to return, that's for sure.


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## DanyellL

Hey everyone! I have read this whole thread and have gathered A TON of fantastic information. So thank you for that. 

I just opened my own booth last Wednesday. My husband and Mother in Law are involved as well. So it's been a fun family affair so far. We have sold 3 things in less than a week. So I'm pretty excited about that. Seeing how business doesn't usually start "booming" until around the end of September since it's so hot here (I live in GA). And our Antique Mall doen't have A/C. LOL So even working my booth has been exhausting in the heat. But I have enjoyed the whole process, thus far. 

I hope everyone continues to have a great month and I look forward to getting to know you all


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## clovis

Welcome to HT and to the thread, DanyellL!! We are happy to have you!!!

What type of stuff are you selling? Are you focusing on any one thing?

How is the foot traffic in your mall?


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Welcome to HT and to the thread, DanyellL!! We are happy to have you!!!
> 
> What type of stuff are you selling? Are you focusing on any one thing?
> 
> How is the foot traffic in your mall?




We are selling the home decor mainly. I'm a mirror junkie and can't stop buying them. lol So lots of mirrors & framed art. We have 3 small furniture pieces in our booth now but we just went picking through an old collectors barn and purchased TONS of chairs (I'll upholster the seats & paint the frames as accent chairs) and some other furniture items. So once we get those finished we will put them in there  I love refinishing furniture so that is our main focus once we sell some of the smalls and get the furniture done. 

The traffic is really great. It's in a big district of antique malls. I've been visiting this mall since before they opened in this space (Old Cotton Mill). And they have since been bought out by the current owners. They also have a huge antique auction once a month that we have been going to for about 4 years. As far as the traffic is just the slow season right now. It really picks up the end of September 

Here are some pictures of our little booth so far. Hopefully the pictures attach properly. LOL


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## shannsmom

See, this is why I can't go in antique malls, every time I see one of yall's pictures of your booth, I want everything in it lol! I love your booth, DanyellL! And welcome to the thread!

We decided not to go to the flea market last Saturday because there was a huge air show that day (100,000 in attendance!) and several of us vendors compared our previous year's calendars and saw there are no sales on those days! We did go Sunday and had decent sales, so of course we started second guessing ourselves about skipping Saturday. I don't think I will ever get over the second guessing, because there's almost no way to predict how things will go. This Saturday should be a great day, but before thinking about it, we told some friends they could use our 2nd booth, so hopefully Sunday will be good as well. We really like our friends and look forward to seeing them, so that offsets the extra table  I have tried to find some new cool stuff this week to put out Sunday to help boost sales and make up the difference.

We have added school supplies and craft supplies to the items that we sell, so it is interesting to read that fat quarters sell so well, Clovis. I am almost ashamed to admit, most of the craft supplies we are selling are my own I never used  Some also are kits my Mother gave to my DD and she was just too old for them. We often run across fabric in our searches for merchandise, and I had made myself quit buying it so it wouldn't pile up in the house (unless it was reeeaaallllly cute!), but I may venture into reselling it.


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## earthymomma

Welcome DanyeIIL! Your booth is very cute! I'm in GA also and juuuust starting out  we moved into our booth May 20!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> We have added school supplies and craft supplies to the items that we sell, so it is interesting to read that fat quarters sell so well, Clovis. I am almost ashamed to admit, most of the craft supplies we are selling are my own I never used  Some also are kits my Mother gave to my DD and she was just too old for them. We often run across fabric in our searches for merchandise, and I had made myself quit buying it so it wouldn't pile up in the house (unless it was reeeaaallllly cute!), but I may venture into reselling it.


Over the years, we've done well with most sewing supplies too. Any time we can get new zippers, buttons on cards, uncut patterns, elastic, lace, ribbon, etc., they typically sell well if they are priced right.

As for the fat quarters, I've found that the old adage of "The more you have, the more they think you have" is true.

Even though we only have two shelves stuffed full of fat quarters, I'd buy another 100 tons of good fabric if I could find it cheap enough.

FWIW, we basically focus on fabrics that can be used in a quilt, and generally speaking, forget the other stuff, unless it is a great fabric. We do buy upholstery fabrics, but often, they can be slow sellers.


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## thesedays

I've done quite well with uncut patterns, especially those for toys or home decorations. The ones that are on Amazon are listed there, and the ones that aren't are in my booth, priced at $1 or $2 each, and I have sold some.

:goodjob:


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## shannsmom

FWIW, as I have been sorting through the craft/sewing supplies, anything with a barcode on it, new or barely used, I check on Amazon, and have found a bit to list there for much more than I could sell it at the flea market. I did that after my sister told me she sells craft and cake books on Amazon. She's not generally a reseller, but was pleased she could make some decent money selling these books there. I sure wish I had known about buying secondhand back in my "consumer years"!


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## DanyellL

shannsmom said:


> See, this is why I can't go in antique malls, every time I see one of yall's pictures of your booth, I want everything in it lol! I love your booth, DanyellL! And welcome to the thread!
> 
> Thank you!  Good luck this weekend at your booths!


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Welcome DanyeIIL! Your booth is very cute! I'm in GA also and juuuust starting out  we moved into our booth May 20!




Yay that is awesome! Where in GA are you??

How is your booth doing so far?


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## shannsmom

Dang! Got up this morning and they're saying 70% chance of storms tomorrow  Now it seems a good thing our friends are paying for the 2nd booth we let them use, we won't be out so much money, as it looks like we won't make much due to the weather. So we will just put up our "tarp city", take a lot of snacks and enjoy the company! Some days that's all you can ask for.


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## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> Yay that is awesome! Where in GA are you??
> 
> 
> 
> How is your booth doing so far?



We are in Columbus, and so far so good! Sales are increasing each month. I am happy with that!
View attachment 32909


Here's an updated photo of our booth


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> Dang! Got up this morning and they're saying 70% chance of storms tomorrow  Now it seems a good thing our friends are paying for the 2nd booth we let them use, we won't be out so much money, as it looks like we won't make much due to the weather. So we will just put up our "tarp city", take a lot of snacks and enjoy the company! Some days that's all you can ask for.


Shanns,

I hope that you have a good day, despite the forecast.

We are facing slow sales next week. The IFM that we sell at is located in the county seat, and next week, the county 4-H fair is being held.

We've been experiencing the most stunning weather ever. It is sunny, with warm days and cool evenings, with almost no humidity. The awesome weather is hurting us. Who wants to be inside walking around when it is so beautiful outside?

Hope you have 10 people with fat wallets visit your booth this weekend, and drop a ton 'o money with you!!!


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## shannsmom

Aww, thanks, Clovis! I hope your week is a bit better than you anticipate, as well! 

I woke up this morning at 3 and it was not raining, and the radar looked clear till 8...at 4 it started thundering and pouring lol! Last night we hooked up the trailer and I packed "rain supplies" and packed all of our office supplies into tubs instead of bags, so we have done what we can. I must say, I am jealous of all yall's indoor booths right now, though lol!

Hmmm, I need to find a place to buy umbrellas cheap to resell!


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## clovis

There are three estate auctions today in my area.

I suspect that items will be sold cheap...but our booths are F-U-L-L. 

One of the estates (actually a moving sale) is from a very active ebayer himself, so I suspect that the auction is full of stuff that is too big to ship. All of the pictures in the auction listing confirm that. At the same time, my guess is that there will be some killer bargains on some of those items, which might do well at the FM.

I probably won't attend any of the auctions, but it is killing me not to attend!!!


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## clovis

How did everyone do over the weekend?

How were your sales?

We had a good weekend. Nothing over the top, but I am thankful. This month started out unbelievably well, and has dropped off as the month has grown longer. I am thankful for a decent weekend.


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## clovis

How did everyone do over the weekend?

How were your sales?

We had a good weekend. Nothing over the top, but I am thankful. This month started out unbelievably well, and has dropped off as the month has grown longer. I am thankful for a decent weekend.


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## thesedays

My Amazon store is in a bit of a slump; I've been averaging 8 to 10 items a week, and have sold 3 in the past 10 days.  I do know that we're going to have a busy time coming up with back-to-school, so I pulled all my classics and other books that I know will be on assigned reading lists and put them on Amazon too.

And I discovered that two of them ("Into The Wild" and "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much") are in the Amazon Top 100!  :goodjob: That was quite a surprise to me.


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## DanyellL

Not sure how we did over the weekend yet. But we haven't made enough yet to cover rent for August. Booooooooooo. But it is only our 2nd week. So I'm hoping that things will pick up. I have had 2 chair orders (chair redos for accent chairs) so that will help. And I set up our facebook page last night and that has stirred up quite a bit of interest. We posted pictures of our booth on a bunch of yardsale type pages in our area and we had lots of questions about particular items and prices and where our booth is located. So hopefully that will help with traffic and sales this week. I'm trying to remain positive. But I did see that the rival antique mall had wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy more cars then at our mall. So we have even tossed around the idea of possibly getting a booth there as well. Not sure yet.


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## shannsmom

Weekend sales at the flea market were abysmal. At least all the rain made it about 10 degrees cooler, though, and our friends renting 1 of our tables made our outlay for Saturday 1/2 as much. Now, our Amazon and Ebay sales were pretty good for the weekend, it has been a decent month online. We did have a friend (and previous business associate) stop by to tell us he is not liking retirement and wants to open a new store, and will have some work for us helping to set it up, and just may have some space for us in there. Also gave us a number to an out of state buyer who might be interested in buying ALL 9,000 of our dvds and games! We've been discussing new avenues anyways, so we would not be against that lol!


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> Not sure how we did over the weekend yet. But we haven't made enough yet to cover rent for August. Booooooooooo. But it is only our 2nd week. So I'm hoping that things will pick up. I have had 2 chair orders (chair redos for accent chairs) so that will help. And I set up our facebook page last night and that has stirred up quite a bit of interest. We posted pictures of our booth on a bunch of yardsale type pages in our area and we had lots of questions about particular items and prices and where our booth is located. So hopefully that will help with traffic and sales this week. I'm trying to remain positive. But I did see that the rival antique mall had wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy more cars then at our mall. So we have even tossed around the idea of possibly getting a booth there as well. Not sure yet.


Keep your chin up, friend.

It can be tough to find your niche in the AM/FM business. If you need to move to another mall because you have a lack of traffic in your mall, then I would encourage you to study it well, and make the move if you think it is right for you.


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> Weekend sales at the flea market were abysmal. At least all the rain made it about 10 degrees cooler, though, and our friends renting 1 of our tables made our outlay for Saturday 1/2 as much. Now, our Amazon and Ebay sales were pretty good for the weekend, it has been a decent month online. We did have a friend (and previous business associate) stop by to tell us he is not liking retirement and wants to open a new store, and will have some work for us helping to set it up, and just may have some space for us in there. Also gave us a number to an out of state buyer who might be interested in buying ALL 9,000 of our dvds and games! We've been discussing new avenues anyways, so we would not be against that lol!


I was hoping that you would report that you had a great weekend.

Do you set up every weekend?


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## thesedays

I was talking to one of the antique shop employees a couple hours ago, and she said they've had some busy days this week. :rock: We have some big community events coming up this weekend too, so I told her that I would stop by tomorrow and top the booth out.

:banana:


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## clovis

thesedays said:


> I was talking to one of the antique shop employees a couple hours ago, and she said they've had some busy days this week. We have some big community events coming up this weekend too, so I told her that I would stop by tomorrow and top the booth out.


I hope the events help bring in more foot traffic!

We actually haven't had a bad week, so far. Monday and Tuesday were slow, but we had a pretty good day today. I am thankful!

Are you only dealing in books, and other types of media?


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## thesedays

clovis said:


> I hope the events help bring in more foot traffic!
> 
> We actually haven't had a bad week, so far. Monday and Tuesday were slow, but we had a pretty good day today. I am thankful!
> 
> Are you only dealing in books, and other types of media?


Mostly books, with some DVDs, LPs, and assorted other items.


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## shannsmom

Clovis, we try to set up every weekend, as long as family obligations or bad weather don't strike. We used to pay the whole month at once, but lost so much due to bad weather, we now go pay every Thursday for the following weekend after checking the forecast, or call to let them know we will be skipping it. 

We keep a trailer packed with about 36 big rubbermaid tubs of items for the table, but with sales down, we are thinking (okay, I am, DH thinks I'm nuts lol) that it is time to switch the tubs out with the overflow in the storage unit, so tomorrow will be the big day! We usually have 750 dvds and 450 video games on our first table, then assorted "household" items and a lot of toys on our 2nd table, plus, when possible, we have video games systems and electronics on one of the tables. I do have lot of books in the storage unit I want to get out tomorrow and sell. The price had gotten down too low to be worth selling (4 for $1 on hardbacks!) but has now gone back up. DVDs go thru that as well, it's a continuous cycle, almost like the "1 penny less" game on Amazon lol!


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## clovis

Interesting...thank you for sharing!

We have had a good month, so far, but today, our sales were horrid! We only sold 3 items.

This is highly unusual for us. It makes me wonder if the computers were down, and our sales haven't been entered yet. 

The weather is stunning here, with cool summer temps and low humidity. Maybe no one is wanting to walk an indoor market?


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Keep your chin up, friend.
> 
> It can be tough to find your niche in the AM/FM business. If you need to move to another mall because you have a lack of traffic in your mall, then I would encourage you to study it well, and make the move if you think it is right for you.


We actually had a really good week. Well I think so. LOL Probably not compared to you pros! But we sold a few "big" items. I sold a sofa table (well we did a trade. I wanted $100 for the table but she gave us $50 and a matching end table and coffee table that I can refinish and sell for around $150 that is solid wood. So I think I did well in that transaction). We have more chair orders (just paint & cover the seat in fabric). And we sold some other items. Our booth is getting thin. So we are working overtime this weekend to get pieces ready to go in! 

We just set up our fb page and that has helped so much! That's where we did the deal on the sofa table.

And as far as the other AM we are def thinking about getting a 2nd booth. We have enough stuff to fill it and still have a garage full of things waiting to be refinished (my husband can't seem to stop "picking" lol).

So I feel better this week with our sales!


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## DanyellL

thesedays said:


> I was talking to one of the antique shop employees a couple hours ago, and she said they've had some busy days this week. :rock: We have some big community events coming up this weekend too, so I told her that I would stop by tomorrow and top the booth out.
> 
> :banana:


They are doing a big event at our AM today too. So I'm hoping that will bring in lots of foot traffic too! Wish I could have made it to ours last night to fill!


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## earthymomma

How was everyone's weekend?? Ours turned out to be a pretty good one! Found some awesome pieces at a yard sale for cheap cheap on Friday (some antique oars, dresser, chairs and mirror) and had pretty decent sales! I was getting a little worried there for a while with a mid month slump. We officially surpassed last months profit (by $10 lol) and still have a week left before payout. We aren't making much yet but as long as each months sales get better and better I am extremely happy with that . Hope everyone else had a good weekend as well!


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## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> We actually had a really good week. Well I think so. LOL Probably not compared to you pros! But we sold a few "big" items. I sold a sofa table (well we did a trade. I wanted $100 for the table but she gave us $50 and a matching end table and coffee table that I can refinish and sell for around $150 that is solid wood. So I think I did well in that transaction). We have more chair orders (just paint & cover the seat in fabric). And we sold some other items. Our booth is getting thin. So we are working overtime this weekend to get pieces ready to go in!
> 
> 
> 
> We just set up our fb page and that has helped so much! That's where we did the deal on the sofa table.
> 
> 
> 
> And as far as the other AM we are def thinking about getting a 2nd booth. We have enough stuff to fill it and still have a garage full of things waiting to be refinished (my husband can't seem to stop "picking" lol).
> 
> 
> 
> So I feel better this week with our sales!



Feel free to share your Facebook page and I'll show it some love


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Feel free to share your Facebook page and I'll show it some love


Awwww thank you. 

It's www.facebook.com/LDesignsDecor


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> How was everyone's weekend?? Ours turned out to be a pretty good one! Found some awesome pieces at a yard sale for cheap cheap on Friday (some antique oars, dresser, chairs and mirror) and had pretty decent sales! I was getting a little worried there for a while with a mid month slump. We officially surpassed last months profit (by $10 lol) and still have a week left before payout. We aren't making much yet but as long as each months sales get better and better I am extremely happy with that . Hope everyone else had a good weekend as well!




Our weekend went really well. We finished a few pieces for our booth. And had some good sales. 

I just got an email from a lady who wants us to strip an old church pew she has and stain it for her. So we will go price that out on Wednesday. And I had another lady inquire about an antique high chair she has that she wants to get a facelift  So we will start that soon.

So far I'm really excited. Business is starting to pick up for us  Hopefully it continues!

And earthymomma, I'm with you. As long as sales get better and better I won't complain


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> Our weekend went really well. We finished a few pieces for our booth. And had some good sales.
> 
> I just got an email from a lady who wants us to strip an old church pew she has and stain it for her. So we will go price that out on Wednesday. And I had another lady inquire about an antique high chair she has that she wants to get a facelift  So we will start that soon.
> 
> So far I'm really excited. Business is starting to pick up for us  Hopefully it continues!


Very cool!

Have you done much of this type of work for clients in the past? Does she know how much time it will take?


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Very cool!
> 
> Have you done much of this type of work for clients in the past? Does she know how much time it will take?


The pew? or the highchair?

The highchair will be no problem. The pew on the otherhand will be quite a task. I already told her that once I see it if I didn't feel comfortable doing it (time consuming) then I would have to pass. And if I think it would just be too labor intensive then I would pass because the cost would just be ridiculous. She is fine with that. And she said she's willing to pay whatever it takes. So we shall see. I'll go see it at some point this week when we can get our schedules together.


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> The pew? or the highchair?
> 
> The highchair will be no problem. The pew on the otherhand will be quite a task. I already told her that once I see it if I didn't feel comfortable doing it (time consuming) then I would have to pass. And if I think it would just be too labor intensive then I would pass because the cost would just be ridiculous. She is fine with that. And she said she's willing to pay whatever it takes. So we shall see. I'll go see it at some point this week when we can get our schedules together.


Cool. 

Sometimes customers have no idea how much time and expense is put forth on a project, and have unrealistic expectations, especially with the cost. I've met more that a few who think that a 12 foot pew can be completely refinished in a single day, and expect it to be done for $75.

I am happy that you are doing well!!!! Go get 'em!!!


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## clovis

For those in the resell business, here is a great tip:

If you ever pick up an old wood item that retains it's original stained finish, but is dirty, they can be easy to clean.

I use 0000 steel wool, and hand cleaner, like Goop or Go-Jo. Make sure you buy the hand cleaner without pumice. This hand cleaner is what mechanics use to clean oil off of their hands.

Just dip your 0000 steel wool into the Goop, and gently rub the wood surface. It will remove years of grime, dirt, dust, smoke, grease, etc. You will be amazed at the difference and how well it will clean the surface without damaging it.

I've met a lot of folks who think that they need to completely strip and refinish a wood piece, but in reality, all they need is some Goop and steel wool. It is kind of like someone wanting to completely strip and repaint an old car, when all it needs is a wash and wax.

Cost is about $2.50 for the Goop, and $3 for steel wool.

Remember that you want fine steel wool, 0000 is preferable, and hand cleaner without pumice.

I would say that the Goop and SW is probably the most valuable tools I have, and use it not only on wood furniture, but all types of items. The guys at the auto parts store chide me because I buy so much Goop! I use 6 small tubs a year, at least.


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> For those in the resell business, here is a great tip:
> 
> If you ever pick up an old wood item that retains it's original stained finish, but is dirty, they can be easy to clean.
> 
> I use 0000 steel wool, and hand cleaner, like Goop or Go-Jo. Make sure you buy the hand cleaner without pumice. This hand cleaner is what mechanics use to clean oil off of their hands.
> 
> Just dip your 0000 steel wool into the Goop, and gently rub the wood surface. It will remove years of grime, dirt, dust, smoke, grease, etc. You will be amazed at the difference and how well it will clean the surface without damaging it.
> 
> I've met a lot of folks who think that they need to completely strip and refinish a wood piece, but in reality, all they need is some Goop and steel wool. It is kind of like someone wanting to completely strip and repaint an old car, when all it needs is a wash and wax.
> 
> Cost is about $2.50 for the Goop, and $3 for steel wool.
> 
> Remember that you want fine steel wool, 0000 is preferable, and hand cleaner without pumice.
> 
> I would say that the Goop and SW is probably the most valuable tools I have, and use it not only on wood furniture, but all types of items. The guys at the auto parts store chide me because I buy so much Goop! I use 6 small tubs a year, at least.



Thanks for the advice/idea Clovis! Some of the last pieces I've picked up are covered in this awful brown paint/stain... Literally globbed on (from different places to boot) but I will def keep that in mind for some of my other pieces!


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> Thanks for the advice/idea Clovis! Some of the last pieces I've picked up are covered in this awful brown paint/stain... Literally globbed on (from different places to boot) but I will def keep that in mind for some of my other pieces!


The SW and Goop won't remove coats of paint, but it will often remove paint splatter.

I bought a table a few years ago, and it appeared that someone had used it as a paint set up station. It was covered in paint mist from a spray gun and splatter from a paint roller. Several people said that "you are going to have to completely strip that table top."

An hours worth of 'elbow Goop' and some SW, that table top looked great!


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## DanyellL

Thanks for the tip Clovis!


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## shannsmom

Well, this past weekend was atrocious for us again. Lots of other vendor friends stopped by to say it was horrible for them also, so at least we know it's not just us! So we will only go Saturday this weekend, and save the $36 we would spend on Sunday's rent, we can't keep paying them to sit out there and just barely make the money back! The heat index was over 100 degrees all weekend, and loading and loading in that is rough, but doable if you're making a couple hundred bucks each day....not bearable for $50! And this weekend is tax free school supply weekend, so we will not be selling any of those! Even though they never pay tax with us (we have to pay it quarterly on our total sales), they expect some kind of discount this weekend.
To counteract the local sales drop, I spent 8-10 hours each of the last 2 days listing things online that we had been taking there. They're low $ items, but enough to make a small profit there vs just sitting and making nothing at the flea market. Getting your money back out of something, with just a tiny profit is better than sitting on the item getting no money! 

As a little background, our area has always been low income compared to the rest of FL, and our county's unemployment rate has gone up each of the last 2 months, as well as being declared a disaster zone twice in the last 6 months due to weather events, so we are assuming that a lot of people just don't have any money right now, and hope this will change by the end of the year holiday sales time. We all heard a lot of people say they liked an item but "only have $2 till payday" or $3, etc.


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## clovis

Shannsmom,

Sorry about the poor sales. I really am. 

Do you have any good indoor FM's in your area, especially those run like an antique mall?

There is a vendor at our IFM that rented 5-6 locked cases @ $45 each per month. They have filled those with seemingly every DVD and video game under the sun.

Their prices aren't cheap, but they aren't out of reason, either. DS games were marked $7 to $10 each, and I think DVD movies are $3 to $5 each. The cases are well organized, and so full that they make you want to look, and I don't buy that kind of stuff, LOL.

The sales clerks tell me that "those people sell _a ton_ of stuff."

I'd love to see you be able to add $1,000 a month to your bottom line.

Is there anything within a 100 mile radius of your place that might do well for you? I am always surprised how many 'long distance' vendors there are. There is one vendor selling the cheapest Chinese made junk you've ever seen, and they drive to our FM from Chicago, which is a 6 hour trip. I'm sure that they are restocking up to 20 other FM's when they come.

If you have the merchandise, it may be important to get it to the right marketplace where you can sell it with higher margins.


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## thesedays

I stopped by my biggest booth today, and could tell I sold several items. I didn't add anything because I found a nice set of shelves by a Dumpster a few days ago and am going to move it in next week, when I can get a friend's van and the friend too to help me. That was nice to see.


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## shannsmom

Clovis, weirdly, there are not many indoor flea markets around here, I would think they would be popular with the heat, but nobody seems interested in operating one. Part of the one we sell at is indoors, but people mostly go sit in the AC to cool off, not shop. That is where the barbers and such are, though. DH is always spotting empty buildings and saying someone needs to put a flea market in there lol! We have checked the markets to the east and west of us, one is busy but has a dozen booths full of the same merchandise as us, and the other has no traffic. We cannot venture more than 2 hours away because we have an elderly dog I hate leaving home alone for too long.

But it seems all the crazy online listing is paying off...we made $400 yesterday alone! Of course, it is the first of the month now, so that helps. We also had our best movie supplier call us to pick up a load, so that meant I had to check over 600 movies online by today, so with that and the listing and mailing, we are pooped this week lol! But this supplier often has $20-50 movies (when sold online)in the boxes, so we jump every time they call. A game supplier also called offering us games for 25 cents each, but since we are unloading ours online, we weren't interested. Last weekend several of our regular customers came by trying to sell us back things they had bought, and several of our friends/competitors reported the same thing. So we chose carefully what to buy, whereas last year we bought all cheap deals, and it has been a productive and profitable week. DH would prefer to sell only online, but there are always things we need to move locally, also. So we keep working, thinking, testing to see which direction we will go in.


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> But it seems all the crazy online listing is paying off...we made $400 yesterday alone!


I am happy that you are selling stuff on line! Is it mostly ebay?

I've found that in order to make ends meet, we need both the ebay sales and the FM/AM. Back when the economy was strong, I think that we could have made it with only one, and not the other. Our original plan was to use ebay as a place to sell higher end and odd stuff, and mostly focus on the FM/AM.


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## clovis

Our sales, for the last part of July, and the first week of August, have been slow. 

This week, the county fair is going on, and next week, the kids return to school. Typically, August is one of our slowest months of the year, but last year, we had a very good August.

On a very positive note, I sold a radial arm saw yesterday. I picked it up at an auction for cheap, and was thankful to flip it fast. There is so much more profit in large items, but that saw was taking up some serious real estate in my booth. I have to admit, I was afraid that the saw would take eons to sell. I have a incredibly nice table saw for not much more money, and thought it would sell immediately. Go figure!

It seems that any time that I think that an item will sell fast, it sits and sits, and then sits some more, but the junk that I think won't ever sell, is gone in the very first day, LOL.

I did pick up some great stuff this week, including a huge stack of vinyl records. I've been flipping records for years, but have had a hard time finding good vinyl from the 70's and 80's. This past 'pick' was excellent; the entire stack was 70's and 80's, and some of the _cleanest and nicest_ vinyl I have ever had. We played many of them while we marked the records, and I am stunned by how nice they are!

Just to reiterate my earlier point: My wife was restocking one of the booths, and a guy walked up and was looking at the albums. His purchase? A sole Bruce Hornsby album. I would have sworn that album would have still been sitting there 3 years from now, and even envisioned having to trash the record, and recycle the cover, lol. Other than a _Manhattan Transfer_ album, I would have picked the Hornsby album "as the one least likely to sell."

At any rate, old vinyl can be a great seller. Old country and rock are the best sellers. Don't have high hopes if you have Liberace, Gospel, elevator music, Connie Francis sings the _Sound of Music_, etc. The vinyl needs to be clean, and watch for mildew and mold on albums, which can generally be smelled a mile away.

Hope this helps, and as always, YMMV.


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## shannsmom

It was actually a fairly balanced mix of amazon, ebay and a couple of small sales on half.com. Back just a year ago, we could live off of online sales or local sales, so used he excess to buy a lot of inventory. This year it is taking both venues, and a lot more effort. I am happy we have multiple venues, though! Today's sales at the flea market were about double the past few weekends, but still at 1/2 of what they should have been. And more regular vendors were missing in action, that was a little unsettling, but it gave us the opportunity to snag a few great deals for flipping. 

We also sold some big items last Sunday and today, big as in space consuming, not price, but I was happy to get the space back!


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## clovis

Glad to hear that you had a better day, Shannsmom.

We had an okay day. We sold the table saw, which was big enough to land a US Navy carrier jet on. I am thankful it sold. Someone got a killer saw for a cheap price. The downside is that while it is no longer filling up one of my booths, there is a 98% chance that someone left it a mess in the booth when they hauled it out of there.

We are 28 miles from the FM, and I really don't have a ton of stuff to take right now, so the booth will probably stay a mess until I return.

We've already sold some of the records we took this week. I love fast flips!!!!


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## shannsmom

Fast flips are the best lol! We bought some good (new) blu rays and dvds yesterday morning, listed them when we got home and 3 sold before the night was out, I was happy! 

Vinyls were the rage here for a long time, seem to have died off now, but we had lucked into some 60-70s era vinyls and those sold well. It was funny to see the variety of people wanting them, young hipsters to grizzled old timers


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## earthymomma

Glad to hear the positives from everyone!! We had our best week to date!! And a couple fast flips to boot! Looking forward to payout on Tuesday lol! 

I still seem to be going through oil lamps like crazy, and Clovis I finally found some galvanized buckets at the flea market yesterday and sticking them in the booth today. Hopefully they will be a good seller for us too!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> Fast flips are the best lol! We bought some good (new) blu rays and dvds yesterday morning, listed them when we got home and 3 sold before the night was out, I was happy!
> 
> Vinyls were the rage here for a long time, seem to have died off now, but we had lucked into some 60-70s era vinyls and those sold well. It was funny to see the variety of people wanting them, young hipsters to grizzled old timers


Good for you!!!! 

Isn't it funny about the vinyl buyers? They are either hipsters or gray hairs, LOL.

We sold two vinyls yesterday for $7. I like the fast flip on those records, as much as I like the profit. I am guessing I have .25 to .35 cents each in those. I am hoping some of our vinyl buyers see the outstanding quality those records are, and I hope that we have the stuff they like.


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> I still seem to be going through oil lamps like crazy, and Clovis I finally found some galvanized buckets at the flea market yesterday and sticking them in the booth today. Hopefully they will be a good seller for us too!


Good for you!!!!

Galvanized is selling well for us, but we aren't getting the crazy money it used to sell for...some of it used to sell for stupid amounts of money.

That is so interesting about the oil lamps. I bought a _nice_ antique oil lamp at an auction a few years ago, and thought that thing would never sell! I am a little gun shy now about oil lamps, but I am happy that they are selling for you.


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## shannsmom

Yall are speaking my language now, I love buckets and oil lamps! It's a good thing I am not closer to you, I'd be broker than I am lol!

Amazon has been crazy all weekend still. We had 99 orders this week, and while not a record for us, it is a very good week. Can't speak for ebay...we have a whopping 1 thing listed right now (hanging head in shame). 

Our friend who got a new store apparently showed up at the flea market today with lunch for us (how nice is that?!?!) but we didn't go today, so he called and asked for us to come help him set up the store starting tomorrow morning, so it looks to be a very busy week for us. When he had his previous store, he ventured into online selling (he sells collectibles, mostly toys) and got overwhelmed trying to get it done...his employees messed it all up so he then did it all himself. I spent a few months working at it with him, getting a system in place, etc. Then he left that partnership to retire...that lasted about 4 months lol, he is bored! We asked him last week who was going to be the manager of his new store and he said he would consider nobody except DH or I, so that made us feel good. This is an older gentleman who has had several businesses in his lifetime and knows seemingly everyone, and he is always ready to help others in their ventures. When we first started reselling and doing electronics repairs 3 or 4 years ago, he watched us for a few weeks at the flea market, then approached us to buy some inventory from him, then repairs, then spread the word to his friends till next thing you know, DH was doing the repairs for all the game shops in the city! The point being, you never know who is watching how you do business or where it will lead.

It is so nice for business to be picking up for us all, isn't it? I feel I must apologize if my posts lately have sounded grumpy on the subject of low sales, I was feeling defeated for a bit and becoming afraid we were not going to make it in our own business. Hopefully this uptick will last, we can all use a better economy!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> It is so nice for business to be picking up for us all, isn't it? I feel I must apologize if my posts lately have sounded grumpy on the subject of low sales, I was feeling defeated for a bit and becoming afraid we were not going to make it in our own business. Hopefully this uptick will last, we can all use a better economy!


Actually, I am very thankful for your posts. I felt like that I was the only person experiencing slow sales, and have mentioned and complained about it many times in this thread.

If the economy was as strong today as it was 5 or 6 years ago, I don't think I would have to worry one bit. As I've said many times before, this economy is hurting pretty bad, at least for working people.

The cost of living is skyrocketing, especially gas, groceries and anything sold at retail. I also believe that there is a tremendous downward pressure on wages, and decent jobs are scarce, to say the least.

Whatever the reason, whether it is the economy or a shift in consumer trends, I don't see people buying whatever they want, whenever they want. People are buying what they need instead of what they want, and they are looking for the best deal they can find.

I also don't feel like we have any real pricing power for our stuff, which is tremendously affecting our profit margins. The days of selling a galvanized watering can for $55 are over; today, we are lucky to get $30, and we are prepared to let it gather dust for a while at that price.

There was a time that I couldn't physically buy enough stuff to fill two booths, and now, I have stuff coming out my ears.

Even though I am optimistic, I am afraid that this is the 'new normal', at least for the foreseeable future.


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## shannsmom

I swear, it must be only small business people who see the reality of the economy! The news says how great the economy is and so many people tell us "yall must be doing great, the economy is so much better"! In our area, unemployment keeps creeping up every month and the cost of living keeps going up, that's a bad combination. That's why we do so much better with online sales, we can buy things cheap at yard sales and such, because people here need money, and sell it for more online. I do wish we could sell more locally because it is physically so much work for so little money. What we notice is about 75% of people barely make it to the next payday, and about 25% are rolling in money, but they're not the ones who buy resale items.

And you're spot on about the loss of pricing power...locally we have to sell dvds for 1.00 to move any at all, that's less than renting a redbox movie, yet folks still try to offer you less for it! We have learned that if we wait long enough, things will sell, but it is often for a tiny profit and it is so hard to wait! 

We are in the same position, we have a lot of merchandise, I try to look at it as a blessing, we can go a whole month and not buy anything, but then we are just sure we are missing out on great deals lol! And with online selling, just this month we have found so many things we had just put in boxes because they were worth so much less online than we had expected, and now their prices are back up, so we are looking around and listing so much, I'm sure that explains the uptick in our sales. It is definitely worth rechecking things, though! I find cash much easier to store than things


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## DanyellL

At any rate, old vinyl can be a great seller. Old country and rock are the best sellers. Don't have high hopes if you have Liberace, Gospel, elevator music, Connie Francis sings the _Sound of Music_, etc. The vinyl needs to be clean, and watch for mildew and mold on albums, which can generally be smelled a mile away.

Hope this helps, and as always, YMMV.[/QUOTE]

I can get cheap vinyl at auctions. They always have cases of them. What is a good source for knowing how to price them? We never buy them in auction because I just don't know much about them.


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## DanyellL

I'm so glad to hear that things are picking up for you guys! That is always a blessing!

We have picked up quite a bit. We have a TON of inventory (just hit up another auction Saturday) and scored some AMAZING things. We usually stick to furniture but now that we have the booth we have noticed smaller items are what is selling now. So we bought TONS of box lots with some awesome things in them! I'm a hoarder of pretty glass, pottery and clay items. So letting it go will be the hard part. LOL


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## MJsLady

Danny, I REALLY like the framed doily. That is an awesome idea!
Your stuff is really neat. Too bad I don't live near you!


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> I can get cheap vinyl at auctions. They always have cases of them. What is a good source for knowing how to price them? We never buy them in auction because I just don't know much about them.


My philosophy on records is to buy them cheap, and then sell them cheap.

Any album, for the most part, is worth a $1. This ranges from _Jim Nabors Sings Songs of Bavaria_ to rock albums that might not be good sellers. 

$2 albums are anything that might be considered classic, and any double albums. These titles would be Johnny Cash _San Quentin_, John Denver, pop rock from the 70's and 80's, etc. Most of my vinyl falls into the $2 category.

$3 albums are those that are simply classics, like the ones you have to own if you are into that stuff. Michael Jackson's _Thriller_, Van Halen's most popular albums, Springsteen, etc., all would probably get $3 tags. Any vinyl that is super clean also gets a $3 minimum.

Name your price albums: Anything Beatles, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Elvis, etc. Most of the younger set have no idea that we used to trip over boxes of records, including _Abbey Road_ and _Meet the Beatles._ 

I recently sold two rough Beatles albums for $8 each. Poor covers and poor vinyl, and they sold in 2 days.

*I am probably selling my vinyl too cheap.* But then again, when I can pick up two boxes of records, holding at least 100 albums for a whopping $4, and flip those for $1 to $4 each, with a very high sell through rate, I am happy.

There are record sellers in our FM and AM that are getting much higher prices for their vinyl.

We often "trash out" our vinyl. _Andy Williams_ and _Connie Francis Sings Old TV Tunes_ gets pulled after a few months. I recycle the paper cover, and trash the vinyl.

If you are adding new vinyl often, make a small sign that says "New Records Added on August 3!!!!!" I try to change our signage once a week on the record crates. 

Of course, with anything, that I post, *YMMV.* If you are in a good mall, I wouldn't hesitate to mark the good stuff at $8+ each. 

Vinyl can be very an outstanding sales booster, and can be good for the bottom line!!!!


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## shannsmom

I wonder if there's a worthwhile way to sell the "trash albums" to crafters? I know around here, people use scratched albums to make clocks and these crazy looking wavy bowls, as well as a few other things, so I think there's a market, it's just a matter of making it worthy of your time to get it to them. I would think they would pay $1, since they sell the boels and such for $5 here, and prices are low here!


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## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> Danny, I REALLY like the framed doily. That is an awesome idea!
> Your stuff is really neat. Too bad I don't live near you!


Awwww thank you so much! I really appreciate that! 

I thought it was different. We found that shadowbox at an auction and I have TONS of doilies. LOL And dried hydrangeas. LOL So I just whipped it up really quick!


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## DanyellL

Thanks so much Clovis. I will def hit up the records next auction! They usually sell them for $5 for a stack of 10. But people don't really buy them. lol So they usually will do the whole lot for about $10 if people aren't jumping on them. So I'll go to the preview and check out the titles  Thanks a ton!


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## thesedays

shannsmom said:


> I wonder if there's a worthwhile way to sell the "trash albums" to crafters? I know around here, people use scratched albums to make clocks and these crazy looking wavy bowls, as well as a few other things, so I think there's a market, it's just a matter of making it worthy of your time to get it to them. I would think they would pay $1, since they sell the boels and such for $5 here, and prices are low here!


You could try Craigslist.


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> I wonder if there's a worthwhile way to sell the "trash albums" to crafters? I know around here, people use scratched albums to make clocks and these crazy looking wavy bowls, as well as a few other things, so I think there's a market, it's just a matter of making it worthy of your time to get it to them. I would think they would pay $1, since they sell the boels and such for $5 here, and prices are low here!


That is a pretty good idea.

Generally speaking, we are pretty tired when it comes to trashing out the albums, and generally speaking, the only vinyl left is the really bad stuff that probably wouldn't sell for 50 cents each.

I should probably try making the bowls. It wouldn't take very long. 

Speaking of crafters, I am curious if any of you have run into crafters who are ultra cheap? I recently had some rough license plates from the 1950's, which were too rough to list on ebay. We marked most of them $3 each, which is a s-t-e-a-l for those plates. Two women were going on about how much they loved them, and then started complaining about the prices. I often get $1 to $2 for modern plates, and was stunned by how little they wanted to pay for them. 

A few months ago, I had a wooden chair that was priced right at $12. Some woman raved about it, and once again, started talking about 'this thing she saw on Pintrest', and wanted to know if I would take $2 for the chair!

I also had some iron items that have been selling for insane prices on ebay, and inadvertently were left in the truck when we went to the FM. We've been selling these items in lots of 40 for almost $50 on ebay. A Pintrest crafter oohed and awed when she saw them, and offered $4 for the entire box of 75 items! 

It seems like I keep running into what appears to be a "Pintrest mentality." I thought that Pintrest would help boost sales, but the more that I run into Pintrest crafters, they seem, at least to me, that they have this mentality that I am supposed to get up early on a Saturday, drive 22 miles one way to a country auction at $4 gas, dig through a barn, inspect every item in the estate, stand in 95 degree heat all day long, buy what I can (unless the rich show up), pay for it, haul it home, sort it, clean it, haul it 28 miles to the FM, and then let them cherry pick the good stuff for 25 cents each, and then be shocked and outrageously offended when I say, with a smile, "Thank you so much for your offer, but I have that marked $27". 

I think that the icing on the cake is that there seems to be an outright expectation that I am supposed to let them have the items for pennies on the dollar, literally, because they want to make a craft from it. 

So, is it me, or is there a "Pintrest mentality" of "I have to get this crazy cheap, and they owe it to me" growing out in the world? 

Is it just that I have happened upon the most clueless people ever to roam the planet? 

Did I happen to stumble across the five cheapest people in Indiana? 

Thoughts???


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> That is a pretty good idea.
> 
> Generally speaking, we are pretty tired when it comes to trashing out the albums, and generally speaking, the only vinyl left is the really bad stuff that probably wouldn't sell for 50 cents each.
> 
> I should probably try making the bowls. It wouldn't take very long.
> 
> Speaking of crafters, I am curious if any of you have run into crafters who are ultra cheap? I recently had some rough license plates from the 1950's, which were too rough to list on ebay. We marked most of them $3 each, which is a s-t-e-a-l for those plates. Two women were going on about how much they loved them, and then started complaining about the prices. I often get $1 to $2 for modern plates, and was stunned by how little they wanted to pay for them.
> 
> A few months ago, I had a wooden chair that was priced right at $12. Some woman raved about it, and once again, started talking about 'this thing she saw on Pintrest', and wanted to know if I would take $2 for the chair!
> 
> I also had some iron items that have been selling for insane prices on ebay, and inadvertently were left in the truck when we went to the FM. We've been selling these items in lots of 40 for almost $50 on ebay. A Pintrest crafter oohed and awed when she saw them, and offered $4 for the entire box of 75 items!
> 
> It seems like I keep running into what appears to be a "Pintrest mentality." I thought that Pintrest would help boost sales, but the more that I run into Pintrest crafters, they seem, at least to me, that they have this mentality that I am supposed to get up early on a Saturday, drive 22 miles one way to a country auction at $4 gas, dig through a barn, inspect every item in the estate, stand in 95 degree heat all day long, buy what I can (unless the rich show up), pay for it, haul it home, sort it, clean it, haul it 28 miles to the FM, and then let them cherry pick the good stuff for 25 cents each, and then be shocked and outrageously offended when I say, with a smile, "Thank you so much for your offer, but I have that marked $27".
> 
> I think that the icing on the cake is that there seems to be an outright expectation that I am supposed to let them have the items for pennies on the dollar, literally, because they want to make a craft from it.
> 
> So, is it me, or is there a "Pintrest mentality" of "I have to get this crazy cheap, and they owe it to me" growing out in the world?
> 
> Is it just that I have happened upon the most clueless people ever to roam the planet?
> 
> Did I happen to stumble across the five cheapest people in Indiana?
> 
> Thoughts???


I run into that ALLLLLLL THE TIME. I typically get my items for pretty cheap at auctions. BUT I DO THE WORK. I make it beautiful again. It is SO RUDE when I hear customers come into the mall saying "Oh I could make that for like $5". Well go make it then. What are you doing here? lol It drives me absolutely insane. We post a lot of our stuff on FB in the Yard Sale groups. More just to get our work out there. Our prices are def not "yard sale prices" but there are others that do the same. We have gotten a lot of business that way but people will always haggle with you. And even more so when they know nothing about antiques. They think because it's "old" it's junk. Ah NO WAY. I do the research to find what we should price things. And for our area we price things WAYYYYY too cheap. We were talking about raising our prices yesterday, because compared to other dealers here we are very cheap. But the quality is still there for us. So we shall see. I'd rather price lower and have it sell quickly. Then price high and have it sit for 2 months.


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## DanyellL

We have also been struggling with the idea of moving to a different mall. They just changed the way the rent out booths here. It's a flat 1.25 per sq ft of booth space. They don't take commissions, just the booth rental. Which is what we were drawn too. But I think the reason why they changed that is because they have foot traffic, but we rarely see people buy things. We have done ok out of our booth. But 90% of what we have made in the past month and a half has been us selling it online or on FB. I really like the people at our mall though. They are friendly, and I've been going there for a long time. So we have built a nice relationship with other dealers, the people that go to the auctions and the office staff. But....we just haven't sold much (through them). And they don't advertise at all. We have been a few times and there hasn't been anyone at the front check out. There is a livingroom set up next to it and they will be laying on the couch or outside smoking or talking. It drives me nuts. There have been a few times I've personally went outside to get the cashier to let her know someone needs help at the front.

I mean that just isn't good for business. And I just feel like now that they don't really need sells since they get rent regardless, they aren't doing anything to bring it new people. 

And I know there are slow times and summer is one of them (for our area anyway) but we are doing great through our FB page and on FB in different sale sites. So you would think the booth would just be a bonus. I think we have sold maybe 10 (small) items through the mall itself. 

The only other issue we have with moving is if we did we only want to go into one other place. Butttttt the owner has a bad history of not being able to pay rent on the building and late pay outs for dealers. So that makes me nervous.

I'm just not sure what we will do. We thought about just not having the booth at all, but it's nice for our FB page to show things neatly, and beautifully displayed. And it's good for those that just want to look around and such. But I'm just torn. We will give it a while longer before making a decision. At least until Fall. But if things don't pick up through the booth before November, we will be out.


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## MJsLady

I don't really do pinterest.
I have looked on it...3 times since I joined I think...
I am cheap, and I admit it, but even I would not offer $2 for an item marked $12, craft idea or no. 

I don't know about a pinterest mentality, I would just call it rude.


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## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> I don't really do pinterest.
> I have looked on it...3 times since I joined I think...
> I am cheap, and I admit it, but even I would not offer $2 for an item marked $12, craft idea or no.
> 
> I don't know about a pinterest mentality, I would just call it rude.


I agree. I love Pinterest. And I do look at it for ideas and inspiration. If you want things that cheap, then you need to go pick and hunt and find the items yourself. Know what I mean? Which is what I do. LOL Picking is hard work.


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## MJsLady

> Picking is hard work.


Indeed but it can be sooooooooooooooo much fun too!


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## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> Indeed but it can be sooooooooooooooo much fun too!


Oh yes. It's my favorite part! lol It's hard. But it's the most fun! Although we have run across some snakes. LOL


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## thesedays

I was at my booth today, and was quite surprised to see a hole on a shelf that normally doesn't have them. 

:rock:


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## clovis

MJsLady said:


> I don't really do pinterest.
> I have looked on it...3 times since I joined I think...
> I am cheap, and I admit it, but even I would not offer $2 for an item marked $12, craft idea or no.
> 
> I don't know about a pinterest mentality, I would just call it rude.


I hear ya. I'm cheap...I mean I am frugal, too. I actually prefer to use the term "wise with money." LOL.

I probably happened to stumble across the five or six people who never venture out, and are still stuck in the thought pattern that it is just junk. Sometimes, I think people see all of the extremely cool crafts on the internet, and know that they could make them too, if they only had the parts. 

In the instance of the license plates, I bet those two women have never realized how collectible old auto plates are, and in their mind, think they should be able to pick them up for 25 cents each, and maybe 50 cents if they are feeling wild with money.

I am guessing that the woman who saw the parts in the bed of my truck, (which sold within 3 days on ebay for almost $100), would have never guessed they were worth that much, and therefore assumed that her $4 offer was a good one. 

What surprises me the most is the attitude of how I am trying to rip them off by asking $12 for a chair that I sorely under-priced, and how I am supposed to let them have it for literally chump change. As for the parts that were destined for ebay, the woman said "But I want to make these cool yard art things....and I can't pay that much for them." (But it is funny that a few local artists are making those items and selling them for $25 each.)

Earlier this year, we scored a very large lot of yarn, 99% of it was brand new and in perfect condition. A woman got ticked because we priced that yarn at more than her expectation of 25 cents a skein! We priced the Red Heart full sized at 1.50, which is still a savings over Walmart by over $1. This gal was MAD! "This is a flea market!!! I need that for the dog sweaters I want to knit! It's like worth 25 cents!!!" she exclaimed, as she stomped off. 

I shouldn't have let any of this bother me at all...every single item that someone wanted to buy on the cheap sold within days.


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## thesedays

I just learned a new word: "deadstock". It's a term for old, vintage items that were never used.

Anyone else seen or used that term?


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## MJsLady

Clovis when I had my booth I always got a chuckle when some one low balled me.
Cuz they would always come back in a week or so expecting the item to be there and marked lower. 90% of the time the item was gone with in a day of their insulting offer, for full price.


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## clovis

thesedays said:


> I just learned a new word: "deadstock". It's a term for old, vintage items that were never used.
> 
> Anyone else seen or used that term?


I have.

To me, dead stock refers to new, but unwanted or unsalable items, or items that are hard to move. I think of dead stock in terms of lets say, a Harry Potter book that is brand new, and the publisher or printer has 800,000 copies still sitting in a warehouse in Toledo. They might have sold 91 jagillion of that book when it was released, but are now only selling a few each month. To me, I wouldn't use the term dead stock very much when referring to vintage items, but I reckon a person could.

I use the term NOS, which stands for New Old Stock, or New Original Stock. It is a widely used term in the antique car business, and hear it quite often in other areas of collecting.


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## shannsmom

I think everyone is just cheap because of the recession and the fact that they have no idea what things should cost. Let them spend the time going to auctions or picking and see if they really think that chair is worth only $2! They'd be charging $40 because they had to put so much work into it. We have the same trouble, no matter what category the item is in, even if it is brand new with the retail price tag on it, and we have it marked 75% off, they'll offer a pittance. It wears you down sometimes and you do start to take it personally. The past few weeks I have been selling school supplies for less than the best sales around here, and women will want a pack of notebook paper for 5 or 7 cents. I have gotten frustrated a few times and told them they were ridiculous, but mostly I just look over the top of my glasses at them and say "uh, nooooooooooooo", and they usually then pay the price I have it marked at. I watch all the other vendors deal with the same thing, so it seems universal. I think I am going to make a big sign that says "It's the FLEA MARKET, not the FREE MARKET"!

BTW, I LOVE Pinterest, but it has the opposite effect on me, I think the items to make the super cute things must be worth a fortune!


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## clovis

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

One thing that I've been wondering about:

What do your friends and family say about your flea market and antique mall ventures?

My family has been supportive. I'm sure that my parents would be more proud had I become a banker, lawyer or successful businessman. I know that they worry about my fledgling business, and some of the risks that I take, but they have not been judgmental or negative. In fact, they are always on the look out for me, and will call me about any good potential pick that they find, which is often.

Most of the people that I meet, though, look at me like I am a three headed monster. The rest of them look at me like I am high on crack, or something. LOL.

For the most part, I don't think that most people can understand how much money a person can make in this business. I don't believe anyone ever gets rich flea marketing and ebaying, but when times are good, there is money to be made.

I do have a neighbor though, who...well, I don't know what the guy thinks. He has NOT been a good person or neighbor, and I don't care for him much. I highly suspect he has some mental wellness issues, but maybe not. He is flabbergasted that anyone could make money in this business, let alone as a sole source of income. I try not to care what others think, but this guy has been extremely vocal with his opinion, and stuck his nose into our business, and I have never once asked his opinion about anything. It is crazy, I tell ya! He has never even been invited into our drive, where we often work, yet he has meandered over many times and run his ignorant mouth about what we do for a living, plus a million other things. 

It is nice, though, when once in a blue moon, I run into someone that has an interest in our business, whether it is flea marketing or ebay. 

What do your friends and family say?


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## shannsmom

Most think we're nuts and it's a phase we'll get out of. My parents think I have lost my mind, why would I leave a "stable job" (20 year nursing career), but really, nothing's stable anymore, or I wouldn't have been laid off from the hospital and the government wouldn't have cut so many civil service jobs or had sequestering! I know their core feeling is worrying about us. Everyone does seem more supportive of online selling vs flea marketing, though. Honestly, before we started selling at the flea market, we were not secondhand shoppers, so I thought flea marketers were one step above carnies lol! Now I know it is a lot of nice people for the most part. 

They think we just sit home watching TV the things we sell magically pop into the house lol! The saving grace for me is that, I also put DD in virtual school so it's okay for me to not go to a "regular job" because I'm homeschooling her, but DH does not have that excuse. 

Now, our friends who resell or work for themselves in any way, are totally supportive! And we have friends who tell us to look for things for them, but they always expect us to either give the item to them or not charge anything for our time, so we're not real keen on that plan!

But, we care less than ever about what other people think, and other resellers and business owners are less judgemental than the hospital crowd, that's for sure!


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## MJsLady

I used to be part of a forum and that is what 99% of them did to make a living, ebay. 
Some had other streams of income, mostly software related, some were on disability but as for a job they were ebay sellers. 
Some power sellers.
I sure miss that forum!
I miss ebaying, I just haven't found any worth while items in my yard sale meanderings lately. Actually I haven't spent anything at yard sales in a couple months.


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## shannsmom

We decided to only go to the flea market Saturday again this weekend due to poor sales, and we sat there all day to make $11 after paying for the booth!

HOWEVER...we saw a fellow who was down here from the north a few months ago (planning to set up a store eventually) and had bought all of our blu ray movies that day, so yesterday we asked if he was still buying movies. We had decided to limit our movie business to collectibles since it is so hard to sell them here now, and had a number of a guy in MS who would buy them all at a discount, we just haven't gotten around to calling him yet (been helping our friend get his new store ready). So we offered this guy the same price to buy as many as possible, and he bought everything we had with us, 1600 movies. Then asked if we could deliver anything else we had to his store he is opening this week  So we cleaned out the storage unit this morning and took him another 4000! We thought we had about 6000 in there, but we have sold off more than we thought. Our business model is to take the lots (usually 400-1000) we get from our contacts, slap the good stuff online and then sell the rest at the flea market, but this guy said if we get lots anymore, he would buy what's left after we take what we want out, so he is a good contact! Well worth the hour of driving to deliver to him. 

The movies were kind of my department of our business, so I felt a little sad seeing him drive off with them yesterday, but a stack of hundred dollar bills helped console me lol! It also was nice to bring home a half empty trailer for a change, we realized that since we are no longer taking video games and movies to the flea market, we don't even need to tote the trailer, we can just load tubs into the back of the truck. And just go once or twice a month now, so what a relief. This coming Saturday will be our last weekend having a "regular table", we will tell them this week that we will call ahead when we are coming, and if we get a different table, it would be okay, we will just try to stay on our old one due to the friends we have there. One set of friends will be coming this Saturday as their last day, also. They had knocked down to once a month and are now just done with it. So, times they are a changing for us, but it is in a way we had been planning on, it just worked out a little easier than we planned


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## clovis

Shannsmom,

I am thrilled that you were able to liquidate your inventory, and turn it into some cash. 

I hope we aren't going to lose you on this thread! 

Are you leaving the FM business?


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## DanyellL

Our family and friends have been very supportive. We've had friends buy some of our pieces as well. And even offer us MORE money then what we were charging. LOL And they are great advertisement. So that is always good. 

The only thing my mom has been hesitant on is me leaving my job. I've been here for almost 10 years. And I'm young. I'm only 28. So she feels me being at my job for 10 years is really good for my age. And that I need to stick it out. Even if I just go to part time (which is something I will look into). But I commute to work. It's almost an hour one way. And I'm just tired of it. Corporate life isn't for me. lol The only reason why I haven't left yet is my husband wants to buy land and start building our "dream house" within the next 6 months. So we will need my stable job throughout the loan process. He already will be leaving his "corporate job" in the next 6 months to start his business. Actually it's already started. They are just getting to the point where they are so busy they can't work both.

But I'm thankful so far we have had the support behind us. It really makes a difference. Now "outsiders" or my coworkers think I'm crazy. Although they love our work. So I don't know. Some people get it. Some don't.

How did sales go for everyone this weekend??? Sales from our booth didn't do well. But we took on another custom order. And we are still working on this stupid church pew. LOL It is taking longer than expected. And the customer keeps adding more stuff! lol She already paid up front. So maybe she will be so excited she throws us another bill. LOL


----------



## earthymomma

We've had the worst week in sales since starting up... Which really stinks but it also followed the best week we've ever had so I'll take the wash.

We went to a large local flea market this past weekend and found 2 amazing end tables, we didn't know they were amazing at the time. They had good "bones" but were pretty dirty and beat up. Come to find out they are Habersham Plantation pieces, with serial numbers on the bottom and everything! Possibly our best pick to date! We only paid $10 a piece for them!

We did a big rearranging overhaul on our booth on Saturday morning so hopefully that will draw more people in as well.

For us, my DH is career military so most of my friends and family see it just as a hobby of mine. Which is fine, with 2 kids and a baby at home I can see why they think that lol. I don't expect it to pay any bills right away but we do hope to make more and more as time goes on and for it to be a good supplement when DH retired


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> We've had the worst week in sales since starting up... Which really stinks but it also followed the best week we've ever had so I'll take the wash.
> 
> We went to a large local flea market this past weekend and found 2 amazing end tables, we didn't know they were amazing at the time. They had good "bones" but were pretty dirty and beat up. Come to find out they are Habersham Plantation pieces, with serial numbers on the bottom and everything! Possibly our best pick to date! We only paid $10 a piece for them!
> 
> We did a big rearranging overhaul on our booth on Saturday morning so hopefully that will draw more people in as well.
> 
> For us, my DH is career military so most of my friends and family see it just as a hobby of mine. Which is fine, with 2 kids and a baby at home I can see why they think that lol. I don't expect it to pay any bills right away but we do hope to make more and more as time goes on and for it to be a good supplement when DH retired


That is awesome about the end tables! Sometimes people just don't know what they have! I can't wait to see what you do to them!


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## brendafawn

Hi I'm new to this site but I sell at the flea markets. It is to supplement mine and Hubby's income. I usually go to garage sales and pick up items I think will sell. I'm not familiar with antiques so was wondering what y'all could tell me about this item . I paid 50 cents for this lamp.


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## Jaclynne

Hi, my I join you? My sister and I have a booth in an antique mall. We are new at this. We started out a couple of months ago in a little town near me. I did well there, making double my rents + from the beginning, but my sister never sold more than $8 a month there. 

We added another space in a different town last month. This little town has lots of traffic and draws shoppers just for antique shopping. I hope we do better here. 

We closed the first space since I couldn't carry us both for very long. I know it doesn't make business sense to pull out so fast, but it is what it is. 

I've learned a ton of stuff from reading this site. I appreciate everyone sharing. Here is a link to our Facebook page....https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bird-nest-on-the-Ground/317279621767837?ref=hl Tell me what you think.


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## Oma2three

Clovis it's really interesting reading about your business.If it's not to personal ,may I ask are your booth in small towns or a big city? And which location does better,if you don't mind my asking . Have quite a few friends and my daughter we love to shop in AM,not so much outside Flea markets,and we always wonder where are the best places!?Indy area! Thanks


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## brendafawn

Jaclynne said:


> Hi, my I join you? My sister and I have a booth in an antique mall. We are new at this. We started out a couple of months ago in a little town near me. I did well there, making double my rents + from the beginning, but my sister never sold more than $8 a month there.
> 
> We added another space in a different town last month. This little town has lots of traffic and draws shoppers just for antique shopping. I hope we do better here.
> 
> We closed the first space since I couldn't carry us both for very long. I know it doesn't make business sense to pull out so fast, but it is what it is.
> 
> I've learned a ton of stuff from reading this site. I appreciate everyone sharing. Here is a link to our Facebook page....https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bird-nest-on-the-Ground/317279621767837?ref=hl Tell me what you think.


Jaclynne, were is mineola Texas. What large city is it located in. Your Boothe is very pretty.


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## clovis

Oma2three said:


> Clovis it's really interesting reading about your business.If it's not to personal ,may I ask are your booth in small towns or a big city? And which location does better,if you don't mind my asking . Have quite a few friends and my daughter we love to shop in AM,not so much outside Flea markets,and we always wonder where are the best places!?Indy area! Thanks


Thank you for the kind words!

We have two spots at an antique mall in the big city. The nice thing about that place is the foot traffic, and people seem to be more well heeled there. My difficulty is trying to figure out what those customers are looking for; it is a trendy market and a fast moving place. This is where we take our best stuff, at least the stuff that we'll think that will sell.

We are at another huge antique mall south of the city. I swear, I can't figure that place out. It was stellar a few years ago, and now, I can't seem to give anything away in that place!

The indoor FM is far and away, the best place for us, which is in a small town, relatively speaking. This place is huge too, especially for a FM. This is our bread and butter, and we live on the sales we make there. When our sales are slow for the month there, we hurt pretty bad. 

I'll PM on some great places to shop.


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## clovis

Jaclynne said:


> Hi, my I join you? My sister and I have a booth in an antique mall. We are new at this. We started out a couple of months ago in a little town near me. I did well there, making double my rents + from the beginning, but my sister never sold more than $8 a month there.


*Welcome!!!* 

It is great to have you here!!! Please post often...we all can learn from one another. I have learned quite a few things in this thread, and have been able to look at the business with a new perspective.


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## clovis

brendafawn said:


> Hi I'm new to this site but I sell at the flea markets. It is to supplement mine and Hubby's income. I usually go to garage sales and pick up items I think will sell.


Brendafawn,

It is wonderful to have you join this thread!!!! Welcome!!!

Don't be afraid to join in the discussion, ask questions, and share whatever you want...this thread is a great place for all of us to learn.


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> We've had the worst week in sales since starting up... Which really stinks but it also followed the best week we've ever had so I'll take the wash.
> 
> We went to a large local flea market this past weekend and found 2 amazing end tables, we didn't know they were amazing at the time. They had good "bones" but were pretty dirty and beat up. Come to find out they are Habersham Plantation pieces, with serial numbers on the bottom and everything! Possibly our best pick to date! We only paid $10 a piece for them!
> 
> We did a big rearranging overhaul on our booth on Saturday morning so hopefully that will draw more people in as well.


Sorry to hear that your sales have been slow, earthy. The overhaul was a great idea!

Congrats on the end tables!!!! I've never heard of Habersham, but I will keep an eye out for them in the future!


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## Jaclynne

brendafawn said:


> Jaclynne, were is mineola Texas. What large city is it located in. Your Boothe is very pretty.


Thank you. Mineola is north of Tyler, Texas.


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## Jaclynne

clovis said:


> *Welcome!!!*
> 
> It is great to have you here!!! Please post often...we all can learn from one another. I have learned quite a few things in this thread, and have been able to look at the business with a new perspective.


Thank you Clovis. When we started thinking about this I remembered seeing this thread and came back to read it from beginning to end. There is a ton of information here - and I need all of it.

Jackie


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## shannsmom

Oh, Clovis, you don't get off that easy, I will still be around lol!We will still be going to the flea market once, maybe twice a month, but we are much more free now to hit yardsales and rummage sales....we find awesome stuff at church rummage sales, sooooo cheap, but they are always on Saturdays and we were always stuck at the flea market. We also get good things to flip at the flea market, so we will still be going there to shop. Tomorrow or Thursday I will go officially give up our "permanent tables" and I expect them to pitch a fit, depending on who is in the office. A LOT of other vendors have given up their tables, or reduced the number they reserve, ever since the rent increase. DH feels that in a year, that flea market will go under due to shoppers and vendors leaving the way they are. It has happened twice in the past, it gets sold and revitalized, then the same cycle starts again!

We still have our stores that supply us with deals, and we don't want to lose those relationships as I still have our Amazon and Ebay business, perfect for me being home with DD homeschooling. But....the store we have been helping a friend get ready? He offered us a limited partnership in it. He covers all the bills and what he sells, he keeps all of. But it is huge, so he offered us half the space in it, and we keep 100% of what we sell. In exchange for that, DH will work up there 2-5 days a week. DH also fixes electronics, so the big back room is going to be a work area. Said friend knows most of the pawn shops owners in town, so he will buy the electronics, DH will fix them and they will split that. A large reason for the store is it will be a place for all of us to buy from the public here (which can be done super cheaply) and sell on ebay/amazon for nice profits.

Oh, and Earthymomma, August has been our worst month every year for sales, but it always picks back up, so hang in there!


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## DanyellL

Oh, and Earthymomma, August has been our worst month every year for sales, but it always picks back up, so hang in there![/QUOTE]

That is good to hear. LOL Our booth sales haven't been good in August either!


And sounds like you guys have a nice little business going on with your friends store! I would love something like that, that would let me stay at home with the kids!


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> Oh, and Earthymomma, August has been our worst month every year for sales, but it always picks back up, so hang in there!


August, typically speaking, has always been one of the toughest months for us too. 

The school systems in our area have changed their schedule so that the kids go back to school earlier, and I think that is helping our sales.

Families that are taking last minute vacations and those shopping for school clothes now seem to be doing that earlier, in July. When school started around the 19th or 20th, we got our clock cleaned every time. Now, many schools are starting 3rd-8th, and our sales are good...so far.


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> Sorry to hear that your sales have been slow, earthy. The overhaul was a great idea!
> 
> 
> 
> Congrats on the end tables!!!! I've never heard of Habersham, but I will keep an eye out for them in the future!



Clovis, we didn't know anything about them either til we brought them home and I did some investigating! It's worth a pretty penny! Lol I took some photos of the markings for you all so you can keep your eyes peeled


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## clovis

Wow...very cool! Thank you for sharing!!!!


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## clovis

I got to thinking that it would be cool to share a tip, interesting note, tool, cool picks, etc., from our AM/FM business that might help others, in addition to our usual posts on this thread.

I was wondering if we could call it Tuesday Tips, or something like that.

Anyone interested in doing this with me?


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## clovis

Here is my Tuesday Tip:

Old English.

We don't deal in a ton of used furniture, but when we do, Old English stain/polish is one of the most valuable tools we have. 

I understand that Old English now is available in several colors, but I haven't seen it in the stores. When I need a lighter finish, I generally use Minwax wood stain in a color that is appropriate with the color on the furniture.

More than once, I've picked up a cool table for $5 at an auction, and cleaned it up with Old English, and later flipped it for $100 or more. The stuff is wonderful, and I doubt that anyone in the resell business could live without the stuff.

Keep an eye out for bottles of Old English at garage sales, estates, etc., where it can be bought inexpensively. It is a bit pricey when bought at the store.


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## earthymomma

shannsmom said:


> Oh, and Earthymomma, August has been our worst month every year for sales, but it always picks back up, so hang in there!



Good to know!! And that store idea sounds like an awesome set up/partnership!!


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## shannsmom

I don't have any great tips, but here's a little one. I know most of yall don't dabble in movies much, but if you venture there, look for quirky things. Anything that you instantly say "now, who would watch that?!", get it! Lots of hunting, sports, crazy old things like Godzilla, that stuff has a following. Vintage horror movies are quite collectible, as well. Choose seasons carefully, they are often worth a bit more online, but weigh so much, some are not worth shipping. 

On another note, sometimes not having a clue is good, too. We often pick up quirky items, not really knowing what they are, and they're worth a good bit. Today I went out picking alone for the first time, DH being at the store, and picked up what I thought was binoculars (only because I thought they were cool), paid $2, it's actually a rangefinder fr golf, worth $353 used, $475 new. And I picked up a birdwatching companion device, because it was quirky, paid $2 for it with accessories, it's going for $49 on amazon used. Quirky sells, on purpose or by accident! And I get to play with the birdwatcher till it sells


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## MJsLady

LOl I used to work with some guys who made a habit on Fridays of watching old b-c-d-f rated horror movies. Ones that barely made the b mark.


The more horrible the better.


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> I don't have any great tips, but here's a little one. I know most of yall don't dabble in movies much, but if you venture there, look for quirky things. Anything that you instantly say "now, who would watch that?!", get it! Lots of hunting, sports, crazy old things like Godzilla, that stuff has a following. Vintage horror movies are quite collectible, as well. Choose seasons carefully, they are often worth a bit more online, but weigh so much, some are not worth shipping.
> 
> On another note, sometimes not having a clue is good, too. We often pick up quirky items, not really knowing what they are, and they're worth a good bit. Today I went out picking alone for the first time, DH being at the store, and picked up what I thought was binoculars (only because I thought they were cool), paid $2, it's actually a rangefinder fr golf, worth $353 used, $475 new. And I picked up a birdwatching companion device, because it was quirky, paid $2 for it with accessories, it's going for $49 on amazon used. Quirky sells, on purpose or by accident! And I get to play with the birdwatcher till it sells


That is an AWESOME tip!!!

I learned a while back to look for unusual items, and sometimes, it pays off handsomely. 

Of course, there are plenty of unusual items that are junk and would be better off thrown in the trash, but I've found that unusual and decent quality stuff sells well, and often, you hit a home run, and sometimes, a grand slam with all the bases loaded.


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## clovis

I want to add something about Shannsmom's great tip about quirky items.

Years ago, before I ever ventured into the reselling biz, I went to an estate auction. The auctioneer pulled a box of US Army WWII dated canteens. As you know, the government ordered millions of these canteens, so they aren't worth much. 

I noticed one canteen was not the standard aluminum with a black plastic cap, but a weird material that I'd never seen before, and on the bottom, it was marked with a local military base. I bid up to $15, and chickened out.

I _should_ have known that it was a good canteen, made by a contractor as an experimental canteen made of celluloid. I have seen those exact canteens sell on ebay for as much as $500.

Had I not been so dumb!!!! Have been kicking myself since!!!


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## DanyellL

I don't have any good tips yet. lol I'm just getting into all of this. But I appreciate the ones mentioned thus far! And I can't wait to hear more!

Thank you guys!


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## clovis

I hope everyone is having a great week and weekend.

We've had a stellar weekend so far, with outstanding sales today, and yesterday, after suffering a dismal Wednesday. Everyday of the week has been decent, except for Wednesday, with a terrific Friday, and today's sales were wonderful.

I was also thrilled today to learn that I sold a pair of industrial lights for $350. I picked these up at an estate sale about a month or so ago, and doubted this purchase after I got home. I spent an hour or so cleaning them up, and three or four hours fretting about them, LOL. I actually have never bought or sold any industrial stuff, and had no idea how to price them. I was fortunate to run into one of the premier dealers at the antique mall, and his pricing was dead on. 

The biggest reason that I doubted this purchase is that I find it hard to keep up with trends and fashions. Wanna talk blacksmithing tools, or wrenches? How about concrete tools? Garage junk? Lanterns? Coleman cook stoves? Carhartt coats? Lionel trains? I'm your guy. 

Want to know what is coming up in the newest interior fashion trend, or want to talk warm versus cold colors? Yeah, I'm lost. Totally lost. Like when you said "I saw the cutest little...", my brain went into shut down mode, and I was prolly thinking about the 60's era Impala parts that I have on my desk.

I have spent some time trying to brush up on some of the interior home trends recently.

Anyway, back to the sales. I am not getting rich, and don't have a retirement to speak of, but I am blessed. I am truly thankful for the finds, and for having good malls to do business in.

Hope you all are doing well. Labor Day weekend is coming up very soon, so get into gear, and get those booths stocked as deep as you can. Travelers spend money, and you have one opportunity to strike their fancy!!!


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## thesedays

shannsmom said:


> I don't have any great tips, but here's a little one. I know most of yall don't dabble in movies much, but if you venture there, look for quirky things. Anything that you instantly say "now, who would watch that?!", get it! Lots of hunting, sports, crazy old things like Godzilla, that stuff has a following. Vintage horror movies are quite collectible, as well. Choose seasons carefully, they are often worth a bit more online, but weigh so much, some are not worth shipping.
> 
> On another note, sometimes not having a clue is good, too. We often pick up quirky items, not really knowing what they are, and they're worth a good bit. Today I went out picking alone for the first time, DH being at the store, and picked up what I thought was binoculars (only because I thought they were cool), paid $2, it's actually a rangefinder fr golf, worth $353 used, $475 new. And I picked up a birdwatching companion device, because it was quirky, paid $2 for it with accessories, it's going for $49 on amazon used. Quirky sells, on purpose or by accident! And I get to play with the birdwatcher till it sells


There are some 70s and 80s TV movies and miniseries that are not on DVD, and the VHS tapes of these are often worth quite a bit of money. Some of them can be viewed on You Tube, but some people don't like to do it that way.


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## earthymomma

Clovis I'm super excited for you!! That is awesome you guys have had such an incredible week!! 

Industrial lighting is making a huge comeback especially in the restaurant/bar decorating! I've been keeping my eyes peeled for the dark green ones! 


I admit to being a Pinterest addict... For ideas and home decor trends so feel free to ask away!! 

DH had to take his daughter back to Texas after her summer with us and has been stopping at flea markets along the way... Cannot wait for him to pull in in a few hours and check out all our new junk! 

Things are still fairly slow in my booth, but we've cleared rent so anything from now on is profit. The positive is it's giving me time to get some more furniture pieces completed to really load it up before Labor Day weekend


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## DanyellL

Clovis, I'm so glad business is doing well for you!

Our booth still isn't doing well. But we are selling a good bit through Facebook. So that is exciting. And the people that are buying, are buying 3-4 items at a time. And then having us do a custom piece. So that is great. We just posted pictures of our booth yesterday (completely full at this point) and a lady wants 4 items. Within minutes of us posting them she was emailing us. And she's coming over this week to pick out a chair to have custom done. So....I'm very blessed that our facebook sales have been so great so far. 

And Earthy! I LOVE your pieces!  


I hope everyone has a great week!


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> Industrial lighting is making a huge comeback especially in the restaurant/bar decorating! I've been keeping my eyes peeled for the dark green ones!
> 
> 
> I admit to being a Pinterest addict... For ideas and home decor trends so feel free to ask away!!


I am all ears.

What is the latest? What is coming up?


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## clovis

thesedays said:


> There are some 70s and 80s TV movies and miniseries that are not on DVD, and the VHS tapes of these are often worth quite a bit of money. Some of them can be viewed on You Tube, but some people don't like to do it that way.


I understand that some VHS tapes are still hot. There is a guy in our town that specializes in VHS tapes, and claims that is all he sells on ebay.


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## earthymomma

Cottage decor is very "in" light airy colors, eclectic, super rustic meets lace in a sense. Painted furniture, or a mixture of paint and stain.

Anything that is serving a purpose it wasn't originally intended for... For instance I have an old take head hanging upside down in my kitchen to hang my potholder and apron on lol. I've also made wall sconces out of pallet wood and old electric insulators, mason jars turned soap dispensers, egg baskets turned hanging lighting. 

And also anything that has an old meets new feel... Maybe old rustic wood with super sleek chrome legs, or beautiful stain with a chipped paint base on a piece of furniture.


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## earthymomma

Oh!! DS table finally sold!! I don't know who was more excited him or me!! Lol


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## clovis

I love it, earthy!!!

Funny that you posted the pic of the rake head. I have often sold rake heads without the handle, and they have sold fast. Now I know why!


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## jlxian

I'm checking back in with you all. I had hip replacement surgery on 6/18 and am just now getting back to feeling like a human being again. Still haven't read over the posts since I was last here --- will go do that now. 

While I was out my booth lost money for June and made $3 in July.


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## MJsLady

Well I listed 2 things on ebay.
I have been looking at the AM and fleas here and honestly none of them look as decent as the photos you all put here!
I think for now ebay will be my "booth".


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## jlxian

shannsmom said:


> FWIW, as I have been sorting through the craft/sewing supplies, anything with a barcode on it, new or barely used, I check on Amazon, and have found a bit to list there for much more than I could sell it at the flea market. I did that after my sister told me she sells craft and cake books on Amazon. She's not generally a reseller, but was pleased she could make some decent money selling these books there. I sure wish I had known about buying secondhand back in my "consumer years"!


What about vintage sewing supplies --- like things I "inherited" from a grandmother and a great aunt? Silk thread, hooks and eyes, that sort of thing....


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## MJsLady

jean, if you have buttons, they are great, I would be interested too. 
Sewing things, especially vintage seem to do ok.
Barbie patterns are awesome sellers. I buy those when ever I can. If uncut I usually pay $1 but have gotten up to $15 for them on ebay.


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## jlxian

MJsLady said:


> jean, if you have buttons, they are great,


Would you package like buttons in a baggie for sale, or just put everything into a container and sell the lot?


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## MJsLady

First do some research.
Some buttons are really valuable.
Some not so much. 
I packaged the ones I sold in color lots, reds with pinks and blues of various shades together and so on. 
The more valuable ones, such as Bakelite, I sold by themselves in different lots. 
I myself collect figural buttons Mostly red, white and blue ones. 
Take lots of pictures and give as much detail as you can. 
If you want to sell in odd lots of just a mix, make sure you aren't letting a $5 button go in a $1 lot, kwim?

Also do not forget Etsy as a place to sell sewing and crafting items. It might take a bit longer, but I have gotten better prices there than on ebay for some things.


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## jlxian

Thanks MJsLady. I've toyed with selling the vintage sewing supplies I have for some time now. Getting organized and motivated to do it, is another thing. I'd like to give it a try, one of these days!


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> I'm checking back in with you all. I had hip replacement surgery on 6/18 and am just now getting back to feeling like a human being again. Still haven't read over the posts since I was last here --- will go do that now.
> 
> While I was out my booth lost money for June and made $3 in July.


Jean,

I have wondered about you every day for months. I am happy to hear that you are doing okay!!!


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## MJsLady

If you do put them on ebay please let me know your seller id. 
I would like to keep up with how it goes. I might even bid on some.


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## shannsmom

I agree, I think vintage sewing supplies would be a great thing to sell! 

jlxian, I am so glad to see you back, and glad you're doing well!

Well, our Saturday at the flea market was abysmal, again, so it reinforced our thoughts that that is not the place we need to be. We moved a lot of things, but all at .50-1.00, so not much money. Other vendors kept coming by and saying their sales were non-existant for the day, so at least we moved some stuff. Last year seemed a constant search for cheap, large Rubbermaid tubs for us, now we have lots of empties lol! 

We did get some good things to flip, but I am curious as to how to find out about local auctions going on? They don't seem as prolific here as they do up North, but it would be nice for us to be able to find many items at once!

Oh, and we have sold quite a bit of VHS tapes this year, oddly enough. Most that we sell online (a lot of exercise and some educational) seem to go to Rec centers, community clubs, even military halls, but locally it seems that movies people remember from their childhood are what sells. And, of course, Disney VHS sells. We even had to search for a while for a VCR to test tapes before we sell them, so I am surprised so many people seem to have them.

I am glad to see everyone selling, selling, selling! Let's hope it stays up for everyone all the way thru Christmas!


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## MJsLady

Well I ended up listing 12 items today. 
Tomorrow I have a few more I will put up but for now I need to get the kitchen done and supper started. 

I may even break down and have that coca cola I bought the other day as a reward for finally doing my listings!


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## earthymomma

jlxian said:


> Thanks MJsLady. I've toyed with selling the vintage sewing supplies I have for some time now. Getting organized and motivated to do it, is another thing. I'd like to give it a try, one of these days!



I have several vintage sewing patterns that aren't moving AT ALL! I need to give etsy a shot


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## MJsLady

earthymomma said:


> I have several vintage sewing patterns that aren't moving AT ALL! I need to give etsy a shot


What are they?


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## earthymomma

I don't have them all in front of me, but several from the 60s-70s skirt, dresses, tops, I even think a coat pattern. When I stop by the booth tomorrow I'll screenshot them


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## MJsLady

I have noticed those do not tend to do well on ebay either.
I collect vintage apron patterns myself.


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## earthymomma

MJsLady said:


> I have noticed those do not tend to do well on ebay either.
> I collect vintage apron patterns myself.



Good to know! Thank you I'll start keeping my eye out for those then!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> We did get some good things to flip, but I am curious as to how to find out about local auctions going on? They don't seem as prolific here as they do up North, but it would be nice for us to be able to find many items at once!


The best place to find auctions in your area is:

http://www.auctionzip.com

It is also a great place to find auctions if you are willing to travel out of town. I use the "auctions within 50 miles" filter to show even more auctions than I normally would attend.

Make sure you use the "view photos" button while looking at a sale.

I live close to a large city, and every once and a while, there will be multiple auctions going on at the same time. The trick is that multiple auctions will split the typical auction going crowd into as many auctions as there are.

For instance, one time there were 19 auctions scheduled in our area on one single day. I picked my favorite auctioneer, who happens to be the nicest of the bunch, but doesn't have the following that other auction companies do. I drove to the north side of the city, which is a good distance from me, to attend that auction. I showed up...and there was almost no one there. I didn't buy too much that day, but what I bought, I got for almost nothing. 

I remember at that sale, I bought all of the commercial floor mats in the entire building for $5. I think I bought 21 or 22 of them, and they sold crazy fast at $15 each.


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## clovis

Here is my *Tuesday Tip*:

I believe that it is important to make good, descriptive price tags for your items, especially if you have open stock that is not locked in a case. IMO, this is one of the mistakes that newcomers to the business make; quite often, their tags are too simple, or even non-existent! 

I believe that the better that an item is labeled, the better chance that it has to sell. 

For instance, price tags should read:

Green Coleman Gas Lantern/Dated 1968

Silver Craftsman tool box/NO TOOLS/EMPTY

Fat Quarter/Blue Red Green Fabric

Tyco Box Car/Blue Pennsylvania W/Box

Indy 500 Champions/Book

Beatles LP Abbey Road

Beach Boys Endless Summer-2 records LP Classic Album!

62 Pontiac Model kit/started/looks complete!

Of course, if you are trying to highlight your antiques, etc, your tags will have more descriptive titles:

1940's era Waterfall Four Drawer Dresser~Beautiful Condition~Fresh Estate Find~Super Clean!

1950's Mid Century Starburst Clock~Sears~Solid Wood Fantastic~Works!~Keeps Time! 

The big thing to remember is that you want to have descriptive titles to:

1. Help the sales staff understand what is being sold.
2. Help the sales staff protect your items
3. Drastically reduce the probability of someone switching tags on your products.

You might be surprised how many thieves there are out in the world, who will actively seek out tags in a mall so they can switch the tags. It will get you arrested...even attempting to switch tags in our state will get you a pair of silver bracelets to wear for a while...but tag switching does occur.

When you take the time to write good tags, it drastically reduces the probability of someone switching tags. A thief is less likely to take your $45 red Coleman lantern and switch it with a tag from another lantern, owned by another vendor, who just wrote "old lantern" on the tag. 

Many years ago, when we really stepped up our descriptions on our tags, the mis-rings and tag switching fell sharply. There is something about writing "red Coleman lantern" on the tag that will dissuade someone from using your tag and your item too.

We keep rolls of tape with us too, and on many items, we will wrap Scotch or packing tape around the paper tag, just to help avoid tampering with the tag.

Also, if you have groups of items, mark them individually. Please don't sell "Old tool box full of tools." That is an open invitation to every thief in the world to walk around the FM or mall, tear off tags of other vendor's tools, and throw them into the box.

Taking the time to write out good, descriptive tags will benefit you immensely, boosting sales, while helping to keep the few bad apples from stealing stuff at the mall.


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## jlxian

I'll post a tip about tags/labels. 

I had a tea kettle and a tea pot, both cobalt blue, but not useable for their original purpose. I posted with my price tags, photos of what I considered their good use to be --- planters. On pinterest I found photos of like items that had been filled with plants, and added small copies of those to my price tags. Helps to suggest to the buyer what they could do with the item if they bought it.

Thanks all for the welcome back. The hip surgery I had (anterior, going in the front) was supposed to have a very quick recovery with it, two weeks and back to work. LOL. Didn't happen. I did go back to work at 4 1/2 weeks, but only half days. This is my second week of full days. Finally have my energy back. Still working on getting fully mobile. I'm eager for a new normal to kick in!


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## DanyellL

shannsmom said:


> I agree, I think vintage sewing supplies would be a great thing to sell!
> 
> jlxian, I am so glad to see you back, and glad you're doing well!
> 
> Well, our Saturday at the flea market was abysmal, again, so it reinforced our thoughts that that is not the place we need to be. We moved a lot of things, but all at .50-1.00, so not much money. Other vendors kept coming by and saying their sales were non-existant for the day, so at least we moved some stuff. Last year seemed a constant search for cheap, large Rubbermaid tubs for us, now we have lots of empties lol!
> 
> We did get some good things to flip, but I am curious as to how to find out about local auctions going on? They don't seem as prolific here as they do up North, but it would be nice for us to be able to find many items at once!
> 
> Oh, and we have sold quite a bit of VHS tapes this year, oddly enough. Most that we sell online (a lot of exercise and some educational) seem to go to Rec centers, community clubs, even military halls, but locally it seems that movies people remember from their childhood are what sells. And, of course, Disney VHS sells. We even had to search for a while for a VCR to test tapes before we sell them, so I am surprised so many people seem to have them.
> 
> I am glad to see everyone selling, selling, selling! Let's hope it stays up for everyone all the way thru Christmas!


We use auctionzip.com to find auctions!


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## DanyellL

Awesome tips you two about tags! Good information to know!


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## shannsmom

Yes, thank you for the auctionzip and tag tips! I am gonna have to check out auctionzip, and am learning to write tags with good descriptions. I am used to slapping a price sticker on everything, but with collectibles, you do need to say what year it's from and exactly what it is. I've been watching the people who go to the hair salon next to the store, and it seems to be a lot of older women, so I think the tags will help them in gift shopping.


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## clovis

One other thing that we do when writing our tags for anything that is a type of container is to write the word EMPTY! on the tag itself.

You might be surprised how many people will try to buy an empty, antique wood crate, and try to put a few items inside of it, and then play dumb at the cash register. Maybe they are that dumb, but most likely, IMO, it is trying to get something for free, and use the dumb act when paying.

When you use the word "EMPTY!", it also reminds the cashier to check the item as they ring it up. On any item that is large, like dressers or tool chests, I often write "NO TOOLS INCLUDED~CASHIER-PLEASE CHECK DRAWERS."

I really hate having to do this, but it keeps everyone honest, and the cashier is prompted to remember that they do need to check. A dishonest person could easily fill a few drawers with expensive blacksmithing tools, at the tune of $20 each, and walk out of the store with $200 in free product after paying $100 for a tool chest.

The antique malls seem better about checking drawers and stuff, but sometimes, the cashiers at the FM can be rushed, and have literally 25 people waiting in line at one time.

Remember to mark the word "Empty" on:

Jars, canisters, Tupperware, purses, wood crates, tool boxes, chests, etc.

Hope this helps!


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## earthymomma

jlxian said:


> I'll post a tip about tags/labels.
> 
> I had a tea kettle and a tea pot, both cobalt blue, but not useable for their original purpose. I posted with my price tags, photos of what I considered their good use to be --- planters. On pinterest I found photos of like items that had been filled with plants, and added small copies of those to my price tags. Helps to suggest to the buyer what they could do with the item if they bought it.
> 
> Thanks all for the welcome back. The hip surgery I had (anterior, going in the front) was supposed to have a very quick recovery with it, two weeks and back to work. LOL. Didn't happen. I did go back to work at 4 1/2 weeks, but only half days. This is my second week of full days. Finally have my energy back. Still working on getting fully mobile. I'm eager for a new normal to kick in!




I've wondered how to give people a vision of what it could be used for! What a great idea!!


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## earthymomma

Thanks for the auctionzip.com advice! I've been wanting to know how to get in on some auctions!! Newbie auction question... What does it mean when it says 10% buyer premium? Or something similar


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> Thanks for the auctionzip.com advice! I've been wanting to know how to get in on some auctions!! Newbie auction question... What does it mean when it says 10% buyer premium? Or something similar


A buyer's premium means that the auctioneer will add 10% to the price of whatever you bought. It is a commission that they charge to the buyer.

So, you see a cool steamer trunk at an estate auction. You win the bid for $35. When you go to pay, your bill will be $38.50.

Unfortunately, a BP is now the norm around here. Be careful if you go to _some_ auctions, especially industrial auctions. They are charging up to 12%, and if they add sales tax, that puts another 7%, plus 3% if you use plastic to pay. That will add 21% to your bill, so read the fine print. Not all auctions charge sales tax...I don't know why some do, and some don't.

You are going to have to condition yourself to stop bidding when you need to, in account for the BP. You can still make great money buying at auctions, so don't be scared of the BP; just remember it has to be paid.

I know lots of resellers that absolutely refuse to go to any auction with a BP, which is 99.999% of the auctions in our area. I hate a BP as much as anyone, but cutting yourself out of massive opportunities is just plain dumb, if you ask me. There are bargains galore at almost every auction, so if you have to pay $5 on a $50 item, so you can flip it for $200, what is the big deal????

The name of this game is to buy something cheap, and get it sold for a profit. Nothing more, and nothing less.


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> A buyer's premium means that the auctioneer will add 10% to the price of whatever you bought. It is a commission that they charge to the buyer.
> 
> So, you see a cool steamer trunk at an estate auction. You win the bid for $35. When you go to pay, your bill will be $38.50.
> 
> Unfortunately, a BP is now the norm around here. Be careful if you go to _some_ auctions, especially industrial auctions. They are charging up to 12%, and if they add sales tax, that puts another 7%, plus 3% if you use plastic to pay. That will add 21% to your bill, so read the fine print. Not all auctions charge sales tax...I don't know why some do, and some don't.
> 
> You are going to have to condition yourself to stop bidding when you need to, in account for the BP. You can still make great money buying at auctions, so don't be scared of the BP; just remember it has to be paid.
> 
> I know lots of resellers that absolutely refuse to go to any auction with a BP, which is 99.999% of the auctions in our area. I hate a BP as much as anyone, but cutting yourself out of massive opportunities is just plain dumb, if you ask me. There are bargains galore at almost every auction, so if you have to pay $5 on a $50 item, so you can flip it for $200, what is the big deal????
> 
> The name of this game is to buy something cheap, and get it sold for a profit. Nothing more, and nothing less.



Thank you Clovis! I assumed it was something like that but wanted to make sure!! From every auction listing I saw a buyers premium was the norm. The livestock auctions had a 20% + crazy! 

Going to try and convince DH for us to go to one Sunday afternoon


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## earthymomma

How did everyone's weekends go!? Ours went pretty well! Better sales than any weekend this month so I will take it! Our AM has a Facebook page, they featured our booth this morning and several items sold because of it! I will head in tomorrow to take an inventory and rearrange ... Piling up the projects to keep the booth super full in preparation of next weekend.

For all of you out there with more experience, let's talk holidays! Does holiday specific decor sell and boost sales? I don't want to go all out and then be stuck with holiday decor until next year, but I don't want to under do it either.


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## clovis

We had a decent weekend. Not a blockbuster weekend, but I am happy enough.

Glad that you did well, earthy!!!!! Go get 'em!!!!


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## clovis

earthymomma said:


> For all of you out there with more experience, let's talk holidays! Does holiday specific decor sell and boost sales? I don't want to go all out and then be stuck with holiday decor until next year, but I don't want to under do it either.


I have found that both Halloween and Christmas decorations sell well all year long. I have no problem putting Christmas stuff out in May, June....or any month, for that matter. It will sell, if attractive and priced right. FWIW, we sold a vintage angel about a week ago. Of course, decorations can fly off the shelf in October and December.


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## clovis

Wow, is it Tuesday again, already?

My *Tuesday Tip*:

Since we are all often buying distressed, damaged and altered items, it is important to have a good tool box handy.

I have already shared that fine 0000 steel wool and mechanic's hand cleaner without pumice will work wonders in cleaning up years of grease, smoke and dirt on wood furniture. This stuff works wonders in cleaning up rusty steel too. If you happen to buy a greasy oily item out of a barn, and want to know how to clean it, hand cleaner is your best friend. 

Another item that I couldn't live without in this business is Zippo lighter fluid. The stuff is amazing for removing stickers, adhesives, and goo from items. Just put a little lighter fluid on a rag, and gently work the area. There is stuff like Goo-Gone, but I prefer Zippo fluid any day of the week.

If you have to remove tape or labels from a box, book or paper item, you might try using a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive. Just warm the area, and gently pull the tape or label.

Of course, I am in love with Old English for fairly quick clean up jobs on wood furniture.

I also have a love affair with Dawn dish detergent. I'm sure I have used a truck load of that stuff in my life, cleaning up whatever barn find that I've drug home. Dawn and warm water will clean up stuff and make it look new. 

We also try to keep some basic tools with us, like a screwdriver, hammer, adjustable wrench, a pair of Klein side cuts, and a knife, especially when we are out buying. You never know when you will find and buy the coolest wire crates at an auction, but they are still bolted to the wall in the barn or garage!

Please share your Tuesday Tips with us, whether it be a product that you are selling, a way of doing something...or just anything that might be common knowledge to you, but would be of some benefit to the rest of us.


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## earthymomma

I agree Clovis, the weeks are flying by! 

My Tuesday Tip:

Thrift stores! I love love love them! I go through our local ones at least once a week and find smalls or decor, but sometimes you can find some amazing pieces! I have gotten a ton of milk glass, oil lamps, and corningware for $2 and under allll the time! Just this past week I was able to get a 1940s Samson card table for $5! 

My other tip in the home decor lane is find random uses for things, this week I turned an old window frame into an entry way coat rack, and a drawer from a useless side table into a cute shelf


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## clovis

Thanks for the tips, earthy!!!

Are glass items, specifically milk glass, selling for you? I have sold milk glass in the past, but haven't touched it in years, mostly because I have found it so hard to sell, even at dirt cheap prices.


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> Thanks for the tips, earthy!!!
> 
> Are glass items, specifically milk glass, selling for you? I have sold milk glass in the past, but haven't touched it in years, mostly because I have found it so hard to sell, even at dirt cheap prices.



My milk glass hasnt sold as quickly as I anticipated but it does move ok. I bought quite a bit when I first got my booth and I don't have any left lol


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## clovis

Earthy,

Today, I mailed off a subscription order for two types of magazines, Country Home Living and some other magazine. Both magazines seem to be based on the cottage decor that you mentioned. 

I had found some recent issues of these magazines recently at a thrift shop, and my DW and I really enjoyed them. 

Hopefully, I can get a better feel for this type of decor. I would like to get a few more magazines, maybe some featuring Mid-Century or Industrial. 

If it helps me find and sell even a few more items in the next year, the $15 cost for the subscriptions will pay for itself quickly.

Ideas on other magazines???


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## MJsLady

I love Cottages and Bungalows. They have great ideas for decorating small homes.


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## earthymomma

That's a great idea Clovis! The other one id suggest off the top of my head is Better Homes and Garden


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## FRED1981

You guys have a great thread going here and the hints about being descriptive in the price tags is great and I am going to have to start doing that But I have been hoping someone would bring this up for sometime but since no one has here is my ?.What I was wondering is how well does everyone keep track of thier inventory and cost of items in the booths. For example do you give each item a unique item # and then keep track of cost in a notebook or do you hide a code on the tag that tells you how much you have in an item or do you just price an item and then never think of what that item cost you again. thanks in advance


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## clovis

Welcome to the thread and to the forum, Fred.

I don't spend any time keeping books on items. The avalanche of stuff that we deal in is too overwhelming. 

I might consider it if we were dealing in large expensive items, like furniture, or if we dealt in high end collectibles, like authentic Civil War uniforms. 

As for pricing codes, I don't bother with that either. I price items at what they are worth when I buy them. Since I tend to deal in smaller stuff, I just price it and move on. For the big stuff, like a horse drawn plow and a 1890's table, I can easily recall what I have in the items. 

I know that I could keep an inventory person busy at least 20 hours a week, and in the end, all of those inventory records would do us no good, whatsoever. As for the pricing codes, in the malls where we have booths, there is no negotiation with the buyer on the price...and since I already know what we paid for the big stuff...see where I am going?


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## earthymomma

Welcome Fred! I am still pretty new to the antique/thrift mall world (we moved into our booth the end of May) but what we've done as far as record keeping is at the end of the month our mall gives back all of our tags of items that sold. I take those tags and then plug it all into an excel spreadsheet. I don't have a huge booth, so that helps, but I can pretty much remember how much we spent on the item plus whatever else was invested to give it new life and go from there. It's very basic, but for now it's working for us and keeping us organized


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## jlxian

Clovis, do you ever look at Pinterest? You can search for the decorating style you are interested in and get lots of ideas. You can search for almost ANYTHING you are interested in on Pinterest! It's like an endless magazine.


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## thesedays

I have one booth where I've decided to transition out of books and into doodads. It's doing OK.

My Amazon account just keeps doing better and better all the time. I recently sold a textbook for $110 - and I had purchased it at an acquaintance's garage sale for $3. :bouncy: I won't tell her about this. After the commission and shipping costs, I made about $75 profit.

I also signed up for a free 1-month trial of Stamps.com. I got a "free" digital scale for $10 shipping; it's $50 if I had purchased it separately. I can now buy my postage through Amazon, and that scale has already paid for itself. I also purchased a huge quantity of envelopes for much, much less than I could ever buy them at a local store.


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## shannsmom

Clovis, don't forget you can get subscriptions to those type of magazines for free with coke points. 

Fred, for about the first year and a half we were reselling, we kept a detailed inventory of every video game, dvd, etc. Each item had it's own barcode, and when you scanned it, it showed what you had paid, what it was marked at, and other details, so you would know how much negotiating you could do. The inventory was in a laptop with a scanner attached so you scanned every item sold, or every item people were trying to sell you (we had a program that searched online for prices). But what a pain that was! DH is a computer programmer, and even he got tired of it lol! Now we just wing it, but somehow we seem to remember what we have in an item, so we know what selling price will make us happy. It also helps that instead of buying 300 video games in a lot, we now buy collectible games in single items or small lots, plus other things that have more character and are easier to remember. 

On another note, we went to the flea market we had been selling at today to shop, and out of their 400 tables, well over 100 were empty...and we were there at prime shopping time! We found some good things to flip as, as people were eager for a sale, but hit a couple of thrift stores on the way home to round the day out. We have been finding the best deal there lately...yesterday we got a $60 vintage Star Wars ship for $2  Had to dig around for all of the parts, but it was worth that 5 minutes!


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## clovis

We are blessed. August was a pretty good month at the FM. Sure, I would have liked to have sold a few hundred more, but wouldn't we all? 

Most importantly, we flipped quite a bit of stuff that we brought into the FM in August, so we'll get paid on the 10th of next month. I think this business is really about how fast you can flip something, and still make a nice profit on it. I think that one of the harder things in this biz is buying something, marking it so it will sell, and then having to sit on it for 3 months. 

Many months, it is a juggling act. How much do you buy? How much do you mark it? Will the public buy it? This is not only a cash flow issue, but a storage issue too. All of this is more difficult in a slow economy. When the economy was hot, none of this was an issue. It wasn't a question of selling something; the only question was will it sell this week, or next?


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## DanyellL

Hey everyone!


Fred - I do give each of my items numbers. I started at 100 and just went from there. My mother in law also has some pieces in our booth so she started at 200. So this is how our tag reads "item # 107-D or 203-S". It helps me with keeping a log. I have an excel spreadsheet, I write the description, price, item number. I also have a column for what I have in the item and what it sells for. We also sell a good bit of our pieces on facebook, so I also have a column for where I sold the item, was it facebook or our booth. And then I also have a column for if I mark the price down.


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## clovis

I just clicked the like button on Danyell"s post, which made for the 1,000th like on this thread.

Thank you, everyone, for helping make this thread successful! I feel like I learn something new here every day!


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## shannsmom

DanyellL, I also kept track of where what items sold, I think that helps if you sell in multiple places, gives you an idea of what sells best where, what will catch people's eye, etc. 

And yes, thank you everyone for this great thread! I love reading how everyone is doing!


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## DanyellL

Well we have decided to "close" the booth. The past month and a half we have had $23 in sales. Insane. Last night through facebook alone we sold 3 pieces making $345. We haven't even sold that much through our booth since we opened. I think we just chose a bad mall to start out in. They do no marketing, the foot traffic has completely died off. Even on weekends when we go in, there is maybe 10 people there. And it's a HUGE place. The past years on any given day (even through the week) you would be circling for a parking spot. The management changed a few years ago and it has been slowly declining. The people that own the mall also do estate sales and auctions and that is clearly their money maker and what they devote their time too. 

I feel great about our decision though. We will still sell our refinished furniture. We just won't have a retail space. For our area, our stuff sells through facebook the best. So that is just what we are sticking with. 

I will still continue to participate in this thread because I love hearing all the ideas and tips and how you guys are doing!


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## earthymomma

Sad to head about your booth! But I am so glad your Facebook sales are doing so well!! It's very encouraging! With DH being military I have wondered if Facebook alone would be good for us if we moved to an area where antique malls weren't super popular! 

We had a decent weekend, not the Labor Day blockbuster I was hoping for but solid sales none the less. We met last months for our September check and by yesterday had already cleared rent and were in the green for Octobers check 

Clovis! Super glad you debunked the bad August stigma! Hoping September is killer for all of us!


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## MJsLady

I told MJ this weekend, if I had the resources I would open a shop.
I would set it up as an old department store.
A counter for notions, a toy counter and so on.
At the back would be a lunch counter selling sandwiches, homemade cookies and desserts and simple things like lemonade, coffee and tea. 
That would be my dream.


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## clovis

My goodness. Is it Wednesday already? I totally missed Tuesday Tips!

Here is my *Tuesday Tip*:

If you all are new in the AM/FM game, I would encourage you to always expand your knowledge and horizons by dabbling in items that you normally wouldn't buy and sell.

When I was starting out, and since I didn't know a thing, I focused on buying stuff that I found cheap. I've bought a million $2 boxes at auctions, and then pieced each item out cheaply. 

I've met a ton of people that look at the success we've had in the FM and ebay business, and want to start making some money too. Because they don't have any real working knowledge of anything, I always suggest buying cheap auction box lots, garage sale stuff, etc. What I've found though, is that almost everyone that I've talked to about this wants to start off dealing in big stuff with big profits, and quite frankly, look at cheap stuff and auction box lots as too much work, and certainly beneath them. 

If you want to be a big time dealer, you need to have big time knowledge. Sure, we all get lucky from time to time, and find a killer score, but it doesn't happen every day. 

IMO, it takes many years to be truly knowledgeable, and experience will always be your best education.

This is why I always suggest paying and investing cash in your flips, and to always start small. Those auction box lots and bulk garage sale items are excellent teachers.

Here is an example:

Many years ago, I bought about 10 boxes at an auction. These boxes appeared to be a farm or garage clean-out. I paid $2 a box for 9 of the boxes, and $9 for the 10th box, mostly because it had tools in it.

When I got home, I looked everything up. In the 10th box, I was stunned to find a complete set of Deere seed plates for a Deere planter. I scrapped the junk (all copper) jumper cables for about $6; and pieced out the tools for about $30. I sold 6 pairs of nice leather gloves for $3-$4 each. A few sets of semi trailer straps sold for $5 a piece, and IIRC, there were 5 of those. But the real kicker was the seed plates. Those plates sold for $79 in just a few days on ebay. The other nine $2 boxes did very well too, but not as well as the 10th box.

You aren't going to find a set of seed plates in every box, and sometimes, you are going to throw out some $2 boxes because they contain nothing worth flipping. But I will share this...there hasn't been a set of seed plates at any auction since then that I haven't spied and bought, and it has paid off handsomely over the years.

Like the old Allis Chalmers manuals said: *Knowledge Is Power*.

I would encourage you to expand your horizons a little. Don't bet the farm, and don't go crazy, but dabble a little here and there, especially if it is cool to you, and if you think you can make a few bucks on it.

As with everything I post, YMMV.


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## Jaclynne

We had a great August in our AM space. We sold several large pieces of refinished furniture and a ton of smalls. So glad we had some large items ready to move right in the empty spaces. I'm really pleased so far! I haven't commented much, but have tried to keep up with the reading. Thanks for everyone who shares their experiences, and for the questions too!


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Sad to head about your booth! But I am so glad your Facebook sales are doing so well!! It's very encouraging! With DH being military I have wondered if Facebook alone would be good for us if we moved to an area where antique malls weren't super popular!
> 
> We had a decent weekend, not the Labor Day blockbuster I was hoping for but solid sales none the less. We met last months for our September check and by yesterday had already cleared rent and were in the green for Octobers check
> 
> Clovis! Super glad you debunked the bad August stigma! Hoping September is killer for all of us!


I'm not sure what to do now. lol DH told them yesterday we were moving out and giving our 30 day notice. They got so upset. When DH was in the parking lot almost to the truck, she ran out and gave us an offer. She said she would drop our booth rent down to $100 a month (which is awesome for our size booth) and write off what we owe this month (which is $83 since we only had $67 in sales this month). She said business has been picking up and that she knows that when the weather cools down a bit things will pick up. 

So I'm kind of confused. We've also reached out to a few other AM's to see how they run, but none have really seemed to be a good fit. DH wants to give it another shot. But I'm still kind of unsure, seeing how the issue is with traffic. Paying the booth amount isn't the issue, its the fact that they do nothing to bring in customers.

Any suggestions?


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## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> I told MJ this weekend, if I had the resources I would open a shop.
> I would set it up as an old department store.
> A counter for notions, a toy counter and so on.
> At the back would be a lunch counter selling sandwiches, homemade cookies and desserts and simple things like lemonade, coffee and tea.
> That would be my dream.


That sounds like my kind of dream!


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## DanyellL

Jaclynne said:


> We had a great August in our AM space. We sold several large pieces of refinished furniture and a ton of smalls. So glad we had some large items ready to move right in the empty spaces. I'm really pleased so far! I haven't commented much, but have tried to keep up with the reading. Thanks for everyone who shares their experiences, and for the questions too!


This is one of my issues, having things to go right back in the "holes" once things sell. I have got to be better about this!


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## DanyellL

I love your tips Clovis! Thank you!


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## clovis

Jaclynne said:


> We had a great August in our AM space. We sold several large pieces of refinished furniture and a ton of smalls. So glad we had some large items ready to move right in the empty spaces. I'm really pleased so far! I haven't commented much, but have tried to keep up with the reading. Thanks for everyone who shares their experiences, and for the questions too!


Welcome to the thread!!!! 

What has taken you so long to post??

Tell us about your booth. What do you deal in mostly?


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> I'm not sure what to do now. lol DH told them yesterday we were moving out and giving our 30 day notice. They got so upset. When DH was in the parking lot almost to the truck, she ran out and gave us an offer. She said she would drop our booth rent down to $100 a month (which is awesome for our size booth) and write off what we owe this month (which is $83 since we only had $67 in sales this month). She said business has been picking up and that she knows that when the weather cools down a bit things will pick up.
> 
> So I'm kind of confused. We've also reached out to a few other AM's to see how they run, but none have really seemed to be a good fit. DH wants to give it another shot. But I'm still kind of unsure, seeing how the issue is with traffic. Paying the booth amount isn't the issue, its the fact that they do nothing to bring in customers.
> 
> Any suggestions?


Wow. That is a tough one, IMO.

My initial thought, right off the cuff, is that the mall owners are running scared. It might be a sign that they are dangerously close to losing it all, and losing your booth might really put them in the red.

But then again, I don't know. 

When you say that they were upset, were they mad, sad, or angry???

As a side note, I have found in life that there are thousands of business owners who have no idea what they are doing. I have seen once thriving restaurants dwindle into bankruptcy because owners and managers refuse to follow common sense, or make very bad decisions..._over simple stuff._

Maybe your mall owner is the same way? 

What are your thoughts, Danyell? What is your gut feeling about the place?


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## DanyellL

Thanks for the thoughts, Clovis!

They were sad to hear of us wanting to leave. We have grown very close with most there. We had those relationships before we started the booth. We have always visited as customers and attend their auctions every month. And have for years. So they were sad to hear we were unhappy. 

The owners are VERY business savvy, and I know it's not a matter of them closing. They just recently changed how they rent the booths. Before it was lower booth rent and they took 10% commissions. But they have people who have booths that pretty much use it as storage. So they changed how things were ran (they took over about 2 years ago and a lot of the older people were "grandfathered in" on their booth rates) and it has ticked off the people who could care less about how much they have in sales. So because of this they have had a lot of booths come open. Which is rare. Years ago there was a waiting list to get into this AM. When my husband talked with the lady who handles all the dealers, she was saying it will take a while to phase out the dealers who don't care and use their space as storage. And unfortunately that is hurting the mall overall. She said just in the past week they have had 10 new dealers sign leases to move in. And she thinks they will all be good fits for the mall. 

But for me personally, I feel they could do more to bring in traffic. They have a facebook page with THOUSANDS of likes and followers. But yet, they never post anything. Someone will comment on the page asking if they have seen a certain item and no response. The owner's son is the one in charge of "marketing" and he is worthless. I hate to say that, but he does nothing. They used to post "booth spotlights" or post pictures of certain items and pieces. Now they do nothing. I feel if they created that buzz for their mall then it would keep the dealers happy. 

My husband and I have talked about it non-stop since yesterday. We even did a whole list of pros and cons to staying or even moving to another mall. Or just doing it out of our home like we pretty much do now, just with no booth overhead cost. I told him to accept the offer and we will give it until the end of the year. Financially we can support the cost of the booth regardless if anything sells. It's just disheartening. But with accepting that, I'm going to sit down with the owner and the manager and let them know how I feel and why they almost lost us. To see if maybe they just aren't aware. And to let them know how the dealers feel. It could go either way. It will either help, and they will work harder to promote. Or they could take offense. Regardless it will make me feel better. Of course, it will all be presented in a calm and helpful manner


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## clovis

So, what happens if you offer to trade some or all of your booth rent for being their Facebook manager????


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> So, what happens if you offer to trade some or all of your booth rent for being their Facebook manager????


LOL! I have actually thought about that. It is def something to think about. I would love to do it.


----------



## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> This is one of my issues, having things to go right back in the "holes" once things sell. I have got to be better about this!



Yes! Same here! I am getting better but I'm still not at the point where I have completed items at home waiting to fill slots when the open up. I hope to get there soon!


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## clovis

Daneyll,

I've been thinking about this all day, and still don't know what to make of your situation with that mall.

We are in one AM where they advertise heavily. TV, Antiques Weekly, newspaper, highly visible billboards, mass mailings, emails, etc., and even though the mall is professionally kept and run, the place is _dead._

They own another mall in another town...and I don't know how they are keeping the doors open. That mall also advertises heavily, and is active with the community. They are across from a legendary farmer's market. You would think that the place would be swamped on the weekends, but it is DEAD. We lost money, many months in a row.

One of the AM we are in is known for being THE place to be. I don't think they have spent a dime in up keep in the past 5 years, but it is a cool place...and busy packed. Today, on a Thursday, there were 22 cars in the lot, and people were buying. Go figure. They don't advertise much, and nothing like the other AM we are in.

The FM where we have 5 spots: The owner does NOT advertise at all. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. I was shocked last year when I saw a stack of photocopies that listed all of their locations. It is the only advertising that I ever recall seeing. 

The only thing I can pull from any of this is that a mall either has mojo, or it doesn't. Over the years, I've seen mall thrive and have a 3 year waiting list, and then, out of the blue, will become the most stagnant and depressing place you've ever seen, only to fall into a tailspin until it crashes.

One other thought...I have seen vendors take a toll on a mall, whether the place deserved it or not. If you spend much time around enough vendors, they often spew the most vile stuff about a mall, but at the same time, never move out of it. How on earth can that be good for business?

I once heard that a disgruntled customer will complain and tell 200 other people about their experience. Can you imagine how many people 25 disgruntled vendors will tell? If I am figuring right, that is 5,000 customers!!!! Talk about shooting themselves in the foot!!! 

That is one reason that I always say positive things about the malls that we are in, especially when I am talking to someone local. "Business is very good." "That mall is HUGE." "We are very blessed. Thank you for asking." "Sales are stellar." "I couldn't ask for a better fit."

When we move out of a place: "I can't seem to find a niche here." "A wonderful mall. We hate to leave." "We've over-extended ourselves in regards to time and commitments." "It was a nice opportunity, and I am thankful for our time there."


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## DanyellL

That all makes so much sense Clovis. I never talk bad about the mall, except to y'all. LOL But I can totally see how the other vendors are. It wouldn't surprise me if that is the case. Plus where the mall is a very small old town. And all the people that live there know each other. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if a lot of smack talk is going on. lol 

I guess we will just see where it goes in the next few months. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. lol 

On a positive note, we had 2 furniture sales yesterday. One was a sofa table that we just flipped for a good profit. I just cleaned it up a bit. And the other was a funky table I did. Usually my husband is the one that meets with our customers and meets people to drop off pieces when needed. But last night...that was my job. lol I was soooooooooooooo nervous. I'm usually the behind the scenes person and my husband is the "face" of the company. He's the friendly outgoing one, that loves to chat it up about random things and he's also an amazing sells person. He can sell beef to a vegetarian. But last night he was out late working so I met with them and let me just tell you.....IT WAS AWESOME. lol I was so proud of myself. Our garage is completely full of unfinished projects so they pretty much went "shopping". They bought the pieces they came to look at but ended up finding other pieces they want custom finished! So it was a great night! I loved meeting them and getting to just ramble about all our "treasures" in our garage!


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## clovis

How was your weekend, everyone?


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## earthymomma

We've started out super strong this month (well for us anyway lol). It's looking like we can easily double our best month to date!! 

We also had a great flea market pickin' day, found several items that just needed to be cleaned up and we had them in the booth later that same day, plus a couple pieces of project furniture. Me and my boys leave in less than 2 weeks for a trip to Oklahoma so it is definitely crunch time in getting furniture done and the booth well stocked.


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## DanyellL

We had a great week, and took it easy this weekend. We bought a few pieces to refinish. Our garage is completely full and our booth looks pitiful. LOL We are restocking our booth this weekend!


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## clovis

Is it Tuesday again?

Here is my *Tuesday Tip*:

Today's tip might strike some of you as common knowledge, but it can be important to remember. Generally speaking, the more you can split something into smaller items to sell, you stand a good chance of making a better profit. 

I'll share some examples:

You buy a box of woodworking magazines at a garage sale for $2. There are 24 issues in that box. Many sellers will bundle those mags into two lots of 12 each, and mark the bundle for $7. That would give you a total gross profit of $14 for the box. But, if you mark each magazine $1 each, and you sold them all, your total gross profit will be $24.

A box of quilter's fabric is going to be the same way. You might get the whole box for $3, which contains a total of 14 yards. A quick flip might be pricing the fabric at $1 per yard, which would give you a gross sale of $14. 

Now if you take that fabric, and cut it into fat quarters, which are simply 1/4 of a yard, and sell those for a $1 each, your total return will be $56, less the $3 you spent buying the fabric.

I see this done with sewing notions, where the seller will mark a large zip lock bag for $2. I generally will mark each item individually, at 50 cents to $1 each, and they sell well for us.

I recently bought a table saw at an auction for $65. it had quite a few accessories with the saw. I sold the saw for $200, but I split the extra saw blades out for $8 each. I sold a few accessories on ebay for another $14, and I still have the expensive roller set that sits under a table saw, which should sell crazy fast for $30.

I also bought an old router for $4 at that auction. I sold the router for $15. I have the bits listed individually on ebay for $20 each. Someone had made a wood box for the router, and I marked that box for $8 by itself. (I put that box in our 'antique booth') Most sellers, especially those new to the business, would have marked the whole router and bit lot at one price, and been done with it.

I try to look at each buy that we make as _"how can I maximize our profits?"_ If you buy a full set of dishes for $20, including the hard to find serving accessories, can you pull the very best pieces out for ebay, and still make a profit on what remains? If the soup terrain will sell for $95 on ebay, there is an outstanding chance that your buyer of the rest of the set won't even know that it was gone, and will still pay $75 for the set. 

As you can see, splitting stuff up into smaller quantities can pay off in spades. 

A few things to remember:

*Some item are impossible to piece out. Who wants a model kit that is missing the engine?

*You will have to decide which items are worth parting out, and if it warrants your time and efforts.

*Much of this depends on your selling philosophy. 

Hope this helps!!!!!

Maximize those profits whenever you can!

As with everything that I post, YMMV!!!


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> Is it Tuesday again?
> 
> Here is my *Tuesday Tip*:
> 
> Today's tip might strike some of you as common knowledge, but it can be important to remember. Generally speaking, the more you can split something into smaller items to sell, you stand a good chance of making a better profit.
> 
> I'll share some examples:
> 
> You buy a box of woodworking magazines at a garage sale for $2. There are 24 issues in that box. Many sellers will bundle those mags into two lots of 12 each, and mark the bundle for $7. That would give you a total gross profit of $14 for the box. But, if you mark each magazine $1 each, and you sold them all, your total gross profit will be $24.
> 
> A box of quilter's fabric is going to be the same way. You might get the whole box for $3, which contains a total of 14 yards. A quick flip might be pricing the fabric at $1 per yard, which would give you a gross sale of $14.
> 
> Now if you take that fabric, and cut it into fat quarters, which are simply 1/4 of a yard, and sell those for a $1 each, your total return will be $56, less the $3 you spent buying the fabric.
> 
> I see this done with sewing notions, where the seller will mark a large zip lock bag for $2. I generally will mark each item individually, at 50 cents to $1 each, and they sell well for us.
> 
> I recently bought a table saw at an auction for $65. it had quite a few accessories with the saw. I sold the saw for $200, but I split the extra saw blades out for $8 each. I sold a few accessories on ebay for another $14, and I still have the expensive roller set that sits under a table saw, which should sell crazy fast for $30.
> 
> I also bought an old router for $4 at that auction. I sold the router for $15. I have the bits listed individually on ebay for $20 each. Someone had made a wood box for the router, and I marked that box for $8 by itself. (I put that box in our 'antique booth') Most sellers, especially those new to the business, would have marked the whole router and bit lot at one price, and been done with it.
> 
> I try to look at each buy that we make as _"how can I maximize our profits?"_ If you buy a full set of dishes for $20, including the hard to find serving accessories, can you pull the very best pieces out for ebay, and still make a profit on what remains? If the soup terrain will sell for $95 on ebay, there is an outstanding chance that your buyer of the rest of the set won't even know that it was gone, and will still pay $75 for the set.
> 
> As you can see, splitting stuff up into smaller quantities can pay off in spades.
> 
> A few things to remember:
> 
> *Some item are impossible to piece out. Who wants a model kit that is missing the engine?
> 
> *You will have to decide which items are worth parting out, and if it warrants your time and efforts.
> 
> *Much of this depends on your selling philosophy.
> 
> Hope this helps!!!!!
> 
> Maximize those profits whenever you can!
> 
> As with everything that I post, YMMV!!!



This is a great tip Clovis! I am learning this more and more as I go. For instance when we were buying several items at the flea market about a month ago, the gentleman threw in a rickety side table (diy gone wrong) lol at first I thought id slap a quick coat of paint on it and sell it for $10 it was free after all . But once my creative wheels started turning I took out the drawer, painted it and made it a shelf, and took the scrap wood sides and top for some reclaimed wood signs! Managed to get around $35 in total out of a freebie piece 


Here's my Tuesday tip:

Don't shy away from antiques with layers upon layers of paint... I have redone (I use that term loosely) two pieces that were caked with paint. The cost of paint stripper and time alone would've made them not worth the investment... However ultra chippy/distressed/shabby chic is very "in". Between a putty knife chippy off large chunks and my orbital sander, we ended up making these two pieces ultra distressed yet a smooth finish. When enough colors were showing through to my liking I sealed them both with furniture wax. These pieces FLEW out of my booth! Within 1-3 days per item! Instead of shying away from those pieces now I look for them! Lol. I'll attach a few pics.


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## DanyellL

I LOVED those pieces earthy! Totally up my ally! And I LOVE buying furniture that has layers! Because I love that look too. I have "messed" up a few pieces myself and they ended up selling super fast! I'll post mine too! My husband went crazy with spray paint on both of these pieces and I didn't like it. LOL So I started sanding so I could repaint them and ended up LOVING how they turned out  They aren't everyones style, but it is very "trendy" at the moment!


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## clovis

*WOW!!!*

I LOVE the pics from both of you!!!!!


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## clovis

Earthy,

So you just put a light coat of furniture wax over the painted surfaces? 

Again, I love what you've done!!!!


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> *WOW!!!*
> 
> I LOVE the pics from both of you!!!!!


Clovis, yup I use Minwax natural to finish off most of my pieces. Just apply with a shop towel in circular motions, drys in about 15 min. You can even buff it out to make it shiny if you like. I prefer it over polyurethane especially with pieces like these. Easy peasy!


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## clovis

It was very humid tonight, with a storm coming in, so my wife and I spent the evening cutting a stack of fabric into fat quarters.

We cut and marked a little over $100 worth of fat quarters in about 2 hours. We aren't getting rich doing this, but the fabric certainly helps the bottom line!


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## jlxian

Clovis, a fat quarter is just one quarter of a yard of fabric? I could certainly get rid of a TON of fabric I have languishing away. What do you charge for a fat quarter? 

Our booth made money again in August --- $9.60 after rent and commission. The city's annual fall festival is coming up in mid-October --- and I need to get the booth revamped and ready for that. I vacillate between wanting to close the booth and wanting to keep it open. The market owner seems upbeat about business and claims it is picking up. I guess I'll see how October does for us and then decide.


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## clovis

Yes, a fat quarter, to my understanding, is 1/4 of a yard. It should measure 18 x 22. A google search will help you define the measurements a little better.

For whatever reason, we can't seem to give yards of fabric away, generally speaking, but the FQ's seem to move very quick.

I price all FQ at $1.00 each, which I am told by quilters, "a very good price." 

I also price scraps at 50 cents and up, depending on size. I mark anything close in size to a FQ at $1 too. 

My tags read:

Fat Quarter
Red-Green-White (to identify color of the fabric)
1.00

Or:

Scrap Fabric
Red-Blue Stars
17 X 20
1.00

If you do this, make up a handwritten sign that reads "FAT QUARTERS!!!!" Don't forget to put your other sewing notions, like buttons and the weird lime green zipper from 1972 next to the fabric.

It has been a slow month so far, and we've only sold about $11 in fabric as of yesterday.

We also had to make a small sign reading "Please help us keep the fabric neat and orderly!!!" You wouldn't believe how much of a MESS some people can make. It is only 1 out of 100...but seriously....my goodness...can you tell how ticked off I get over a slob that leaves a mess in a flea market???????


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## clovis

Some people at the FM bundle their FQ's into lots of 3, 4 or 5 pieces and tie them up with some cute ribbon.

It appears to work for those sellers, but I would argue that I sell more fabric because a crafter isn't forced into buying 4 pieces of fabric for $5, when they only want one piece out of the bundle. 

Just by studying our sales reports, I strongly suspect that individual buyers are often purchasing $9 to $15 in FQ in one trip.


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## Belldandy

clovis said:


> Yes, a fat quarter, to my understanding, is 1/4 of a yard. It should measure 18 x 22. A google search will help you define the measurements a little better.
> 
> For whatever reason, we can't seem to give yards of fabric away, generally speaking, but the FQ's seem to move very quick.


I think this is true! I don't even quilt, but I've bought fat quarters. My thinking: 'Oooooo, colors, pretttyyyy!'


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## jlxian

Awesome! I am going to cut and price some of my scraps of fabric I've been hording for years. Also will place the weird green zipper with them, Clovis! LOL. :happy:


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## clovis

jlxian said:


> Awesome! I am going to cut and price some of my scraps of fabric I've been hording for years. Also will place the weird green zipper with them, Clovis! LOL. :happy:


We've sold quite a few squares too, when bundled up and priced attractively.

On occasion, we find completed quilt blocks and/or 4" X 4" squares. We put those in a Ziploc bag, and tape the top well (to prevent thieves from stuffing other fabric into the bag), and price it accordingly.

One crazy thing: My wife cut off the bottom of a pair of my DD's jeans to make cut offs...and we taped the legs together and marked them "Scrap used denim cut offs from child sized jeans" for 50 cents, and they sold the very first day!!! Go figure!!!!


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## shannsmom

Clovis, I might steal that idea for 4x4 squares in a ziploc! I could clear out some fabric that way!

We had our booth at the flea market last weekend and marked stuff low enough just to get our money out of it, as we intended not to go back for a while and wanted that stuff gone! And we sold a lot of toys for twice what we paid vs the 4 times we normally get for them, again, to move them as we are getting a lot of them lately. We also brought a few eye catchers from the store, to lure people and hand them our flyers, and sold 1 big item from there  So we made as much as the 4 weekends before that in one day. And we brought home a puppy, so the time since then has just been all off schedule lol! But she has spurred me to process things sitting around so we can sell them before she chews them!

We went to the flea market to shop this morning, and there were just tons of empty booths again, which is sad, but it makes the sellers feel desperate and more ready to make deals, so we love shopping that way! We visited our friends who all asked if we were coming back next weekend, but we are not. Instead, we plan to have a "parking lot sale" in front of the store we are in with our friend, it is a busy road and we can get customers that are not the same people at the flea market week after week. We are looking forward to doing that, it will not cost us booth rent and we can go in the store when we get hot!

The store is slow, as is every business around here it seems lately, but I am happy for every sale we make. We have been able to buy great things to flip online from there, though, and that is really our main goal! Our online sales have held steady, but our friend's are non existent, and he's got good stuff up on ebay right now! Sometimes there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to this selling business! 

Tomorrow is a big "flea market" on the Naval base, held twice a year, and we usually get great deals there, so we are waiting eagerly for that, both for the buys and the chance to advertise the new store in another part of town!


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## clovis

Shannsmom,

You might look into cutting whatever fabric sizes the sewing folks want. I just typed 4 x 4, but it seems like they are looking for 5 x 5. I don't sew, so I really don't know. (Rhyme not intended, lol.)


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## clovis

I am wondering if September is the new August.

After having a very good August, September has been slow, especially on ebay. We are still selling some stuff at the FM, but nothing great. 

I've talked to a few business owners who are saying this month has been slow for them too.

I wonder if the economy is slowing down, or if people are settling back in to the back to school routine. This weekend has been very crisp and cool outside, so I suspect that shoppers are at home working outside, instead of walking malls and markets.

I would like to get back out and start buying, but we've been fairly tied up with other stuff. While our booths are full, I would love to have a little more, if I could find the right stuff that people want to buy.


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## Mrs. Thankful

Hi all!

I am a regular reader and lurker- I don't sell anything anywhere but it is my intention to when we move as we will be close to a great market.

Anyhow- I responded to Clovis is another thread regarding FQ- but I have been thinking more and more so wanted to add a few ideas- if it helps, great- if not, sorry for the interruption.

If you are selling fabric and have the time to display them in like colors- you will sell more. 

Also think about seasons and celebrations- oranges/browns/yellows for fall... blue/pink/yellow/green for babies.... that type of thing. 

I truly think $1 is too cheap for a FQ- it just is. $1.50 is still very cheap but at a price I would think is perfect for a market. If it were me, I would be doing $1.50 FQ, $1.25 Near FQ, $1.00 large scraps, $0.50 for small scraps or a scrap bag of small cuttings.

I don't mean to be simple-minded I am just writing to anyone who is unsure of the whole sewing/quilting/crafting world.

People use these FQ and scraps for everything from making a full quilt to embellishing canning jars.

Maybe your display could show some different ideas for uses?


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## clovis

Thank you, Mrs. Thankful!

I think one of the harder things in this business is having to know what you have, and to become somewhat of an expert in that area. Knowing what you have to sell, and figuring out how to sell it the best way generally results in much higher profit margins.

I have made some pretty decent money because too many people are lazy and want to dump their items at auctions, garage sales and ebay. 

The hard part is having to learn something new each week, and most of the time, we won't stumble across that item again for months or years...if ever. For instance, this week, I have a WWII era Ike jacket without a label. I already have an hour of my time in studying it...and I still don't know if it is worth anything. I also have a modern Army camo jacket with the most unusual pattern I've ever seen. I paid about $1 for it, and it should sell for about $40 on ebay, but I still have over an hour of research in the jacket. I might go an entire lifetime without ever seeing another one!

So, any time I can get some great advice, I am thankful and appreciative!!!!


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## clovis

Mrs. Thankful said:


> Hi all!If you are selling fabric and have the time to display them in like colors- you will sell more.
> 
> I truly think $1 is too cheap for a FQ- it just is. $1.50 is still very cheap but at a price I would think is perfect for a market. If it were me, I would be doing $1.50 FQ, $1.25 Near FQ, $1.00 large scraps, $0.50 for small scraps or a scrap bag of small cuttings.


We have all the FQ's folded and taped. Generally speaking, we put all the FQ's from the same piece of fabric. We are a little short on room. Do you think we should stack all blues on one shelf, all of the reds on another?

We are really, really thinking about moving our price to 1.25, and maybe 1.50. I am worried that they will sit and collect dust though. At 1.25, our margins would be much higher, especially considering how many FQ's we can cut in a few hour's time. I _think_ we cut about $100 in about 2 hours. If we went up to 1.25, it would add about 12.50 an hour for our efforts, if that makes any sense.

What do you pay for FQ's?


----------



## Belldandy

Mrs. Thankful said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I am a regular reader and lurker- I don't sell anything anywhere but it is my intention to when we move as we will be close to a great market.
> 
> Anyhow- I responded to Clovis is another thread regarding FQ- but I have been thinking more and more so wanted to add a few ideas- if it helps, great- if not, sorry for the interruption.
> 
> If you are selling fabric and have the time to display them in like colors- you will sell more.
> 
> Also think about seasons and celebrations- oranges/browns/yellows for fall... blue/pink/yellow/green for babies.... that type of thing.
> 
> I truly think $1 is too cheap for a FQ- it just is. $1.50 is still very cheap but at a price I would think is perfect for a market. If it were me, I would be doing $1.50 FQ, $1.25 Near FQ, $1.00 large scraps, $0.50 for small scraps or a scrap bag of small cuttings.
> 
> I don't mean to be simple-minded I am just writing to anyone who is unsure of the whole sewing/quilting/crafting world.
> 
> People use these FQ and scraps for everything from making a full quilt to embellishing canning jars.
> 
> Maybe your display could show some different ideas for uses?


In the Hamptons, one shop packages a few fat quarters of similar hue, then ties them up with thin pretty ribbon and keeps them RIGHT NEXT TO THE CASH REGISTER. That little trick all but forced me to buy! :rotfl:


I think they were six bucks per pack and that was years and years ago.


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## Mrs. Thankful

I usually pay $24.50 for a bundle of 9 FQ's online and then shipping too. But sometimes I will go a little higher if I like the patterns.

What seems to be what gets me (and other girlfriends) is the color/print combos and complimentary color pairing.

I just bought this:
"Cluck Cluck Sew for Windham Fabrics"

Sunshine Oh Clementine Fat Quarter Bundle includes 11 fat quarters
Price: $29.99 per bundle 

Specs:

Product Type	Fat Quarter Bundles
Fabric Collection	Oh Clementine
Fabric Designer	Cluck Cluck Sew
Fabric Manufacturer	Windham Fabrics
Theme	Florals
Fabric Type	100% Cotton
Fabric Width	18" x 21" cuts

Purchased from: http://www.fatquartershop.com/sunshine-oh-clementine-fat-quarter-bundle

Hopefully, this gives you an idea of what I mean. So with her bundling, I am just at about $2.72 per each FQ that was actually 18 x 21 (not 22).

I know that you are not trying to turn into a fabric shop, but I think it is worth a little counter space (or maybe a in harvest type basket). 

The idea is to have folks look at them with the eye of possibility, to get the creative juices flowing- that's why the packs are so great because you say to yourself- oh that could be the trim- that would be great to have for the xxx... you see what I mean.

If you are sourcing the fabric at a great price and have the profit margin wiggle room, if you can keep the FQ's to under $2.00 - you will build a great rep and folks will soon be seeking you out once word gets out.

All year is crafting, sewing, quilting season. People often forget that these projects take a long time so don't be afraid to have a few (as example) Christmas patterns out all year.


----------



## thesedays

This weekend, I acquired 6 boxes of books for which I paid a total of $60. One box was basically new books that I immediately put in my neighborhood booth, and the others were mostly sci-fi and fantasy from the 1960s through 1980s. I'll put some on my Amazon account, and have already stuck some in my other booth where I think they'll sell better. Those are being priced between 25 cents and $2, depending on age and condition.

The more valuable ones will, of course, go on Amazon.


----------



## DanyellL

So how was everyones weekends? Ours was pretty productive. I got 2 mirrors painted and finished. I finished up a chair, and a 2 tiered end table! We made some deliveries and picked up a chair someone needs redone. And we went picking at our friends barn. Found some good display shelves for our booth (we need more room for glassware!). And we found a ton of old picture frames. We are thinking of putting lots together and selling as is and hanging a sign that says "Great for Pinterest Projects"! We bought 30 frames of all odd shapes and sizes for $20. So I'm thinking of doing them in groupings of 5 and selling them for $10 each. We will see how they sell.

We also cleaned out our garage and made stacks of furniture in areas in our garage with what order I'll be refinishing it. We have SO MUCH STUFF.

Hope everyones weekend was productive!


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## clovis

Our weekend was lackluster, to say the least. The weather here was stunningly beautiful, so I suspect that most people were outside, not walking malls.

Our Saturday was slow. We sold almost as much on Sunday as we did on Saturday. The FM is open from 10 to 7 on Saturday, and 12 to 5 on Sunday.

I believe that the five hours on Sunday are good because so many people come to town for church, and often have other things to do, like an ice cream social at 3:00 pm. They stay in town and walk the FM for something to do.

We are working very hard to clear out the stuff that we've had, just to get it gone. I've taken quite a few ebay-able things, and almost everything has sold. Sometimes, like now, it is easier to just get it gone with a discount, than to spend the time listing it and waiting for it to sell.

We did take quite a few new items to the AM, and had a decent weekend there. I tell ya, I simply cannot figure that place out. No problems at the other AM...that place is hopping, and sales are decent. They have good mojo working there, and have the foot traffic to make it successful.


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## clovis

*Tuesday Tip:*

To maximize your profits, take the time to look _everything_ up on ebay, or whatever site you prefer the most.

Too often, resellers at AM's and FM's get lulled into thinking "it is just an old ammo box or an antique train engine." In today's world, we have immediate access to real world resale values. This access, like on eBay's completed listings, will give you an idea of what buyers are looking for, and what they are willing to pay for that item.

The real beauty of using eBay's completed listings as a research tool is two-fold. First, as mentioned, the resale values will help you price your items according to what buyers are paying for those items. The second, and probably the most important, is the knowledge that you will gain while studying those completed listings.

Early this year, over the summer, my wife found a FM vendor who obviously hadn't followed this sage advice. The vendor had a very large lot of Bucilla kits in her booth, all marked $2 each. We've had a few Bucilla kits in the past, and they have sold well. My wife bought all of the patterns/kits the vendor had, and I think that the total came to $138, IIRC. The majority of the patterns have already sold, and they sold briskly at $20 to $30. We were blessed to sell two more of these yesterday, for a total of $40.

It is crazy, IMO, that a FM vendor didn't take the time to research the Bucilla kits. Don't get me wrong...I am thankful...but if she would have looked them up, she would have realized that those kits would have sold well, and for a much larger profit. 

It does take time to research everything you have, but the pay off will be in spades. I would encourage you to spend time really studying the completed listings to find out what sells, and not just browsing those lists. 

Going back to two items I mentioned earlier: Is it an old ammo box from the 1970's worth $12, or an old ammo box from the WWII era, worth $75? Is the old train engine a cheap Tyco, worth maybe $20 on a good day, or a Lionel 700E worth thousands??? 

Knowledge is power.

Hope this helps!!!!


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## Allen W

Yes look every thing up. The wife came home once with a bunch of old car wax cans and similar items going back to the 50's I believe. They sold very well on ebay.


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## earthymomma

We had a solid weekend, and have officially surpassed our best month to date and we are only halfway through . I feel like we are hitting our stride! 

One of the other big AM in town is rumored to be closing down.. Hubby and I went a month or so ago and it had a ton of empty booths, as sad as it is it could really increase sales at ours, and for that I'm super excited!

Great Tuesday Tip as usual Clovis! I've learned so so much from this thread! We have gained a ton of our knowledge just by buying items that look interested for cheap at the flea market and thrift stores and then looking stuff up on eBay and etsy!


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## jlxian

Got our booth spruced up for fall and even have a name now --- Kit and Kaboodle. Since my hip surgery in June I've been very very bad about keeping tabs on the booth and doing any kind of moving things around. You all are inspiring me in ways to do more.

My booth partner and I had a difficult time hanging things this time --- we were short on pegboard hooks. I have a box of them at home, but couldn't find them in my hurry to get to the market at our meeting time. So we had to make do. We desperately need vertical display space --- like hanging shelves. But our resources and ideas are in short supply.


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## MJsLady

I have 3 auctions up on ebay.
Monday I will put my craft books that did not sell on ebay on etsy.
If the cook books on ebay do not sell they will go into my amazon store.


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## clovis

Went picking today for our FM booths, and here is some of what we bought:

5 gallon lard can in rusty but cool condition
A very old violin in a wood case; both in horrid condition, but should sell as a wall hanger
Cabella's brand camo coat
A very unusual art book of nudes; 2 copies are listed on ebay for $$$
A skateboard ramp
Vintage skateboard

I have to admit, I am like an alcoholic, but with books. I often get junk drunk and buy more books than I should, I finally sober up the next day and swear that I am going to quit books, once and for all. 

That is all fine and dandy, until I run into a stack of war books, like I did today. Yes, I fell off the wagon again, got junk drunk...and bought an entire stack of books. I swear, I am like an addict when I saw _Famous Fighter Planes of WWII_ and a partial set of Time-Life _History of Aviation._ 

It is a vicious cycle.

I desperately need a self help group.


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## Pony

clovis said:


> That is all fine and dandy, until I run into a stack of war books, like I did today. Yes, I fell off the wagon again, got junk drunk...and bought an entire stack of books. I swear, I am like an addict when I saw _Famous Fighter Planes of WWII_ and a partial set of Time-Life _History of Aviation._
> 
> It is a vicious cycle.
> 
> I desperately need a self help group.


I hope you're not looking for a support group to quit books here! LOL


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## clovis

I'm not wanting to quit books for my personal use...but the buying of books for reselling...I swear, I get junk drunk all the time, and find myself picking books, even though I swore off 99% of books many months ago.


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## clovis

I have a dilemma. There is a monstrous estate auction tomorrow. 

The positives:

50,000 license plates for sale
Numerous boxes of trains
Tons and tons and tons of guy stuff
Loads of rusty iron. (My wife recently asked me if I would ever consider buying anything that wasn't rusty. LOL)
The volume of stuff they have to sell is quite unbelievable, which often equates to cheap prices, especially for the 'not-high-end-stuff.' I am questioning if they can get all of the estate sold in one day.
The estate has lots of stuff that I like to deal in: rusty iron, man cave stuff, antiques, etc.

The cons:

It is an hour drive, one way. Easily $14 in gas, RT, in my old beater flea market truck.
I've been to 4 auctions in this town. Three of those, the stuff went STUPID high.
There is a ton of automobile related stuff, which could bring out the wallets. 
There is so much that I could be doing around the house, instead of going to the auction.
I hate to miss any part of this auction. I think they will sell cheap stuff early, and then go to the good stuff around noon, and then finish off the cheap stuff in the afternoon. This means that my day will be fully committed, from 9:00 am til 5-6:00 pm.
This auction _might_ pull a ginormous crowd. Big crowds mean big prices.

I tell ya, I am really on the fence about this auction. The guy collected license plates, automotive signage, like Goodyear and Valvoline, toy trains and toy cars. There is a fair amount of antique farm stuff too.

The hard part of this sale is that almost nothing is in stellar condition. The 1913 license plates would bring $250 each on ebay if they were perfect. In the condition they are in, it looks like $65 would be about right. The Goodyear signs would bring $800 to $1000 if nice; these are rough. I would think that a top end price would be $300 each, but signs like that might sell for $500 each to a non-collector who just wanted to hang them in his garage.

I am torn. Part of me wants to be there when the sale starts. Part of me wants to show up around noon, when most of the big spenders are petering out, and look for bargains. And finally, part of me wants to drop back and punt on the whole thing.


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## shannsmom

That auction sounds SO tempting! I have to admit, I would go just to look, even if I had no intentions of buying! But, that being said, we did not go picking this morning, and I am just certain we have missed the most phenomenal deals lol! We have a lot to sell right now, and are also just marking it to get it gone. And, in the store, DH is getting deals that we can't match at yard sales or flea markets. 

Sales are weird for us lately, Amazon is up, Ebay is down, and local sales are almost nonexistant. We went to our local wholesale warehouse yesterday (part of the reason we really do not need to buy anything else for a bit!), and the owner is a wonderfully chatty fellow, he said everyone is reporting terrible sales and even his sales are down a lot. We compared local news and the reports of unemployment, reduced lunch usage, etc, which just reinforced that it is better to buy local and sell nationally. I am glad it is DH in the store buying things, there are some pitiful people coming in there to sell stuff who are so happy just to get $10 or $12 for their things. 

My goal this week is to get thru some of the stacks and stacks of cookbooks and craft books I have, and sell some of them! I'm beginning to think books must be an addiction for all of us


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## clovis

I went to the auction, and my truck is FULL!

We got to the auction about an hour late, which is fine. They had sold some of the high end stuff, and I heard that it brought a fortune. Four brand new, never used Valvoline signs sold for $2600 in total. A Goodyear sign sold for $850, and another sign sold for $1200.

Even though there were 50,000 license plates, I didn't buy a single one. Seems that the guy was a leader in the Indiana license plate collector club, and they had an annual meeting in the building next door to the auction. The club helped set up the auction, and prices were strong.

I was hoping to score a box of common plates, lets say, 100 plates for $20 or less, and flip them for $1 or $2 each. 

I am kicking myself now, after the auction. I should have stepped up to the plate and bought some stuff...I am sure there was money to be made...but prices were strong throughout the day, even on stuff that I thought was common.

I spent a pile of money today. I bought virtually all of the HO trains, except for a box or two. One went for STUPID money, and the other one was junk.

A few buys today, other than the trains: a few cool signs, some oil tins/cans, a Trico wiper blade display box, two cool license plate toppers, a few street signs, numerous boxes of rusty junk, a box of AC Delco plugs, a few wood crates, an early corn sheller in horrid condition, a set of hardware scales. The cab of the truck is full of trains...tons of them.


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## Mrs. Thankful

Clovis-

Have you heard about Steampunk? I know that it is a big trend in some areas and you may be able to sell little do dags as Steampunk crafting/project supplies.

This is what I mean here


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## clovis

Mrs. Thankful said:


> Clovis-
> 
> Have you heard about Steampunk? I know that it is a big trend in some areas and you may be able to sell little do dags as Steampunk crafting/project supplies.
> 
> This is what I mean here


Yes, I am familiar with steampunk. We've sold numerous rusty iron parts lots on ebay. We aren't getting rich, but it is a nice way to make $20 on stuff that should go into the scrap pile.


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> That auction sounds SO tempting! I have to admit, I would go just to look, even if I had no intentions of buying! But, that being said, we did not go picking this morning, and I am just certain we have missed the most phenomenal deals lol! We have a lot to sell right now, and are also just marking it to get it gone. And, in the store, DH is getting deals that we can't match at yard sales or flea markets.
> 
> Sales are weird for us lately, Amazon is up, Ebay is down, and local sales are almost nonexistant. We went to our local wholesale warehouse yesterday (part of the reason we really do not need to buy anything else for a bit!), and the owner is a wonderfully chatty fellow, he said everyone is reporting terrible sales and even his sales are down a lot. We compared local news and the reports of unemployment, reduced lunch usage, etc, which just reinforced that it is better to buy local and sell nationally. I am glad it is DH in the store buying things, there are some pitiful people coming in there to sell stuff who are so happy just to get $10 or $12 for their things.
> 
> My goal this week is to get thru some of the stacks and stacks of cookbooks and craft books I have, and sell some of them! I'm beginning to think books must be an addiction for all of us


Keep your chin up, friend. It has been a slow month for us too.

This past weekend's sales were mediocre. I am thankful for what we have sold, but they are mediocre, at best. 

Our ebay sales have been really slow this month. On Labor Day weekend, our sales slowed significantly, and haven't picked up at all. Sundays seem to be our best day of the week for selling, and we've only sold $28 so far today. Kinda depressing!!!!

I am continuing to refocus our efforts on things that are selling. We did find 6 yards of fabric, a pair of boots, and a camo coat, all of which seem to sell well for us. It seems that people are quick to snatch up brand name items in good condition, especially if it is something they need. Nice quality coats are selling well for us. I think that people are looking for bargains on things like boots and coats...I had sticker shock when I looked at new Carhartt coats last year.


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## MJsLady

Well the Jersey closed yesterday. It brought in $20.50 not much but 4xs what we paid for it so it was good nuff for us!


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## clovis

*Tuesday Tip*, if anyone cares:

Scrap metal. 

If you are buying in bulk for your booths, you might start keeping your eye out for scrap. Copper and brass will bring you the most money. Steel is cheap, and doesn't pay much unless you have quite a bit of it.

I'm not advocating that you go into the scrap business, but you might as well cash in if you can. At some point, you are going to buy something (often broken or damaged items) that are worth more in scrap than they are in your booth. Think about the outdoor electrical cord missing one end that was in the bottom of the auction box, and the solid brass elephant that you bought, and learned that a leg and the trunk are broken off.

I keep a scrap bin or odds and ends that I get, and sell the scrap when the bin gets full. Over the weekend, I bought an auction box for $1 that contained 3 pounds of solid copper plumbing pipe, a 3 inch solid brass gate valve, and a heavy electrical cord that was cut in half. I suspect that it will bring about $13 at current prices.

If you don't have access to a scrap yard nearby, you might consider giving your scrap steel and iron to a scrapper, _especially if you can develop a relationship with them._ It is quite amazing what some of the scrappers find, and generally speaking, they will sell you stuff off their truck for almost nothing. I have gotten some of my best deals ever from scrappers, including a vintage lawn chair for $1, that I later flipped for $35.

You probably aren't going to get rich scrapping, but you would be amazed how well it can pay, especially for copper and brass. A little bit here, and a little there will add up quickly . Sometimes you get blessed too. Last year, at an auction, I was given a large tote full of copper fittings. I sold some on ebay, and scrapped the rest. The total was well over $135!!!


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## thesedays

thesedays said:


> This weekend, I acquired 6 boxes of books for which I paid a total of $60. One box was basically new books that I immediately put in my neighborhood booth, and the others were mostly sci-fi and fantasy from the 1960s through 1980s. I'll put some on my Amazon account, and have already stuck some in my other booth where I think they'll sell better. Those are being priced between 25 cents and $2, depending on age and condition.
> 
> The more valuable ones will, of course, go on Amazon.


Update: One of the books I listed on Amazon sold the very next day!

:buds:


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## earthymomma

Clovis, I always look forward to your tips! Always! I have never ever even thought of scrapping anything.

I have learned so so much from this thread and enjoy all of the experience and knowledge... Let alone cyber-companionship I've gotten from this thread! 

We had a slower weekend, but sold a fair amount of the cast iron I had brought back to life! And I received my very first custom order from my Facebook page, we are only $70 away from meeting the goal we set for this month!


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Clovis, I always look forward to your tips! Always! I have never ever even thought of scrapping anything.
> 
> I have learned so so much from this thread and enjoy all of the experience and knowledge... Let alone cyber-companionship I've gotten from this thread!
> 
> We had a slower weekend, but sold a fair amount of the cast iron I had brought back to life! And I received my very first custom order from my Facebook page, we are only $70 away from meeting the goal we set for this month!


Ooooooh! What is your custom order???!!!! I can't wait to see! Is it a piece the customer had? Or a piece you had that they wanted finished in a certain way?

And I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but my homemade chalk paint didn't react well to my furniture wax  I painted these super modern tables black that I made into chalk paint and it painted well, with minimal brush strokes and looked great. But when I went to wax, it just smeared around? It was weird. I've never had that happen before. Have you? What wax do you use?

And we have had so many custom orders, I haven't even been able to just finish something for our booth!

I just did this little nightstand/end table on Monday and before I could even post it for sale, my husband sent it to one of our customers that I'm doing a bed for, and she bought it. LOL Which is awesome! I love it!


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## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> Ooooooh! What is your custom order???!!!! I can't wait to see! Is it a piece the customer had? Or a piece you had that they wanted finished in a certain way?
> 
> 
> 
> And I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but my homemade chalk paint didn't react well to my furniture wax  I painted these super modern tables black that I made into chalk paint and it painted well, with minimal brush strokes and looked great. But when I went to wax, it just smeared around? It was weird. I've never had that happen before. Have you? What wax do you use?
> 
> 
> 
> And we have had so many custom orders, I haven't even been able to just finish something for our booth!
> 
> 
> 
> I just did this little nightstand/end table on Monday and before I could even post it for sale, my husband sent it to one of our customers that I'm doing a bed for, and she bought it. LOL Which is awesome! I love it!



That's so awesome Danyell!!
I just use Minwax furniture wax, I apply with a clean rag in circular motions, and then depending on the piece when it dries I buff it out with another rag.
I am pretty excited about the custom piece too! It's a MCM secretary for a friends dining room to help with the kids school clutter! I had picked it up a few weeks ago at a flea market but it's going to work perfect for her space! 

The custom piece I'm doing


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> That's so awesome Danyell!!
> I just use Minwax furniture wax, I apply with a clean rag in circular motions, and then depending on the piece when it dries I buff it out with another rag.
> I am pretty excited about the custom piece too! It's a MCM secretary for a friends dining room to help with the kids school clutter! I had picked it up a few weeks ago at a flea market but it's going to work perfect for her space!
> 
> The custom piece I'm doing


Yea that's how I wax mine as well. Not sure what happened  

And that is great! I can't wait to see it!


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## clovis

Danyl,

Is wax base the same base that is used in your paint? I'd carefully study the ingredients of both.


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## clovis

Do you all care to give me your thoughts on something?

I recently bought a Trico wiper display at the last auction.

This one is NOT mine, but it is easier to share a link than to post a pic:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-TRICO-Windsheild-Wiper-Blade-Display-Cart-On-Wheels-/331330153505?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d24d0ec21

Personally, I think this seller is off his rocker with a $400 asking price. My display is actually a little nicer than his.

I am not interested at all in shipping my display, so that is sorely going to limit my selling market if I list in on ebay.

I _might_ be able to take it to one of our antique malls, but I honestly don't have the space. If I put it on consignment, they are going to take a giant chunk of the selling price. One mall is at 50%!!!

My initial plan was to take it to the flea market. I can find space there, but I sincerely doubt that I'll sell it at a decent price.

What do you think I should do with it? 

How much would you put on the price tag????

Thanks!!!!


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Danyl,
> 
> Is wax base the same base that is used in your paint? I'd carefully study the ingredients of both.


I'm not sure. But I'll def check into it! Thank you!


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## DanyellL

Clovis that link isn't taking me to the item, directly.


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## clovis

Here it is again:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-TRICO-Windsheild-Wiper-Blade-Display-Cart-On-Wheels-/331330153505?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d24d0ec21


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## clovis

I sold the Trico display today, and I don't think it lasted 15 minutes in the FM.

The guy that bought the Trico bought even more stuff off my truck...stuff that I hadn't even marked yet.

Sometimes, like today, I believe that God sends blessings to us, and today's events were just too weird not to know that, without exception...God sent that buyer to me today.

You see, our plan was to go early this morning, get our stuff unloaded, marked and put into the booths, and then meet up with another homesteader that posts here on HT before noon. But late last night, my little one got sick, and we were pretty certain that it was a flu bug. Long story short, we didn't leave for the FM until after noon, and totally had to miss seeing our HT friend.

During the whole trip over to the FM, I was feeling down about a lot of stuff, and had convinced myself that taking the Trico to this market was 100% the wrong place to take it. I had also convinced myself that all of my recent 'picks' were wrong...and that I had brought along too much junk. I was also not happy that we were leaving home 7 hours later than I hoped. 

All morning long, my wife and I debated whether we should even go to the FM, and I _almost_ did not load the Trico onto the truck before we left. 

After to talking to the buyer, he wasn't even supposed to be in this town today, but due to a couple of events, he was, and wound up having time to kill at the FM, after his wife encouraged him to go. 

He said he saw the Trico in the back of my truck, and had convinced himself that I too was a gas and oil collector, and not a vendor, and thought about leaving the FM. My wife and I were pulling the last bit of junk out of the truck before we were going to leave...and here he comes across the parking lot, complementing my Trico display.

I know you might be sitting a home scratching yer head about my story, but I am certain that God put us together today, and allowed this Trico and another large Anco wiper display be a blessing to me. 

I also might be able to sell the same buyer a horse drawn plow...time will tell...but I am thankful for the blessing that was laid in our lap.


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## flowergurl

Hi all! I don't have a booth that I sell from. I have a garage sale twice a year. 
I have one in the beginning of May and then one in Oct each year.
My next one is in 2 weeks. 
I spend the 6 months in between going to estate sales, auctions, clearance sales, and the like gathering products to sell. I also craft items to sell during the year too. I store it in 1 room of my house and it's really FULL right now. LOL


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## DanyellL

Clovis that is FANTASTIC! I've had things like that happen as well! So glad all worked out and I hope your little one is feeling better!



And Flowergurl I know someone that does that as well. She used to do it monthly (in her basement) but now she does it 2 or 3 times a year. Hope your next one in 2 weeks is profitable!


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## earthymomma

Clovis that's so awesome!! What a blessing! 

Flowergurl welcome!!


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## shannsmom

flowergurl, we have had a flea market booth for several years, and now are trying to get by with just selling out of a store and online, but I have never once in my life had a yardsale, how weird is that?! We do plan to have one this Sunday, but in the parking lot of the store, so I guess it will be a "parking lot sale"?! I need to get rid of some of this stuff that's piled up! 

This is kinda adding to Clovis's tip from the last 2 weeks, but remember, before you toss things out that you think aren't worth selling, carefully survey the parts to make sure they're not worth selling off. 

An example would be: We recently wholesaled a ton of video games since they weren't selling individually. To ship them cheapest, we put the discs in paper sleeves and sold them as "disc only". That was great, but we were left with almost 1,500 empty cases! I couldn't bear the thought of throwing them away, but we didn't need them, either, so knowing that new cases cost .25-.50 each, I offered them to a local movie store at 8 cents each (after pulling out the ones we DID want to keep for replacements), so ended up getting $100 for what was essentially garbage! I did recycle all of the covers and manuals, but I suppose if you live in a place where they pay for scrapping paper, you could do that. So, say if you had a table that you ruined while working on it or something, you could maybe sell the legs off as a set, that type of thing. Truly, one man's trash is another man's treasure! 

Clovis, I am so happy you had a good flea market day! I think we all have days where we doubt ourselves on what we pick and what we sell, but isn't it great when you can say "I am GOOD at this!"!? The days where you get to talk to fun, nice customers are great, also, so it sounds like it turned into an all around good day for you.
I hope your little one gets over her bug soon, sick younguns are heartbreaking


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## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares....

I am going to recycle this tip from a while back, but with a new twist.

Make sure you are rearranging items in your booth on a regular basis. We've had stuff sit for months in one spot, let's say in a back corner, or on a shelf, but the very day that we move it to a different location, it sells.

A few weeks ago, I happened to strike up a conversation with a woman looking at some vintage bottles in our booth. She happens to own an antique mall in a touristy town, not too far from here. We chatted about business, antiques, and having booths, but one simple thing she said was a brilliant idea!

She strongly encourages her booth renters to take a picture of their booth once a month, and refer back to that picture on the first of every month. She says that when booth renters do completely reset their booth, "I sit and watch their sales grow and grow. It really is phenomenal."

While we are constantly trying to reset our own booths, I realize that this is one of our greatest shortcomings. I got to thinking about the vintage beer cans we have on a shelf, and a set of Time-Life WWII books that sit above them. The cans have been slowly selling, and I keep replenishing the WWII books when I find them, but they have been sitting in the exact same spot for _months._

We have already pulled a ton of items from one mall, and have 'flipped' it so it looks different. Tomorrow, we are going to our other mall, and my hope is to completely 'flip' that as well. 

We are already taking pictures, which is a snap using our iPhone.

BTW, thank you so much for the kind and encouraging words on our Trico display!!


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## DanyellL

Very good tip! We try to do this often. But with the layout of our booth (only have 2 walls, we are on a corner) it makes it hard to do.


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## DanyellL

I have a question. 

We post a lot of our items that we have refinished on Facebook (not just on our page, but also on the yardsale sites for our area). We have noticed a HUGE influx of people doing the same thing as us. But their prices are SO CHEAP (not to mention the job is super crappy). But to the "normal" person they might not notice skill and quality over price. Know what I mean? 

How do I compete with that?


----------



## clovis

DanyellL said:


> I have a question.
> 
> We post a lot of our items that we have refinished on Facebook (not just on our page, but also on the yardsale sites for our area). We have noticed a HUGE influx of people doing the same thing as us. But their prices are SO CHEAP (not to mention the job is super crappy). But to the "normal" person they might not notice skill and quality over price. Know what I mean?
> 
> How do I compete with that?


IMO, it is always going to be hard to compete with low quality and low priced stuff. It is the business story of the ages.

Your only hope is that those refinishers get to a point that they realize that they are working for $1.12 an hour, and quit the business.

Aside from that, I would add descriptive words to your listing title, and also a blurb at the end of your ad.

Your title might read "Solid oak 5 drawer, curved front dresser~Beautiful Quality~Professionally refinished"

The blurb at the end of your ad might read:

"We have 10 years in the restoration and refinishing business, using only the finest materials. Have an item that you would like professionally refinished? Let us know! Our workmanship and attention to detail is second to none, and..." 

The possibilities are endless. I am not the most creative writer, but maybe this will help get the ideas going.

As a side note, I learned a long time ago to say what I want when writing ads. I just put it out there. For instance, on ebay, I will say "If you are looking for a vintage Diamond Duluth wrench in near-pristine condition, here it is." Of course, when I say stuff like that, I really, really mean it. I also never bad mouth my competition.

Hope this helps.


----------



## clovis

I mentioned a thing or two about scrap in one of my recent posts, and had bought a boxes containing scrap. I estimated that it might bring $13 or so. I wasn't too far off; the scrap ticket came to $13.70!

Scrap won't make you rich, but it does add to the bottom line.


----------



## DanyellL

clovis said:


> IMO, it is always going to be hard to compete with low quality and low priced stuff. It is the business story of the ages.
> 
> Your only hope is that those refinishers get to a point that they realize that they are working for $1.12 an hour, and quit the business.
> 
> Aside from that, I would add descriptive words to your listing title, and also a blurb at the end of your ad.
> 
> Your title might read "Solid oak 5 drawer, curved front dresser~Beautiful Quality~Professionally refinished"
> 
> The blurb at the end of your ad might read:
> 
> "We have 10 years in the restoration and refinishing business, using only the finest materials. Have an item that you would like professionally refinished? Let us know! Our workmanship and attention to detail is second to none, and..."
> 
> The possibilities are endless. I am not the most creative writer, but maybe this will help get the ideas going.
> 
> As a side note, I learned a long time ago to say what I want when writing ads. I just put it out there. For instance, on ebay, I will say "If you are looking for a vintage Diamond Duluth wrench in near-pristine condition, here it is." Of course, when I say stuff like that, I really, really mean it. I also never bad mouth my competition.
> 
> Hope this helps.


Awesome! That is very good advice! Thank you!


----------



## MJsLady

I am proud of my son. He bought a pair of high end sneakers at a thrift store for $5.
They sold on eBay for $80!
It has been a long time since I have had a turn around like that.


----------



## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> I am proud of my son. He bought a pair of high end sneakers at a thrift store for $5.
> They sold on eBay for $80!
> It has been a long time since I have had a turn around like that.


That is fantastic!!!


----------



## thesedays

MJsLady said:


> I am proud of my son. He bought a pair of high end sneakers at a thrift store for $5.
> They sold on eBay for $80!
> It has been a long time since I have had a turn around like that.


I bought a used textbook in near-new condition this summer for $3 at a garage sale, and sold it on Amazon for $110. Total profit after fees and shipping was about $75.

:thumb:


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## clovis

I'm excited for you all with your picks and big profits!!!

My mom found a softback book about tools this past summer for 25 cents, and I took a best offer of $100 for it.

I found a small stack of recent text books for high school, and sold 4 of them for $98 each, plus shipping.

I found an older 1990's era wool coat for about $5 at a thrift store, and flipped it for $100 on ebay last January. 

Who else wants to share some of their flips?


----------



## flowergurl

I work retail and I get to bring home any empty shippers i want. 
I am making this one over to hold some of my crafts. Here's a couple pics.









I didn't like the plain card board showing so I covered it with some yellow paper.
I have TONS of crafting supplies from auctions and yard sales. I get them for a song, so I rarely have to spend anything on decorating materials.









I made this sign for the bottom of the shipper.

I have next to nothing in the materials for these crafts either.
I know people think I am crazy at auctions for buying all the craft stuff, but I use and sell a bunch of it.


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## flowergurl

Here is the shipper now that I am done with it.


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## DanyellL

That's awesome flowergurl! I like the shippers. Those work great for display!

Our booth did really great in September. Just got our printout on Saturday when I took a load up! Hopefully October will be as profitable!


----------



## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:

Labels:

For the first several years that we were in the reselling business, we bought small packages of self-adhesive labels at [email protected], Meijer and Target. For small quantities, those labels should work fine for you, and they are fairly inexpensive.

As our business grew, we needed more labels. I was spending a fortune in white labels in little plastic containers. On a whim, at an auction, I was able to score a good sized box of white labels on rolls, for a mere $5.

At first, I didn't think we would like the labels on a roll, but since then, I prefer the rolls over cut sheets.

The labels that I bought at the auction are called "Z-labels", made to run through a Zebra brand label printer. You can find them on ebay, and they can be cheap if you watch for them, especially from the sellers just wanting to dump surplus stock. 

We like a 1" X 2" white label. I do not use removable labels. I want the labels to stick as much as they can, much to the dismay of many buyers. A label that is difficult to remove or is destroyed when peeled vastly reduces our chances of having thieves switch price tags. This limits our losses tremendously. I have found that the Z-labels brand sticks very well.

I just bought another batch of labels in June. I bought about 18,500 labels for less than $46, delivered to our door. 

Hope this helps!!!!


----------



## jlxian

Great tip Clovis. After my initial purchase of tie-on tags ran out, I've just been using cut up scrap paper and scotch tape. I guess those are easy to remove but I write a description on the tag so I don't think the "thieves" could do much with changing tags.


----------



## DanyellL

Labels have been a topic in our home lately. Thankfully we haven't had any issues with people switching tags. I do use the little hanging tags. But I've been wanting to get some logo branded tags. I don't really fear of people switching tags because the girl that rings everyone up at our mall is VERY good about knowing the items and prices. She has a CRAZY memory. If she questions ANYTHING she calls me. Which is great. One day my husband wrote some tags (I usually do it), when he made a trip there and she called me thinking the customer had written their own tag. LOL So now, to stop confusion I'm the only tag writer. 

I know as a consumer I HATED the sticky tags. Because they were hard to get off and at times have ruined some pieces I've gotten from the auction. So with my painted items I would HATE for it to mess up the finish on an item. 

But I'm wondering where I could get tags with our logo? Maybe it would be cheaper to get a stamp made with our logo. I would still handwrite the price, description and item number. But it would be prettier with the logo stamped. I guess I'll do some searching today!


----------



## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> Labels have been a topic in our home lately. Thankfully we haven't had any issues with people switching tags. I do use the little hanging tags. But I've been wanting to get some logo branded tags. I don't really fear of people switching tags because the girl that rings everyone up at our mall is VERY good about knowing the items and prices. She has a CRAZY memory. If she questions ANYTHING she calls me. Which is great. One day my husband wrote some tags (I usually do it), when he made a trip there and she called me thinking the customer had written their own tag. LOL So now, to stop confusion I'm the only tag writer.
> 
> 
> 
> I know as a consumer I HATED the sticky tags. Because they were hard to get off and at times have ruined some pieces I've gotten from the auction. So with my painted items I would HATE for it to mess up the finish on an item.
> 
> 
> 
> But I'm wondering where I could get tags with our logo? Maybe it would be cheaper to get a stamp made with our logo. I would still handwrite the price, description and item number. But it would be prettier with the logo stamped. I guess I'll do some searching today!



Danyell, there's a lady I follow on Instagram that makes custom stamps! I will tag you on her page


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Danyell, there's a lady I follow on Instagram that makes custom stamps! I will tag you on her page


YAY! Thank you! Is that what you use?


----------



## flowergurl

First day of my sale wasn't so hot, literally. The high was like 53 with periods of rain, mist, and cloudy all day. I only had $200.00 worth of sales today.
No rain forecast for tomorrow, so let's hope it's a better day!


----------



## thesedays

DanyellL said:


> I know as a consumer I HATED the sticky tags. Because they were hard to get off and at times have ruined some pieces I've gotten from the auction. So with my painted items I would HATE for it to mess up the finish on an item.


Ever been to a garage sale where they used DUCT TAPE (yes, the gray stuff) for price tags? Bet they wondered why nothing sold.


----------



## clovis

If you ever need to remove sticky labels or tape from something, we've had success using a hair dryer. The trick is to let it warm up first, and then gently start removing the label.

My other favorite is Zippo lighter fluid. I use lighter fluid on items where the fluid won't bother the item, like a shovel or wrench. I'm telling ya, that stuff works wonders!

FWIW, I'll be sitting on a beach or next to a pool for the next week or so. Looking forward to coming back to read all of your replies to this thread!


----------



## Cygnet

Just be aware that the zebra labels are for a thermal printer. If you expose them to sufficient heat, they'll turn black. In Arizona, "sufficient heat" includes leaving them in a hot car, a storage building, or direct sunlight ... your mileage may vary, but it's something to keep in mind. LOL.

BTW, I use a thermal printer now for shipping labels. Bought a dymo 4xl (made by rubbermaid) direct from the dymo.com website. They're on sale right now and IMHO well worth the money. It's cheaper to operate than an ink jet printer (no ink costs at all!), it's lightning fast (I printed 40 shipping labels in under 2 minutes), and it's reliable as can be. And the labels are cheaper per label than ink jet labels. 






clovis said:


> Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:
> 
> Labels:
> 
> For the first several years that we were in the reselling business, we bought small packages of self-adhesive labels at [email protected], Meijer and Target. For small quantities, those labels should work fine for you, and they are fairly inexpensive.
> 
> As our business grew, we needed more labels. I was spending a fortune in white labels in little plastic containers. On a whim, at an auction, I was able to score a good sized box of white labels on rolls, for a mere $5.
> 
> At first, I didn't think we would like the labels on a roll, but since then, I prefer the rolls over cut sheets.
> 
> The labels that I bought at the auction are called "Z-labels", made to run through a Zebra brand label printer. You can find them on ebay, and they can be cheap if you watch for them, especially from the sellers just wanting to dump surplus stock.
> 
> We like a 1" X 2" white label. I do not use removable labels. I want the labels to stick as much as they can, much to the dismay of many buyers. A label that is difficult to remove or is destroyed when peeled vastly reduces our chances of having thieves switch price tags. This limits our losses tremendously. I have found that the Z-labels brand sticks very well.
> 
> I just bought another batch of labels in June. I bought about 18,500 labels for less than $46, delivered to our door.
> 
> Hope this helps!!!!


----------



## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> YAY! Thank you! Is that what you use?



I don't yet, but I do have plans to ordera custom one from her, for now I use a cute "reduce/reuse/recycle" stamp I got at hobby lobby and write my business name on the front with that, then all the pricing and regular tag info on the back!


----------



## earthymomma

Well this month has been horrible slow.... I don't think we've sold $30 worth in the past 12 days :-//. After not getting much new furniture done the last 2 weeks I have some new items to take in today. Hopefully those and some rearranging will drum up some sales for us


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## shannsmom

Well, our first yard sale was horrible! But it was our own fault, no real signage and I waited till Friday to post the Craigslist ad, so we ended up on the 2nd page. Also, DH decided to take stuff to put in the store that morning, so it left limited space for yard sale items in the truck. We had 3 tables of stuff...it was sad! So I took the $12 we made and decided to be happy with that since our preparation was terrible! We did, however, drum up some business for the store (which is closed on Sundays, when we were having the yard sale in the parking lot there), so DH got a repair job out of it, and I got some cards and flyers handed out. And instead of just sitting at the tables, we spent most of the time inside organizing the store, and getting a lot of things out on the shelves, so it was not wasted time. So, next time we will advertise ahead and put out some signs and more merchandise, and hopefully it will do better. DH pointed out that if we had gone to our regular flea market booth, we would have had to pay $18 for a table to make that $12!

Clovis, I hope you enjoy your beach/pool time, and come back restored as we all get ready for the holiday selling time!


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## flowergurl

Well I finished up my fall sale this afternoon. I only made $400.00 in 3 days, which sounds good but I usually have about a thousand in sales on a weekend.
The next town over rents out spaces in the parking lot of an antique market on Saturdays.
So there are MANY yard sales that set up over there. I'm sure that drew a lot of my business this time.
I have my spring sale during my city wide yard sale, so I get lots of traffic then.
I think in the fall I will have my sale at my house on Thur and Friday and take what's left and set up in the antique mall on Sat. It's only $20.00 to sell there.
You have to have customers to look at your things, so I'll go where there will be a bunch of them at once.
I have a couple pieces of nice furniture that didn't sell at my yard sale this time and I got online and posted them in FaceBook yard sale groups and sold them real quick.


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## HickorySyrups

I have a booth at a place that's not really an antique mall, since they allow things other than antiques (like crafts, homemade things, and newer items), but pretty much the same concept. It's not very high traffic of a store, but enough to be worth sticking around. I sell in it my hickory syrups, my former ebay and amazon inventory (since both banned me around the same time), and some homemade stuff like laundry and dish soaps.


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> I don't yet, but I do have plans to ordera custom one from her, for now I use a cute "reduce/reuse/recycle" stamp I got at hobby lobby and write my business name on the front with that, then all the pricing and regular tag info on the back!


Aw that's a cute idea. But at our mall we can't write on the back. Only can write on the front  So I have to squeeze everything on there without it looking messy. LOL


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## DanyellL

HickorySyrups said:


> I have a booth at a place that's not really an antique mall, since they allow things other than antiques (like crafts, homemade things, and newer items), but pretty much the same concept. It's not very high traffic of a store, but enough to be worth sticking around. I sell in it my hickory syrups, my former ebay and amazon inventory (since both banned me around the same time), and some homemade stuff like laundry and dish soaps.


That sounds great. I love making laundry soap. Been on the same homemade batch now for over 6 months and it cost right around $16 to make! Awesome!


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## DanyellL

It has been dead in here without Clovis. LOL 

How was everyone's weekend?

Our booth has been doing quite well. Which is great. Our sells via FB have slowed down a bit. So I guess it balances out. LOL 

We actually were told that our booth will be moving at the beginning of the year. They are moving to a busier location. But I'm not sure how an antique mall will do there. They are moving to an old Walmart so it's a big location. But to be honest, I'm kind of sad to be leaving such a historic location to an old Walmart. The charm will be completely gone. I think thats what makes our location so awesome is that it is in an old Cotton Mill and the floors are all original. It's so beautiful. But maybe we will be busier. We aren't sure if we are going yet because I know the rent will be a good bit more. We will find out the new prices on Nov. 1 and they are planning the move on Jan. 1. They want us to move with them, but it will be almost an hour away from us. Now they are only about 15-20 mins away. So we aren't sure. I guess we will just have to see what the new booth rent will be. 

Anyway....how is everyone else doing?


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## earthymomma

That's awesome your booth sales have picked up Daneyell!! We had the worst beginning of the month to date this month, BUT we did a complete turn around in this last week! So very thankful. We even got a couple great pieces at the flea market yesterday and I was already able to refinish it yesterday evening. 

Our mall is renovating a back portion of our huge building and is planning on making it an auction space. I am really excited! I would assume that would really help increase sales and increase knowledge of our location.

The baby is finally sleeping again (thank you Lord  ) so I am back in the swing of things! Have a custom order I'm working on currently, a mid century modern style secretary and then I'm going to tackle a few coffee tables.


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## DanyellL

That is awesome about the auction house. Ours has one as well. But the changed the dates they do them. And we have the kids every weekend they have the auctions now. LOL So that makes it difficult.

I have a few coffee tables I need to work on too. I've had them for a while. Just trying to think of how to do them. I always do cream. LOL I want to do something different.


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## clovis

Hello, everyone!

I've missed you all!

We had an awesome vacation, and we are already back at it.

Yesterday, I went to a restaurant equipment auction, hoping to pick up some smalls and unusual items. I was disappointed in the quality. It may have been a huge auction, but generally speaking, the stuff was heaving worn and dirty.

I love going to auctions. I really do. It was a thrill to walk into that auction and hear three outstanding auctioneers calling in three different rings. But as I mentioned, the stuff was too dirty for me, and prices were high. FWIW, I've done well at these auctions. I'm not a buyer of restaurant equipment, but sometimes the odds and ends are great for reselling.

I stayed about 15 minutes, and bailed. I went to one of my favorite places, a thrift.

I was able to pick up quite a few things, including an arm load of fabric, some fishing equipment, a reel mower, a Coleman camp stove, an arctic lined Carhartt coat, some sewing patterns, and some quilting magazines.

FWIW, one of my fun finds was a JC Penny gift card. I knew that when I found it, that it was probably worthless, but when I called the 1-800 number on the back, I found that it has $35 loaded on it. While I should make better money on some of the items I found for ebay, the gift card is the most fun of them all.

Our sales have been slow this month, which is disappointing, especially seeing them after we got home on vacation. It is kinda depressing! 

Our ebay sales have been a blessing though...we've sold quite a few things that have been lingering for months. I am thankful!!!!

I wish that I knew how to turn the FM sales around. I have an urge to go on a buying spree. New merchandise always creates interest, especially if it is a good deal...but I need to watch our burn rate and cash flow.


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## clovis

BTW, the FM has been really slow, but when I checked one of the AM's, our sales were really strong for the first 2 weeks in October. I was surprised that we had sold so much stuff, and very thankful at the same time.


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## jlxian

Clovis, Glad to hear you had a good vacation and are back home safe and sound. Hopefully the FM sales pick up soon --- 

I have an interesting situation to share with you folks. The FM where I have my booth was filmed for an episode of Ghost Hunters -- apparently while I was laid up after hip surgery. I know no other details or even when it will air, but I have to think this publicity, once it finally airs, will help the sales at the market. So once again I'm biding my time, hoping for better things down the road. The owner is VERY excited about it all and is sworn to secrecy about details. What do you all think about this development?


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## thesedays

My Amazon account is in the doldrums (probably gearing up for Christmas - I hope) but my book booths are doing surprisingly well. I got a bunch of sci-fi and romance novels recently, and put some of the shabbier-looking ones in my booths for 25 or 50 cents.

You would NOT believe how well they're selling! :rock:


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## clovis

There have been lots of sellers at the FM who specialize in pulp paperbacks. 

I am kicking myself for passing up a small lot of pulp PB's a few weeks ago. They were in beautiful condition. 

They used to fly off the shelf at $1 each.


----------



## shannsmom

It's good to hear everyone is doing well in one venue or another...that just proves the point of "multiple streams of income" lol! I have not been on here much just due to a recent influx of about 500 toys that all needed to be cleaned (in their packages, but the plastic smelled funny, so they all needed to be scrubbed and aired out) and the same amount of dvds that needed to be sorted. 

Our amazon sales have been pretty good, local sales not so much, but it is like that in October a lot....we have a fair for 10 days that is the only big event here, and it is expensive, so families don't spend much elsewhere. Our ebay sales are picking up, but that's more due to a higher selling limit and more effort on our part. We have always been lackadaisical about ebay, but we are trying to be more aggressive about listing more. And we are selling more DVDs on half.com because Amazon has so many dvds that are restricted now, so don't forget that option if you have items like that to sell. Also, DH has been on the amazon seller forums a lot lately, and is picking up tips and ideas from there. 

So, jlxian, I am quite curious about the Ghost Hunters story!!! That's got be good publicity! It would certainly draw me in if I lived near by!

We are getting close to November, so hopefully everyone's sales will go thru the roof with the holidays coming!


----------



## DanyellL

So glad you had a great vacation Clovis! 

And Jlxian that is awesome about the Ghost Hunters! I watch that show so I will def be on the lookout! 

Our sales have been decent. Slower on FB than normal but more in the booth. The mall we are at is having a Fall Festival on Saturday so we are trying to get as much done as possible. We haven't went picking in a while, but we have had so much stuff that we are finally clearing out the garage! lol Which is a blessing. With cold weather coming I'd love to be able to regain my parking spot in the garage. Not sure if that will ever happen though. LOL

Have a good week all. I hope your sells continue to flourish!


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## jlxian

When I hear the date the Ghost Hunters story will be aired, I will definitely let everyone know. For those who believe in that sort of thing, I've heard multiple stories about the ghosts in the building and other phenomena.


----------



## SeaGoat

jlxian said:


> When I hear the date the Ghost Hunters story will be aired, I will definitely let everyone know. For those who believe in that sort of thing, I've heard multiple stories about the ghosts in the building and other phenomena.


Very cool!


----------



## jlxian

A pic from the time Ghost Hunters was here -- which was on Facebook.


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## DanyellL

That is awesome! Do you mind telling me which mall you are in?


----------



## jlxian

It's called McBrides Antiques --- I don't think it is well known at all, LOL. The gentleman with the Ghost Hunters guys is the store owner.


----------



## clovis

Jlixian,

I think that the TV exposure could be very good. I've never seen the show, but it could pull in a nice crowd. 

One of the nice things will be the re-runs and DVD set. I know of a business that was featured on the Food Network. They thought it would be a one hit wonder, but the FN kept re-running the show, and the phone would ring off the hook, and did so for a year.


----------



## jlxian

Thanks, everyone. The store owner is convinced the publicity will be terrific. I do hope so. I can hang on for a few more months, I guess.


----------



## Show-Me-Stater

jlxian - That's MY small town too! Awesome history with that building for sure, glad that fire next door didn't do his building in also. What a small world it is sometimes


----------



## DanyellL

Is that near Joplin? I have a friend that lives in Joplin! Very cool! I just googled it and it looks like there are some videos on YouTube from others who has gone there and had Paranormal experiences there.


----------



## jlxian

DanyellL --- yes we are about 15 - 20 miles from Joplin. There is a paranormal society that has close ties to McBrides and they often have tours of the building, as well as others in town. 

Show Me Stater -- Amazing!!! Small world is right!!! Yes, the fire next door really was a bad thing for sales --- I got started in this FM a month before the fire so never really had an idea of what my sales should be. They've been very slow, for me at least, this whole time. I'm hopeful the show will help things pick up.


----------



## clovis

Hello, everyone!

I hope you are all doing well, and selling a bunch. We are coming into the winter, which for our area, means strong sales. 

We've been working hard. Over the weekend, I went to an estate auction...one of those unbelievable sales that you rarely see any more. They are advertising it as a "four generation estate sale...untouched." I browsed the auction pics, but honestly, they didn't even come close to doing it justice. I was knocked over by the amount of stuff, and by the quality. I used to see these estates all the time 20 years ago, but I haven't seen one like this in years!!! 

The woman owned a vintage dress shop at some time, and was a quilter and seamstress too. I bought at least 500 yards of fabric, all of it properly folded and stored. I bought so much that I actually called my wife to help get it home. Being a 50 minute drive, one way, I hated to ask her. I had fabric stacked in all three of my vehicles. We have worked through most of the fabric in two of the vehicles, but the third car is stacked so deep that we literally couldn't get another yard into the car!!!

Over the past year, we've been working hard to up the amount of fabric we have to sell...we are _seriously_ in the fabric business now! 

I hope and pray that it sells...um...lol...um...no I am serious.


----------



## thesedays

My Amazon store sales have dwindled to zero. I haven't sold anything in almost 2 weeks, and before they started doing "computer updates", I was averaging about 10 items a week.

:flame:

Lots of other people are having the same problems. It's also not because the items don't show up, or that the orders can't be placed.

I cannot figure out what's going on, and neither can they.

:grit:


----------



## clovis

I am sorry to hear that, thesedays. I really am.


----------



## thesedays

Famous last words: Sold something this afternoon.



Hope the issues are being resolved.


----------



## shannsmom

thesedays, our sales have dwindled lately as well, though there are spurts of sales sometimes, it's weird. We sell 10-25 items a day normally, but 2 or 3 mornings this week I woke up to none. Not one sale all night! Last weekend was a burst of sales, though, so I am hoping this weekend will be the same. I know they're making a lot of changes at amazon right now, so I am hoping in a week or so, they will have ironed out the bugs. We could all use a good holiday selling season!

Clovis, that is so cool about that estate sale!


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## clovis

We sell on ebay, and our sales have been smaller, but profitable.

The quantity of sales is down, but the profit margins are not. I feel extremely blessed to have sold some items that have had huge margins.

One such item was part of a car jack that I bought in a box of tools for $5. I almost scrapped it one day, thinking I could never identify it. The part languished in my truck for a while, and I listed it after learning what car it went with.

It sold yesterday for $80!!!! 

We only sold two other items yesterday, both to the same person, but I'll take a near $80 profit any day of the week.

#feelingblessed


----------



## thesedays

And something else this morning! :sing:


----------



## shannsmom

Clovis, you're right, some things we have sold lately have been huge profit items! We sold a Winnie the Pooh menorrah I bought for $2, sold it for $160ish....never would have dreamed that! DH has done well lately buying laptops for $5 or $10 and selling them for $100-200. He cleans the hard drives on them and does any repairs necessary first. Not many sales, but the good ones make up for that! 

I never thought I'd say this, but I am ready to go back to the flea market! I just want to unload some stuff! Heck, I might even have a "everything's a dollar" table! Our storage unit just sent a letter raising our rate, so if I can get rid of some stuff, we can move back down to a smaller unit, maybe eventually a shed in the backyard.


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## DanyellL

I'm glad everyone is doing well. 

Our booth has halted. We had minimal sales in October (not even enough to cover rent). But we have had a few sales through Facebook. I just finished 2 pieces yesterday and one sold about 10 minutes after I posted it. I think for us people just aren't buying furniture right now with the holidays. We do have quite a bit of custom work going on though so I am blessed for that. But we don't make as much on custom as we do when we just refinish it and sell it. 

And Clovis, I'm addicted to Old English now. LOL I Old English EVERYTHING.


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## shannsmom

DanyellL, you could be right about people not buying furniture around the holidays, but that's silly of them because your pieces on Facebook are beautiful! They would make awesome gifts! Maybe there's some way you could market them more as gift ideas than personal purchases?


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## DanyellL

shannsmom said:


> DanyellL, you could be right about people not buying furniture around the holidays, but that's silly of them because your pieces on Facebook are beautiful! They would make awesome gifts! Maybe there's some way you could market them more as gift ideas than personal purchases?


Aw thanks so much! I thought about getting some bows and putting them on the pieces for when I post them. Also throwing out there it would make a good gift. We do have some custom orders coming in that are for gifts. A chair redo for a customer's daughter. And then we are also doing a big china cabinet for the daughter of another customer. They just bought a house and the china cabinet has been in their family for a really long time. So she wants to hand it down to her daughter. 

But thank you, that is a good suggestion!


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## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:

I'm going green with this tip, recycling an old one, mostly because I believe it is so important.

Keep using ebay's completed listings as a learning tool for everything that you have purchased for resale. 

I'm not suggesting that you list everything on ebay, or using it as an ultimate guide to pricing, but it is an outstanding resource as an educational research source.

A few weeks ago, I picked up another very large galvanized funnel at auction. I put it in the FM booth, and it sold for $8 the very day that I set it out. At an auction over the weekend, a similar funnel sold for $25...I was shocked to say the least.

So, today, I looked up "antique galvanized" on ebay, and used the 'completed listings' with 'Highest first' setting.

Here is what I learned:

Did you know that there is demand for old galvanized mailboxes?
Did you know that the market is fairly strong on old milk boxes? (This was a soft market for a long time.)
I have scrapped tons of window sash pulleys over the years, and after looking those up, I found that some lots are selling, which is really surprising to me.

The most *important* part of this is that you, as a reseller, understand the markets, and that you are making the most money that you can on each item. There is no sense in setting out a funnel for $8 when you might of sold it for a much bigger profit. This business is supposed to be about having fun and making money!!! Don't leave money on the table, so to speak, on any of your items. 

It does take time to research, but I promise you, it will pay off in spades.


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## DanyellL

That is something I need to do Clovis, is research more. 

When I have done research and list something for what I've seen them sell for, they sit. We have a table now that is BEAUTIFUL. Has gorgeous wood inlay that we sanded to expose. We started it out at $225 which I think is a more than fair price. No bites. We had to drop it to $175 to even get people interested in it. And she wanted me to PAINT THE WOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO! People are crazy. LOL


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## Cygnet

I _finally _just got a booth in Camp Verde at one of the only resale malls in the area. It's a two hour drive one way from the house, but it's a very busy mall, so hopefully it'll be worth it. Long waiting list to get in to it, too.

I have a book shelf sized "booth" for now but am on a waiting list for a larger cubicle type booth. (I'm hoping they'll bump me closer to head of the list, because my book shelf is getting quite a bit of traffic now.) 

Got the booth at the end of October. Didn't sell enough to make rent for November, so had to cough up more. November looks like it'll be tons better. I suspect people were busy with Halloween and not shopping at the very end of October. 

I sell vintage dolls and doll accessories (mostly shoes) on eBay and end up with tons of leftovers (items for one reason or another I don't want to list on eBay) from the big lots I buy. 

I stuffed the book shelf with Barbies and other dolls -- vintage on the top out of Kidzilla reach, and kid stuff on the bottom three shelves. The store employees (and other vendors) report that customer reaction, both adult and child, has been very positive, with a _lot _of people apparently stopping short and then heading straight for the booth when they see the dolls. Other vendors have also started carrying dolls, LOL, which they didn't before! (I'd been watching.) 

One of the employees mimed a typical doll-lover's reaction when they saw my booth, which was hilarious. And great to hear about. 

I've talked to several doll collectors while I was there stocking my booth, who are astonished to see _real _vintage dolls, correctly identified, wearing era-appropriate clothing, clean, and with appropriate prices, and with stands included.  (I'm pricing stuff about 25% under eBay values because there's so much less work involved with selling out of a booth versus photographing, listing, and shipping on eBay.) 

As of Tuesday, I made my rent and then some -- plus I have gotten a few requests from customers of the store or employees for XYZ doll or doll outfit, which I brought in and put up on Tuesday. (I have business cards up in the store.) I'm pleased since it's a brand new booth and just getting started. 

So far, no damage to the dolls, either, which pleases me. 

The store employees report that kids are stopping and sitting for hours in front of the shelf while parents shop. However, everything is staying fairly neat and no packages of doll clothes have been torn open -- stuff gets moved around, but it only takes me a minute to put everything back in place. I'm going by once a week. (It's an absolutely beautiful drive, too, over windy country roads, with incredible views.) 

Everyone said dolls don't sell.

Pbbbbb. Those QVC "collectible" porcelain dolls don't sell. Dress-me dolls and composition dolls that are falling apart and have zombie eyes don't sell. Dolls missing body parts or with bad haircuts don't sell. Real vintage dolls and stuff for kids, in decent shape? That sells. 

(Oh, and at another seller's booth I found a doll worth about $70 for $6. I tried to tell her that the doll was worth a lot more but she just said she wanted to sell it. Fine. I bought it. That certainly adds to my profit margin, LOL.)


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## clovis

Glad to hear that you are having success with the dolls, Cygnet.

I am surprised that you are lowering prices by 25% of what they would be on ebay.

I generally price stuff about the same as ebay, generally speaking, and have had good results. I figure that the customer doesn't have to pay shipping, plus, after the mall takes 10% commission and 3% if they use plastic...I am netting about the same as I would have on ebay, again, generally speaking. Not to mention, at some malls, the customer can get 10% off immediately, just for asking, if they are paying with cold, hard cash.

You are right...you can't give away a QVC doll!!!! There was a time that I couldn't find enough of them. Those dolls would fly off the shelves at cheap prices, let's say $10 to $15 each. I literally threw the last QVC dolls that I had in the trash can. I had priced those at $5-$10 each, and after they didn't sell, I marked them down to $1-$2 each, and they still didn't sell!!!! Sure, these were a little rough, but not destroyed. Are they not selling QVC dolls on TV any more???


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## Cygnet

I may start bringing my prices up a bit once my booth becomes better known, but it's a pretty poor area. We'll see. I'd rather sell a bunch at a reduced price than a few things at a higher price. 

On those QVC dolls -- the one thing they ARE good for is the clothing. I've been known to buy them in large lots at Goodwill for $1-$2 a doll when I find a bunch in good condition cheap, strip them, and sell the clothing in lots on eBay. The clothing is worth a lot more off the doll, because someone will buy it to dress vintage dolls. Accessories -- eyeglasses, purses, shoes, etc. -- get sold separately, usually BIN, with measurements and a ruler for scale in the picture. 

I hand the nude dolls right back to thrift store then and there. (And one thrift store manager told me that someone would buy the dolls to redress them -- that nekkid dolls sold better than dressed ones! LOLOLOL.)


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## clovis

That is brilliant, Cygnet!!!!!!


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## clovis

Cygnet,

I could help but think of you today, when I walked into the FM. Another vendor has a four foot table set up, and it is stacked deep with QVC dolls.

All of the dolls were in good, clean condition, and had their outfits. None of them had boxes or stands. 

All were marked $3 each. If I hadn't just thrown out an armload of these, I would have been tempted to buy them to flip. How much can you get for the outfits? What terminology should I search on ebay for their clothes?

I have to admit that I am perplexed about the QVC dolls. What on earth happened to that market? Were they so popular, and such stunning sellers for us, because it was a well advertised fad? There was a time that I could buy them for $5 and quick-flip them for $10, and today, I can't give one away. Thoughts?

I am still a little stunned how many markets like this have simply vanished, almost overnight, it seems.


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## clovis

Another question, Cygnet...

Many of the dolls that I see aren't even QVC quality. Were there other sellers or retailers of these? Maybe retailers that sold lesser quality dolls????


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## Cygnet

I haven't sold a big lot of QVC clothes in a couple years, so I couldn't tell you what the market's like now. I'd say check eBay for doll clothes lots, and also the current value on accessories. (Since I moved, I haven't found a good source for cheap QVC dolls.)

The money was always in the little accessories, though -- glasses, hats, shoes, socks, jewelry, pets, _stands_, etc. The rest was just gravy. You could always buy one or two dolls, strip them, carefully photograph the clothes, list the size (measure like you would people clothes), and see how they sell. 

And remember that owners of vintage dolls are often looking for finishing touches, so sell the accessories separate. For tiny accessories, I list the size but I also often include a Barbie hand in the picture, because everyone knows what size Barbies are. (Here's an example of how I often photograph small accessories -- I don't have anything much for big dolls in the store right now.) You can also photograph them with a ruler for bigger accessories, or on 1/4 inch graph paper.

As far as QVC values -- I think it's like any other fad -- the fad went bust. The doll market has more ups and downs than the stock market. There's certain things you assume will always have value (hard to find truely vintage Barbie pieces in mint condition, for example) and the rest is just fluid. Even for vintage stuff, it's a roller coaster ride. Right now, late 70's/early 1980's Superstar Barbies are up in value, Jem and the Holograms is way hot, and the bottom seems to have dropped out of Topper Dawn dolls. Give it few months and the market will change again.

Many adult doll buyers (vintage or modern) _play _with their dolls -- not like kids do, but they dress them, style their hair, pose them, build dioramas, fix damage, and sometimes even repaint their faces and reroot their hair. (There's actually a decent market for badly damaged vintage Barbie heads, and certain modern face molds, because people love to fix them up!) And they get a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of it. Buying another doll is another chance to play.

A QVC doll? Well, I've seen people make zombies or gothic vampires or whatever out of them, but for the most part, they're meant to stand on a table and look pretty (and get dusted occasionally). Everyone who wants a doll standing in a corner or sitting on their dresser has one. The market's saturated. And the people who bought a bunch expecting to make $$$ on resale when they appreciated in value have figured out they wasted their money, LOL.

As far as other sellers besides QVC for "collectible" porcelain dolls -- I've seen them for sale at Wal-Mart and various drug stores for very low prices. Back during the "collectible porcelain doll craze" there were stands in the malls selling them, too.


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## Cygnet

Oh, for key words, I would look for "baby doll clothes" and "porcelain doll clothes" and "big doll clothes" and various eras or styles -- victorian, flapper, mod, cowboy, etc. (Be sure in your listing to call them reproductions and note if there's velcro closures!) Also by height of the doll. I tended to list the accessories BIN and the clothes in big auction lots, but I sorted them by size and style.

The stands alone are worth listing and may be worth more than the dolls, if you find QVC dolls with stands.

One thing to consider for shipping -- certain styles of fabric wrinkle easily, and doll clothes are notoriously hard to wash and iron. Ship them, and crushable accessories (including shoes) in small boxes. 

Oh, on doll clothes, if you have badly damaged doll clothes, either modern or vintage, you can strip them of (re)usable parts -- snaps, buttons, eyelets, trim, lace, etc. and sell _that _in lots. I've made quite a few dollars over the years by saving buttons and snaps and belt buckles off vintage Barbie clothes that was otherwise beyond repair ... someone with an otherwise nice vintage outfit worth $$$ may be very willing to pay a few to several dollars for a missing button or buckle or rhinestone. (This is also why lots of shredded-beyond-repair vintage Barbie clothing will sell -- people want the bits and pieces and even scraps of certain patterns of fabric for repairs.)

(*I'm trying to fix up a 1950's Sweet Rosemary doll and I *cannot* find a buckle for her shoe. I just need one buckle, darn it! I really wish someone would list one ... see? There's a need for that kind of stuff. I could use some of the string that Mattel used for button loops, too, as I have a couple dresses that are really nice except for the button loops being stretched out, and there's nothing modern that looks like the vintage cord they used.)


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## thesedays

On a slightly related note, during the early 80s Cabbage Patch craze, my grandmother made Cabbage Patch dolls and clothes, and sold those at the flea market. She made a LOT of money doing that, too.

And she also did something that most people of her time and place (rural Iowa) wouldn't think of that went over quite well - she made the dolls in different colors, too.


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## Cygnet

thesedays said:


> On a slightly related note, during the early 80s Cabbage Patch craze, my grandmother made Cabbage Patch dolls and clothes, and sold those at the flea market. She made a LOT of money doing that, too.
> 
> And she also did something that most people of her time and place (rural Iowa) wouldn't think of that went over quite well - she made the dolls in different colors, too.


My grandmother made anatomically correct "Cabbage Patch Kids" -- I still remember her and other elderly relatives passing diaper-clad dolls around, peering into their diapers, and giggling.

These days, Cabbage Patch Kids are generally not worth the money it costs to ship them. However, the _clothing _will sell nicely on eBay. The catch to selling the clothing, though, is that the dolls came in all sorts of different sizes and matching clothes to dolls can be difficult. I generally sell CPK stuff in big lots except for mid 80's (first couple of years) shoes, which sell for between $5-$10 a pair depending on current market conditions. 

CPK clothes sell well in big lots, but I disclaim the heck out of them as far as fit goes. Not every buyer realizes that the sizes have varied over the years and sometimes you get a cranky and functionally illiterate buyer with a 16" doll who buys preemie CPK clothing and it doesn't fit.

(There's a reason I sell so much Barbie stuff -- Barbies really only come in two sizes.) 

With rare exceptions, Cabbage


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## clovis

I am enjoying your posts about dolls, Cygnet. I know virtually nothing about dolls. I wouldn't know an expensive doll if it fell from the sky and hit me on the head!


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## clovis

FWIW,

We had a decent day of sales on Saturday, but Sunday was lackluster, at best. Ebay has virtually been d-e-a-d for the past week.

My whole business plan, from day one, was that the AM and FM sales would be as good as our ebay sales. I know that I'll never get rich in this business, but had hoped to live a life with low stress while making a comfortable living. I know that a decent income is attainable, if I could have both good sales at both ebay and the FM. I just can't seem to get both to have good sales at the same time, and it makes earning a good income almost impossible.

Right now, our sales at one of the AM's has been strong. The FM, when you look at the average amount sold each day over the month's period isn't too bad, but some of the days that we've had recently are really low, and it is frustrating. Add the fact that our ebay sales are off tremendously...I just don't know.

On one hand, I am looking forward to the winter months, and on the other hand, I am dreading it. The winter months are some of our best months, with folks having more free time to shop the indoor markets. At the same time, the weathermen are working the hype of 2-5 inches of snow today, which I am sure, killed our sales at the FM.


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## DanyellL

Yea I'm wondering if winter is a better market for us here. Because in the summer it's just too hot to walk around old cottom mills with no AC. We sold 3 big items from our booth this weekend alone. Which has never happened before. And we sold three pieces this week online (a vintage dresser, a coffee table end table set, and a desk). So this was an AWESOME week for us. LOL 

Tomorrow we have a meeting with the new people coming in to run our mall. We've decided not to move with our current mall because their prices are going up SO MUCH and it's a good 45 minutes farther away. Their set up at the new mall looks amazing. But given their history of just not caring or marketing their mall....I don't care to move with them. We will stay with the new owners (they actually own the building that we are in now and instead of renting it out they will be running their own antique mall) and see how we do. If we don't do well, we are prepared to just run it out of our garage ourselves. So we will see. Hopefully the new people know what they are doing, I'm not sure if they even have any experience with antiques/repurposed items. So we shall see. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week!


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## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:

I'm going green again with this tip, recycling it from the past.

The Thanksgiving weekend is approaching quickly. A large majority of people will have four days off in a row. Many will have down time, and will walk the malls that they can't attend due to normal work schedules.

There will also be a decent percentage of out-of-towners who are spending the weekend with Grandma or Aunt Edith. Many of them will shop the malls too, especially if you are in a small town.

The wonderful things about tourists is that they often will buy something that they like because they know that they won't be back. I see a lot of local shoppers that will be interested in something, but will use the "Let me think it over, and I'll come back later this week" thing. You see this much less with tourists, who generally know that they won't be back for another year, if ever. 

Thanksgiving weekend can be a time when you see brisk sales. Sometimes, sales are so good that they are off the charts.

I would encourage all of you to make a push to get your back stock moved into the booths, and get your booths cleaned and organized. That stuff you have sitting in the garage or piled up in your truck isn't going to sell unless you have it in a booth. 

Go get 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DanyellL

I hope that is the case Clovis! Our sales this month alone are higher than they ever have been!


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## DanyellL

I touched on this a few weeks back, that the owners of our current mall were moving their location about 40 minutes away. But that there were new owners coming in to run another mall. Well we had our informational meeting last night with the new owners and management team. THEY ARE AMAZING. We are in an old Cotton Mill and the owners family has owned it for a long time. 6 years ago they started renovating the building to make it useable space to rent out. Currently, there is an antique mall on the first floor (not us), we are on the second floor, there is a woodworking shop, a little mom and pop thrift store, and a crossfit gym all on their property. Within the last year they renovated a courtyard type area, and one of the sides of the building into a rentable event space. 2014 (their first year) they booked 11 weddings. 2015 already has 42 weddings on the books. The space they renovated is BEAUTIFUL and that is where we had our meeting last night (i'll post pics below). So the owner of the overall building will now have an antique mall of his own. 

I'm REALLY excited about the changes. The booth rent will be cheaper, they are adding AC which is HUGE because it gets so hot here in Georgia. They are remodeling the bathrooms and overall just improving the space. They are doing this over the next 6 months, but thankfully we won't be closed due to the changes. THey will take over ownership starting Jan. 2nd and they are shooting for a grand reopening in May of 2015. I'm so excited about the changes. They addressed all of our concerns from our 6 month run with the current owners. And I can't wait to start with them in Jan. 

Sorry for the ramblings but I just wanted to update you guys  I'm super happy!

Here are some pictures of the space where we had our meeting last night. It's called the Engine Room. It's so beautiful. If only I had known about the space a year ago when we were planning our wedding! I would have booked here in a heartbeat!


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## clovis

Danyel,

That is fantastic news!!!!!


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## clovis

We had a pretty good day today!!! Not a stellar day, but I am happy.

I am told that, just before we got to the IFM today, an artist/sculpture guy came in and bought every long handled shovel and rake that I had. That guy bought $48 in tools. 

Then, as we walked in the front door, at each of the two cash registers, someone was buying something of ours. It was a bit of a thrill to see that, especially since one was an old bike for $30, and another had a $24 item!

I kept striking up as many conversations as I could with customers...and let me tell ya, it pays off in spades. One group of women bought over $20 in items, and another one, albeit, only $1.25 for fabric, was glad to find it. I'm not talking about brow-beating customers or using hard sale tactics, but just engaging in normal "how are you doing?" and "let me know if I can answer any questions" stuff.

Get those booths stocked!!! Customers are now entering a week that they may have more free time to walk the malls.

Go get 'em, everyone!!!!!


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## thesedays

One of mine is just up the road from my church, and I usually stop there after services and do some stocking. I'll check out the place tomorrow, too.

I also got a shelf of Christmas books and other items out.


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## shannsmom

Thanks for the reminders....I need to get out the box of Christmas DVDs and CDs and list them on Amazon! The prices tend to be higher this time of year, so it is often worth holding them off till now. And exercise DVDs sell like crazy in December and January for us! A year ago I took a gamble and bought 50 copies of Blast Off the Belly Fat ( that was an embarassing checkout lol!) at a thrift store, but ended up selling every one of them in January for 5 times what I paid for them. 

I am curious to see how the new weeklong Black Friday sales effect resellers like all of us....will people be hitting those mass retailers only, or will they just be in the mood to shop, no matter where it is? We still are not getting many sales in the store (but did get a $100 sale Friday woohoo!), but people are starting to flow in to sell things , I guess to get money to shop. Otherwise, ebay sales are sluggish, Amazon has crazy busy days and dead days, there's no rhyme nor reason to any of it!


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## DanyellL

Our weekend was great. We sold an old school lamp we redid, it was kind of like a floor lamp but had a table on it. I thought it was the ugliest thing ever. But my husband loved it. And it sold this weekend. LOL For $60. And we sold a few smalls (vases, vintage ash trays) and then we sold an end table for $80. So we did pretty well. We have sold more this month than we have all the months put together that we have been here. So we are ecstatic. We have been so busy though and haven't been able to finish any new items. But we have a good bit of customer orders to get done for Christmas. So those have been our priority. 

I'm glad everyone is doing well. And I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> Thanks for the reminders....I need to get out the box of Christmas DVDs and CDs and list them on Amazon! The prices tend to be higher this time of year, so it is often worth holding them off till now. And exercise DVDs sell like crazy in December and January for us! A year ago I took a gamble and bought 50 copies of Blast Off the Belly Fat ( that was an embarassing checkout lol!) at a thrift store, but ended up selling every one of them in January for 5 times what I paid for them.
> 
> I am curious to see how the new weeklong Black Friday sales effect resellers like all of us....will people be hitting those mass retailers only, or will they just be in the mood to shop, no matter where it is? We still are not getting many sales in the store (but did get a $100 sale Friday woohoo!), but people are starting to flow in to sell things , I guess to get money to shop. Otherwise, ebay sales are sluggish, Amazon has crazy busy days and dead days, there's no rhyme nor reason to any of it!


The weight loss DVD was a brilliant buy! I would not have thought about that in a million years! WTG!!!!

Our ebay has been D-E-A-D, for the most part. On a typical day, we are shipping 5 to 15 items. For the last 3 weeks to a month, we are _lucky_ to be shipping 2 items a day. I can't figure it out.


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> Our weekend was great. We sold an old school lamp we redid, it was kind of like a floor lamp but had a table on it. I thought it was the ugliest thing ever. But my husband loved it. And it sold this weekend. LOL For $60. And we sold a few smalls (vases, vintage ash trays) and then we sold an end table for $80. So we did pretty well. We have sold more this month than we have all the months put together that we have been here. So we are ecstatic. We have been so busy though and haven't been able to finish any new items. But we have a good bit of customer orders to get done for Christmas. So those have been our priority.
> 
> I'm glad everyone is doing well. And I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!


I am happy to hear that sales are good for you!!!! Keep up the good work!!!!


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## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:

Electronic and anything with a cord should be tested before you put it out for sale. I try to test everything before I mark it. I don't spend tons of time testing each item, but I try to make sure that every iron heats up as it should, that every radio works properly, that every saw powers up, etc.

I almost always add a second label to any electrical item reading "Tested~Works!" or something like that. On a CB radio I have, or on anything that I can't completely test, I write "Display lights up, but I have no way to test." Sometimes I write "Tested~Works! Test at front counter."

These labels will help build trust with your customers, and increase sales. Many buyers are leery of buying used tools, and these labels will help ease their fears of buying a junk item. 

As for the cords on items, we bundle them up and neatly tie them with twist ties, which is the same type of material that is used as bread ties. It is a plastic coated wire, often found in gardening departments of a store. Gardeners use this to tie plants to stakes, for example. I try to wrap and tie the cords similar to what you might see on a brand new item when you unbox it for the first time.

This will help you display the item neatly, without much mess, and honestly, I think that it is a selling point for some customers. I think that some buyers like to see neatly tended and wrapped cords. Who wants to look at a booth that has cords wrapped around an item, or left dangling, like on a clock radio or a circular saw, anyway?


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## jlxian

While I'm off work over the holiday I plan to go through my fabric stash (which is sizeable!!) and prepare a bunch of fat quarters. My booth partner told me that there used to be a booth in another FM that sold fat quarters and other fabric scraps but it is now gone. She said she went in weekly to buy fabric. So I will take the plunge! I'll keep you all posted as to how it works. 

Clovis how is your new pricing on fat quarters working? Also, how do you present the fat quarters? Do you fold a certain way? Put into baggies? I've never purchased fabric prepared this way so I don't know what people will expect or appreciate.


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## clovis

So far, so good.

$1.25 seems to be an okay selling price point. They were flying off the shelves at $1.00 per fat quarter, and are moving at 1.25. 

We are folding the FQ's in half, then half again, and half once more. It makes a nice rectangle. We write "Navy blue-pink fat quarter" or "Navy-pink fat qtr" on the label. We then use clear packing tape to close the FQ together, and always tape over the label, since the paper labels don't want to stick to the fabric.

A cutting wheel and a hobby cutting mat, along with a 24" rule, will make quick work of cutting FQ's.

Maybe we should have stayed at $1. They sold briskly at that price point. Priced at 1.25, they are still selling. The extra .25 each sure does make a HUGE difference in our margins!!!!

BTW, do NOT use baggies. The thieves will remove your price tags, and load a baggie with fabric for 1.25, and then play stupid when they get caught. Trust me on this...we've already had a few people switch tags on fabric. I expect it to happen with tools, but quilters and crafters, over a 1.25 piece of fabric??? I would have never suspected that some of those sweet, gray haired women were thieves.


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## jlxian

Oh that's wonderful advice Clovis. Thanks! I wouldn't have thought of taping the rectangle but that makes great sense.


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## shannsmom

Since I will be busy tomorrow, I wanted to wish ya'll a Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for the tips and encouragement I have gotten from all of you, as well as the sharing of woes. Let's just hope there's fewer woes next year!


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## clovis

shannsmom said:


> I am thankful for the tips and encouragement I have gotten from all of you, as well as the sharing of woes. Let's just hope there's fewer woes next year!


I am thankful for you too, and everyone else on this thread!


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## clovis

Well, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is over.

Our sales were pretty good, but I was hoping for a little more. Sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving were just horrid. I thought sales might be decent, since so many schools are closed on Wednesday.

I keep coming back to one thought: If our sales were only 20% better than they are, I would basically have no real worries. Like I have mentioned before, I don't think the economy is all that strong in our area. 

I think the thing that is plaguing us is that people are not spending like they once did. If they don't have the extra money in their budgets, they simply are not spending time walking the malls. I wish that I had an answer to this problem. I have tried to refocus our efforts on smaller ticket items, which means that we are working harder handling those items. We have also tried to focus on good selling items that people want and need.

How did you all do over the weekend???


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## DanyellL

We haven't been to the booth yet. So we aren't sure on the sales for the weekend. But hopefully we did ok. We bought a good bit this weekend. My friend's mom was moving so we got some great deals. We had our garage pretty organized with just a few pieces in "inventory". But now....it's back to a mess and full of projects. LOL Oh well. 

And Clovis I completely agree with you about people not spending like they once did. I know that is the case in our family. We used to spend without really thinking about it. Now everything is a big decision. Most families I know are living paycheck to paycheck with little to no room for wants/shopping. Our area is not strong in the economy either. Very small southern town.


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## clovis

I have griped on and off about our ebay sales being really slow at times over the past month or so. 

I bought a massive amount of inventory at an estate sale, which also included an estimated 1,000 yards of fabric. We've been super busy processing the stuff that I bought, and haven't listed anything new on ebay in quite a while, until today. A few days ago, I got an offer for 5,000 free listings, which ends Dec. 4th, so we spent most of today listing.

We've already sold four of the items that we listed today, not to mention all of the other stuff that we sold.

Okay, you all are going to think that I am crazy, but I have a theory. My theory is that ebay may a logarithm that puts those who are listing the most at the top of "Best Match" when a customer views it.

I have experienced this before when we've had slower selling periods, and then we list tons of stuff, our sales are off the charts. I suspect that ebay may be giving preference to those who are listing the most. It happened a month or so ago, and then again today. Our sales for today are spectacular, and a blessing.

If I could have sales like this every day on ebay, I'd quit doing anything else, and drive around in a fancy Cadillac CTS-V.


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## clovis

*Shannsmom*: How are sales for you?

*Jlxian*: Did you get any fabric cut? FWIW, our FQ's are selling at 1.25. We were blessed to have had a good month for fabric sales in November.

*Thesedays*: How are your sales holding up?


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## Cygnet

Looks like my sales were pretty good in my booth, but I won't know until next week when they do their books. 

I dropped off a tote full of stuff last Tuesday -- mostly little bags of polly pockets + clothes for $5 each, baggies of Barbie clothes at $1 a piece, a couple dozen cheap dolls, and a huge basket of junk/TLC doll clothing at $5 per stuffed quart size ziplock bag. It looks like that's about half gone -- so not a lot per sale, but enough to add up. I haven't sold an big ticket items in a few weeks, but TONS of little stuff. Went back today, and I wished I'd taken more stuff to restock because it was well picked over. 

The weather was truly lousy (soggy and foggy) and the store was packed. (Fortunately, it was a warm storm. I have to go over a 7,000 foot mountain to get there. Fog got so bad that I couldn't see more than a few lanes in front of me in places, but no snow, thankfully.) 

One thing I did was put a bag of dollar store gift bags in my booth (they were 3 bags for a dollar) with a note that anyone buying $5 from my booth got a free gift bag. Most of the bags were gone, so looks like I'll have to hit the dollar store up for more bags! *grin* That seem to have worked well.

eBay has been going absolutely crazy for me. 60 orders in the last five days. 

My theory on sales being related to new listings is that a lot of buyers search by "new listing" rather than best match. (I hate "best match" myself -- it always shows me everything but what I want.) Someone might not buy the new listing that caught their attention, but they may then explore your store a bit and find something else they like. And then those sales drive your search ranking up. (I'm pretty sure that eBay puts a priority on listings from sellers who have a high sell through rate -- I believe I've actually seen that confirmed somewhere by eBay staffers.) 

I also notice that if I sell something in one category, I often get a flurry of sales of similar items. I think eBay pushes other stuff in your store that is similar to recently sold items up the search ranking. You can work with this by deliberately posting a bunch of similar items at the same time. (Plus if you post a bunch of similar stuff, there's a decent chance you'll get a buyer who decides to make a huge multi-item sale -- I just sold $150 in doll shoes and earrings to a lady overseas. She bought something like 35 listings from me, all of the exact same style of shoe and very similar styles of earrings in different colors. I then sold about a dozen more pieces of doll jewelry and similar shoes rapid fire -- I suspect eBay looked at those keywords and/or my store category those sales came from and pushed similar stuff to the top of the ranking. Some item had been in the store for several months before that one big sale.)


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## clovis

Thank you so much for your post, Cygnet!!!

I've been wondering about that...it is nice to hear a confirmation that ebay is upping the ranking. 

We've sold even more stuff since I posted last!!

You are right. We did list lots of similar items in 3 different categories today. I listed about 20 very similar items in a tool category, while my wife listed 10 items in a sewing category. We listed about 30 items in a model car category too. That must be the trick. 

Hmmm. I'm going to have to think a little more on this topic...


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## clovis

My goodness. 

We just sold another item on ebay, within a minute of posting my last reply.

Craziness, I tell ya.

I am serious...if I could have sales like this everyday, I'd be driving a really nice Cadillac! (And yes, I would buy one!)


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## thesedays

My Amazon sales are starting to pick up again. In my case, I predict they will peak after Christmas, when people use gift certificates and people need books for school.

My booth sales are variable, as usual.


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## jlxian

No Clovis, I didn't get my fabric cut. In fact I COMPLETELY forgot about my plan until Monday when I checked back with this thread and saw what I had promised myself I would do! LOL. Is that a "getting older" symptom you think? No matter, hopefully this weekend I can do a little of that.


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## Cygnet

My best sales of the year on eBay are always in January and February. Although I do get quite a few people buying for kids, lot of my buyers are buying dolls for themselves, so I figure they either (A) have gift certificates or (B) more time/disposable income after the Holidays. Plus the weather's usually lousy in January and February and that drives my sales up. 

I am hoping to get a bigger booth in the resale store in the next few weeks. There's a long waiting list, but they had a vendor who filled up a couple of booths move out this week, and they're converting that into two booths. I think I'm in line to get one of them. The location's not the best -- it's at the back of the store -- but I'll take one. 

Nice thing about dolls is that there's not a lot of shoplifting of doll stuff. There's some (probably kids pocketing stuff) but not a huge amount. It's pretty hard to fence a Barbie, know what I mean? So the professional thieves that go after things like jewelry and electronics just aren't interested. My biggest worry is Kidzilla tearing open packages or damaging items, and so far, I haven't had any Kidzilla problems. (I put the expensive vintage dolls on a high shelf out of reach of your average size four year old.) 

I'm thinking if I get the larger booth, I'll have tubs of "kid stuff" at floor level and maybe one or two shelves up, and then have vintage dolls sorted by style up higher. I think it'll look neat to have one shelf of antique dolls, one of 50's dolls, one of mod era 60's/early 70's dolls, one of dolls in hippy clothing, one of dolls in 80's glam, one of china head dolls, etc.


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## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Yea I'm wondering if winter is a better market for us here. Because in the summer it's just too hot to walk around old cottom mills with no AC. We sold 3 big items from our booth this weekend alone. Which has never happened before. And we sold three pieces this week online (a vintage dresser, a coffee table end table set, and a desk). So this was an AWESOME week for us. LOL
> 
> Tomorrow we have a meeting with the new people coming in to run our mall. We've decided not to move with our current mall because their prices are going up SO MUCH and it's a good 45 minutes farther away. Their set up at the new mall looks amazing. But given their history of just not caring or marketing their mall....I don't care to move with them. We will stay with the new owners (they actually own the building that we are in now and instead of renting it out they will be running their own antique mall) and see how we do. If we don't do well, we are prepared to just run it out of our garage ourselves. So we will see. Hopefully the new people know what they are doing, I'm not sure if they even have any experience with antiques/repurposed items. So we shall see.
> 
> I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week!


lol
I have actually been thinking of you lately wondering if you were going to move malls. 
Im SO happy the place is staying an antique mall. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the building. 
How many vendors does it look like is staying?


I can see why they say the area is busier. 
That stretch of 78 has a lot more traffic.. but that parking lot is dead. 
That movie theater is on its last leg, the waffle house closed down, and that old walmart looks exactly like that, an old walmart. 
I grew up in the area they are moving to and am down there a good bit. I have noticed over a couple years that the mall advertises way down there, but never in town. I never understood that..


I think you did good staying..


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## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> lol
> I have actually been thinking of you lately wondering if you were going to move malls.
> Im SO happy the place is staying an antique mall. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the building.
> How many vendors does it look like is staying?
> 
> 
> I can see why they say the area is busier.
> That stretch of 78 has a lot more traffic.. but that parking lot is dead.
> That movie theater is on its last leg, the waffle house closed down, and that old walmart looks exactly like that, an old walmart.
> I grew up in the area they are moving to and am down there a good bit. I have noticed over a couple years that the mall advertises way down there, but never in town. I never understood that..
> 
> 
> I think you did good staying..



Yea it's so frustrating. We are supposed to have our Holiday Open house this weekend....have they advertised that? No. Did they advertise our Black Friday sales? No. I have grown to hate them over the past few months. They care nothing about their dealers. I wish them well on their new location...but it will be the same thing. They will be all excited and advertise the heck out of that place at first....then it will drop. I'm not sure if they will make it there. Maybe....but I have a feeling they won't. The reason why this lasted as long as it did is because of their auctions. Their auctions are GREAT. And we will continue going. But I couldn't be HAPPIER with who has taken over. 

They are already so involved! And yes the building is amazing. That was the main reason I didn't want to move. I didn't want to sell antiques and furniture out of an old Walmart. LOL I have nothing against it. But the building we are in is soooooooooooooooo charming. And the new owner is going to make it AMAZING.

A lot of people are staying. And they have a line a mile long of people wanting to come in on Jan. 1. So we will see. I think the reason why our sales have been so good is because we personally have 20% off our booth right now. And because people know a lot of booths are leaving so they are trying to thin out and doing sales as well. That has brought a lot of people in. 

We shall see! Now would be a good time for you to start a booth! Vintage Revivials is going to be amazing. I can feel it!


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## clovis

Danyell,

There was an IFM here that lost their lease. Many of the vendors went into panic mode, and moved out the very minute that they heard the news, even though the mall was to stay open until the end of the next month.

Other sellers, who also started to panic, began slashing prices to pennies on the dollar, almost giving stuff away.

I stayed the the course, and virtually changed nothing. In fact, I kept buying and stocking the booths. Sure, I did mark down some things, but overall, I kept our pricing on almost everything.

The end result? Our sales were off the charts. At that time, I believe it was the best month we had ever had up to that point.

Warren Buffet has a saying about being greedy when others are fearful. I wasn't being greedy, by any means, but that quip spoke volumes when the IFM closed. You should have heard all the folks ranting about how the sky was falling, and we stayed the course.

Shoppers flocked to the IFM when they heard that it was closing, and they bought like mad.

Not sure that you'll experience this, but I thought I would share it, just in case that you do.


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## shannsmom

I am glad to see things are getting a little bit for everyone and I love your enthusiasm about the new place DanyellL! I bet it WILL be amazing!

Our Amazon sales kicked up a gear starting on Thanksgiving...my happy place there is 24 sales every 24 hours, a point we have rarely hit this year! But every day of the last week has been there! The things DH is putting on Ebay have been selling for the Buy It Now price, which has surprised us, we need to get more up there lol! Now, a lot of what we are selling on Amazon is low priced, probably 90% to be exact, but we have also sold a couple of our highest priced things. I also notice that when we have a flurry of listing things, we get a lot of sales, even some things that have been sitting for a long time. 
The store is a little better. Honestly, most days we sell nothing, but as I said before, we are mostly there to buy things to flip online, the economy here is awful! But lately we have been selling a few things a day, and had people come in to trade things for some of our items. Not enough for that Cadillac, Clovis, but it all adds up! Mostly we are doing well on electronics, but have gone back to selling a fair amount of video games and some movies, along with some toys. We have started selling a lot of the old cartridge games, and while they are cheap, and always require a fair amount of cleaning, they do add up, and we get the occasional one that sells for $30-$5o to balance it out. 

Several sellers we had gotten to know at the flea market have been hanging out at the store a bit, and say the sales at the FM are the worst they have ever seen! Several weekends lately, they have not even made their booth rent for the day! We have not even gone there to shop for a couple of months, but we are planning to go tomorrow to see what we can pick. I am thinking the FM business is just bad here right now, (probably due to people not having much disposable income), because I just saw a TV ad (for the first time ever) for the FM in the next town over, and they have lowered their rent in addition to advertising! Sounds like they need some business, too!


ETA: This is looking to be the best month of the year for us, which, on the one hand, is a sad statement about the rest of the year, but on the other hand, gives me a slight hopefulness that maybe we are on an upward trend. I know the friend we are in the store with had expectations of us all bringing in 10-20 times what we are by this month, but I doubted that just from knowing how many people are struggling to get by here. But, maybe, just maybe, it will get easier.


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## clovis

Cygnet said:


> My theory on sales being related to new listings is that a lot of buyers search by "new listing" rather than best match. (I hate "best match" myself -- it always shows me everything but what I want.) Someone might not buy the new listing that caught their attention, but they may then explore your store a bit and find something else they like. And then those sales drive your search ranking up. (I'm pretty sure that eBay puts a priority on listings from sellers who have a high sell through rate -- I believe I've actually seen that confirmed somewhere by eBay staffers.)
> 
> I also notice that if I sell something in one category, I often get a flurry of sales of similar items. I think eBay pushes other stuff in your store that is similar to recently sold items up the search ranking. You can work with this by deliberately posting a bunch of similar items at the same time. (Plus if you post a bunch of similar stuff, there's a decent chance you'll get a buyer who decides to make a huge multi-item sale -- I just sold $150 in doll shoes and earrings to a lady overseas. She bought something like 35 listings from me, all of the exact same style of shoe and very similar styles of earrings in different colors. I then sold about a dozen more pieces of doll jewelry and similar shoes rapid fire -- I suspect eBay looked at those keywords and/or my store category those sales came from and pushed similar stuff to the top of the ranking. Some item had been in the store for several months before that one big sale.)


Cygnet,

Thank you again for your post!!!

I've been pondering this on and off all day.

I am perplexed of how and why some of our listings sold so quickly when we listed them. I am a Top Rated Seller, but we are not the cheapest on most of our listings. 

(I refuse to play the "few dollars cheaper" game that so many on ebay play, which quickly will destroy the resale market. I often play the "few dollars higher than the highest one listed" game, if anything, of course, within reason, and depending on the condition of the item that I have.)

I am confused as to how and why those listings sold so quickly. There are other identical items listed too, generally for less money.

Is it possible that ebay is showing "16% off!!!" on some of our listings, to spur sales, even though we don't see any discount?


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## Cygnet

I list stuff at the high end of the market, then I have sales every weekend that bring my prices down in line with what the higher end of average is. Works VERY well for me.

Fairly often, I have things sell during the week that are not on sale, even though they're the most expensive listing for that widget. 

Sometimes I think buyers are suspicious of lower dollar amounts -- they wonder what's wrong with the item or the seller. Sometimes, if something's not moving, I _raise _the price -- and voila, it sells.

Some buyers have been burned often enough that they would rather pay a higher BIN price to an established seller with good reviews and DSRs than try to find a bargain. 

Those buyers are well are that if they shop around they may save money, but the item they get may also be dirty and/or smelly, have misrepresented or simply overlooked issues, be shipped with insufficient packaging resulting in damage, sent via parcel post when priority would be cheaper and faster, etc. I've found both roach eggs and live roaches, and once a black widow spider, in lots of doll stuff that I bought "cheap." I got a lot of dolls clothes once that had been peed on by a cat. (Buyer said they "needed cleaning and had a funky odor." I assumed mildew ... MY cats started circling the box before it was even opened.) I got doll shoes once that were sent in a box that originally held tampons. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. Pot and/or tobacco smoke smells or mildew smells are unfortunately normal issues.*

By contrast, I charge more, but my stuff's clean (or if sold "as is" I clearly indicate the item needs cleaning), properly packaged using new materials, shipped promptly, and any issues with vintage items are clearly disclosed in the listing. Buyers will pay more because they know they won't have a hot mess to deal with when they open the box. They most likely assume that a higher price means that they WILL get better customer service and better quality merchandise, and that I'm an established seller. 

I've found that if you have really good professional quality photos, you can sell more, and at a significantly higher price. (I use a light box for small items -- if anyone needs a recommendation for a light box, I can dig the vendor up. The one I use cost $400 and came from Canada, but was worth every penny. If you look at my store, all the listings with black backgrounds are done in the light box. For the most part, the lighter color listings are pre-lightbox. Dolls don't always fit in the box, but the little stuff all does. Store here: http://stores.ebay.com/Memorys-Toybox.)

I've also found that items listed at below-market prices attract problem buyers. Almost all, if not 100%, of my problem buyers have purchased very low dollar items. Auctions also attract problem buyers. I have far fewer buyer problems by listing BIN, with appropriate prices.

(*Just as a side note, if you are selling doll _clothes _do not wash them if you do not know what you're doing. Just disclose that they're dirty/smelly/etc and try to show pictures of what they look like. I have seen many rare/valuable item damaged badly by being washed by people who don't know what they're doing. Doll buyers generally don't have problems with cleaning items. They do have issues with buying something represented as "mint" and when they get a good look at it, it's actually filthy and stinky. Vinyl dolls and plastic/rubber doll shoes can generally be cleaned with a bit of soap and water, using common sense when it comes to dolls -- wiping dirt off the doll's body with a soapy rag is fine, submerging the doll under water and then shipping cross country in a plastic bag in summer while the doll is still wet, not so good. Also, older red and blue doll shoes do tend to bleed dye when they get warm so you want to wash them by themselves and let them dry on a towel not touching any other shoes. And ship them sorted by color in plastic bags to avoid dye transfers. But i digress a bit.) 



clovis said:


> Cygnet,
> 
> Thank you again for your post!!!
> 
> I've been pondering this on and off all day.
> 
> I am perplexed of how and why some of our listings sold so quickly when we listed them. I am a Top Rated Seller, but we are not the cheapest on most of our listings.
> 
> (I refuse to play the "few dollars cheaper" game that so many on ebay play, which quickly will destroy the resale market. I often play the "few dollars higher than the highest one listed" game, if anything, of course, within reason, and depending on the condition of the item that I have.)
> 
> I am confused as to how and why those listings sold so quickly. There are other identical items listed too, generally for less money.
> 
> Is it possible that ebay is showing "16% off!!!" on some of our listings, to spur sales, even though we don't see any discount?


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Danyell,
> 
> There was an IFM here that lost their lease. Many of the vendors went into panic mode, and moved out the very minute that they heard the news, even though the mall was to stay open until the end of the next month.
> 
> Other sellers, who also started to panic, began slashing prices to pennies on the dollar, almost giving stuff away.
> 
> I stayed the the course, and virtually changed nothing. In fact, I kept buying and stocking the booths. Sure, I did mark down some things, but overall, I kept our pricing on almost everything.
> 
> The end result? Our sales were off the charts. At that time, I believe it was the best month we had ever had up to that point.
> 
> Warren Buffet has a saying about being greedy when others are fearful. I wasn't being greedy, by any means, but that quip spoke volumes when the IFM closed. You should have heard all the folks ranting about how the sky was falling, and we stayed the course.
> 
> Shoppers flocked to the IFM when they heard that it was closing, and they bought like mad.
> 
> Not sure that you'll experience this, but I thought I would share it, just in case that you do.


That def does make sense. A lottttttttttt of people moved out when they announced they were leaving. But we have had our best month yet. LOL So I believe it!


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> That def does make sense. A lottttttttttt of people moved out when they announced they were leaving. But we have had our best month yet. LOL So I believe it!


I have no insight to how the transition is taking place at your mall, but I thought I would offer another tip.

If your current location is looking empty, and if you have surplus stock, you might ask the new owners if you can use some of the empty booth space "to spread things out...so it won't look so empty."

I'd just focus on bigger stuff, like lamps and furniture if they allow you to do this for free. I would not mess with putting smalls out in the unused booth space unless you can move it quickly and easily, like a box of dolls or a box of post cards, KWIM?

Some places have absolute rules about this and will hold a hard line, but sometimes, they will be happy to let you, especially if you can move your stuff out quickly when they ask. 

I tell ya, when the IFM that I was at lost their lease, the shoppers flooded the place. I was able to spread out even more into three empty booths, and the manager was happy to let us fill the place.


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## clovis

Cygnet said:


> I dropped off a tote full of stuff last Tuesday -- mostly little bags of polly pockets + clothes for $5 each, baggies of Barbie clothes at $1 a piece, a couple dozen cheap dolls, and a huge basket of junk/TLC doll clothing at $5 per stuffed quart size ziplock bag. It looks like that's about half gone -- so not a lot per sale, but enough to add up. I haven't sold an big ticket items in a few weeks, but TONS of little stuff. Went back today, and I wished I'd taken more stuff to restock because it was well picked over.


I have to admit...I've been thinking about your recent posts. They are brilliant!!!

There was a guy at one of our local IFM's that used to bag up little toys into Ziploc bags, and sold them for 50 cents and $1, respectively. His were mostly the better McDonald's type toys, and anything along those lines. He told me that parents would always be game for buying their kid something at the IFM, and the 50 cent and $1 toys were a great price point. Since his booth was close to one of mine, I constantly saw parents wheel back around toward the end of their trip, and let the kids pick one or more items.

He has always maintained that he paid his booth rent every month with those bagged toys. I have known him for many years, and have no reason to doubt him. 

BTW, IIRC, he had mounted chip strip clips to the walls, and had it divided into a 50 cent section, a $1 section, and a very small area with $2 bags.

Cygnet, I love what you are doing with the $5 bags!!! Absolutely brilliant!!!


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## Cygnet

Total gross for the month out of one 3X7 foot bookshelf was $175. Netted around $100, after booth fees and commission. As far as I can tell, nothing went missing and nothing was damaged. I'm astonished. 

Resale mall owner said she was astonished I sold so much. I said, "It's the presentation." LOL. I've been selling dolls for a long time and one of the tricks is to present the dolls well and have LOTS of accessories and goodies.

She's now leasing me a 6X6 booth, with one side having double-sided shelves and an end-cap (it faces an aisle, so I can put merchandise on both sides.) Gives me roughly 8X the space for 2X the rent. I moved my stuff over there yesterday, and will go back sometime next week with more inventory. (I have to go over a 7000 foot mountain to get there. We have bad weather forecast for Friday/Saturday -- snow and 50mph winds -- and a neighborhood Christmas party this weekend -- and then bad weather again early next week. So it may be Wednesday-ish before I can get over there again, darn it. My truck doesn't have heat -- no way to melt ice on the windshield -- or four wheel drive, so I am NOT going over that mountain if there's bad weather.)


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## clovis

Wowzer...after having a good week, we've had a stellar day of sales. I wish that every day could be as good as today. 

#feelingblessed


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## shannsmom

We have been selling bags of happy meal style toys for over a year and it often paid our booth rent first thing in the morning! I bag up 10 oz bags (of similar type, like all boy toys, baby toys or girls toys), that cost me 40 cents at the Goodwill bargain center, and sold them for 2.00. After a little while of doing that, the main toy seller at the flea market would come as we were setting up and buy almost every bag I had each week. In fact, when we were doing our last day before opening the store, she said even if we didn't set up, bring by any bags I had for her to look at!


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## clovis

Shannsmom,

So was the dealer buying you out to corner the market, and be the only toy seller at the FM? 

Or...was the dealer buying you out and then flipping your stuff with a profit?

It would be interesting to know, and if you had the time for it, if you could pick for that seller at the FM. Maybe grab up all of that type of stuff, and sell it by the pound to them , especially if you aren't setting up there anymore. Maybe make 2 1/2X or 3X your money, in bulk? Would it be worth the hassle?


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## clovis

Tuesday Tip, if anyone cares:

Here is a lesson for the new pickers that might be on our board:

If you are out picking and see an item that you might be interested in, go ahead and physically pick up the item, and put it in your cart, take it to the check out counter for holding...or whatever.

I can't tell you how many times I've looked at an item, especially at a train show, set it down, and within 5 minutes, someone has already bought that item. Recently, at an indoor flea market, I missed a hot selling model kit at a flea market for $10. That kit would have brought $60 to $85 on ebay, but I stupidly walked away from it for 10 minutes "until I come back to get it."

Today, listening to my own advice has paid off in spades:

We have booth space at a swanky antique mall in the big city. We never have time to walk the place when we go to restock, but I always check out one particular booth. The woman that has that booth has a style and flair that I just love. If I ever hit it big, I am going to hire her to decorate my house. We also joke to ourselves that "booth 487 is slowly redecorating our house, one piece at a time."

Well, today, I walked into her booth, and couldn't believe my eyes. She had an item that has been hot on ebay for years. You don't see them every day, and when you do see them, the sellers want $400+. These items aren't marked with a model number...you just got to know them when you see them.

I simply couldn't believe that this seller missed this item. She had it marked $47.50. It appeared to be too good to be true. Even as I type this, I can't believe that she didn't know the market value of this item.

My gut reaction was to let the item sit until we got done restocking. The place was dead, with very few shoppers, but that little voice in the back of my head said "pick it up now!!!", so I did.

As we got done restocking our own booth, a guy walks up to us, in a frantic state, sees the item on our cart and says "Hey, I want to buy that." He was followed by another guy, who looked pretty ticked. We chatted for a minute, and I told him that it was as good as sold. I prodded him for a bit, wanting him to confirm the model and the value, which he did. He claimed to collect items by that manufacturer, which I interpreted as "I collect that stuff, and sell it on ebay when I get home."

It seems that the guy had done the exact same thing that I've done over the years, and left something sit while they shopped the rest of the store, and thought it would be sitting there when they returned.

Anyway, when I went to pay for the item at the checkout, I asked for a 10% discount, (since I was paying cash), which brought my total to 45.70, including tax.

I still have to make sure that it works perfectly. If it does, I'll list it for $450ish. I'm not into counting chickens before they hatch, but I am happy with this buy!!!

If you see an item that you like, get that sucker secured as quickly as you can. It doesn't matter if it is an old model kit, a kid's Carhartt coat for your nephew, or a post war Lionel engine...get that thing in your possession. You can always change your mind before you check out of the mall or indoor flea market.


----------



## DanyellL

clovis said:


> I have no insight to how the transition is taking place at your mall, but I thought I would offer another tip.
> 
> If your current location is looking empty, and if you have surplus stock, you might ask the new owners if you can use some of the empty booth space "to spread things out...so it won't look so empty."
> 
> I'd just focus on bigger stuff, like lamps and furniture if they allow you to do this for free. I would not mess with putting smalls out in the unused booth space unless you can move it quickly and easily, like a box of dolls or a box of post cards, KWIM?
> 
> Some places have absolute rules about this and will hold a hard line, but sometimes, they will be happy to let you, especially if you can move your stuff out quickly when they ask.
> 
> I tell ya, when the IFM that I was at lost their lease, the shoppers flooded the place. I was able to spread out even more into three empty booths, and the manager was happy to let us fill the place.


Thank you! That is an awesome tip! They are taking over as of Jan. 2nd. So we will see what happens. I'll be off from my full time job on that day. So I am planning to spend the day at the mall and watch and move things around. There are a lot of empty booths now, but there have been TONS of people wanting to come in as of the 2nd. So we will see what is left!


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Thank you! That is an awesome tip! They are taking over as of Jan. 2nd. So we will see what happens. I'll be off from my full time job on that day. So I am planning to spend the day at the mall and watch and move things around. There are a lot of empty booths now, but there have been TONS of people wanting to come in as of the 2nd. So we will see what is left!


I walked through your mall last weekend and boy, it was empty! 
I can't wait till tall fill back up! 


I wanted to ask tall what tall thought about splitting a both between 2-3 people. 
I couldn't fill a 10x10 space and make a profit on my own, but someone brought up splitting a booth with another.

Had anyone seen this happen successfully or a disaster?


----------



## Cygnet

It snowed off and on all day yesterday, but the roads were clear today, so we drove over to set up some gridwall panels I got for the booth. (Credit where credit is due -- my dad picked them up for me down in Phoenix for my Christmas present. I love my Dad. *grin*) I have the gridwall panels, plus the two huge wooden shelves to the right of the panels. 

(Tip: Gridwall panels are _awesome_. They're modular, there are all kinds of accessories made for them, they're sturdy, they're not particularly expensive, and they're easy to set up. You can buy hooks for them, but I just use small to medium size binder clips to attach my bags of doll clothes and bagged Barbies to the panels. Almost any store that sells store fixtures will carry them.)

Below is what the booth looked like when I got done. I obviously need to get more merchandise in the booth -- I'll probably scoot over the hill on Monday with more Stuff. 

There is actually a method to my madness. Kid-interest stuff is at kid eye level or on tubs on the floor (though one tub holds the bags of "junk" doll clothes) and vintage items are higher up. Breakable stuff is higher up. More or less, anyway. I was hurrying because my father was waiting in the car (he helped set up the gridwalls), so towards the end, I was just clipping stuff wherever there was a space. I'll shuffle stuff around next week to get it better organized.

I routinely move stuff around in my booth anyway. If you shuffle things around, it makes it look like the booth has more "new" stuff than it really does, and market regulars may see things they missed before.


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## shannsmom

Clovis, The Toy Lady (yep, that's her business name!) looks for particular toys, mostly from popular movies, that she knows he customers will buy. She has a following after being there for 20 or so years. I ten to put a couple of popular movie toys and several run of the mill toys in each bag, and it turned out this made her buy them just to get those 1 or 2 toys she wanted. She then sells them for 1.00 each she said. She pays over $500 a month for her indoor booths and I still can't see where she makes enough money to be worth it, but she must. I would put most of what she sells online, but she said "all that internet business is way too much trouble"! And she scoffs at the happy meal toys that are still in their sealed packages, but I sell a ton of those online, for up to $20 each. To each his own, huh?

Cygnet, what an interesting booth! DH and his business partner say dolls are a moneymaker around here, also, but none of us know anything about them! They did buy a big lot of old James Dean and Marilyn Monroe dolls, still in their boxes recently. Nobody has done anything with them yet, but we are hoping to make some money in the next few months. In that lot was also a bunch of 1990's Star Trek ships, tricorders, etc, still in their boxes, and we have sold enough of those to already make the investment back, plus some profit, so the dolls are gravy! Our area has a LOT of retired military, and elderly people in general, so there are people who clean out the houses of folks who die, they then sell what they find. We often joke that we should start one of those companies, so we would get paid AND resell the stuff, but I can't do it, even estate sales make me sad! 

On another note, December has been a really good month for sales! I am so thankful for it, too, since we did not spend October and November brainstorming and stocking things like we do most years. We have shipped so much stuff out of this house, I am happy and DH wants to fill the "half empty" office back up lol!


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## Cygnet

There are definitely adult collectors of those happy meal toys who buy them, as well as kids. I haven't looked at the market recently, but for awhile, anything related to Alvin and the Chipmunks was really hot. I'm sure it's moved on to something else.

McDonalds My Little Ponies will almost always sell in big lots online.

The _problem _with selling Happy Meal toys on eBay is that the battery operated ones tend to die unexpectedly, and if they do so in transit you then have an unhappy buyer. The batteries cannot be replaced. Also, I'm reasonably sure I've had buyers play with them for a few days and then when the battery does die, complain to me that it died and want another one or want to return it or just flat out want a refund ... I finally concluded it just wasn't worth it to deal with, though I do occasionally sell non-electric character toys for collectors.


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## MJsLady

I myself love the happy meal barbies...

Star Trek is huge in my house!
All of my guys are into sci fi.
I am too but Fire Fly and Stargate are MY addictions.


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## thesedays

Yesterday, I found out that an old medical book from the 1890s that I picked up at a rummage sale last summer, that is in VERY poor condition, is worth $1,000.

:buds: :thumb: :shocked:

Now, it's just a matter of finding someone who actually WANTS this thing, but hey, it was quite a pleasant surprise.


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## shannsmom

MJsLady, we buy, sell and trade with collectors of all kind,s but I have never run across MY addictions...Supernatural, Walking Dead or Doctor Who, except brand new at a premium price! How does that work out lol?!

In addition to our regular, ongoing purchases of any happy meal toys we find, we also bought over 500 in a lot for $50. It was a lot of scrubbing to get the stale smell off of the plastic (they had sat in an empty house for 3 years!), and I tried a variety of cleaners on different packages until I decided Dr. Bronners Castile peppermint soap worked the best. I did hate that smell by the time I was done scrubbing lol, but we made that $50 back on the first few that sold, so I would suffer through it again  We made a few hundred bucks off those toys, so I am always looking for more!


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## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I walked through your mall last weekend and boy, it was empty!
> I can't wait till tall fill back up!
> 
> 
> I wanted to ask tall what tall thought about splitting a both between 2-3 people.
> I couldn't fill a 10x10 space and make a profit on my own, but someone brought up splitting a booth with another.
> 
> Had anyone seen this happen successfully or a disaster?


Yea it's sad looking isn't it? Our booth has gotten kind of slim the past few weeks. We have sold a good bit and had 3 customer orders to get finished before Christmas. So we haven't had time to work on stuff for the booth. 

We intially went into our booth splitting it with my Mother in Law. You would think that would have been a good idea but nope. It wasn't. She ended up leaving us stuck with more booth space then we needed (at the time), wanting her deposit back (so that came out of our pocket since the deposit was still being held with the mall) and it really hindered our relationship. I wouldn't recommend it unless you can financially carry the booth rent by yourself.


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## clovis

How is everyone doing???

We've been very blessed to have an outstanding month at the IFM and the AM. Ebay has been slow, but I am thankful for what we've sold.

I believe the economy is picking back up some in our area. The new lower gasoline prices are helping, but I believe it will be a few more months, if gas prices stay low, to really start adding spending dollars to the consumer's pocket. I think most of us are still reeling from high gas prices all year long, not to mention sky-high grocery costs.


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## Cygnet

My booth ... died. Phht. Dead. No sales. Some kid(s), however, tore open and dumped out all the Polly Pocket bags and made a huge mess. The mess likely didn't help with the sales. However, Christmastime is just weird for doll sales. Sometimes you'll sell a bunch all to one person, or high dollar stuff for gifts, but for the most part, people want new for their kiddos for Christmas. The collectors who buy for themselves don't buy when they're busy with holiday preparations. So ... weird, unpredictable sales patterns.

I didn't sell hardly anything on eBay for the week before Christmas. Then, the day after Christmas, I sold a couple hundred dollars. I think it was people with gift certificates to Paypal or holiday money to spend.  

For my booth, I'm going to expand what I'm selling beyond just dolls -- I took down some vintage appliances and will hit up the local thrift stores for more. And I'm going to go through my books and see what I can take down there.

Has anyone ever sold vintage fishing tackle? I'm seriously considering starting a store on eBay selling lures and small stuff and I suspect I'll end up with the same problem I do with the dolls: lots of stuff I don't want to bother selling on eBay, because of low value or condition issues. My biggest major concern, however, in a resale environment, is the hooks. I can bag stuff up for safety, or buy little jewelry boxes, but I'm still worried people may manage to hook themselves. 

(The store where I have my booth is about half a mile from the Verde river. Fishing is popular in the area.)

ETA: And yes, I have wide, varied, and eclectic hobbies. LOL.


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## clovis

Sorry to hear that Cygnet!!!!

I don't think that anything gets under my skin more than having someone make messes in a booth. I think that the average person believes that we are buying items, marking them up tremendously, putting them in our booth, and raking in cash by the shovel load. If that is what the average person thinks, you have to factor in the people who have absolutely no respect for others. One person can destroy a booth by one or two little messes.

When you think about it, those people are costing us a ton of money in lost sales. 

I am sorry that your booth sales are slow.


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## clovis

It has been a crazy month.

Our sales at the IFM were off the charts. This is the best month that we've ever had. 

Sales at the AM have been good, as well. I was hoping that we would have popped a few higher dollar items this month, but sadly, they are still collecting dust.

We worked our tails off in October and November, and some of it paid off in spades in December. I am thankful!!!!

On the other hand, our ebay is really slow. I know that we don't have the greatest stuff listed, but we should be selling more than what we are. Like I've said a million times before, if I could just get both ebay and the IFM/AM sales up at the same time, and be consistent, I'd be driving a pretty nice Cadillac.


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## shannsmom

I am sorry to hear of your troubles, Cygnet, and glad to hear of your great month, Clovis! 
Unattended children can be the worst! Just this month, DH had a child yanking on a RC tank, and finally had to tell the mother (who was paying no attention) "Unless you plan to hand me the $200 that that tank costs, you might want to stop him before he breaks that"... it's a frequent problem for the store, people walk in and seem to forget they have children to watch! Our sales there are still not anywhere near what we want them to be, but we are doing most of our business in electronics repairs. We even had to buy new tools as DH is branching out in what he can fix. He's had store owners from towns an hour away starting to stop in to feel out what kind of deal they can work out on bulk repairs of things they have laying around, so we're hoping a good bit of business is soon coming 
Most of the things we had on ebay sold this month, we were happy with that, and still need to get more up there. Amazon was out savior for the month, with a dip down the week before Christmas of course, but by then I was happy for the break, as I do most of that. Even today, we are getting a fair amount of orders, DH thinking it's people using giftcards, and I hope it continues.

I hope everyone has a profitable and enjoyable 2015!


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## Cygnet

My ebay sales have exploded, with some nice large multi-item sales. Woot. 

The resale store is still slow, but we had some pretty foul weather. I did take a claw footed bathtub over last week for my dad, and it sold today for a mid three figure $. Buyer got a bargain -- the tub was brand new -- and my dad and stepmom got a tub they'd decided not to use out of a corner of their bedroom, where it had just been collecting clothes.


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## DanyellL

We had like 0 in sales for December at our AM. But lots of dealers had left and the mall was just sad. The employees didn't care anymore and the owners didn't care, since they are leaving (in the process of moving now). The new owners have taken over as of Friday. I went up there to take a load and organize our booth and it was PACKED. I haven't seen the parking lot like that in a long time. I'm hoping with the new owners it will increase some sales. We have tons of custom orders though. So that's good. 


I went up Saturday for the last auction (run by the old owners) and the mall was packed as well. The auction was a good 9 hours long. We made it 6 hours. LOL I thought I was going to die. But I did get lots of goodies. So it has been a good week!


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## clovis

Here is my Tuesday Tip, given on a Wednesday:

Keep moving your stuff around in your booth, at least to give it a new look. I had become stagnant, and have failed to do this in our booths, mostly due to time constraints. When you have 5 spots in one mall, and have an onslaught of stuff to sell, with time constraints each day, it is difficult to refresh a booth. 

Anyway, you know those recipe books that are sold in the check out aisles in grocery stores? We used to sell scads of those. They are low dollar items, but they sold like mad. Then, a few years ago, I couldn't seem to give those away. I have about 50 of them, and have been moving them from shelf to shelf. Those last 50 books have been lingering in our booths for ages.

Two days ago, I displayed them differently, and told the wife that I was going to toss them in the recycle next week if they didn't sell.

I can't believe it...yesterday, someone came in and bought a bunch of them!

Keep moving stuff around in your booth. It pays off in spades!


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## clovis

Cygnet,

May I ask you for some doll advice? 

I found a Dina doll, which was part of the Crissy collection. I am shocked to see how low the market is for these dolls. Ten years ago, it was like finding gold, but past ebay sales are slow.

I have a doll, in good condition. There are several clothing items, including an original dress, which is probably off of a Velvet doll. One pair of shoes. The original box is good, but not outstanding. Dina's hair works. My wife says her hair could "easily combed and is not matted or have condition issues. It would take very little effort to get her into pristine condition."

Sell as a whole lot, or break it up? 

There is part of me that wants to piece this out into different lots: one original box, one naked doll, one pair of shoes, one dress, one scarf, one single outfit, and so on.

This doll has been lingering around our house for 6 months, and it is high time that she finds a new home!!! I found this doll back in July, and thought the market for her would pick up during the fall and winter months. Back in July, she wasn't even worth listing! 

Thanks!!!


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## clovis

Where is everyone? I feel like a leper! 

Anyway, our ebay sales have been dead. Generally speaking, we typically have had 5 to 10 items to ship each day. For the past several weeks, we have had stretches that last 2 or 3 days where we've sold only one item a day, or nothing at all.

Then, starting yesterday, our sales have been stunning. 

Within a 20 minute period on Sunday morning, we sold 3 wildly different items, and sales have continued to be strong since then. We have sold some $100 items, and lots of $20 items...it is just crazy!


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## sisterpine

I really need to get off my bottom and do some work on my e bay stuff. the only things I have listed right now are metaphysical stones and stem mounts/bases for cabinet knobs that are hard to find in small quantities. Most of my sales are for small amounts and after shipping I may make a buck each time. I have a ton of stuff I need to get listed but the fees are way high for some reason...It seems like between ebay and pay pal I am approaching 20% which is nuts.


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## Belldandy

I've been reading this thread for a while, with an eye to maybe one day getting a booth at an AM or FM. I've got certain areas of interest, like vintage tableware and writing implements. 

Over the holidays, we went to a local antique mall we had been eager to explore.

But it was just sad.

Everything smelled of mold. The place was lined on two sides with huge glass cases of jewelry and ephemera that, while clean, seemed overpriced, and it looked like nothing had moved there in years.

Everything outside the glass vaults also seemed overpriced. AND dirty. I'm no expert, but I've been buying vintage Pyrex and other tableware for a while now, and these prices were sky-high. We looked around, but didn't stay long.

Most of the antique malls and individual stores here have gone under, as we saw when driving to this place. I get most of my 'finds' at yard sales.

By the way, if anyone has unwanted fountain pens, even those that don't work, give me a heads-up. I might be interested.


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## shannsmom

Belldandy,smells are very important in the resale market! That mold smell will send me running any day! The only "old" smell I like is in a bookstore! Vintage writing implements would be an interesting market...you must post pictures when you get up and running!

Sales have been wonky, up and down online, dead locally, so I have been trying to do a little marketing for the store. We have been doing no buying, except for a few electronics, just because there are no yard sales and the flea market is kinda dead this time of year. I did, however, find a lot of things that I thought were listed on amazon that were not, so I am correcting that as well.

Don't laugh, but today I learned how to post ads with pictures on Craigslist, Facebook and did my own ads on Ebay...till now I only did the Amazon listing, DH is a computer programmer so whipped out the other stuff all the time. He should be getting a website set up soon, but for now, the store's facebook page is:
https://www.facebook.com/martyscollectibles (I think I got that there right!), so "Like" us if you are so inclined! The Craigslist ad generated a visit for a laptop in less than 2 hours, so was good. Those pictured on facebook are all refurbished by DH


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## DanyellL

I need help with Etsy. I would like to branch out and do some orders of smalls that way. But I have no idea where to start. I don't know how it works. And most of all....shipping terrifies me. 

So any help with shipping advice? How do you calculate the cost of shipping? Do you just use the flat rate boxes? HELP! lol 

Any pointers would be appreciated! Thank you!


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## MJsLady

Yes flater rate boxes.
do you have a shop set up?


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## clovis

I am a little afraid to post on this thread any more. the last time that I posted, you all went AWOL on me. You are giving me a complex! 

LOL.


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## clovis

DanyellL said:


> I need help with Etsy. I would like to branch out and do some orders of smalls that way. But I have no idea where to start. I don't know how it works. And most of all....shipping terrifies me.
> 
> So any help with shipping advice? How do you calculate the cost of shipping? Do you just use the flat rate boxes? HELP! lol
> 
> Any pointers would be appreciated! Thank you!


The best advice I can give about shipping:

Anything that weighs 13 ounces or less can be shipped via first class mail. It is incredible how much stuff can be shipped this way. What is even more incredible is how many online sellers refuse to consider first class as an option, and only use flat rate boxes. IMO, this laziness or closed mindedness comes back to bite the seller in lost sales, lower selling prices and poor feedback from the customer.

When you can show the customer good value in their shipping costs, I find that it is appreciated, and that sales tend to be very good, with high customer satisfaction. 

You'll need to buy a digital scale that measures ounces. They are pretty cheap on ebay.

Next, I would strongly suggest learning the flat rate USPS boxes, including Region A and B boxes. Region boxes are much cheaper than regular FR boxes, but they do have weight limits.

Hope this helps!!!!


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## clovis

Belldandy said:


> I've been reading this thread for a while, with an eye to maybe one day getting a booth at an AM or FM. I've got certain areas of interest, like vintage tableware and writing implements.
> 
> Over the holidays, we went to a local antique mall we had been eager to explore.
> 
> But it was just sad.
> 
> Everything smelled of mold. The place was lined on two sides with huge glass cases of jewelry and ephemera that, while clean, seemed overpriced, and it looked like nothing had moved there in years.
> 
> Everything outside the glass vaults also seemed overpriced. AND dirty. I'm no expert, but I've been buying vintage Pyrex and other tableware for a while now, and these prices were sky-high. We looked around, but didn't stay long.
> 
> Most of the antique malls and individual stores here have gone under, as we saw when driving to this place. I get most of my 'finds' at yard sales.
> 
> By the way, if anyone has unwanted fountain pens, even those that don't work, give me a heads-up. I might be interested.


I think you are 100% right...stay away from this place. 

Even if you did get a booth, your items are going to start smelling like mold too. 

Are there any other malls in your area?

Have you considered setting up at any special markets? Some towns have a antique/flea market once a year in conjunction with their festivals/fairs.


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## jlxian

I've been AWOL Clovis because I don't have any good news to report. But I check in regularly to read your inspiring posts!


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## shannsmom

DanyellL, I have to agree with Clovis, ship everything you can via first class mail, it is usually $3 or less for up to 13 oz. If the item is heavier than that, I compare USPS, UPS and Fedex, we often can do better than the flat rate boxes if the item is 6-10 pounds. It's definitely worth exploring all 3, but I am not sure what Etsy allows you to use. And we ship everything feasible in bubble mailers, which can be obtained from ebay for roughly 18 cents each when you buy 200 or so, cheaper than buying boxes and they don't add much weight to the item. I hate having to find boxes, but have found walmart actually sells some for .58-.68 and Sams often has small boxes available for free, from stocking their pharmacy items, other than that, scrounge all you can from everyone you know lol! Shipping may seem daunting at first, but it won't take long to seem second nature!


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## shannsmom

DanyellL, let us know the link to your Etsy shop when you set it up!


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## clovis

We are blessed to have a cardboard and paper recycling drop off collection point. 

We've found scads of boxes here, and I am thankful for that. Generally speaking, it seems that Murphy's Law kicks in when we need boxes. If I need really small boxes, the only thing we can find in the bins are giant boxes that you could drive a small truck into, and when I need big boxes, the only ones I can find are the appropriate size to ship a diamond ring!

BTW, I can't emphasize the importance of learning about the new Region A and B boxes. Just yesterday, I received a package that the seller sent in a USPS Flat Rate box for a cost of $12.65. A Region A box would have cost them 8.97, I think. That is a 3.68 difference that they could have saved or pocketed.

$3.68 doesn't sound like much, but multiplied over 100 packages = $368.

The Region A boxes are easy. They work like flat rate boxes, but cost depending on what zone you are shipping to, and they have weight limits, unlike the regular FR boxes.


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## Le Petit Norman

I have been reading this thread on and off for a while now enjoying the stories all along. I reopened it this morning and decided to give the local mall a chance. After getting lost twice (thanks google maps) I finally found it in the back of a warehouse alley. I had not stepped in an antique mall for a couple of years and it was a nice visit (too short unfortunately) but after reading some of the post here I was surprised by some of the booth I saw. Some were almost empty while others were so full and cluttered that I could not even stepped in. There is a lot of thing I did not bothered looking because I ever had to grow some more legs to reach them on the top shelves (and I am a 6' tall man) or they were so tangled with other stuff that I was not going to bother sorting the mess to look at what had caught my eyes. Yes I understand people don't necessarily care to put things back where it belongs but i some booth it was clear that it was just the way the booth was set up while in others clearly it was just the mess left by previous wannabe customers. I did not bough anything but I did saw a few booth that will get me to come back to buy a birthday a next year christmas present. One last thing that did disturbed me was that must booth were advertising 30% off on all inventory made me feel like everything was overpriceed. Any way not looking to rant or anything, just giving my two cents, uncluttered accessible booth were the one I stepped in also if you have plenty off different style make sure that they are all visible from outside the booth I was surprised to find in the back off one booth (and not visible from the alley) some nice tool and fishing tackle and rod while that booth was displaying in the front only women vintage clothes (and tucked in a corner of that same booth some 80" playboy's magazines) all of that sounded so unlikely to fit together and the only reason I got in was the fact that it was navigable.


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## shannsmom

Well, dang, Clovis, I never thought to look in the cardboard recycling bins! We have recycling pickup at the house, so I never go to the bins anymore, but I think I will check them out soon! That's like a Tuesday tip on Saturday lol!

Le Petit Norman, that visit shows you exactly why booth "staging" is so important! I am only 5 feet tall, and quite used to having to stretch for things, but there is a limit. It took me a while to get used to digging thru things, but now I will unless it is moldy smelling or dirty, then it is obvious the people just don't want to sell it!


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## Le Petit Norman

shannsmom said:


> It took me a while to get used to digging thru things, but now I will unless it is moldy smelling or dirty, then it is obvious the people just don't want to sell it!


Well I just went for a visit the only item I would have bought would have been a good woodworking plane as I am getting my filling my toolbox up slowly but surely so I was not going to dig in.


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## SeaGoat

I opened an etsy store back in October to sell my soap and hand made jewelry. It was scary and I was scared of shipping, but now I laugh a little at myself.

Etsy has a shipping calculator. Be sure to add your packaging into the total weight.


After Christmas views and sales tanked but are slowly picking back up.


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## SeaGoat

How much would y'all say you need as an initial investment?

Starting with nothing, no items, tables, shelving, nothing.

Booth rental $100 for a 10x10 space
What would you estimate start up costs to be?


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> How much would y'all say you need as an initial investment?
> 
> Starting with nothing, no items, tables, shelving, nothing.
> 
> Booth rental $100 for a 10x10 space
> What would you estimate start up costs to be?


What type of venue? Is it an antique mall or a flea market?

What are you wanting to sell?


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## SeaGoat

clovis said:


> What type of venue? Is it an antique mall or a flea market?
> 
> What are you wanting to sell?


Antique mall

Im not 100% what Im wanting to sell yet. 
I have never been to an auction so I really dont know what kind of stuff passes through the area. 

I like Tiffany style lamps, desks, sideboards, vanities, candle stick holders, darker older pictures.. Furniture mostly. 
Victorian is my favorite era.
Some Vintage is okay. 

Im not a knick knack type person. 
My house is actually pretty void of such items.


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## DanyellL

Thank you everyone for the shipping info! And if we decide to open a shop on Etsy I will for sure let you guys know!

The issue we are having at the moment (awesome issue to have) is now that the new owners of the mall have taken over, our sales are through the roof. And we can't keep our booth stocked. I don't have enough hours in the day! LOL


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Antique mall
> 
> Im not 100% what Im wanting to sell yet.
> I have never been to an auction so I really dont know what kind of stuff passes through the area.
> 
> I like Tiffany style lamps, desks, sideboards, vanities, candle stick holders, darker older pictures.. Furniture mostly.
> Victorian is my favorite era.
> Some Vintage is okay.
> 
> Im not a knick knack type person.
> My house is actually pretty void of such items.


What mall are you looking at? We are at Vintage Revivals and since they have taken over our sales are insane. We have had the best month yet, to date. They have a few booths open. And we've decided to move to a bigger booth. So we shall see! Good luck to you!


----------



## earthymomma

Hey everybody!!! Sorry I have been MIA from this thread for a while! Clovis I promise you had nothing to do with it! The holidays kept me hopping with my littles, traveling and stocking up the booth before we left.

November was abysmal for us :-/ it was very very discouraging! Buuuut it seems the owners and staff of our mall have really been amping up advertising on facebook and you can definitely see a difference! December was ok as was this month there but I'm holding on to hope! The next time I run into the owner we are going to see if we can't change locations in our mall to one on the outer perimeter. I think that could be a huge key in boosting sales also!

This month I took the plunge of taking on custom orders and I'm so happy I did! It def compensated for the so-so months we've had and I'm hoping will open another door for us! I also sent in an application for my very first vendor fair for late March, I'm super excited to try something different and see how it goes!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Hey everybody!!! Sorry I have been MIA from this thread for a while! Clovis I promise you had nothing to do with it! The holidays kept me hopping with my littles, traveling and stocking up the booth before we left.
> 
> November was abysmal for us :-/ it was very very discouraging! Buuuut it seems the owners and staff of our mall have really been amping up advertising on facebook and you can definitely see a difference! December was ok as was this month there but I'm holding on to hope! The next time I run into the owner we are going to see if we can't change locations in our mall to one on the outer perimeter. I think that could be a huge key in boosting sales also!
> 
> This month I took the plunge of taking on custom orders and I'm so happy I did! It def compensated for the so-so months we've had and I'm hoping will open another door for us! I also sent in an application for my very first vendor fair for late March, I'm super excited to try something different and see how it goes!


That is super exciting!

Let me know how the fair goes. We have thrown around the idea of doing some of those, I'm just worried about being able to keep up with the demand. LOL Anddddddddddd getting all our pieces there.


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> What mall are you looking at? We are at Vintage Revivals and since they have taken over our sales are insane. We have had the best month yet, to date. They have a few booths open. And we've decided to move to a bigger booth. So we shall see! Good luck to you!


I was actually thinking of Vintage Revival. I am just so in love with the building I need an excuse to be there all the time 

Do they still hold auctions?


----------



## earthymomma

Danyell, I have been a little worried too! I plan on taking small furniture pieces and some handmade chalkboards, signs, and some crocheted stuffs. Best part was the table fee was only $25 so I'm not too outrageously stressed about it, worse case scenario I'll chalk it up to a learning experience lol


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I was actually thinking of Vintage Revival. I am just so in love with the building I need an excuse to be there all the time
> 
> Do they still hold auctions?


As of now, no. Cherry Hill will still be doing auctions that we plan to attend at their new location in Snellville. But they open on Feb. 2, so they will release their auction schedule then. I'll let you know when I get it!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Danyell, I have been a little worried too! I plan on taking small furniture pieces and some handmade chalkboards, signs, and some crocheted stuffs. Best part was the table fee was only $25 so I'm not too outrageously stressed about it, worse case scenario I'll chalk it up to a learning experience lol


Yes! That is awesome! I'm excited for you!

I want to do one, but most of our pieces are big. LOL But I do want to start making those pallet signs, so maybe we could do that!


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I was actually thinking of Vintage Revival. I am just so in love with the building I need an excuse to be there all the time
> 
> Do they still hold auctions?


Oh and have you been in the bathroom since they remodeled? OMG it's amazing. I can't wait to see what they do with the rest of the building. That's what drew me in to Cherry Hill. LOL I Thought they were so charming....but then I realized it was just the building that Cherry Hill as a mall was crap. LOL 

Paul (the owner of the actual building) is all about making Vintage Revival an experience and not just an antique mall. Which I LOVE.


----------



## clovis

Good to see everyone again!!!!!

*earthymomma*: Are you in the same mall or area that danyellL is in?


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Oh and have you been in the bathroom since they remodeled? OMG it's amazing. I can't wait to see what they do with the rest of the building. That's what drew me in to Cherry Hill. LOL I Thought they were so charming....but then I realized it was just the building that Cherry Hill as a mall was crap. LOL
> 
> Paul (the owner of the actual building) is all about making Vintage Revival an experience and not just an antique mall. Which I LOVE.


Stop! You make me want a booth more and more!


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## MJsLady

Man I need to go to GA to see these malls!
Ours are all dark and creepy here.


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## earthymomma

clovis said:


> Good to see everyone again!!!!!
> 
> *earthymomma*: Are you in the same mall or area that danyellL is in?



No, we are in different parts of the state  wish we were though! Lol that would be super fun!


----------



## DanyellL

MJsLady said:


> Man I need to go to GA to see these malls!
> Ours are all dark and creepy here.


Once they get the new counter done and installed, I will take pictures. They have done some amazing things already!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> No, we are in different parts of the state  wish we were though! Lol that would be super fun!


No kiddddddding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told Troy last night we needed to meet you and your husband in the middle somewhere and go shopping! We are only about 2.5 hours away!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> No, we are in different parts of the state  wish we were though! Lol that would be super fun!


I am about 15 minutes down the road from SarahFairs, though!


----------



## earthymomma

DanyellL said:


> No kiddddddding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told Troy last night we needed to meet you and your husband in the middle somewhere and go shopping! We are only about 2.5 hours away!



Yes!! Let's do that soon!! Maybe the next holiday weekend if Jason gets a longer one!!


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Stop! You make me want a booth more and more!


I'm telling you.....it hasn't been easy. And we have made mistakes along the way. But I finally feel we are getting into a groove. lol Go talk to Michelle at Vintage Revivals. She's amazing. She's the manager and the one you talk to about the booths.


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## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> I'm telling you.....it hasn't been easy. And we have made mistakes along the way. But I finally feel we are getting into a groove. lol Go talk to Michelle at Vintage Revivals. She's amazing. She's the manager and the one you talk to about the booths.


Im slooooowly talking my boyfriend into it.

The pros
I love it
I am my own boss
Its a little extra side money here and there
It allows me to make my own hours so if the kids are sick, off for a week (seriously, the schools are out one week almost every month), and the summers still open. Basically I still get the "stay at home mom" life style.


He agreed but is still scared of the $100/ month commitment and honestly I am too.
What if we go months without selling anything? :shocked:
Thats a little intimidating


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Im slooooowly talking my boyfriend into it.
> 
> The pros
> I love it
> I am my own boss
> Its a little extra side money here and there
> It allows me to make my own hours so if the kids are sick, off for a week (seriously, the schools are out one week almost every month), and the summers still open. Basically I still get the "stay at home mom" life style.
> 
> 
> He agreed but is still scared of the $100/ month commitment and honestly I am too.
> What if we go months without selling anything? :shocked:
> Thats a little intimidating


I will say what Clovis and the others have been saying this whole thread. You make as much as you put into it. Sure....there were months where we worked SUPER hard and barely (or didn't) make rent. But I can say now, with the ownership swap at our booth it has proven itself, I work the booth, I make money. Thankfully during the crap months at our booth we had side custom work going. And if you are into refinishing furniture that is always a route to go. And that is what helped us and was the reason why we just continued on with the booth. And I'm so glad I did. I don't think we had a normal situation with the last owners of our mall. And that's why it's sooooo important to do research. If we had done our research before starting the booth, then we would have seen all the red flags. But everything happens for a reason and we learned a great deal. 

Some people do split a booth space, and we tried that at first and it just didn't work. At this point I may be willing to try it again since we are moving to a bigger booth. But I'm just not sure how to work out the details to where it doesn't end badly like before. LOL


----------



## SeaGoat

I agree. I thought about splitting a booth, but with who? At the end of the day I don't want the strings or a possible bad taste.


Im going to try to further encourage the SO with your assurance that the mall is on the up and up


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I agree. I thought about splitting a booth, but with who? At the end of the day I don't want the strings or a possible bad taste.
> 
> 
> Im going to try to further encourage the SO with your assurance that the mall is on the up and up


Oh it's def on the up and up. I think their biggest pull to get in new customer's is Architectural Alley. That has brought people in swarms. lol 

I would be willing to talk with you about splitting a booth space if we could come to an agreement on how to work things out? That's just the part that I'm unsure of. Because my pieces are typically bigger so therefore I would possibly be using more space in the booth, know what I mean? So how would that get worked out?

Does anyone else on this thread have any insight on how to split booths evenly? Or terms to figure out?


----------



## SeaGoat

I don't know how that works because i don't even know what I'm selling yet, lol


I was wondering what the etiquette for bringing children to an auction was? 

my oldest son has baseball practice right across from the street at the same time as a location holds auctions.
I thought about going in beforehand and checking out to see what they've got, make my price list, dropping my son off at practice, then coming back for the auction just to see where I stand.
A trial run of sorts.

they wouldn't be attending the auction but they would be there while I was looking over the items. They are not too young, 7 & 9, but I didn't know if it was generally frowned upon in the auction world.

I know at livestock auctions children seem to be frequent.


----------



## MJsLady

I think it depends on the venue and the child.
There are some really well behaved 5 year olds that no one blinks at and some really gnarly 15 year olds that need a good spanking that folks frown over.

I would not see a problem with it myself if they are well behaved.


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## clovis

Sarah,

Bringing your kids is not a problem. I've never been to an auction that didn't allow kids. 

My little one used to beg to go to auctions with me because there generally would be other kids to play with! One of the first auctions I ever took her to was at an estate auction out in the country. That estate had a giant swing set and also a steep hill. The kids spent their time swinging, and having fun rolling down the hill. My DD thought all auctions were going to be fun like that one, and she used to repeatedly ask if we could go back to that auction, LOL. 

Take them with you. Let them have some fun and explore a bit, especially if the venue is right and the kids are fairly well behaved. Some of my best memories with my DD were spent at auctions.


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## DanyellL

My son (8) goes to auctions with me a lot, same with estate sales and such. My daughter goes too, but she's 13. So she just sits on her phone. LOL


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## clovis

Another aspect about bringing your kids is that you have the opportunity to teach them about a number of subjects.

For a while, my DD was buying a few items each week, and selling them in our booth for a profit. It is kind of amazing how well she did. Sometimes, you'll find, that generally speaking, lots of people won't bid against a kid, LOL.

I'd like to think that I've taught her a little about how easy it can be to make money, and I hope that I've given her a tiny step up in life learning about basic business. 

While I haven't charged her anything for booth rent or credit card surcharges when her items sell, I believe that those could be good learning lessons. I also believe that forcing a kid to fund their ventures with their own money (with no financing from parents at all) is a great idea. I think these things will help them learn basic business, help them understand how to make better decisions, and force them to learn to live within a budget.

FWIW, I know that some will want to report me to CPS for this: My DD once spent her last $13 at the auction, partly for stuff she want to keep, and the rest to sell. I had cautioned her about spending all of her money a number of times at the auction because it would leave her no pocket money for gum, etc. You should have seen the look on her face, a few days later, when she asked me to loan her $6 (against her future earnings) for some junk at W*lmart, and I reminded her of how she had already spent her money!


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## SeaGoat

I went to an estate sale this morning. 
I dont know who priced the stuff but it was HIGH. People were lined up outside and left within a few minutes because prices were above what you would see in a AM. 

It was a little discouraging. 
There is an auction I want to go to tomorrow but I actually feel a little discouraged after this morning. Im going to go, but I just really dont know what to expect. 
With prices like this morning I dont see how people price items the way they do and make a dollar. 

Then again, maybe Im expecting prices to be too low. 
I just dont see how you make booth rent, pay the mall 10%, hold sometimes 20%+ off sales, make your money back, plus some with the prices I saw this morning. 


The auction tomorrow is FOR antique furniture 
Heres a link 
http://www.estatesales.net/estate-sales/GA/Madison/30650/797163

Should I expect to pay market value for items like these?
Or do items really go at a "steal"
Or are auctions just sometimes hit or miss?


I think Im about to head to the thrift store to make myself feel better...


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## SeaGoat

Im reading blogs on auctions and I am shocked (well not really) that these things go on. 
This blog talks about how an auctioneer has 2 "hidden bidders" aka The Wall and The Chandelier.
Hell assign numbers to them to make them seem real, you know, in case they win the auction, and sometimes hell even have them bid against each other 

http://www.fiskeandfreeman.com/buyingantiquesatauction.aspx

Are there subtle hints you can tell when this is taking place?
I was sitting at a livestock auction once towards the back on elevated seating and sometimes I had no idea where a bid was coming from. He didnt seem dishonest and I didnt know if someone was giving a low signal...


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> With prices like this morning I dont see how people price items the way they do and make a dollar.
> 
> Then again, maybe Im expecting prices to be too low.
> I just dont see how you make booth rent, pay the mall 10%, hold sometimes 20%+ off sales, make your money back, plus some with the prices I saw this morning.


The simple truth is that no one does.

You've got to buy items that you can make money on. I routinely see people pay astronomical amounts for items that I couldn't even give away in my booths. 

At any sale, you never know what to expect. I routinely go to auctions and estate sales thinking that I am wasting my time because prices will be so high, and come home with two truck loads, and then some. Then, there will be an auction out in the sticks with nothing special to draw a crowd, and I 
attend, thinking I'm going to score big, and come home with almost nothing! 

Do *not* fall into the trap and mindset of "if someone is bidding on it, it must be worth that, so I am going to keep bidding." I see a lot of newcomers to this business fall into that trap, and they end up losing money and go out of business fairly quickly. I know that you are sharper than that, though.


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Im reading blogs on auctions and I am shocked (well not really) that these things go on.
> This blog talks about how an auctioneer has 2 "hidden bidders" aka The Wall and The Chandelier.
> Hell assign numbers to them to make them seem real, you know, in case they win the auction, and sometimes hell even have them bid against each other
> 
> http://www.fiskeandfreeman.com/buyingantiquesatauction.aspx
> 
> Are there subtle hints you can tell when this is taking place?
> I was sitting at a livestock auction once towards the back on elevated seating and sometimes I had no idea where a bid was coming from. He didnt seem dishonest and I didnt know if someone was giving a low signal...


Personally, I'd be a little cautious of this sale.

It is a consignment sale, from what I can tell. Can you still make money? Yes, sure you can. Be on your toes though and know what you are buying.

I do my best at real estate sales where the owner has passed or has gone into a nursing home, and the entire estate is sold on-site. I like the vast amount of stuff to pick from and it is easier to buy in quantity.

The one thing you have going for you with that auction is the volume. That will be a long sale, and buying tends to slow down as the sale progresses.

As for taking bids from the rafters or sky, as it is often called around here, you can't stop it. I tend to stay with a handful of auctioneers that I like and trust completely. We are blessed to have a few really AWESOME auctioneers around here. They are REALLY good and honest.


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## clovis

Sarah,

I tend to get overzealous with my posts here, so excuse me, if possible.

One thought that I have if you are new to the business that worked wonders for me:

Focus on cheap stuff that will work in your venue.

When I was starting out, I almost only bought $2 box lots with a few better items mixed in the batch, all found at auctions.

The nice thing is that you can fill a booth for about $60 if the boxes are decent, generally speaking. If you buy 10 boxes that turn out to be trash, you haven't lost but $20 and some time.

I know people that specialize in $1 and $2 box lots, and mark everything $1 each. The FM, since day #1, has always said those booths are always the first to make their rent. It is a ton of work, and giving a $20 item away for just $1 doesn't make a bit of sense to me. If it works for them, though, it is okay with me.

The downside to this is that you will have to handle a ton of stuff. It is work. It isn't what you always want to sell, but cheaply marked items do sell. 

We used to buy a bunch of kitchen box lots for $2 a box, and piece them out for $1 per item. It is unbelievable how quickly you can get to $125 out of 5 boxes! It is a ton of work, but it does sell fast.

One other advantage to working and flipping cheap stuff is that you learn quickly, and you will soon figure out what you like selling the best. I quickly gravitated to tools, garage junk, trains and guy stuff, and then grew from there.

98% of people think that box lots are beneath them, and that is cool too. I recently had someone ask (I get asked a lot) what my secret to success was in the AM/FM business and how to learn. I always suggest working box lots and cheaper items, which ALWAYS falls on deaf ears. Everyone wants to deal in high end antique items with virtually no work, even though they know NOTHING about those items, whatsoever. If a person can pull it off, I am thrilled for them, but if they know nothing at all about Mid-Century star burst clocks, I would recommend that they not jump in and pay $150 each for them, and expect to double their money and retire as a millionaire.

I'm not saying you have to go the box lot route, but stick with cheap stuff that you know that you can flip quickly...and box lots will add greatly to your bottom line. The better stuff will come to you naturally, and you'll find a niche in no time!!!


----------



## SeaGoat

Where do you buy these box lots at?

I think what I am searching for is the "bones" of a booth. 
A desk, bookcase, sideboard, etc

Literally I dont have a table to put stuff on. 

Once I have the bones I would like to add "around" that.
Once I get a desk Ill add a few lamps to it, classic novels, book ends, statues, and other sorts of objects. 
A sideboard would open up the avenue for serving wear, candle holders, and other decorative objects. 


Today I saw the neatest sugar cube tongs at the thrift store. They were bird talons. 
They really needed a cleaning and sometimes with silver plated the plating can chip off if it hasnt been properly cared for. It didnt have a price tag so I was hesitant. Ill probably go back and get them when I pass the store again. 
If they were a few dollars and they chip its no great loss, right?

At the end of the day I know that items like that are what is going to make up the booth rent. 
Quirky oddities people can pick up and buy on a whim.
Nothing huge and bulky..

And at the end of the day if those start sitting around I can always add smaller things like that to Ebay or Etsy.


I just need to figure out where items like that are in mass quantity. 
I went through about 6 thrift stores today and that was the only thing I found worth a second look (that went along with the guidelines of what the AM allows)


----------



## SeaGoat

And thank you for your advice on that auction. 
I think Im still going to go and watch, just in case, but I wont get myself too excited...
It is a lot of stuff so Im wondering if they are going to put hidden reserves on the pieces.

Maybe not though. 
This looks like a traveling auction company. 
I see the pros as this is a one time auction and theyll want to get the stuff sold, but the cons as they possibly could employ dishonest tactics to drive prices up because they dont rely on customer loyalty 

But there are just too many pretty things to not even go look


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## clovis

Box lots can be found at most auctions. 

There is one auction barn that holds an auction every Wednesday. They have 5 or 6 auction rings going all day long, and have an entire area devoted to box lots only. 

I recently bought a "skid" of boxes, even though there were only about 10 boxes on the skid for $7. The entire lot was Christmas items. IIRC, my wife said that we marked $168 out of that skid, and we've already sold most of it. We spent about 2 hours in total working those boxes, including our time hauling, marking, etc. Not a bad profit for the time spent, IMO. 

Truthfully, though, my favorite box lots can be at the on-site estate auctions, where the auction company has lined up 15 rows of smalls and box lots in the back yard. When I see that stuff, I see $$$, LOL


----------



## clovis

I need to add something about the box lots:

I am an avid ebayer too, so lots of my scores, found in box lots, have been sold on ebay. 

For instance, I know that find a weight gauge/shaker top for a pressure cooker can quickly sell for $8 to $15 on ebay. They are crazy easy to ship, and tend to sell fast when listed.

I think that finding this stuff and selling it on ebay has always helped my bottom line with buying box lots.

Also, I don't buy nearly as many box lots as I used to, but they are still fun and profitable.


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## SeaGoat

hmm maybe I will go back to that estate sale late tomorrow and see what they are offering...

They had A TON of silver serving.


----------



## thesedays

Be wary of cleaning an item before you try to sell it. Some items lose value when you do that; coins are the best example of this.

I won a skateboard a couple months ago, and put it in my book booth. I also ended up asking more for it than I had planned to, because one of the guys who works at the AM knew about skateboards and told me what I could get for it. Sure enough, someone bought it on Christmas Eve, and said they had been looking for something like this.

:nanner:

My Amazon account hasn't been as active as I thought it would be. But you never know what will sell, or when.


----------



## SeaGoat

So I did it..

I went to two auctions today. 
That big one I posted about and that smaller more local one. 

The big one, !
Dont get me wrong, the furniture was nice, but it was HIGH. I mean people were going HIGH on that stuff. There was no money to be made on it. None. ...unless I was willing to sit on it possibly years waiting on the right buyer. 

I did buy a few items there though..
2 large equestrian gallery prints (the lady behind me tapped me on the shoulder and told me I got a really good deal on them)
A marble top plant stand for $30. I thought maybe Id sell it for 50 but googling further and they are going anywhere from 150-300
And a carnival glass perfume atomizer. Ive been googling searching around for that one but I cant find anything similar. The glass is super thick. Its got some weight behind it. 
And I bought a sterling silver amethyst ring for myself. The jewelry was going really cheap. They actually quit auctioning it because it was on consignment and going for so little. Oh well, I got mine 


The other auction was a lot more affordable. 
It was more everyday things. People who buy storage units and just haul it in there. Lots going for cheap. A lot of the stuff I didnt need but I got a few good deals for myself. Definitely worth going to to find something at a steal.


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## DanyellL

Yay! I'm glad your first auctions were a success. We have been to quite a few auctions in the area. Here is what I have learned. 

A lot of individual people, not in the business go to auctions to buy furniture for themselves. That tends to push the pricers higher because they are bidding on their emotions. LOL They get attached to a piece and it drives the prices up. You can usually start to tell who is in it for the business. They are usually organized and keep a list of things they buy. I usually go to the showing of the auction first (usually 2-3 hours prior to the auction starting). I will make a list of things I like and if it's something I know nothing about, that is my time to do some research before the auction starts. I'll try to find any and all online info on price ranges and such, so I know how to bid. And then on my list of things I like I'll put my max bid and what I think I can sell for it. Sometimes I'll see pieces I know a few of my customers have been looking for, so I'll take pictures and send them out to customers seeing if it's something they are wanting me to do for custom. Usually custom pieces I pay a little more for, because I always tell them a price before I even buy it or finish it. So therefore I know exactly what kind of profit I can make instead of refinishing it and then having to lower my price for it to sell. Know what I mean?

Cherry Hill has a decent auction. It's usually a hit or miss. They have good booth filler stuff though as far as the box lots. We usually get box lots for $5. But those things NEVER sell well for us. I may pull them and attempt to sell on ebay or etsy.


----------



## DanyellL

Oh and we don't have much luck at estate sales. Some are put on by family so therefore they are pricing things higher, again, because of emotions. lol Some are put on by a company and therefore they just price things higher, because the more they sell the items for the more money they make on it. We usually hit up yard sales and some salvage/thrift stores. That is where we have found our best pieces. We went to a yard sale this weekend where the lady's husband use to refinish furniture and he passed away last year, so they were selling off all his project pieces. We bought 4 HUGE mirrors, an old sewing maching (we use the bases and make them into barnwood tables), and a ton of vases/glassware for $65.


----------



## SeaGoat

Yeah, Im guessing yard sales is where the goods are going to be. 
This time a year they are few and far between though lol
My timing is great.... :thumb:


The auction I went to Saturday night only had maybe 20 or so people (vs the 300+ I was bidding against at the antique auction) and they all just seemed to be hobby bidders. One lady chatting away in the office said the come every Saturday with their kids.
The auctioneer said they were holding and estate auction this coming Saturday. Im going to go in hopes theyll have a lot of smaller things and some furniture that people wont be interested in or know much value of.
The guys that were bringing in stuff buy lockers and unload right there on tables. They dont know the value of anything and are willing to let things go for pennies on the dollar because they just need it to move. 
It was HARD not to bid on things. I had to sit on my hands telling myself, 'No, we are here with purpose, there will be other auctions' lol


----------



## Roadking

When pricing your items at the antique mall, what is your value source?
For cars you have Kelley Blue Book and NADA.
Coins you have the Red and the Black book.
Old toys, h.o. trains and comic books (from parents and grandparents)...? Can you point me in a direction? Not trying to get rich, but wanting a fair shake.
Started cleaning out the attic and decided if we got rid of the accumulated "stuff", we would have a ton more room (not that we really need it, but maybe a rec room for the kiddos).

Thanks for input.

Matt


----------



## SeaGoat

Roadking said:


> When pricing your items at the antique mall, what is your value source?
> For cars you have Kelley Blue Book and NADA.
> Coins you have the Red and the Black book.
> Old toys, h.o. trains and comic books (from parents and grandparents)...? Can you point me in a direction? Not trying to get rich, but wanting a fair shake.
> Started cleaning out the attic and decided if we got rid of the accumulated "stuff", we would have a ton more room (not that we really need it, but maybe a rec room for the kiddos).
> 
> Thanks for input.
> 
> Matt


My (limited) knowledge comes from actually paying attention and memorizing the prices of pieces at actual mall over the years. 
When I dont know much about a certain piece I google google google to research the item. Look at collectors blogs, websites, etc
I also look them up on Ebay under "sold items" and ones that are currently listed to give an idea of what people are asking vs what they are actually going for. 
You could also look up on Etsy.


----------



## Roadking

Okay, I used to use ebay as a benchmark years ago until it became, to me, irrelevant... more like an online walmart sometimes. Have they come back to what they used to be... real auctions and not just "buy it now" at the same price as amazon?
I've been away from ebay for a while...gotta check it out again.
Thanks.

Matt


----------



## thesedays

SarahFair said:


> I agree. I thought about splitting a booth, but with who? At the end of the day I don't want the strings or a possible bad taste.
> 
> 
> Im going to try to further encourage the SO with your assurance that the mall is on the up and up


I wouldn't recommend sharing a booth unless you mark the tags in such a way that you definitely know whose stuff belongs to who, and rent the booth at a store that gives the tags back (some don't). For instance, you could use the same vendor number but different colored tags, that kind of thing.


----------



## clovis

Roadking said:


> When pricing your items at the antique mall, what is your value source?
> For cars you have Kelley Blue Book and NADA.
> Coins you have the Red and the Black book.
> Old toys, h.o. trains and comic books (from parents and grandparents)...? Can you point me in a direction? Not trying to get rich, but wanting a fair shake.
> Started cleaning out the attic and decided if we got rid of the accumulated "stuff", we would have a ton more room (not that we really need it, but maybe a rec room for the kiddos).
> 
> Thanks for input.
> 
> Matt


Pricing is the hardest thing that we do, bar none.

Many times, we use ebay as a guide, but only as a guide. I think that is important to remember.

As with ebay, you have to remove the anomalies. We don't pay a whole lot of attention to the items that sold for $350 when the market seems to be about $100. We also don't waste time looking at the items that sold for $26 when the market seems to be about $100, either. There will always be college boys who are trying to strike it rich by using 99 cent start auctions.

I also try to look at the completed sales going back as far as possible. A swimming pool isn't going to sell in January, and a sled isn't going to bring much in July.

Going back as far as possible, I try to remove the other anomalies too, like people dumping, lags in ebay sales, people who charge crazy high shipping prices, condition issues, poor market timing, etc.

It is important to remember that ebay is like a stock market chart: there will be peaks and valleys. In October, there was a book that I wanted. Nice copies were selling for $8 with free shipping. Today, that same book is selling for about $25 to $30.

Experience is also a good tool to use. 

I have some solid experience with HO trains, Matt, especially the lower end stuff. 

What do you have????


----------



## Roadking

Getting the stuff together presently...mostly Bachmann and Lionel, boxes of track, a few turntables, transformers, an old 4'x4' blow molded platform, boxes of old Parts Pups and MAD magazines, Auburn rubber vehicles, etc. Neat old stuff, but no need for it.
Thanks for the input. I'll do some digging.

Matt


----------



## earthymomma

Roadking said:


> When pricing your items at the antique mall, what is your value source?
> For cars you have Kelley Blue Book and NADA.
> Coins you have the Red and the Black book.
> Old toys, h.o. trains and comic books (from parents and grandparents)...? Can you point me in a direction? Not trying to get rich, but wanting a fair shake.
> Started cleaning out the attic and decided if we got rid of the accumulated "stuff", we would have a ton more room (not that we really need it, but maybe a rec room for the kiddos).
> 
> Thanks for input.
> 
> Matt



I use a little bit of everything when I comes to pricing. A lot of times I will use an average of eBay and etsy, especially for some of my more unique upcycled pieces. Anytime I have the time when dropping things off in my booth I will take a lap around the mall and pay attention to others pricing as well. I also think you'll find your niche in pricing, we have a few vendors that price high, but they sell quite a bit, it's as if people assume they are getting better quality just because they are paying more! I tend to price things on the lower end, with that being said I can do that because my husband and I are really really good at finding amazing deals, so even at me semi underpricing we are always making 4X plus what we invested in the first place.


----------



## earthymomma

How was everyone's weekend? We were super busy with our littlest DS very first birthday and SuperBowl lol. 

I did make it into the booth yesterday though and we had a decent weekend. The owners have done a great job of promoting on facebook as of the last month and I've seen a significant difference in sales, we sold a ton of smalls this past weekend and we haven't don't that in forever it feels.


----------



## DanyellL

thesedays said:


> I wouldn't recommend sharing a booth unless you mark the tags in such a way that you definitely know whose stuff belongs to who, and rent the booth at a store that gives the tags back (some don't). For instance, you could use the same vendor number but different colored tags, that kind of thing.


I use items numbers. And when I shared a booth before our item numbers were different. Say my partner starts at 100 and I start at 200. So her tag would read item # 100-S and mine would be 200-D. Very simple


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> How was everyone's weekend? We were super busy with our littlest DS very first birthday and SuperBowl lol.
> 
> I did make it into the booth yesterday though and we had a decent weekend. The owners have done a great job of promoting on facebook as of the last month and I've seen a significant difference in sales, we sold a ton of smalls this past weekend and we haven't don't that in forever it feels.


YAY!

We haven't sold many smalls. I think I'm going to start phasing them out.


----------



## clovis

Roadking said:


> Getting the stuff together presently...mostly Bachmann and Lionel, boxes of track, a few turntables, transformers, an old 4'x4' blow molded platform, boxes of old Parts Pups and MAD magazines, Auburn rubber vehicles, etc. Neat old stuff, but no need for it.
> Thanks for the input. I'll do some digging.
> 
> Matt


Want my 2 cents on the HO trains/brands you have???


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> YAY!
> 
> We haven't sold many smalls. I think I'm going to start phasing them out.


When yall say "smalls" what are yall referring to?


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> When yall say "smalls" what are yall referring to?


To me, 'smalls' are small items that you have for sale. Lanterns, jewelry, pots, pans, toy trains, cloth goods, fabric.

To me, are defined by the physical size, not the price tag.


----------



## Roadking

clovis said:


> Want my 2 cents on the HO trains/brands you have???


Gladly. I'll get some pics probably this afternoon.

Matt


----------



## earthymomma

clovis said:


> To me, 'smalls' are small items that you have for sale. Lanterns, jewelry, pots, pans, toy trains, cloth goods, fabric.
> 
> 
> 
> To me, are defined by the physical size, not the price tag.



Yup for me smalls are anything that's not a furniture item


----------



## SeaGoat

Really?
I thought that is what would mainly be sold. 
Little things people can pick up and carry impulsively. 

I mean sure, you get people who come in there with a purpose for a desk or dresser or table, but just your everyday browsers, what are they buying? 


How does framed art sell for yall in the AM or Ebay?


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Really?
> I thought that is what would mainly be sold.
> Little things people can pick up and carry impulsively.
> 
> I mean sure, you get people who come in there with a purpose for a desk or dresser or table, but just your everyday browsers, what are they buying?
> 
> 
> How does framed art sell for yall in the AM or Ebay?


I do *not* ever ship framed art work. 

It can be packed and shipped, but it is a ton of work and effort. It isn't worth it to me unless the profit would greatly outweigh the risk and effort of packing.

We've sold a ton of framed stuff in the FM. It can often be bought cheap at auctions, and flipped fast. It is common to buy framed stuff at auctions for $2 each, and flip them for $15 to $20, on average.

I feel like the stuff that we deal is generally is sold to two types:

1.) Those wanting to repurpose the the frame, either for reframing or a craft
2.) Those wanting something to hang on the wall of their new house or apartment

I'm not dealing in high end stuff, even though it probably cost a fortune to have matted and framed originally. Lots of the stuff that we sell is JC Penny Home Store type art.


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Really?
> I thought that is what would mainly be sold.
> Little things people can pick up and carry impulsively.
> 
> I mean sure, you get people who come in there with a purpose for a desk or dresser or table, but just your everyday browsers, what are they buying?


Most shoppers, no matter what selling venue, will tend to buy smalls. The theory of most people have at least $20 to spend, but not everyone has $200 for a table.

IMO, most shoppers at an AM or IFM are there killing time, looking for the bargain of the day.

I'd say that far less than 10% of all shoppers are looking for furniture.


----------



## Roadking

I fell behind schedule today...hopefully after karate...maybe around 9.

Matt


----------



## thesedays

If you're at a store that specializes in "bigs", that's what you'll want to put in there, because people will go there looking for large items.

For me, "smalls" are the best sellers too. Yes, I have some higher-priced books, etc. but the cheaper items sell in the largest numbers.

I may have an opportunity to get a large amount of thread and other sewing accessories, which I could package in Baggies and sell a few at a time. Has anyone else had any luck with this?


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> When yall say "smalls" what are yall referring to?


Like vases, Figurines, vintage serving ware. Stuff like that. We are moving to a bigger booth in a few weeks so I'm going to start marking all of those things down.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Really?
> I thought that is what would mainly be sold.
> Little things people can pick up and carry impulsively.
> 
> I mean sure, you get people who come in there with a purpose for a desk or dresser or table, but just your everyday browsers, what are they buying?
> 
> 
> How does framed art sell for yall in the AM or Ebay?


Our furniture sells the best. But there are a bunch of other people in our mall that do painted furniture (decent work, of course since I do it I can notice the attention to detail they lack LOL) but it is SO PRICEY. So I personally think our quality is way better not to mention our prices. So I think that is why we have such good turn around for that. 

We do well on home decor things, such as lamps, mirrors, crosses, stuff like that. 

I just put a few cute vases in our booth, so we will see how they do. But usually....they just sit. I have 3 really pretty milk glass pieces priced for under $5 each and they have been in our booth for over 2 months.


----------



## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Most shoppers, no matter what selling venue, will tend to buy smalls. The theory of most people have at least $20 to spend, but not everyone has $200 for a table.
> 
> IMO, most shoppers at an AM or IFM are there killing time, looking for the bargain of the day.
> 
> I'd say that far less than 10% of all shoppers are looking for furniture.


I think the percentage of shoppers looking for furniture in our mall is much higher. lol It could be a regional thing. Not sure. LOL But furniture is huge in our area.


----------



## Roadking

Most of the cars are still boxed, by Mantua. The ones that were in use are Life Line and Tyco. Engines are all Bachman (1 still in box). 
Boxes of track, the transformers are Tyco, and the turntable is Life Line (or Like...printing is so small).
All H.O. Guage.
The engine in the box closed on ebay at 14 the other day...same as the one I have.

Thanks.

Matt


----------



## clovis

Matt,

We sell standard HO rolling stock:

Normal cars, with original boxes, 5.25 each
Advertising cars, like Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, etc., $7 to $10, generally speaking.
Diesel engines, with original boxes, $25, or so
Steam engines with tenders, with original boxes, $25 to $50
Passenger cars, $8 to $12, but a lot of the same road name would bring more on ebay
Loose rolling stock (without boxes)...I have had a time with these. I try not to buy anything not in a box. I am getting ready to try to dump loose cars for $3 each, just to rid my life of them

Uncommon road names can bring more money.

Of course, I am just one guy in one little ol' small town FM in the middle of Indiana. We've been very blessed to have a few very good train buyers at one marketplace. HO tends to be all over the board in price. I see it at train shows being almost given away for $2, and the next table over, the guy is asking $10 for the exact same car with no box! It all depends on who is selling, and what their motivation is...

Not that long ago, I ran into a guy at a show who was buying HO, and was pleased as punch at his finds at $9 each. I had some identical cars to the ones he bought on my FM shelf 40 miles away for $5 each. 

Two weeks ago, I watched a cheap HO set sell at auction for $90. On a good day, I couldn't have gotten $25 for the set! I also saw some guys pay astronomical prices for postwar Lionel. I so wanted to tap them on their shoulder and ask: "Have you ever heard of a thing called 'ebay'?"

I know nothing about your area. Craigslist could be a good place to list them as a lot. I would not be afraid of asking decent money for them at a yard sale.


----------



## Roadking

Thanks clovis. Plan on craigslist, as my ebay account had been inactive for so long it is gone. I re-upped, but starting at 0 feedback when I had about 5000 (and 99.9 positive... one guy from canada didn't think "lower 48 states only" applied to him), has me cautious and doubtful.
Just put up a bunch of my neon signs on CL, and a few boxes of 1960s comics from the attic...I need the space. Well, not really need..just want..LOL!

Matt


----------



## SeaGoat

Do yall find ebay ever underestimates shipping?

I have a glass perfume atomizer and they underestimated shipping by $2
How can I prevent this in the future?


----------



## MJsLady

SarahFair said:


> Do yall find ebay ever underestimates shipping?
> 
> I have a glass perfume atomizer and they underestimated shipping by $2
> How can I prevent this in the future?


All the time.
A 25 lb box of books can not be shipped for $3.85...


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Do yall find ebay ever underestimates shipping?
> 
> I have a glass perfume atomizer and they underestimated shipping by $2
> How can I prevent this in the future?


In our experience, ebay shipping tends to be right on the money.

We always try to weigh items to the exact ounce, with a box and packing materials.


----------



## SeaGoat

Last night i purchased a pin doll at auction
Hand painted from Germany about 1920-1930s

Shes a little dirty. 
Rubbing alcohol is the best cleaner?


----------



## shannsmom

Wow! Ya'll have been busy lately lol! Things have picked up here at the store, but it is almost all laptops and movies. Amazon has picked up lately, mainly because we recently have been adding a lot of items due to one of our suppliers calling us to pick up a lot. Everyone's right when they say you get what you put into it! 

We had been slacking on buying more things, winter doldrums I guess, but the last 2 weeks we have been searching around a bit more and getting back to enjoying it. Yesterday we went back to the flea market, so many of our friends said it was still dead, but there were a lot of new people there with yard sale style tables and they were charging so much for their items! I think it is due to the flea market finally doing some advertising, and people thinking they can get a table and make a fortune! We found just a few things to flip online there, but we have mostly been having luck at yard sales. 

It has been interesting today to read all of your tips and experiences lately!


----------



## earthymomma

We are getting to move booths in our mall! Sooo excited right now we are in the interior maze of aisles and we will be moving to an outer main perimeter booth on the 1st! It's right by the restrooms also so really hoping that will increase our foot traffic and subsequently sales! 

This is double exciting for us because as of last night, DH and I decided this is where we'd like to be when h retires (he's active duty military)... So our homesteading dreams could literally start years sooner than we imagined!!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> We are getting to move booths in our mall! Sooo excited right now we are in the interior maze of aisles and we will be moving to an outer main perimeter booth on the 1st! It's right by the restrooms also so really hoping that will increase our foot traffic and subsequently sales!
> 
> This is double exciting for us because as of last night, DH and I decided this is where we'd like to be when h retires (he's active duty military)... So our homesteading dreams could literally start years sooner than we imagined!!


YAY! That is so awesome! Happy for you, doll!

I can't wait to see your new booth! Is it any bigger? I went by ours yesterday to see if they had started our build out in our new booth. They started demo. And I think we are going to paint this weekend before they put up the wood on the bottom half.  Exciting for both of us!


----------



## earthymomma

Danyell,

It's a little bit more shallow than my current booth, but it doesn't have a massive pole in it lol... Plus I will be getting about 10 feet of adjacent wall space that could also have furniture set up against! So if I include that it is bigger! The owners are going to keep our current rent also which is so amazing!


----------



## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> Danyell,
> 
> It's a little bit more shallow than my current booth, but it doesn't have a massive pole in it lol... Plus I will be getting about 10 feet of adjacent wall space that could also have furniture set up against! So if I include that it is bigger! The owners are going to keep our current rent also which is so amazing!


That is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see it!


----------



## SeaGoat

Im jealous of yalls booths. 
Seriously. 

I have been searching for some furniture for awhile now. 
Nothing has popped up I can make money on. 

:yawn:
So I wait. 


I went to another auction this past saturday.
I was bidding against another person for some vintage convex silhouette pictures. A group of 4. 
Not really knowing anything about them I backed out but Im kicking myself now. Seeing what they went for and what they go for..


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Im jealous of yalls booths.
> Seriously.
> 
> I have been searching for some furniture for awhile now.
> Nothing has popped up I can make money on.
> 
> :yawn:
> So I wait.
> 
> 
> I went to another auction this past saturday.
> I was bidding against another person for some vintage convex silhouette pictures. A group of 4.
> Not really knowing anything about them I backed out but Im kicking myself now. Seeing what they went for and what they go for..


Cherry Hill had an auction on Saturday. We bought a good bit of things on Saturday from various people. So we ended up not going to the auction. We scored a sofa table, big mirror, wardrobe, china cabinet and a desk for around $180.


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Cherry Hill had an auction on Saturday. We bought a good bit of things on Saturday from various people. So we ended up not going to the auction. We scored a sofa table, big mirror, wardrobe, china cabinet and a desk for around $180.


What?!?
This is what I need in my life! :thumb:


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> I was bidding against another person for some vintage convex silhouette pictures. A group of 4.
> Not really knowing anything about them I backed out but Im kicking myself now. Seeing what they went for and what they go for..


It is really hard not to kick yourself. It really is.

I am still kicking myself over stuff I missed 25 years ago. 

I will never forget a prewar Lionel train that I _totally_ missed out on about 25 years ago. It was marked 'Lionel' on the bottom of the engine, but I had never seen one before. This set happened to be a fairly rare prewar set that hadn't sold well during the depression years because of it's retail price. 

In fact, in 2002, the leading toy train publishers featured a picture of that set on the front page of their new price guide. For years, I was so sick about missing out on that set that I could hardly bear to look at the cover. I still, even today, use that very guide as my desk reference, and there hasn't been a single time that I haven't looked at that cover, and not thought about that auction, and how dumb I was. 

That set, I believe, could have been bought for $25 at the time, and I was too dumb to know what it was. I also have to admit, at that time, I didn't really have $25-$30 to lose on yet another train mistake. It sounds like nothing today, but I had just bought my first house. (Gas was $1 a gallon or less back then, and I could have filled up my car twice for $30.) When I looked at that set, as they plopped it on top of the table, I thought it was a Marx set that someone had fitted a cheap Lionel motor into, just to make it run. 

I'd guess it was worth maybe a $1,000, possibly more, especially when the market was overheated 10 years ago. Just last month, one sold at an auction that I attended, and it sold for $425, and it had condition issues! FWIW, the set that sold last month was the second of these that I had ever seen in person! 

Try not to be sick and beat yourself up. Spend your time *studying everything that you can about those items.* What do the buyers want? Why do buyers want this item? How important is condition to the buyer? What problems, if any, do these items inherrently have, that you should keep an eye out for? (ie: Some antique IH tractors can develop engine knock. Can you identify a knock in one of those engines if that is what you are buying and flipping?)

Research and experience are your best assets! And finally, be assured, you won't miss that item ever again!!!


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> What?!?
> This is what I need in my life! :thumb:


LOL! We get a lot off craigslist!

And don't feel bad. The wardrobe my husband bought is a complete bust. He's not the best at buying. LOL Well it's really a hit or miss. Sometimes he does great....but this wardrobe...PIECE OF JUNK. I told him I didn't even want to waste paint on it. LOL I think we are just going to try and sell it as is for what we paid for it. But man....he was so excited when he brought it home. LOL You win some you lose some. It's a learning process. lol


----------



## earthymomma

Clovis we have been there too! DH and I were just talking about this the other day actually! Luckily we have only spent a few dollars on things we didn't know much about, we have still made a profit on those items but could've made so much more! Lol learning process for sure!

Danyell, we have had pieces like that too!! We can get furniture here for pretty dirt cheap if we hold out and really dig for it! Lol the downside to that is that even refinished we don't get near what people do in other markets.... For $80 a few weekends back we got a maple chest of drawers, night stand, vanity bench, a giant galvanized tin tub and two tin buckets. BTW Clovis, I've taken your galvanized tin advice to heart and buy it when I see it! It always sells!  thank you again!


----------



## clovis

Glad to hear that you are flipping old galvanized, earthy!

It seems to have slowed down around here a little, even though we've sold two galvanized items in the past month.


----------



## shannsmom

Hey, we all make mistakes in buying. I try to look at them as "learning experiences". We have made some real goofs, but then just try to get our money back out of it, which is usually possible. Then it is a free learning experience lol!


----------



## DanyellL

shannsmom said:


> Hey, we all make mistakes in buying. I try to look at them as "learning experiences". We have made some real goofs, but then just try to get our money back out of it, which is usually possible. Then it is a free learning experience lol!


LOL yep. My husband thinks he can "rescue" every piece though. lol


----------



## Roadking

Hey Clovis... was getting ready to list the train stuff when both my boys reminded me that there is a merit badge for Railroading... lost out on a sale, but save having to re-buy.

Matt


----------



## SeaGoat

How well do yall find equestrian items sell?
Anything from horse figurines, art, decor, etc?


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> How well do yall find equestrian items sell?
> Anything from horse figurines, art, decor, etc?


I personally have no experience with that. Sorry. I would assume in Monroe they would sell quite well.


----------



## earthymomma

Does anyone know anything about wedgewood China? I just got back from a goodwill trip and I picked up 6 salad sized plates that look like a head of lettuce. Thought they were fun and was going to add them to my dishes at home and then noticed the marking on the bottom... Paid $2. For the set


----------



## MJsLady

Is this it?


----------



## earthymomma

MJsLady said:


> Is this it?



Super close! The ones I found are an offwhite, with an indented marking on the bottom, I think I found an eBay listing for $17 for one plate. I have a set of 6 lol, needless to say I think I got an awesome goodwill score!


----------



## thesedays

One of the booths at the mall nearest my house is occupied by a CPA, and she did my taxes last week. She told me that it was really obvious to her that I love what I do :thumb: and also couldn't get over how I kept such meticulous records for a small as my business is. I replied that my years in health care taught me "If it wasn't documented, it didn't happen."

As for hobbies, she mentioned that a lot of very wealthy people "invest" in horse shows and auto racing because they are extremely expensive hobbies that can pay off big time, but are a good tax shelter if they don't. :ashamed:


----------



## SeaGoat

Does anyone have a good article on deciphering types of metals? 

I walked away from an estate sale worth 2 pairs of giraffe figurines. 

1 pair is pewter

The other is a more silvery golden and has a bit of weight. I know they are not brass. Much too light.


----------



## thesedays

A jeweler can determine what kind of metal or stone something's made from.


----------



## clovis

We are enjoyed continued good sales through the month of February, despite the bad weather we've had this month. I look for this week to be bad as well, with temps dropping into the teens for a good part of the week.

As I've mentioned before, February is traditionally one of our hardest months of the year. It is a short month, and those few days make a difference. I know an outsider would say that there are still 365 days in the year...but we still have overhead and rent to pay for the short month. 

I feel like we that our stock is low, and for a variety of reasons, I've not been out buying. The upcoming cold snap is going to be hard this week; I had planned on hitting a few auctions.

Nonetheless, I am feeling very blessed. I firmly believe that low gas prices are giving people some extra money to spend, and I am thankful that many are choosing to spend it with us!


----------



## SeaGoat

clovis said:


> We are enjoyed continued good sales through the month of February, despite the bad weather we've had this month. I look for this week to be bad as well, with temps dropping into the teens for a good part of the week.
> 
> As I've mentioned before, February is traditionally one of our hardest months of the year. It is a short month, and those few days make a difference. I know an outsider would say that there are still 365 days in the year...but we still have overhead and rent to pay for the short month.
> 
> I feel like we that our stock is low, and for a variety of reasons, I've not been out buying. The upcoming cold snap is going to be hard this week; I had planned on hitting a few auctions.
> 
> Nonetheless, I am feeling very blessed. I firmly believe that low gas prices are giving people some extra money to spend, and I am thankful that many are choosing to spend it with us!


I have wondered if other people were having a hard time buying in the winter. 

I went to an estate sale this friday. It was COLD but there were still a TON of people. 
3 out buildings that looked like American Pickers.. Having to climb over BAGS and BAGS of things to find stuff.
The rat poison laid out across the buildings was a nice touch :hand:
I kept waiting to pull a bag to the side and find a big dead one :runforhills:
lol

I didnt get much there. I dont want to say people were rude, but they were definitely pushy, especially the older men. 
They only marked prices on items in the house. I didnt really feel like hauling my finds into the house and having them priced out at the register only to find out they were asking way too much. 
I dont know, maybe that is what I _should_ expect at larger estate sales?

There was definitely stuff to be had but my hands got cold, fast. 
After and hour I was done.

Garage sales are few and far between right now. 
Im hoping spring cleaning will inspire people get rid of their "junk" :happy2:


----------



## earthymomma

SarahFair said:


> I have wondered if other people were having a hard time buying in the winter.
> 
> 
> 
> I went to an estate sale this friday. It was COLD but there were still a TON of people.
> 
> 3 out buildings that looked like American Pickers.. Having to climb over BAGS and BAGS of things to find stuff.
> 
> The rat poison laid out across the buildings was a nice touch :hand:
> 
> I kept waiting to pull a bag to the side and find a big dead one :runforhills:
> 
> lol
> 
> 
> 
> I didnt get much there. I dont want to say people were rude, but they were definitely pushy, especially the older men.
> 
> They only marked prices on items in the house. I didnt really feel like hauling my finds into the house and having them priced out at the register only to find out they were asking way too much.
> 
> I dont know, maybe that is what I _should_ expect at larger estate sales?
> 
> 
> 
> There was definitely stuff to be had but my hands got cold, fast.
> 
> After and hour I was done.
> 
> 
> 
> Garage sales are few and far between right now.
> 
> Im hoping spring cleaning will inspire people get rid of their "junk" :happy2:



We got a huge haul from a local salvage yard, what I've learned to do is just make a pile of stuff I want and then ask what they will take for the pile and barter from there. It is always wayyyy cheaper than asking for prices item by item


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> I have wondered if other people were having a hard time buying in the winter.
> 
> I went to an estate sale this friday. It was COLD but there were still a TON of people.
> 3 out buildings that looked like American Pickers.. Having to climb over BAGS and BAGS of things to find stuff.
> The rat poison laid out across the buildings was a nice touch :hand:
> I kept waiting to pull a bag to the side and find a big dead one :runforhills:
> lol
> 
> I didnt get much there. I dont want to say people were rude, but they were definitely pushy, especially the older men.
> They only marked prices on items in the house. I didnt really feel like hauling my finds into the house and having them priced out at the register only to find out they were asking way too much.
> I dont know, maybe that is what I _should_ expect at larger estate sales?
> 
> There was definitely stuff to be had but my hands got cold, fast.
> After and hour I was done.
> 
> Garage sales are few and far between right now.
> Im hoping spring cleaning will inspire people get rid of their "junk" :happy2:


Yes, the winter does put a damper on our buying. I have virtually no place to store stuff, so it hits us even harder.

We don't love in a really cold state, like MN, WI, MI or ME, but 37 degree days with 2 inches of rain, or 4-6 inches of snow, or if the highs of the week are going to be 12 degree days, it will really hurt our buying.

I try to make a concentrated effort to buy as much as I can in the late fall, and over the years, we've been blessed to have had some great buying opportunities in October and November. These help carry us through the winter months. 

Then, getting the stuff cleaned, marked and hauled to the market is something else we have to overcome. The iced over parking lots at the malls are the worst to deal with, IMO.

Yes, buying at estate tag sales is hard. You work your tail off to dig out a gem worth $40, and they want $200. BTDT many times. Or, you spy something, walk to the front and ask them to price an item, and then see someone carrying the item to pay for it. Tag sales are so frustrating at times, and I have to really work at having a positive mindset sometimes. I strongly prefer auctions over tag sales.

Keep at it though. You are going through a big learning curve, and it takes time to learn which sales are best for you, and what to expect at each sale.


----------



## clovis

I wanted to share a story with you all. If anyone will understand, it will be some of you:

Last week, the temperatures were bitter cold, and the parking lot of the AM was covered in 2 inches of ice. 

There was a husband and wife moving more stuff into their booth. I had chit chatted with them while holding the door open for them. At one point, I offered to help them move a table from their truck to the door. The wife quickly said, "No, we've got it," and ran out the door, without the husband. Of course, I was fine with that. I don't like killing myself helping someone else move a table, especially on a solid sheet of ice.

The husband finally caught up to the wife, as she aggressively yanked it from the back of their truck. Even from a distance, you could see that they were having words, and at one point, he turned around and pointed at me. I could tell that he was telling her that he should take me up on the offer, even though I was at least 100 feet away at that point.

Well, the wife yanked on the table again, struggled with it, and then dropped her end on the ground. There was a moment of delayed reaction before I heard the loud 'crack' sound echo off of the building. 

The table broke in half. Not a little bit in half, but completely in half. 

I felt sick for them...but at the same time, I realized that this kind of stuff doesn't happen only to me...it happens to other people too! 

Anyone else ever break something???


----------



## SeaGoat

I chipped a piece of carnival glass yesterday :smack

Not as valuable as a table but still, put something that's made it all this time into my fumble fingers.....

I wonder why she didn't want your help. That will be one she'll probably never live down


----------



## clovis

Sorry to hear that, Sarah!!!

I can't recall breaking anything really valuable.

One smaller item that comes to mind is a bottle of Marilyn Monroe wine. I had a sealed vintage bottle, worth about $30. The collectors of this are looking for perfect labels. My wife packed it to go to the AM, and it rolled around in the back of the car, and the label got knicked up fairly bad. Probably worth about $5 after that.

I should have marked it down to $5 or $8, but stupidly left it at $25, and someone stole it!


----------



## SeaGoat

clovis said:


> Sorry to hear that, Sarah!!!
> 
> I can't recall breaking anything really valuable.
> 
> One smaller item that comes to mind is a bottle of Marilyn Monroe wine. I had a sealed vintage bottle, worth about $30. The collectors of this are looking for perfect labels. My wife packed it to go to the AM, and it rolled around in the back of the car, and the label got knicked up fairly bad. Probably worth about $5 after that.
> 
> I should have marked it down to $5 or $8, but stupidly left it at $25, and someone stole it!


Stole it?!

I was wondering this morning what some malls do about damaged/stolen goods.


----------



## SeaGoat

So Ive started down the avenue of books. 
Im not buying boxes of books but thrift store hard backs. 

I have found classics in great condition like, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Three Musketeers, The Call of the Wild, Alfred Hitchcock's Ghostly Gallery, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

Horse books. 
Ones a novel the other is a 'Complete Guide to the Horse' which displays all the breeds and a how to for caring (I had this book as a child and loved looking through it)

Then I bought a Astrology book by one of the most famous astrologers. 

all $0.25 each. 

I figure if I display these in specialty groupings 'Classics', 'Childrens', 'Specialty' (equine, astrology)

I figure I can get $3.00 each. 
Is that expecting too much?


----------



## SeaGoat

Oh, and those brown two toned crock stoneware sets..

I saw some in the thrift store a couple days ago while walking out.
I dont know much about them or if thats what they are called. If there is invaluable junk vs valuable sets..

Do these seem to sell well for anyone?


----------



## MJsLady

IIRC MONMOUTH or something close to that is what you want.
They are always marked. 
I used to have a set and loved them. The box they were in broke and every single piece shattered in a driveway when they were being transported!


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> So Ive started down the avenue of books.
> Im not buying boxes of books but thrift store hard backs.
> 
> I have found classics in great condition like, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Three Musketeers, The Call of the Wild, Alfred Hitchcock's Ghostly Gallery, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
> 
> Horse books.
> Ones a novel the other is a 'Complete Guide to the Horse' which displays all the breeds and a how to for caring (I had this book as a child and loved looking through it)
> 
> Then I bought a Astrology book by one of the most famous astrologers.
> 
> all $0.25 each.
> 
> I figure if I display these in specialty groupings 'Classics', 'Childrens', 'Specialty' (equine, astrology)
> 
> I figure I can get $3.00 each.
> Is that expecting too much?


That price is right in line. 

We used to sell tons of books, and were often blessed to have huge margins on some books. Sadly, books have slowed down significantly.


----------



## DanyellL

clovis said:


> That price is right in line.
> 
> We used to sell tons of books, and were often blessed to have huge margins on some books. Sadly, books have slowed down significantly.


I will say it depends on the prices. In our mall we have booths full of just books, that no one touches, famous titles as well. But now people use books to decorate. I've put a few raggedy books in our booth for $5 each and they moved within a day. But they were more for dÃ©cor than anything else. 


And I haven't necessarily broken anything. But I have scratched up plenty of mirrors


----------



## DanyellL

And I think we are moving to our new booth this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As long as they finish our trim up  We painted it on Wednesday! I'm so excited!


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> I will say it depends on the prices. In our mall we have booths full of just books, that no one touches, famous titles as well. But now people use books to decorate. I've put a few raggedy books in our booth for $5 each and they moved within a day. But they were more for dÃ©cor than anything else.
> 
> 
> And I haven't necessarily broken anything. But I have scratched up plenty of mirrors


Encouraging!

I know the book booths you are talking about. 
They are just STUFFED. Its overwhelming and unless you have 3 hours to kill searching through them it looks intimidating.
A few books here and there I think would move much quicker. 

I was at an auction where a lady was buying HUGE boxes of books. I could tell her husband was getting annoyed lol..
I heard her say, "Its only $4! Look at all the books!" 
My thoughts went right to those overwhelming book booths, plus, unless you have a storage unite, that is a lot of room taken up..



Definitely being picky in looking for classics and good looking books.


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Stole it?!
> 
> I was wondering this morning what some malls do about damaged/stolen goods.


Yes, it was stolen. My guess is that another vendor stole it, and then drank it.

FWIW, and generally speaking, stolen and damaged goods are going to come our of your pocket. You should not expect malls to ever compensate you for lost, stolen or broken goods.

To my knowledge, the MM wine is the only thing we've had stolen at that mall. The indoor FM is another story. At times, the theft rate can be high, and generally speaking, for us, the thieves steal the _dumbest_ things. Thieves will steal valuable stuff too, but we don't put ourselves at risk with valuable items at the IFM.

Any good mall with decent management will always try to reduce theft and shoplifting. They want to retain you as a vendor, but you should not expect them to compensate you for loss of theft and for breakage.


----------



## clovis

FWIW, on a very rare occasion, you might have a mall call you to tell you that a customer or another vendor damaged one of your items, IF the person was honest enough to tell the mall about it.

In those cases, I generally reduce the price of the item to close to what I paid for it, IF the customer is willing to pay for the item. It is always a tough pill to swallow for anyone who accidentally damages an item, and then is honest enough to pay for it. I want to let them off the hook as much as possible, and still cover my loss.

IIRC, this has happened twice in all my years in the business.

It is something to ponder before you rent a booth.


----------



## thesedays

SarahFair said:


> Encouraging!
> 
> I know the book booths you are talking about.
> They are just STUFFED. Its overwhelming and unless you have 3 hours to kill searching through them it looks intimidating.
> A few books here and there I think would move much quicker.
> 
> I was at an auction where a lady was buying HUGE boxes of books. I could tell her husband was getting annoyed lol..
> I heard her say, "Its only $4! Look at all the books!"
> My thoughts went right to those overwhelming book booths, plus, unless you have a storage unite, that is a lot of room taken up..
> 
> 
> Definitely being picky in looking for classics and good looking books.


I've seen those too. They often have them stacked, in multiple piles, etc. Yes, I have a solidly stocked book booth, but that's not the way I do it.


----------



## clovis

thesedays said:


> I've seen those too. They often have them stacked, in multiple piles, etc. Yes, I have a solidly stocked book booth, but that's not the way I do it.


Thesedays:

Any chance that you could share some pointers about what type of books sell the best for you?

Do you have any tips of how to better display books for sale?


----------



## Cygnet

I have a lot of vents lately ...

Somebody stole a plastic "Shrek" Donkey from my booth recently. 

Really?

They also broke Shrek himself. (It was a set, too.)

I've honestly had more issues with damage than theft. "Damage" includes a lot of new-in-box items being opened. I don't know why people think it's okay to open a sealed box on a collectible item or a factory shrink wrapped brand new DVD. I've stopped putting new stuff in the store. It ALL gets opened. It's not kids, because it's stuff on the very highest shelves.

I've also been having issues with "disappearing" price tags. The store keeps calling me because my price tags are "missing." My price tags are very securely attached, so someone is taking them off. I don't know what to think about that. 

Plus the store staff can't read. My handwriting is neat, and I spell out as well as write the price numerically. ("$7.00 -- Seven Dollars" written out on the price tag. Like you would on an check. This is to prevent alteration of the price tag by scammers. Price tag also says, "No Discount.") 

I've had to point out more than a handful of errors in pricing when they give me my sales sheet -- things like I price the item for $29.99 and it gets rung up as $9.99 or $7.99 gets rung up as $2.99. And then when they find the sheet with the price tag on it (at least they save the price tags) it's obviously a cashier error. It's a REALLY small town, so I almost suspect that the pricing errors are someone in the store giving their friends and family in the town a price break. It's happened too often, and too consistently. 

I've had a few people give themselves a sale, too, by marking down the price of the item -- even though my receipts say NO DISCOUNT on them, and the price is spelled out as well as written numerically. I had a doll listed for $29.99 and somebody changed the price to $9.99. And the store sold her for that, even though the WRITTEN price still said twenty-nine dollars ninety-nine cents. The store did compensate me for that, and I think a cashier got a talking to because she was pretty sullen when she saw m next, but I can't say as I feel all that sorry for her. Particularly since that cashier's implied some of my kiddy stuff is overpriced. (The scam artist just applied white out to receipt so the number "2" wasn't visible anymore, though you could still see the words twenty-nine dollars ninety-nine cents.)


----------



## clovis

Cygnet said:


> I have a lot of vents lately ...
> 
> Somebody stole a plastic "Shrek" Donkey from my booth recently.
> 
> Really?
> 
> They also broke Shrek himself. (It was a set, too.)
> 
> I've honestly had more issues with damage than theft. "Damage" includes a lot of new-in-box items being opened. I don't know why people think it's okay to open a sealed box on a collectible item or a factory shrink wrapped brand new DVD. I've stopped putting new stuff in the store. It ALL gets opened. It's not kids, because it's stuff on the very highest shelves.
> 
> I've also been having issues with "disappearing" price tags. The store keeps calling me because my price tags are "missing." My price tags are very securely attached, so someone is taking them off. I don't know what to think about that.
> 
> Plus the store staff can't read. My handwriting is neat, and I spell out as well as write the price numerically. ("$7.00 -- Seven Dollars" written out on the price tag. Like you would on an check. This is to prevent alteration of the price tag by scammers. Price tag also says, "No Discount.")
> 
> I've had to point out more than a handful of errors in pricing when they give me my sales sheet -- things like I price the item for $29.99 and it gets rung up as $9.99 or $7.99 gets rung up as $2.99. And then when they find the sheet with the price tag on it (at least they save the price tags) it's obviously a cashier error. It's a REALLY small town, so I almost suspect that the pricing errors are someone in the store giving their friends and family in the town a price break. It's happened too often, and too consistently.
> 
> I've had a few people give themselves a sale, too, by marking down the price of the item -- even though my receipts say NO DISCOUNT on them, and the price is spelled out as well as written numerically. I had a doll listed for $29.99 and somebody changed the price to $9.99. And the store sold her for that, even though the WRITTEN price still said twenty-nine dollars ninety-nine cents. The store did compensate me for that, and I think a cashier got a talking to because she was pretty sullen when she saw m next, but I can't say as I feel all that sorry for her. Particularly since that cashier's implied some of my kiddy stuff is overpriced. (The scam artist just applied white out to receipt so the number "2" wasn't visible anymore, though you could still see the words twenty-nine dollars ninety-nine cents.)


Just speaking off the cuff, these are the first thoughts that come to mind:

Someone has it in for you. It most likely isn't about you personally, but someone is jealous of your booth, or they feel like you are too much competition for them.

This person is peeling off your tags so the items can't be sold. They are probably the same person who stole your Shrek and damaged a set. 

There are some people out there with weird mental illness issues. I've had it happen to me quite often. Up until a few months ago, we would stop in and restock one of our booths, just to find that someone had moved very heavy objects into the walkways into our booths. I have an old plastic mop bucket filled with antique iron tools. It is so heavy that even I struggle to move it. Someone was dragging it into one walkway, and then moving a Work Mate bench into the other walkway.

About a year ago, someone was also breaking the couplers off of the unboxed train cars I had for sale. I STRONGLY suspect that they were purposefully dropping them on the concrete floor to break them. Day after day, I would find one or more broken cars. They even broke the coupler off of a Lionel caboose, which tells me that they were REALLY trying to destroy something. 

I used to suspect that one other vendor was creating this damage. We both sell some identical products, and he was TICKED when I came into the mall. (He once screamed at the top of his lungs to the manager "You need to kick that guy out!!!!", in reference to me.) I also strongly suspect that he squeezed an entire tube of toothpaste on a case of Jif peanut butter that I had for sale, and also sprayed a full can of shaving creme onto a display case that I had. Yes, really...it really happened.

I am sorry that you are dealing with this. I really am. It is beyond frustrating! 

A few things you can do:

1. Speak with every employee there, starting with the manager. Be calm when you do this. I always ask the employees "Will you do me a huge favor? I know that it isn't your job, but could you keep an eye out on my booth? I've had some problems....." I then thank them profusely for helping me.

2. For my train destroyer, I made a handwritten sign that read: "Thank you for your train purchases!!! For the person breaking the trains: WE HAVE YOU ON CAMERA!!!! Is it really worth a trip to jail?????????"

It is funny...I haven't had a broken train since then.....

Remember to keep your calm, even though your cashier is definitely cutting people deals on your merchandise. She could be arrested for that in our state. 

Try to befriend the employees if you can.


----------



## SeaGoat

Wow, that's some pretty petty stuff!
Toothpaste and shaving cream?!


Then a possible shiesty cashier??
man, that's pretty disheartening..
Once or twice i can see as simple mistakes but multiple times Id be getting upset


----------



## clovis

SarahFair said:


> Wow, that's some pretty petty stuff!
> Toothpaste and shaving cream?!
> 
> 
> Then a possible shiesty cashier??
> man, that's pretty disheartening..
> Once or twice i can see as simple mistakes but multiple times Id be getting upset


Yes, toothpaste and shaving creme. Two different occasions. 

The funny part is while it wasn't fun to clean up the shaving creme, he actually did us a favor. Shaving creme is a great way to shine and clean Plexiglas, so the last laugh is on him.

I finally had a chat with the manager. I don't know what she said, but it stopped. That IFM closed because they lost their lease, but opened in another town. We both set up there, and he was NOT happy about me being there. I strongly suspect that he was breaking the trains that I had. I had firm but kind words with him at the new IFM, so he thought he could destroy the trains and no one would know.

As a funny aside to the broken trains: I listed them as a junk lot on ebay with a 99 cent start. The auction ended, and brought $29, which is more than what I would have gotten had I sold them at the IFM!


----------



## Cygnet

Re: "Someone has it in for me" -- I'm worried it's another vendor. I impressed the store owner enough that she jumped me up the waiting list for a larger booth (the waiting list is normally several months to years long for a big booth) AND I got one of the more desirable booths in the store. I know there are other vendors in the store who wanted that booth. Some have TOLD me that they thought they were "next in line" -- more than one person thought they were at the head of the line. I also know the store owner wanted ME in that booth because she gets a percentage of the sales. 

What most people don't realize is that it's not a strict "waiting list" -- it's who benefits the store owner most. 

By sabotaging my sales, another vendor could be hoping to drive me out and get that booth. So there is motive. 

It's also also just a small town environment. All the staff know each other and many of their customers. I'm an outsider. And if the other vendors get rid of me, they get the booth. 

In the grand scheme of things, eBay's probably worse for headaches caused by scammers (I just had a $200 credit card chargeback by a scammer) but the AM is a very close second. What's worse -- shoplifting or eBay scammers? 

I'm fairly tech savvy. I know the owner's muttered about needing camras in the store before. I ought to see if she really wants them -- if she pays for the hardware, I could easily set them up. I'm not the only vendor who's having issues with breakage and shoplifting. That probably would not help my popularity, but it might be a win/win solution for both of us. 



clovis said:


> Just speaking off the cuff, these are the first thoughts that come to mind:
> 
> Someone has it in for you. It most likely isn't about you personally, but someone is jealous of your booth, or they feel like you are too much competition for them.
> 
> This person is peeling off your tags so the items can't be sold. They are probably the same person who stole your Shrek and damaged a set.
> 
> There are some people out there with weird mental illness issues. I've had it happen to me quite often. Up until a few months ago, we would stop in and restock one of our booths, just to find that someone had moved very heavy objects into the walkways into our booths. I have an old plastic mop bucket filled with antique iron tools. It is so heavy that even I struggle to move it. Someone was dragging it into one walkway, and then moving a Work Mate bench into the other walkway.
> 
> About a year ago, someone was also breaking the couplers off of the unboxed train cars I had for sale. I STRONGLY suspect that they were purposefully dropping them on the concrete floor to break them. Day after day, I would find one or more broken cars. They even broke the coupler off of a Lionel caboose, which tells me that they were REALLY trying to destroy something.
> 
> I used to suspect that one other vendor was creating this damage. We both sell some identical products, and he was TICKED when I came into the mall. (He once screamed at the top of his lungs to the manager "You need to kick that guy out!!!!", in reference to me.) I also strongly suspect that he squeezed an entire tube of toothpaste on a case of Jif peanut butter that I had for sale, and also sprayed a full can of shaving creme onto a display case that I had. Yes, really...it really happened.
> 
> I am sorry that you are dealing with this. I really am. It is beyond frustrating!
> 
> A few things you can do:
> 
> 1. Speak with every employee there, starting with the manager. Be calm when you do this. I always ask the employees "Will you do me a huge favor? I know that it isn't your job, but could you keep an eye out on my booth? I've had some problems....." I then thank them profusely for helping me.
> 
> 2. For my train destroyer, I made a handwritten sign that read: "Thank you for your train purchases!!! For the person breaking the trains: WE HAVE YOU ON CAMERA!!!! Is it really worth a trip to jail?????????"
> 
> It is funny...I haven't had a broken train since then.....
> 
> Remember to keep your calm, even though your cashier is definitely cutting people deals on your merchandise. She could be arrested for that in our state.
> 
> Try to befriend the employees if you can.


----------



## clovis

Are you all tired of my posting yet?

We were once at an IFM with a bad manager who was too young, knew everything, and was in over her head, in a bad way. She was insistent on keeping a 18 year old cashier named Meghan.

Let me tell you, that Meghan had problems. She just about stole that IFM blind, and yet the manager would do nothing about it.

One of her games was to sell a friend a cooler for $10, but never once opened it up, which was filled with whatever her friend wanted to steal.

The owner of the IFM _FINALLY_ fired her after finding the drawer short after a while.

I know for a fact that she stole from us too, including a '64 Indy 500 program, which was one of the more desirable programs, plus two IH Farmall books, and cut a sweetheart deal on a roll around tool chest that I had for sale, among many other items. She was selling the items, ringing them under a fake booth number, and then refunding the amount back to herself, in cash. Since the store policy was not to give refunds, no one was checking the refund section of the computer system. 

So, a few weeks after she was fired, my wife and I went to a local pizza place, and who did I find working the cash register???? Good ol' Meghan. She tried to place all sweet and nice, after stealing hundreds from me. The eager beaver manager was two feet away, and after he said "Yeah, I just hired her. She is part of our management trainee program, and will have her own store in 2 years. It is great to have her here." I replied, "You better watch your cash drawer at all times, and anything that goes out the front or back door." I then turned on my heel, and walked out the door, as the manager nervously mumbled to try to stop me.

A week later, I head that our thief was working at another sub shop in town. I feel sorry for those people.


----------



## clovis

Cygnet said:


> Re: "Someone has it in for me" -- I'm worried it's another vendor.


I'd bet a $100 bill that it is another vendor. 

Thieves will peel one or two labels. Other vendors have the time and knowledge to peel them in large numbers.

In the mean time, until you figure it out:

Make a sign that reads "*REMOVING PRICE TAGS IS CONSIDERED THEFT BY DECEPTION IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA. YOU ARE ON CAMERA.*"

I'd bet another $100 that a sign like that will end your problems.

I'd also find on your state's website the code about theft by deception, print it off, and then anonymously mail it to the cashier, at her place of work. I might even copy and paste, in bold, "THEY ARE WATCHING YOU, Honey!!!!" 

I'd bet a third $100 bill that the sweetheart deals come to an abrupt halt, as well.


----------



## SeaGoat

If it was getting too bad id get one of those motion detector trail cameras that will film when someone comes into the booth..

maybe I'm overly paranoid but i feel like if i was peeling or exchanging tags the owner would come around the corner at any moment. 
People are brave.


----------



## SeaGoat

Does anyone know how to price framed art?

I bought a large piece for $5 at an estate sale. I wanted it for the frame, which is beautiful. It is professionally done as there is a sticker on what remains of the brown paper backing. 

The "painting" itself is hard, like board. It was never meant to be behind glass.

The artist is Friedlinger. When I googled him I only found one other of the same painting that sold in Japan for around $240.

Im just wondering how to decide if the picture is worth keeping in the frame or just take it out.

I know you might think, why not just keep the painting in the frame either way, but some people (myself included) have a hard time seeing past the painting inside and therefore mankind the frame seem less valuable.


----------



## DanyellL

Wow, I'm so sorry you guys have had so many problems with damage and theft  That would make me seriously question what mall I was at. Thankfully when the old owners were over us we had 1 issue with theft. But since then, nothing. The new owners are so on top of it, I doubt we would have problems with it. Although there is some dealer fued going on between some people that do what we do (refinished furniture). Thankfully it doesn't involve us, but it makes out mall look bad. But...again the management is great and they were on top of it. So hopefully things like that won't be an issue anymore. 

And Sarah....I suck at pricing framed art. But suck even more at selling it. lol All the pretty framed art we have gotten at auctions and put in our booth, haven't sold. When we moved our booth this weekend we actually took them out. I'll try to sell them at a yard sale this spring. 

On a positive note we had an AWESOME weekend. We got our booth moved and it looks awesome, and we sold quite a bit. Now with a bigger booth we need to get more things ready to go into the booth. It is looking a little bare! We took a coffee table up on Saturday evening before they closed and yesterday we were taking the matching end tables up and while we were on our way the mall called and said someone was interested in the whole set. Sure enough when we got there and got them unloaded they bought the whole set! We didn't even get a chance to take them back to our booth! Pretty exciting moment for us!


----------



## clovis

As for theft...It is going to happen. 

I firmly believe that *90% of the theft is from other vendors.* I once worked for corporate America, and the security experts that they hired told us that 10% of all theft comes from outside sources, and 90% is inside theft. Over the years, I have found the same to be true. 

The IFM where we are at is so big, and so many places to hide and steal, that it is nearly impossible to stop the shoplifting.

Of course, using descriptive tags and over-taping your labels with Scotch tape or packing tape will help stem some of your losses.

Shoplifters _will_ steal big stuff, but in my experience, many will often steal the smallest, dumbest items. 

Our losses at the AM's are much lower than the IFM. I think that the IFM's can draw a type of personality that think they can get away with stealing. Week after week, a new shoplifter learns a new lesson about stealing at the IFM. The manager does not mess around with thieves!


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## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Wow, I'm so sorry you guys have had so many problems with damage and theft  That would make me seriously question what mall I was at. Thankfully when the old owners were over us we had 1 issue with theft. But since then, nothing. The new owners are so on top of it, I doubt we would have problems with it. Although there is some dealer fued going on between some people that do what we do (refinished furniture). Thankfully it doesn't involve us, but it makes out mall look bad. But...again the management is great and they were on top of it. So hopefully things like that won't be an issue anymore.
> 
> And Sarah....I suck at pricing framed art. But suck even more at selling it. lol All the pretty framed art we have gotten at auctions and put in our booth, haven't sold. When we moved our booth this weekend we actually took them out. I'll try to sell them at a yard sale this spring.
> 
> On a positive note we had an AWESOME weekend. We got our booth moved and it looks awesome, and we sold quite a bit. Now with a bigger booth we need to get more things ready to go into the booth. It is looking a little bare! We took a coffee table up on Saturday evening before they closed and yesterday we were taking the matching end tables up and while we were on our way the mall called and said someone was interested in the whole set. Sure enough when we got there and got them unloaded they bought the whole set! We didn't even get a chance to take them back to our booth! Pretty exciting moment for us!


That is pretty awesome! 

I've seen what i think you are talking about with the dispute. One of them took it public on social media? 
I wondered what the mall thought of that..


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## Cygnet

I would check eBay to determine the approximate value of your art. There are several different artists named Friedlander. If he's had anything sell for very much money, I would get it appraised. Otherwise, the selling price will likely be based on the subject matter, so have a look at pieces with similar subject matter too. 

As a side note, I don't recommend the art forum on eBay. I approached them once to see if I could get an idea of the value of a piece from an artist who is "known" but not famous. They tried to convince me it was a china-made mass-market factory-made piece o' junk, likely because they were hoping I'd list it with a low BIN value and they could flip it. Fortunately, I'm not _entirely _clueless about art, and knew it would sell well based on the subject matter if not the artist's name. (It was a really, really, well done image of an 18th century sailing ship, technically and artistically well done -- and beautiful.) 

I determined what type of ship it was (like I said, it was technically correct) and used that and the artist's name as a keyword, and let 'err rip at auction. It went for around $500,and this was around 2007, when the economy truly sucked. I'd paid $50, so I was happy with that.  

It was a modern painting -- the canvas had a price sticker from Michaels on the back, LOL, and I'm guessing it was from around the late 80's or early 90's by the design of the frame.


----------



## clovis

Cygnet, 

You are over-taping your labels with Scotch tape or packing tape, right?

Yes, it will take you a few extra seconds to over-tape the labels, but it will dramatically reduce the number of labels that someone can easily peel in a short amount of time.

We over-tape labels on most items, and it dramatically reduces theft.


----------



## SeaGoat

The artist is John Friedlinger. Nothing is listed on ebay for him and most other auction or appraisal sites either don't list this particular piece or they want me to pay a monthly fee :bored:
Sinew of his pieces go for a couple hundred to a thousand +, but i don't know if those are originals. 

I know it is a reproduction piece because i can see the "mock strokes" arent adding up to the paint and looking closely you can see where the original canvas was textured differently..

Knowing it is reproduction still get an appraisal? 
The company who framed it is closed now but searching them on the Internet they were open from at least 1935 - 1960.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> That is pretty awesome!
> 
> I've seen what i think you are talking about with the dispute. One of them took it public on social media?
> I wondered what the mall thought of that..


Yep. lol That is what I'm talking about. They (lets call them RP) accused the booth across from them of copying their ideas and then lowering their prices to try and push out booth RP. Which isn't the case. I personally know the husband and wife who is being accused and they are super nice people. And they have been doing it a long time. They recently got the booth to help raise money to go on a mission trip to Haiti. The dealers in RP are just young, catty, immature girls. It's crazy. 

Well the husband and wife dealers are suing the girls of RP for slander. lol So.....I doubt they will make that mistakes again. And I spoke with the manager at our mall and they aren't happy about it at all. I don't think the RP girls will be there much longer.


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## Cygnet

Sarah, here's one that sold recently:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Hungary-Oil-Painting-John-FRIEDLINGER-Pretty-Young-Bohemian-Girl-/391035993837?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5b0b8fbeed&nma=true&si=etIUx7Jni0OPhdf5py6jvb8mBxs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I'd start with trying to ID the painting and look for what reproductions are going for of that particular painting _new_ -- Friedlinger is well known enough that some of his stuff is currently "in print" even now. He's obscure, but not _that _obscure. 

On lower value paintings by lesser known artists, the biggest determining factor of value is going to be subject matter. The painting I found of a sailing ship sold because it was an accurate rendition of a sailing ship (and the colors were in style and would go well with current decor trends), not because the artist was "known." 

ETA: I'd use google search to try to ID the image. https://www.google.com/search?q=joh...biw=1366&bih=606#tbm=isch&q=john+friedlinger+

If it's a nude, you may or may not need to take safe search off to find it. (A few artistic nudes pop up in that search, FYI.)



SarahFair said:


> The artist is John Friedlinger. Nothing is listed on ebay for him and most other auction or appraisal sites either don't list this particular piece or they want me to pay a monthly fee :bored:
> Sinew of his pieces go for a couple hundred to a thousand +, but i don't know if those are originals.
> 
> I know it is a reproduction piece because i can see the "mock strokes" arent adding up to the paint and looking closely you can see where the original canvas was textured differently..
> 
> Knowing it is reproduction still get an appraisal?
> The company who framed it is closed now but searching them on the Internet they were open from at least 1935 - 1960.


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Yep. lol That is what I'm talking about. They (lets call them RP) accused the booth across from them of copying their ideas and then lowering their prices to try and push out booth RP. Which isn't the case. I personally know the husband and wife who is being accused and they are super nice people. And they have been doing it a long time. They recently got the booth to help raise money to go on a mission trip to Haiti. The dealers in RP are just young, catty, immature girls. It's crazy.
> 
> Well the husband and wife dealers are suing the girls of RP for slander. lol So.....I doubt they will make that mistakes again. And I spoke with the manager at our mall and they aren't happy about it at all. I don't think the RP girls will be there much longer.


Oh no! What a mess..
I talked to the manager, or someone at least, over facebook about a booth.
Maybe Ill be able to open one soon enough. Still searching for the "bones" of a booth.


----------



## SeaGoat

Cygnet said:


> Sarah, here's one that sold recently:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Hungary-Oil-Painting-John-FRIEDLINGER-Pretty-Young-Bohemian-Girl-/391035993837?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5b0b8fbeed&nma=true&si=etIUx7Jni0OPhdf5py6jvb8mBxs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
> 
> I'd start with trying to ID the painting and look for what reproductions are going for of that particular painting _new_ -- Friedlinger is well known enough that some of his stuff is currently "in print" even now. He's obscure, but not _that _obscure.
> 
> On lower value paintings by lesser known artists, the biggest determining factor of value is going to be subject matter. The painting I found of a sailing ship sold because it was an accurate rendition of a sailing ship (and the colors were in style and would go well with current decor trends), not because the artist was "known."
> 
> ETA: I'd use google search to try to ID the image. https://www.google.com/search?q=joh...biw=1366&bih=606#tbm=isch&q=john+friedlinger+
> 
> If it's a nude, you may or may not need to take safe search off to find it. (A few artistic nudes pop up in that search, FYI.)


Yeah, I found it doing that search but its still just the same Japanese website. 
I did notice there is a written price on the back of the painting. 
$17.95, but I dont know when that is from. 
On the actual back of the print is the numbers written, 1269.
The sticker from Georgia Supply Company lists the name of the painting as 'Fruit of the Land'.

I did what you told me not to  and asked on Ebay. 
Someone told me it was probably worthless and throw it out. Im still debating if I want to throw it up on ebay and see what it does since its a hard to find piece. :shrug:


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## clovis

BTW, We've been having some very good days.

Saturday was one of the best days we've ever had. I was thrilled to hear my wife read the sales report to me when she looked up our sales on line. This was great news. February is our toughest month, but very cold temps, along with plenty of snow and ice, have all contributed to a slow month of sales.

After hearing about Saturday's phenomenal sales, I was excited about having a great Sunday. Boy, was I ever wrong! The weather forecasters were predicting somewhere between 3 inches and 33 feet of snow. That kept most people in, and not out shopping after church. Our sales on Sunday were dismal!!! 

Now, if I could figure out how to have such great days everyday, like we had on Saturday, I could drive new Cadillacs, and trade them in for a new one every six months!


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## clovis

We recently purchased a painting too. 

This oil on canvas was painted by a known Indiana artist, and is dated 1922.

I originally bought it to flip, and thought if I could flip it fast, I could still clear $200 on it. I got the painting home, and hung it on the wall for safe keeping.

Since then, I have fallen in love with it. I love the colors, the subject matter, and the look. I think it looks beautiful on our wall. I don't want to sell it now! I still might take it to the swanky AM, and put a stupid/dream asking price on it, like $650. I love it, but I don't love it $650 worth, LOL.

You know, one thing about this business is that we deal in commodities, if you will. It doesn't seem to matter if we are dealing in Lionel trains or sewing machines. There will be more of those items. But good, original artwork, at least in my mind, is different. If I sell the Indiana landscape oil painting that I just bought, I will never own another one, most likely.


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## Cygnet

You gotta watch putting that "dream" price on stuff. Sometimes somebody will have the same dream. And then you regret it.

(I'm still regretting selling that early 70's AA Malibu Barbie, wearing one of the harder to find Best Buy peasant dresses. I put a ridiculous price on her ... and somebody in Japan paid it within five minutes of me listing the doll on eBay. I needed the money, but RATS. I figured I'd get another one eventually, but I haven't seen that doll or that dress since.) 



clovis said:


> We recently purchased a painting too.
> 
> This oil on canvas was painted by a known Indiana artist, and is dated 1922.
> 
> I originally bought it to flip, and thought if I could flip it fast, I could still clear $200 on it. I got the painting home, and hung it on the wall for safe keeping.
> 
> Since then, I have fallen in love with it. I love the colors, the subject matter, and the look. I think it looks beautiful on our wall. I don't want to sell it now! I still might take it to the swanky AM, and put a stupid/dream asking price on it, like $650. I love it, but I don't love it $650 worth, LOL.
> 
> You know, one thing about this business is that we deal in commodities, if you will. It doesn't seem to matter if we are dealing in Lionel trains or sewing machines. There will be more of those items. But good, original artwork, at least in my mind, is different. If I sell the Indiana landscape oil painting that I just bought, I will never own another one, most likely.


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## SeaGoat

I made my first huge sale yesterday. I've sold stuff, but yesterday I finally made a awesome profit off one piece. 
...and I'm going to miss it. 

I set it up and used it in my living room and it looked just so perfect. It sat like that for a month so i got real use to it being there. Now there is an empty spot and I'm feeling regret. lol
I just have to keep reminding myself, I'm not buying for me!


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## SeaGoat

But in another note, this past weekend I bought some 1950s jelly jars at auction.

Anyone have experience selling these?
Do they seem to sell easy or does it depends on subject matter?

I also picked up a wizard of of cowardly lion Coca-Cola collectors glass for .90 at the thrift store. 
I've realized Ive got to keep my eye out for things like this


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Oh no! What a mess..
> I talked to the manager, or someone at least, over facebook about a booth.
> Maybe Ill be able to open one soon enough. Still searching for the "bones" of a booth.


Yea it is a mess. Thankfully I have nothing to do with it. LOL I love our mall! They have baby booths now!!!!!!!!!!! I meant to tell you. For people just like you, that want to try it out but don't want a big space! Talk to Michelle and let her know you know me. And that you are interested in a baby booth. lol She will know what you are talking about!


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> We recently purchased a painting too.
> 
> This oil on canvas was painted by a known Indiana artist, and is dated 1922.
> 
> I originally bought it to flip, and thought if I could flip it fast, I could still clear $200 on it. I got the painting home, and hung it on the wall for safe keeping.
> 
> Since then, I have fallen in love with it. I love the colors, the subject matter, and the look. I think it looks beautiful on our wall. I don't want to sell it now! I still might take it to the swanky AM, and put a stupid/dream asking price on it, like $650. I love it, but I don't love it $650 worth, LOL.
> 
> You know, one thing about this business is that we deal in commodities, if you will. It doesn't seem to matter if we are dealing in Lionel trains or sewing machines. There will be more of those items. But good, original artwork, at least in my mind, is different. If I sell the Indiana landscape oil painting that I just bought, I will never own another one, most likely.


Awwww don't sell it then! I'm kicking myself in the butt for selling a sofa table. I LOVED it so much. We put it in the booth and it actually took a while to sell. Well while moving this weekend I told my husband I was going to bring it home tomorrow (Sunday). I went up there Sunday to drop off some stuff and to get it, and it sold. I cried. I mean it's great that it sold, but now I'm sad. LOL 

If you love something that much, don't sell it. You will regret it!


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## SeaGoat

Too late, just dropped it at the post.. lol

I'm sure there will be TONS of stuff Im going to want to keep. I'm going to a big auction this weekend in Madison, Im sure I'll want to keep everything i bring home from there as well


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## thesedays

clovis said:


> Thesedays:
> 
> Any chance that you could share some pointers about what type of books sell the best for you?
> 
> Do you have any tips of how to better display books for sale?


The books most likely to sell are mass market fiction paperbacks, priced up to $3 depending on the condition and age.

I alphabetize them by author, and also make sure they're displayed in a well-lighted area.


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## clovis

Very interesting.

The mass market paperbacks have slowed down for us. We used to sell every one that we could get our hands on, provided they were in decent condition. I don't know what has changed. Maybe we don't have a wide enough selection. We've gotten gun shy, so we don't seek MM PB's out like we used to.

Big color picture books are still selling well when I can find them. These carry titles of "German Tanks of WWII" and "Chevrolet: Detroit Iron of the 1940's". These type of books sell really fast in the $6 to $10 range. A nice profit when I can buy them for 50 cents each.


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## clovis

*Tuesday Tip*:

I've mentioned in my past posts about always maintaining a professional attitude in this business, and never losing your cool, even when you strongly believe that the mall is wrong about something.

Recently, I have been blessed to have:

1. Nearly unrestricted access to the unclaimed clothes hangers in the back room at the flea market.

2. I was blessed to have scored seven boxes of factory sealed packs of chewing gum. I was going to price them at $5 a box of 12, and pray that the right person came along and bought all of them. My jaw hit the floor when the manager said "Why don't you mark the individual packs, and put them on the store's candy rack?" This type of thing is unheard of...those are the store owner's racks, and in 10+ years of this business, I have never heard of any vendor being allowed to put their merchandise on those racks. We are making more than double on our money selling individual packs. 

3. The store manager held an oil painting for me for nearly a week. I did give my word that I would purchase it, but holding it for a week...that was really cool!

4. We moved booths last month, and the floor of the new booth was dirty. I told the manager that I'd be back the next day to mop it, but when I arrived, the floor had already been cleaned! 

5. One of the managers has an in depth knowledge about art and high end antiques. he has shared some advise and his expertise on 5 art nouveau oil paintings that I bought many years ago. He could be one of the most knowledgeable people in the whole state, and it is an honor to hear his advice on some of the better items that we've bought. Aside from the art, he has helped me price and research a 5 foot tall, lighted Santa that I bought at auction last month. I _almost_ stupidly priced it at $150. He advised us to price it at $350. It hasn't sold yet, but I am thankful for his insight!

6. When we decided to move one of our booths last month, we got first choice of all of the open booths, and they saved the one we wanted. They also gave a few extra days to get moved, when technically, they are supposed to charge us per day if we go past the first of the month. 

I am not bragging. I just want to share that sometimes, always acting like a gentleman and never losing your cool, can pay off in spades. I often scratch my head when I hear another vendor screaming at the staff or manager, usually over a broken $2 Corelleware plate, or something just as trivial, and wonder what they will be missing out on in the future...


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## SeaGoat

I have also noticed receiving "special" treatment in a lot of life instances for just being helpful and kind. I guess it's too few far and between these days. 

I scored big yesterday at the thrift store. 
I found Fenton crystal glasses. Paid about $1.75 for 5 glasses that should sell anywhere from $50-$60 on ebay/etsy.
There were a few other miss matched pieces along with some anchor hocking pieces ranging $0.25-$0.40 that should sell $10-$15 each. 

When i got to the counter with all my finds the man asked if i was redecorating, I told him i just have a problem


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## SeaGoat

When buying what kind of profit margins do yall try to keep in mind?


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## DanyellL

That is awesome advice Clovis. And we have had a great relationship with our new mall because of this. We have always been nice and accommodating when needed. And in return the mall shares all of our post on FB giving us nice traffic! 

And Sarah as far as price margins I don't really have a set number in my head. But since we do furniture I have to take into consideration the time and materials needed to refinish it. If I can't make at least $50 (after paying for any materials), off of it then I don't bother. We buy lots of cheap things but then I realize they need more work then they are worth and we end up just reselling the piece as is. Usually still making money since we buy furniture so cheap.


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## thesedays

A couple years ago, I was at a rummage sale, and saw two pictures for 5 cents each and was taken in by the exceptionally high quality of the frames. I had them, and some other items, appraised, and the appraiser said they were lithographs from the 1920s worth about $30 each!  I priced them at $15 each and asked one of the stores where I have a book booth to put them in their locked case, and last week, a woman offered to buy them for $10 each and did so.

:dance:

Not a bad return on my investment!


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## SeaGoat

I got duped tonight at the auction..

It was a Georgia vs Auburn picture in a frame. A 1949 (or a 1942) program cover.
I get home and open up the back to further check it out..
Its a 2015 calendar (for march) page. 
Seriously?!

That is some sleazy stuff putting that in a auction..

Oh well, I paid $5 for it and can make my money back at a garage sale..
Still, lesson learned.

And I paid WAY too much for a vaseline plate. Like way way too much. 
It was a choice bit and I went with the one I personally found visually appealing. 
Turns out that even the set of 4 of the same plates dont even sell for what I paid :facepalm:
Should have gone with the handled tray and doubled my money


----------



## clovis

I am setting up a table at an area train show tomorrow.

We've spent almost the entire day getting ready for the show. I have to admit, right now, my head is full of self doubt. I've set up at shows before and it paid off handsomely. I've also set up at shows thinking I was going to strike it rich, and at the end of the day, barely sold enough to pay for my table and gasoline.

One plus is that I have a decent quantity of stock, in a wide variety of scales. The bad part is that I don't have anything stellar. 

I rented one table, but could probably fill up four tables easily. I do want to sell the trains that I have, but I don't want to give them away, either. This has made pricing incredibly hard. 

Typically, I spend my time at train shows buying as much quantity that I can. I take those trains and flip them at the IFM and at the AMs. It is going to be hard to get out and buy while I am tied down to a table!!


----------



## SeaGoat

clovis said:


> I am setting up a table at an area train show tomorrow.
> 
> We've spent almost the entire day getting ready for the show. I have to admit, right now, my head is full of self doubt. I've set up at shows before and it paid off handsomely. I've also set up at shows thinking I was going to strike it rich, and at the end of the day, barely sold enough to pay for my table and gasoline.
> 
> One plus is that I have a decent quantity of stock, in a wide variety of scales. The bad part is that I don't have anything stellar.
> 
> I rented one table, but could probably fill up four tables easily. I do want to sell the trains that I have, but I don't want to give them away, either. This has made pricing incredibly hard.
> 
> Typically, I spend my time at train shows buying as much quantity that I can. I take those trains and flip them at the IFM and at the AMs. It is going to be hard to get out and buy while I am tied down to a table!!


Just make your display look attractive.
Can you choose where you get to set up?

My thought would be the 3-8th table people will come to. 
The first couple I think people need time adjusting to prices and and settle into looking..
Or maybe some of the last ones for people who have decided they should really start looking to buy something.. :shrug:


----------



## thesedays

I lost money on my biggest booth this month (again :hair) but the owners said that now that I've been there for a while, I'm establishing a clientele, and there's a man in particular who comes in just to shop my booth. 

:bouncy:

I was there on Wednesday, and I found several "holes" today. Holes are good. I like holes. :happy2:

We've had some bad weather these past few weeks, so that's understandable.


----------



## clovis

The train show went well.

I didn't sell nearly what I wanted to, but we did move some stuff. There happened to be another train show in town today, and that hurt this show pretty bad, I think.

We did sell some very profitable items. I bought a box of train books for $5 at and flipped them today for $45 to another dealer. We sold quite a few other items...mostly stuff that I would have never guessed would sell. Go figure.

I was able to buy more today, which I will take to the IFM. I was also able to deepen my business and personal relationship with another dealer. He has been supplying me with some awesome deals, and today, he said he would start setting boxes of items aside for me. This could be profitable.


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## clovis

We had a pretty good weekend!

Saturday's sales numbers were once again, almost off the charts. Sunday was decent, but I was hoping for a little better day. 

How was everyone's weekend?


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> We had a pretty good weekend!
> 
> Saturday's sales numbers were once again, almost off the charts. Sunday was decent, but I was hoping for a little better day.
> 
> How was everyone's weekend?


We were very productive on getting things ready for the booth. We had awesome sales through our FB page. Nothing on Saturday at the booth.  Not sure how Sunday was. But I got 3 more items ready to go when we make a trip this week.


----------



## SeaGoat

So the auction i went to Saturday was an estate of an old plantation home out of Madison ga.

It had the main house, a guest house, and even slave quarters that had original items in them. 
The family said everything in it had been passed down generation to generation. There was some awesome stuff there...

But the way the auction is run is the auction company buys the estate and auctions it off. 

I was just wondering when what kind of prices these estates will go for.

I know one couple at the auction spent over $15,000 on mostly Fredrick Remington sculptures.

I know at a couple points the auctioneer was getting flustered people weren't bidding high enough on items and kept saying he was getting sick of it and acted like he was going to walk out. 
There was a few times hed say 'sold' then would keep running the item if someone put their hand up late. One lady ripped him a new one after he did it to her twice. After that he finally quit doing it. 
It got real quiet and awkward there for a minute..

But it got me to wondering how much these companies are buying these estates at.. 50,000-100,000?


----------



## Allen W

SarahFair

I have never heard of an estate being bought and then resold by an auction company here.

I do have a list of auctioneers that I won't attend their sales, the clown at the sale you attended would be on my list real quick.


----------



## SeaGoat

Allen W said:


> SarahFair
> 
> I have never heard of an estate being bought and then resold by an auction company here.
> 
> I do have a list of auctioneers that I won't attend their sales, the clown at the sale you attended would be on my list real quick.


I'm starting to create a list myself, but mostly of sellers, not auctioneers. I'm not ready to write this guy off yet. The items they have are pretty top of the line. I want to take it all home with me!

I haven't found another auction house around here who offers the same items


----------



## MJsLady

There are estate sale companies here I won't touch with a 10ft pole.
One, the sales are disorganized and the sales people rude. Plus not at all knowledgeable.
Another, the guy worked for the company I prefer, and then quit and opened his own company. 
He really hurt the gal I shop and I feel irritated when I see his ads. Karen, his former boss, ran my fil's estate sale and I have gone to every sale she has ever had. Things are priced reasonably and she and her staff do solid research. 

Just this weekend she had her shop open (she consigns and when she doesn't have a sale running will open her shop for a few hours) she had a Hummel nativity. Not the big one my mil had (which I think either mil or fil sold) but a small 3 piece one. She wanted to look it up, and we found it on ebay (the 1 blessing to smart phones, we can do on the spot research) They are offered on ebay from $50 to $95 but are not selling. I got it for $20. Way lower than I expected. It is now in my nativity display case. 
Beloved found a few items of his mom and dad's that he wanted so we got those too. We will get 25% of our purchase back from the estate when it sends out checks next. 

Integrity is important to me. I miss the old auction house that was running when I was a dealer. The owner was killed and now it is just a furniture place for used furniture. No one ran and auction that was more fun than Randy and he was awesome on the estate sales he was commissioned to do as well.


----------



## clovis

I have heard of auction companies buying entire estates and then auctioning them off, especially on the east coast and in the south.

If the truth were known, it happens much more frequently than most people would ever guess. It occurs on a weekly basis with commercial auction firms in our area, but they NEVER advertise it as being so.

The auction barns in our area often buy complete estates, and then run the assets through during their regular sales, or they will have special sales, just for the estate.

In our area, some of the clues can be:

1. Auctions that list no family name.
2. Auctions that are billed as "complete assets of a well known law firm"
3. Auctions that are billed as "Assets from 9 area commercial kitchens"
4. Auction companies that have flown into your area, just to hold a sale, but you've never heard of them or the estate that they are selling.
5. This is the biggie: Watch out for auction bills that feature the most stunning items that you've ever seen. Sure, there are some real, true to life collections out there. We've all seen them. Generally speaking, most of the really awesome collections focus on one or two area, like guns, military, coins, or art of one genre. I've seen the sale bills for some of those "too awesome to be true"...and in reality, they aren't true. These type of sales are pigs in a poke...and if you don't know that term, you probably shouldn't be in this business at all. 
6. Auctions that are held in large outdoor tents or at luxurious hotel conference areas.

My best money is made at real estate sales, generally out in the sticks, where it is held on location. They will be selling everything in the house, barns, garage, and everything that isn't nailed down or concreted into the ground. If they don't have at least three old jelly jars with cartoon characters and some rusty old farm equipment, I probably don't want to be there. Okay, I am kidding some, but you get my point. 

As a general rule, I stick to a handful of auctioneers that I know well and trust.


----------



## Cygnet

I'm folding. I give. 

I went in and found multiple empty plastic bags that had contained toys, multiple missing items that weren't accounted for, and all my stuffed animals, books, and most of my glassware had their price tags removed. I found the price tags tucked in a vase. There was also a GIANT sombrero from another booth covering a whole shelf of my merchandise, and a ton of another vendor's merchandise stuffed into every open space in my booth.

I tried to talk to the owner and she insisted the missing stuff had to either be in other booths or had been taken by kids. Complete denial when I told her about the removed price tags. ("That's just kids playing.") Same with all the stuff from the same other vendor being in my booth. 

She also seemed to think "nobody" would steal glassware. I had three vases, each marked $9.99, missing. Those vases were frankly underpriced -- they were handpainted, made in Japan, from the 40's or 50's. Beautiful. No water marks, minty mint mint. I just hate selling glassware on eBay and I knew there isn't much of a local market for vintage glassware, and I'd only paid $1 each for them at an estate sale. Shoulda been an easy profit. They took the nicest three. 

Somebody also sold a HUGE bag of Polly Pockets I had listed for $19.99 for $9.99, and the other two bags were MISSING. These were huge 2.5 gallon ziplock bags (the ginormous size bags) stuffed full -- unless somebody left looking pregnant (and they weren't when they came in) I don't see how anyone could have easily shoplift them. There was also a new-in-box Polly missing, but that was small enough that somebody could have carried it off in a purse. 

It's just ... not worth it. What did it for me was the realization that someone had walked out with two 2.5 gallon bags of toys and NOBODY NOTICED. The front desk is not always staffed, so ... 

I have to give a full calendar month's notice, which takes me out to the end of April. I'll stuff the booth with junk until then (stuff I don't care if it goes missing.) I brought all my vintage dolls home -- none of the vintage Barbies went missing, thankfully, but I didn't want to risk it. 

I was polite and professional and when it was clear that the owner didn't want to listen, I just said my eBay business was taking off and that I wanted to put my focus on that, and gave my notice. I was polite, she was polite, I think we're on good terms. (Though her reaction when I start stuffing junk in the booth will be interesting. So far, I've been bringing fairly "clean" merchandise. Since I don't care about building a clientele anymore, I'm just going to be dumping all the junk I want to get rid of, at yard sale prices. As long as I make the booth rent and the gas to get over there, I'll be perfectly happy.) 

I expected some shrink and damage, but the store owner doesn't seem to be taking it seriously. She said, "Anyone could do anything back in this corner" (I got told "we watch things carefully" when I accepted a booth that was out of line of sight of the cashier), and "it's just kids." 

I now have to figure out what to do with my excess inventory that I don't want to sell on eBay going forward. 

My eBay store is focused on vintage toys, primarily dolls and doll related stuff. I get my merchandise in giant lots from eBay, and from thrift stores that tend to stuff four or five dolls or toys in a bag. 

When I get a lot from eBay, I pull up a trash can and two boxes. I pretty much expect that about 25% of every lot I buy is going to go in the trash, and the rest is split between "worth selling on eBay" and "nope, not gonna go there" for any of a variety of reasons. (Damaged, fragile, likely to attract the wrong kind of buyer, politically incorrect, etc.) Thrift store baggies usually have 1 or 2 saleable item and a whole buncha junk. 

So now I'm going to go back to having piles upon piles of junk to get rid of. I don't want to give it to thrift stores (I get sick of buying the SAME junk over and over again to get the good stuff, when I donate dolls) and the local charities want new, not used. 

I'm thinking ... once or twice a year ... HUGE yard sale, advertised heavily, with tons and tons and tons of toys? We are WAY out in the middle of nowhere (45 minutes from the nearest town), but maybe with a lot of pictures and a few vintage items for a hook, we might get traffic. 

I'm also planning on opening up my own online store, and some of the stuff that's not appropriate for eBay could be sold through it. (I intend to send a flier out for the store with every eBay sale I make, so that'll be easy advertising.)


----------



## SeaGoat

Oh that does stink! I can not believe the store owner put it off on kids!
I would be so embarrassed if this was going on in my store.

Is there no other mall in your area?


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## Cygnet

SarahFair said:


> Oh that does stink! I can not believe the store owner put it off on kids!
> I would be so embarrassed if this was going on in my store.
> 
> Is there no other mall in your area?


None. There's an antique mall, but no other thrift mall that I'm aware of. I've heard horror stories about the antique mall (same types of issues, though it's not the same owner), so I'm staying away. This one's a two hour drive one way, but I was hitting thrift stores coming and going and it's a beautiful drive, so I didn't really mind the drive. However, my eBay/online sales are really taking off and the six hours (two hours each way, hour for lunch, hour to restock) it was taking from one day every week is time I could be spending on my eBay store. So the issues with stuff is just icing on the cake. 

Some of the stuff IS kids. Kids will be kids. I expect "kid related trouble" when selling kid stuff. But this is beyond the usual, and I have a hard time believing a kid hid the labels in a vase or that a kid picked the labels off glassware or DVDs on a high shelf. Plus, if the parents aren't watching the kids, the store needs to be saying something to the parents! (Mom walks in with kids ... mom walks by a few minutes later without kids ... "Hey, where's your brats?" -- Aside from MY booth, there are a ton of other booths with stuff that could be dangerous to children, ranging from power tools and glass to heavy objects on high shelves that could be yanked down.)

I'm being polite -- it's a small community up here and everyone knows everyone -- and I'm not inclined to raise a stink and get a reputation (warranted or not) as _that _seller. I'll just smile, fade away, and go back to selling on eBay/online, which is what I seem to do best anyway.


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## MJsLady

Cygnet, what is your ebay store? I love vintage Barbies and dolls of various kinds and would love to see what you list!


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## Cygnet

MJsLady said:


> Cygnet, what is your ebay store? I love vintage Barbies and dolls of various kinds and would love to see what you list!


http://stores.ebay.com/Memorys-Toybox

It's somewhat picked over right now (I've had a migraine for several days), and mostly just the modern stuff is left. The more desirable vintage stuff goes almost as fast as I can list it. 

I have a bunch of modern Barbies that I'm going to list today, migraine allowing, and then I should get more vintage stuff up shortly. 

You'll see I list, and sell, a LOT of doll shoes. They sell really, really, well, and they take up very little space, and they're incredibly easy and cheap to ship. I've taught myself to recognize the shoes for various dolls and action figures, and then I buy giant lots of "mystery doll shoes" on eBay and relist them correctly identified.

Likewise, I often list lots of bits and pieces of clothing and accessories. Most of my customers seems to be looking for "completer" pieces -- missing bits and pieces to make a complete set -- so I oblige and sell shoes and accessories by the piece, rather than trying to make complete sets.


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## thesedays

Cygnet, what you describe sounds like an inside job.


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## MJsLady

Thanks! I am following you now. Perhaps we will do business soon!


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## Cygnet

MJsLady said:


> Thanks! I am following you now. Perhaps we will do business soon!


Ah! I thought you were looking at it as a business opportunity. (I like to encourage other people to sell doll stuff on eBay -- no shortage of buyers, and the more doll stuff is listed, the more buyers are drawn in, and so on.)

New customers are always welcome too!!!!   :-D


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## MJsLady

Lol I do sell on ebay though only sporadically. 
I may join you in selling doll stuff this summer.


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## Cygnet

MJsLady said:


> Lol I do sell on ebay though only sporadically.
> I may join you in selling doll stuff this summer.


FWIW, First couple of weeks of summer are usually good for modern doll stuff, then it dies until fall. My theory is that parents have less money to spend on toys in the summer, because they have to pay for day care and whatnot, or they're going on vacation, or whatever. 

Vintage stuff sells well year round, though late winter is the best time and summer is slowest.

If you're buying, mid summer and December are the best times for doll purchases. 

Summer is so bad for sales that I'm planning on a camping trip in early July. It's just not worth keeping the store open.


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## SeaGoat

What about doll house furniture?
I was at an auction a couple weeks ago with a lot of about 50 pieces of doll house furniture that no one wanted. I think it went for $5 because the people had a little girl with them..
It was all nice vintage stuff, I just know nothing about doll house items..


Im slowly building my ebay and etsy store gearing it towards vintage and antiques.


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## Cygnet

SarahFair said:


> What about doll house furniture?
> I was at an auction a couple weeks ago with a lot of about 50 pieces of doll house furniture that no one wanted. I think it went for $5 because the people had a little girl with them..
> It was all nice vintage stuff, I just know nothing about doll house items..
> 
> 
> Im slowly building my ebay and etsy store gearing it towards vintage and antiques.



It can be worth a LOT, or very little. Depends on what it is, your photographic skills, and the condition. It was probably worth more than $5, though, unless completely munched. You might look through completed listings to see what sells, and for how much, so you get a sense of what to watch for.

One keyword to use when listing dollhouse stuff or looking for it is "for diorama." 

There's actually a really good market for finished dioramas, by the way, if you like dollhouses and have the craft skills. I don't have the time to make them (or the nerve to ship them) but people do like well done dioramas for dolls.


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## clovis

SarahFair said:


> What about doll house furniture?
> I was at an auction a couple weeks ago with a lot of about 50 pieces of doll house furniture that no one wanted. I think it went for $5 because the people had a little girl with them..
> It was all nice vintage stuff, I just know nothing about doll house items..
> 
> 
> Im slowly building my ebay and etsy store gearing it towards vintage and antiques.


That was a lot that you should have considered buying. Dollhouse furniture sells like mad at both AM's and IFM's. We just put out a LARGE lot of modern Barbie furniture, most of it marked higher than we should have marked it, and every last piece of it sold in two days. 98% of it sold in the very first day.

At $1 each, you can turn a lot of 50 items into $50. At $1.50, that would be $75. Most DH furniture can be marked higher than those prices, and you really start seeing the money roll in when you start selling $3 and $4 items.

Most of the DH furniture that I find is cheap stuff, but always keep your eye out. A few years ago, we bought a very large lot of DH furniture kits for $1 each. We sold tons of it for $30+ a kit. The remainder kits sold for $10 to $18 each. It was a real blessing to find those!


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## SeaGoat

has anyone dealt with tobacco pipes? I am going to an auction this weekend that is featuring a lot of pipes. They have been talking about this particular auction for a few weeks now. they said it is an estate that is two bands slap full of antiques that have not been touched in many many years. So that leads me to believe they are at least vintage if not antique.

The pictures make them out to be all wood. Some are carved into shapes like a horse and devil, some are textured wood and some arejust made from a pretty wood.

I'm not sure what to look for when buying pipes, what kind of price range people buy them for, if people buy them to collect or if people buy them to use. 

Does anyone have any idea and are these things that sell easily or do they sit and collect dust?


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## clovis

The best advice that I can offer:

Go check the completed listings on ebay. Use the sort option of "highest first." It won't make you an expert on anything, but it will help you discern the better items from the cheap ones. 

You will need to study the listings, which includes opening up the listing and reading a little about each item. Why does the buyer want that? Why were they willing to spend that much on this item? 

I see a lot of ebayers make the mistake of glancing at a large grouping or area, and then proclaiming a set value. This is a HUGE mistake. They'll say stuff like "Those models ain't worth nothing" or "those train engines are worth a fortune!" What they haven't studied is what makes the item desirable to the buyer. 

Take Lionel train engines, for example. There are a few engines that will sell for $5,000, and some that won't even sell for $10. What is the difference?

I've seen buyers make huge mistakes because they rely on their iPhone too much. A Lionel 2056 might bring $275, but only if it is C-8+, has original boxes, and has a matching and correct tender, also with a box. This lot should also have correct instructions, or "paper", as train collectors often call it. The exact same engine, in C-5 with no tender or boxes might be worth $85. Time and time again, I see ebayers claim, "There is exactly the same engine on ebay for $275!!!", and then pay $125 for the engine, and it is missing the front and rear trucks, and has a crack in the shell.

As I always say, knowledge is power.


----------



## clovis

The best advice that I can offer:

Go check the completed listings on ebay. Use the sort option of "highest first." It won't make you an expert on anything, but it will help you discern the better items from the cheap ones. 

You will need to study the listings, which includes opening up the listing and reading a little about each item. Why does the buyer want that? Why were they willing to spend that much on this item? 

I see a lot of ebayers make the mistake of glancing at a large grouping or area, and then proclaiming a set value. This is a HUGE mistake. They'll say stuff like "Those models ain't worth nothing" or "those train engines are worth a fortune!" What they haven't studied is what makes the item desirable to the buyer. 

Take Lionel train engines, for example. There are a few engines that will sell for $5,000, and some that won't even sell for $10. What is the difference?

I've seen buyers make huge mistakes because they rely on their iPhone too much. A Lionel 2056 might bring $275, but only if it is C-8+, has original boxes, and has a matching and correct tender, also with a box. This lot should also have correct instructions, or "paper", as train collectors often call it. The exact same engine, in C-5 with no tender or boxes might be worth $85. Time and time again, I see ebayers claim, "There is exactly the same engine on ebay for $275!!!", and then pay $125 for the engine, and it is missing the front and rear trucks, and has a crack in the shell.

As I always say, knowledge is power.


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## thesedays

BTW, Cygnet, by "inside job" I meant that another vendor and/or someone who works at the mall may have done this. Hope you don't think I implied that you did it or set someone up to do it.


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## MJsLady

Also when checking out ebay make sure you look at sold not just closed listings. 
Just because an item is listed at $$$ and closed doesn't mean it sold for the asking price.


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## SeaGoat

I bought a large lot of vintage China last night.

I'm debating putting it on eBay or just holding it until I get a booth.

Im a little reserved selling it on eBay due to shipping but honestly don't know if this stuff will sell in a mall


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## SeaGoat

I also bought some andirons and was wondering with something so heavy how to ship them


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## clovis

Wow. Just Wow.

Once again, I am blessed. We had a record setting day of sales on Saturday. We believe that our day's sales were the best we've ever had. Sunday's sales were fair, and nothing to sneeze at. Today's sales were VERY good too, especially for a Monday.

Again, I feel blessed. Our sales have been stellar!

How is everyone else doing?


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## DanyellL

So glad you are doing so well Clovis! That is awesome news. 

Our booth hasn't had many sales this month, but last month was great. We are selling a ton on our FB page though. What we used to sit on for a few weeks is now selling quickly and we have been raising our prices! Which is great!


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## amylou62

DanyellL - can you give a link to your fb page?


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## DanyellL

amylou62 said:


> DanyellL - can you give a link to your fb page?


sure. 

www.facebook.com/ldesignsdecor


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## clovis

We were having a great week of sales...then boom. Today's sales were awful!


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## SeaGoat

Ive sold about 2 things a week. This week, nothing. Well, i did sell my biggest order of soap ever, which is exciting, but I want to sell my vintage/antiques so i can buy more!
I love the hunt and the auctions..

Tell me it'll pick up when tax returns start coming in lol


----------



## DanyellL

This doesn't have anything to do with our booths....but this coming weekend my husband and I are driving down to "meet" Earthy & her husband! I am so excited! Earthy is doing her first craft fair and we are going down to support her. And then going to her favorite flea market on Sunday. I CAN NOT WAIT! We "met" each other here in this forum and we have become great friends! And we live around 2.5 hours apart!


----------



## clovis

DanyellL said:


> This doesn't have anything to do with our booths....but this coming weekend my husband and I are driving down to "meet" Earthy & her husband! I am so excited! Earthy is doing her first craft fair and we are going down to support her. And then going to her favorite flea market on Sunday. I CAN NOT WAIT! We "met" each other here in this forum and we have become great friends! And we live around 2.5 hours apart!


Now that is cool!!!

I've had several meet ups over the years, and they all have been fun and enjoyable. I've made many new friends, and have learned a great deal.

I wish that I were able to meet up with you all. I'd love to meet you in real life!


----------



## DanyellL

clovis said:


> Now that is cool!!!
> 
> I've had several meet ups over the years, and they all have been fun and enjoyable. I've made many new friends, and have learned a great deal.
> 
> I wish that I were able to meet up with you all. I'd love to meet you in real life!


Yes! I wish we all could as well! It would be awesome to hear stories in person!


----------



## clovis

DanyellL said:


> Yes! I wish we all could as well! It would be awesome to hear stories in person!


I think it would be fun to spend a few weeks together, going to auctions and estate sales, all of us working as allies on a team. Then, after the sales, we could visit each other's booths, round robin style, asking questions, making suggestions, and offering constructive comments to each booth. 

You all could teach me about painted furniture, primitives, country decorating, and different stuff, and I could teach you all about trains, tools, fabric, and maybe some other tricks of the trade.

Just think how valuable that could be to each of us. If we enabled each other to spot and score items that we could profit $200 a month, that would equal $2,400 a year, and $24,000 over a 10 year span.


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## MJsLady

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and HT flea market...
Wouldn't that be neat, all the vendors being HTers...


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## thesedays

I stopped by my local booth yesterday afternoon. To my surprise, there were holes all over the place! :rock: I brought 3 boxes with me, and took 2 out.

:lonergr:


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## DanyellL

clovis said:


> I think it would be fun to spend a few weeks together, going to auctions and estate sales, all of us working as allies on a team. Then, after the sales, we could visit each other's booths, round robin style, asking questions, making suggestions, and offering constructive comments to each booth.
> 
> You all could teach me about painted furniture, primitives, country decorating, and different stuff, and I could teach you all about trains, tools, fabric, and maybe some other tricks of the trade.
> 
> Just think how valuable that could be to each of us. If we enabled each other to spot and score items that we could profit $200 a month, that would equal $2,400 a year, and $24,000 over a 10 year span.


Sounds like a dream. That would be AWESOME!

Yea I def plan to hit up Earthy's mall! I can't wait.


----------



## DanyellL

thesedays said:


> I stopped by my local booth yesterday afternoon. To my surprise, there were holes all over the place! :rock: I brought 3 boxes with me, and took 2 out.
> 
> :lonergr:


YAY! That is great!


----------



## SeaGoat

Im thinking about applying for a job at the Antique Malls around here. 
I have wanted to work in one for a few years now and life has taken a little bit of a funny turn, but I dont know, I just never felt like they hired "outsiders".
Its really my passion though so if I have a choice I would love to choose one of the malls, but if not I would like to try an auction house out.

Does anyone have experience in applying for a job in the antique or auction world?


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Im thinking about applying for a job at the Antique Malls around here.
> I have wanted to work in one for a few years now and life has taken a little bit of a funny turn, but I dont know, I just never felt like they hired "outsiders".
> Its really my passion though so if I have a choice I would love to choose one of the malls, but if not I would like to try an auction house out.
> 
> Does anyone have experience in applying for a job in the antique or auction world?


I do not. But I do know Cherry Hill was looking for an Auction Coordinator. Maybe you could check there?


----------



## DanyellL

Well we are back from our weekend trip to meet Earthy! We visited her booth/all and hit up some other of their locals places they find some goodies. 

It was so much fun to meet her family and see where they go to find their furniture. It was a blast and we can wait to make another trip down. 

Funny story: When we were at a flea market on Sunday I was eyeing a canister set (that had wood tops I could paint), so I asked the guy how much. He said $5. I said "No....for the whole set" (I thought he was saying $5 for just the largest canister, which would be typical in the market that I usually buy in). Once the guy said $5 for the whole set, I was so shocked I blurted out "I'LL TAKE THEM". Earthy's husband cracked up. lol 

It's funny to see the difference in the prices even just 3 hours away!


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## earthymomma

I have been downright HORRIBLE at keeping up with this thread and I miss it!! 

We had such a blast this past weekend with Danyell and her hubby. Clovis a round robin style visit and junkin would be amazing!! 

Our first vendor fair was a bust! I know now if I plan on doing anymore of these to be super specific and do my homework ahead of time, thankfully I have the booth which I took everything straight to after the fair lol. 

Things have picked up for us, we started doing custom furniture and it has taken off! The new booth location is doing ok, not amazing but ok 

We have had our best month yet in combined sales between the two since we started a year ago. I've learned so much from all of you!


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## SeaGoat

My online sales have been dead all week, on ebay and etsy. I was having back to back sales, now, nothing.
Maybe it's Easter?


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## DanyellL

earthymomma said:


> I have been downright HORRIBLE at keeping up with this thread and I miss it!!
> 
> We had such a blast this past weekend with Danyell and her hubby. Clovis a round robin style visit and junkin would be amazing!!
> 
> Our first vendor fair was a bust! I know now if I plan on doing anymore of these to be super specific and do my homework ahead of time, thankfully I have the booth which I took everything straight to after the fair lol.
> 
> Things have picked up for us, we started doing custom furniture and it has taken off! The new booth location is doing ok, not amazing but ok
> 
> We have had our best month yet in combined sales between the two since we started a year ago. I've learned so much from all of you!


Your booth is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> My online sales have been dead all week, on ebay and etsy. I was having back to back sales, now, nothing.
> Maybe it's Easter?


I saw some other girls on Instagram saying that March has been their worst month so far. For me, it has been our best month! Same for Earthy! lol I can't complain.


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## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> I saw some other girls on Instagram saying that March has been their worst month so far. For me, it has been our best month! Same for Earthy! lol I can't complain.


Are you going to do the antique show in Monroe this month? 

I'm debating but a little unsure. $100 for a 10x10 for 3 days. I just don't know what crowd turn out will be like


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## shannsmom

March has FELT like a horrible month for sales, but when looking at the numbers, it was actually pretty good, weirdly enough. Online sales are wishy washy for us, Amazon has been dead, but Ebay has been good. I've just been happy with any sales we get 

I think part of why it has felt so slow is, there's been nothing for us to buy, so there's not the constant moving of things and money. But yard sale/rummage sale season is fixing to kick up, so we are ready! We did go to 1 big twice a year sale we usually find great things at (we even sold there for a couple of years) last weekend. We were all excited, happy to go....and 1/2 the spaces were empty! The people that were there, were charging more than new retail for used merchandise! We walked the whole thing in 20 minutes, less time than it took to drive there, and 1/2 of that time was spent talking to vendor friends we hadn't seen in a while. Oh well, we'll keep looking for more, now that the weather's warm.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Are you going to do the antique show in Monroe this month?
> 
> I'm debating but a little unsure. $100 for a 10x10 for 3 days. I just don't know what crowd turn out will be like


That's a really good price. But I'm not sure. I got a flier about it on Saturday when we picked up our check. But I honestly haven't even looked at it yet. It's hard for me to commit to something for 3 days, just sitting there. LOL I know I could make some money, but if I don't I will be kicking myself in the butt wasting the time. lol I'm hoping the crowds the festival will bring will flood our mall and help sells there!


----------



## DanyellL

My husband and I are going to looking at some more malls this weekend. He's really wanting to open another booth at a different mall. So we shall see how this goes. 

We had a great weekend getting stuff done and we scored at an auction!

Hope you all had a great Easter!


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## thesedays

Yesterday, I picked up a bunch of crafting materials (elastic, ribbon, etc.) at an estate sale - things I don't use - and I packaged them in Baggies and put them in one of my booths earlier this afternoon.

We'll see what happens with that!


----------



## DanyellL

thesedays said:


> Yesterday, I picked up a bunch of crafting materials (elastic, ribbon, etc.) at an estate sale - things I don't use - and I packaged them in Baggies and put them in one of my booths earlier this afternoon.
> 
> We'll see what happens with that!


I would think that would do well.


----------



## DanyellL

Sarah have you been in Ian Henderson's antique mall lately? My husband and I went in yesterday to scope it out for a possible 2nd booth. I was shocked at the prices and how everything was just kind of thrown in their booths. There wasn't much painted furniture in there and the ones that were in there were CRAZY expensive and the quality was horrible. So I think it would be a good market but I'm just so turned off by the mall and the other dealers. Not to mention all of the staff is just high school kids. They rarely promote on FB (which is big for me). I honestly think the reason why they get so much traffic is bc it's right there off the main road. 

We decided yesterday it def wasn't the place for us.


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Sarah have you been in Ian Henderson's antique mall lately? My husband and I went in yesterday to scope it out for a possible 2nd booth. I was shocked at the prices and how everything was just kind of thrown in their booths. There wasn't much painted furniture in there and the ones that were in there were CRAZY expensive and the quality was horrible. So I think it would be a good market but I'm just so turned off by the mall and the other dealers. Not to mention all of the staff is just high school kids. They rarely promote on FB (which is big for me). I honestly think the reason why they get so much traffic is bc it's right there off the main road.
> 
> We decided yesterday it def wasn't the place for us.


I havent been in since around Christmas but I did notice the younger kids running around the place. They are super nice and friendly though. 

I met someone at an auction house I frequent that mentioned how they noticed Ians was going downhill and filling up with stuffy junky booths. 
I think what has happened is hes trying to fill ALL that space, I mean its what, 100,000sqft..
Trying to fill all that with fine merchandise is going to be next to impossible. 
He seems to be pretty well known in the antique business though. 

Hes been in newspapers, on the news, and they have filmed some TV shows on the property. He does advertise around Monroe but his social media face is lacking. 

When I first moved here was was where Davis St Antiques is, then moved to where Vintage Revival is, then to where he is now. 
I dont like that space as much as the other two though. It doesnt feel as "cozy" and welcoming. 


The Cotton Depot was suggested to me by the same person at the auction house. He said they have a pretty good repeat customer base. That place is a little on the high side and overwhelms me slightly when I walk in though.. 
lol 


Didnt a new store open up down from Hodge Podge?


----------



## thesedays

Yesterday, I went to the tail end of a library book sale and filled the trunk of my car for $10. :clap: I would have gotten more, but the sale was shutting down. Haven't made it to any of my booths yet, but I'll be doing plenty of swapping out in the days to come, and I've listed some items on my Amazon account. Haven't sold any of those yet, but I have sold two of the books I got from my friend a few weeks ago, and have made back the $20 I paid her for them.


----------



## SeaGoat

I've noticed the thrift stores have started jacking their furniture prices up around here.

$80 for dressers, $70 for a rocking chair, $240 for a China cabinet. 

Don't get me wrong, it's nice stuff, but there lanes very little profit to be made after having to transporting it, fixing it up/painting it, and time spent. 

Man. Garage sales haven't really kicked up yet. Rain, rain, rain


----------



## SeaGoat

I just went and looked at a couple booths at vintage revivals. 

They have a 64sqft and 2 40sqft.

I am really thinking about the 64.
It's not in my most favorite location but it's in an area I think it could stand out if I did it up right..

I'm looking over there welcome packet 
Once the SO gets home I'm going to discuss it with him.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I just went and looked at a couple booths at vintage revivals.
> 
> They have a 64sqft and 2 40sqft.
> 
> I am really thinking about the 64.
> It's not in my most favorite location but it's in an area I think it could stand out if I did it up right..
> 
> I'm looking over there welcome packet
> Once the SO gets home I'm going to discuss it with him.


Will you let them know I referred you? Pweaseeeeeeeeeee! Michelle is a dear. And so is the younger girl Courtney. 

Where is the booth located? I just talked to Michelle this morning and told her we were wanting a bigger booth. So we are waiting to see if anything will open up. There is one on the window aisle we have our eye on. LOL 

Yea the 40 sq ft ones are the baby booths I was telling you about. They are so adorable! I love them. I think they could be so cute if done right. 

We had a good bit of larger items sell this week so I have to get in there tomorrow morning and put some new stuff in there! Hopefully I can finish up the pieces I'm working on tonight!


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I've noticed the thrift stores have started jacking their furniture prices up around here.
> 
> $80 for dressers, $70 for a rocking chair, $240 for a China cabinet.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, it's nice stuff, but there lanes very little profit to be made after having to transporting it, fixing it up/painting it, and time spent.
> 
> Man. Garage sales haven't really kicked up yet. Rain, rain, rain


And yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Furniture prices have skyrocketed but what people are paying for finished items has lowered. Go FIGURE. LOL We have lots of picker friends that let us shop their stash. LOL And they give us good deals. I rarely buy anything at thrift stores when it comes to furniture.


----------



## DanyellL

thesedays said:


> Yesterday, I went to the tail end of a library book sale and filled the trunk of my car for $10. :clap: I would have gotten more, but the sale was shutting down. Haven't made it to any of my booths yet, but I'll be doing plenty of swapping out in the days to come, and I've listed some items on my Amazon account. Haven't sold any of those yet, but I have sold two of the books I got from my friend a few weeks ago, and have made back the $20 I paid her for them.


I would have LOVED to go to that. I love reading!


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Will you let them know I referred you? Pweaseeeeeeeeeee! Michelle is a dear. And so is the younger girl Courtney.
> 
> Where is the booth located? I just talked to Michelle this morning and told her we were wanting a bigger booth. So we are waiting to see if anything will open up. There is one on the window aisle we have our eye on. LOL
> 
> Yea the 40 sq ft ones are the baby booths I was telling you about. They are so adorable! I love them. I think they could be so cute if done right.
> 
> We had a good bit of larger items sell this week so I have to get in there tomorrow morning and put some new stuff in there! Hopefully I can finish up the pieces I'm working on tonight!


I reserved my booth :bouncy:

Its 64sqft. 
Im going to drop off my deposit this evening or tomorrow. 
They are going to have to finish off the bottom half and Im going to have to paint the top half but they said by May 1st I should be ready to move in.

Its a few isles back and a couple booths down from a corner. 
Its pretty close to the baby booths. I looked at those but they were pretty small for what I _think_I want to do so I just decided to get the bigger one.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I havent been in since around Christmas but I did notice the younger kids running around the place. They are super nice and friendly though.
> 
> I met someone at an auction house I frequent that mentioned how they noticed Ians was going downhill and filling up with stuffy junky booths.
> I think what has happened is hes trying to fill ALL that space, I mean its what, 100,000sqft..
> Trying to fill all that with fine merchandise is going to be next to impossible.
> He seems to be pretty well known in the antique business though.
> 
> Hes been in newspapers, on the news, and they have filmed some TV shows on the property. He does advertise around Monroe but his social media face is lacking.
> 
> When I first moved here was was where Davis St Antiques is, then moved to where Vintage Revival is, then to where he is now.
> I dont like that space as much as the other two though. It doesnt feel as "cozy" and welcoming.
> 
> 
> The Cotton Depot was suggested to me by the same person at the auction house. He said they have a pretty good repeat customer base. That place is a little on the high side and overwhelms me slightly when I walk in though..
> lol
> 
> 
> Didnt a new store open up down from Hodge Podge?


Yea he's well known. But I've also heard a lot of "negative" things about him. I used to go to his store when it was in the Davis St. location as well! I loved that building. And I loved his dad that used to run the counter! Such a sweet man. I have nothing against him personally. He has always been really nice to me and my husband. 

I thought some of the booths downstairs were awesome. But the majority were just too full and full of junk. The price for booths was cheap though. I think he's trying hard to be the biggest mall, like you said. But we'll see. 

And I know there is one next to Hodge Podge called Markets of Monroe which is Hodge Podge's sister store. And sadly I've never been in the Cotton Depot. LOL Their picture on FB are beautiful though. Nicely staged booths. I never knew the Cotton Depot was down there until this past December when we were going to a meeting over in the Engine Room. LOL


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I reserved my booth :bouncy:
> 
> Its 64sqft.
> Im going to drop off my deposit this evening or tomorrow.
> They are going to have to finish off the bottom half and Im going to have to paint the top half but they said by May 1st I should be ready to move in.
> 
> Its a few isles back and a couple booths down from a corner.
> Its pretty close to the baby booths. I looked at those but they were pretty small for what I _think_I want to do so I just decided to get the bigger one.


Whoooo hoooooo! I wonder if you are close to me then? We are right on a corner, in the back close to the entrances of Architectural Alley. The baby booths are close to us! We have to paint our trim. They said it all had to be done before the Grand Opening!


----------



## SeaGoat

Here's my little corner. 
Im not crazy about the pole.. it kind of messes up what I was going to do with some pictures..
I do hope they finish off the side with the doors. The brackets on the floor In not crazy about but oh well.. I'm just not sure what I am and am not allowed to ask about

Im still excited!


----------



## DanyellL

They are great about booth build outs. So ask away. Let Michelle know what you don't like about it and I'm sure she will fix it!


----------



## SeaGoat

Does anyone have any ideas on how to "hide" things? 

I'm going to be bringing in some China. Right now its in two boxes. I'm only going to have room to display only a few pieces (80+ total). I'm not sure where to tuck the other pieces..


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> Does anyone have any ideas on how to "hide" things?
> 
> I'm going to be bringing in some China. Right now its in two boxes. I'm only going to have room to display only a few pieces (80+ total). I'm not sure where to tuck the other pieces..


I have no idea. I've never done that. Maybe walk around the mall and see how other people display their china?

And I saw your booth yesterday! I think it's in a good location. We might be moving AGAIN. lol Actually to the row right behind you. Right there on the corner. We should know soon if the guy is leaving or not. He barely has anything in there...just a couple of things. Michelle is trying to get him into a smaller booth.


----------



## DanyellL

How is everyone doing for the month of April? Every month our sales are climbing! This month has been AWESOME for us. When we moved to the back of the mall in our new booth we were a little worried about traffic. But we seem to be doing just fine. And thankfully the influx of painted furniture booths haven't really hurt our sales. So we will just keep trucking along. 

We are doing so well my husband and I have started really discussing me leaving my full time job. Which is quite scary for me since I've been here for 10 years. But I think with me not working I could def almost double what we are making now off furniture with me doing it full time. So we will see. I'm excited!

I hope you are all doing ok. It's been super quiet in here lately!


----------



## SeaGoat

I'm about to bring in some painted furniture lol

Sorry! Most of it was given to me after sitting 20 years in a basement so it was pretty rough and needed something. 
But i think I'm bringing in a few things I haven't seen in there either at all or lately, but then again i want in the too much before hand. 

I'm excited I'm starting up when they are throwing their grand opening.


----------



## DanyellL

I think there is painted furniture in almost every booth now. lmao We were even told by a dealer that occupied our previous booth that we inspired him to start doing furniture. lol I don't mind it. I just don't want customers to get tired of seeing nothing but painted furniture in the mall. We have tried to bring in more vintage items as far as smalls as well, like old linens and things to mix it up a little. And to have items in all price points. It seems to be working. 

Did you talk to Michelle about building out your booth? Or are you just going to leave it?


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> I think there is painted furniture in almost every booth now. lmao We were even told by a dealer that occupied our previous booth that we inspired him to start doing furniture. lol I don't mind it. I just don't want customers to get tired of seeing nothing but painted furniture in the mall. We have tried to bring in more vintage items as far as smalls as well, like old linens and things to mix it up a little. And to have items in all price points. It seems to be working.
> 
> Did you talk to Michelle about building out your booth? Or are you just going to leave it?


She said it should be done and I can move in on the first but....

I'm starting to worry maybe they've forgotten? 
I don't want to be a bother by calling and asking. 

I went in there the other day to do color samples and no one could answer any of my questions and said Michelle was going to have to call me back but that was 4-5 days ago :shrug:


Im excited to paint and move in asap


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> She said it should be done and I can move in on the first but....
> 
> I'm starting to worry maybe they've forgotten?
> I don't want to be a bother by calling and asking.
> 
> I went in there the other day to do color samples and no one could answer any of my questions and said Michelle was going to have to call me back but that was 4-5 days ago :shrug:
> 
> 
> Im excited to paint and move in asap


Yea Michelle does all the new dealer stuff. The other ladies are nice, but they don't handle any of that. I would call Michelle or even FB message her. If I need to get a hold of her I always message her on FB. lol


----------



## thesedays

Garage sale season is firing up, and I've cleaned up at a couple of end-of-sales - and gotten some surprisingly good stuff, too. :dance:

Today, I was at an estate sale and saw some vintage children's clothing, advertised as "doll clothes", for $5 for the lot. Most of it was in excellent condition, and several items were handmade. I'm going to wash and dry them in hot water, and put the items that survive this treatment in the booth I deem best for it and see what happens with those items too.

As for my craft items, I've sold some of them so I'm happy about that.


----------



## SeaGoat

There were a TON of sales around here yesterday but after buying everything I need to get my booth running Im about on E lol

I knew start up was going to be expensive but. . Yikes!


----------



## thesedays

I washed the kids' clothing in hot water and dried it on high, and it looks 10 times better than it did when I brought it home. No damage at all!

:rock:


----------



## DanyellL

That is awesome Thesdays!!

And when are you moving in Sarah? Did you go to the dealer meeting last Thursday? 

My DH just went to pick up our check for April! Biggest check to date! The manager at the mall also showed DH a booth she thinks would be great for us as a second booth. It is only 40 sq ft but would be great for overflow for us. And I have been itching to do something a little different. So I may let my imagination go wild for that space!


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> That is awesome Thesdays!!
> 
> And when are you moving in Sarah? Did you go to the dealer meeting last Thursday?
> 
> My DH just went to pick up our check for April! Biggest check to date! The manager at the mall also showed DH a booth she thinks would be great for us as a second booth. It is only 40 sq ft but would be great for overflow for us. And I have been itching to do something a little different. So I may let my imagination go wild for that space!


I had no idea about the dealer meeting. 
I over heard her talking to a couple dealers about the 10% off mall wide for the grand opening.. They say its not mandatory but everyone, with the exception of a couple people, are complying. 

Ive been painting. I spent 6 hours today and about 3 a couple days ago and Im still not done. 
That bead board is hard to paint with all the grooves. 

Im hoping to get some things in this weekend. 
My schedule this week has been crazy with school ending..


----------



## DanyellL

Well dang I would have mentioned. But yes they are requesting 10% off storewide. But the older dealers were upset about it. But those are the same people that aren't moving anything. I don't get the big deal. I love doing sales! I love having items move!


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Well dang I would have mentioned. But yes they are requesting 10% off storewide. But the older dealers were upset about it. But those are the same people that aren't moving anything. I don't get the big deal. I love doing sales! I love having items move!


haha, well I figured about the 10% off with the advertising Ive seen. 
I asked her when I was doing that paper work about mandatory sales and she said they dont do them. I figured a grand opening is an exception and probably around Christmas they might encourage sales..


----------



## thesedays

One of the businesses where I have a booth here in town is consolidating from 2 buildings to 1, and as a result, I may have more shelf space but will still pay the same rent. If it's "enough more", I may shut down the booth that's 40 miles away.


----------



## SeaGoat

thesedays said:


> One of the businesses where I have a booth here in town is consolidating from 2 buildings to 1, and as a result, I may have more shelf space but will still pay the same rent. If it's "enough more", I may shut down the booth that's 40 miles away.


40 miles?! Goodness! 


I had a couple stop by the booth yesterday while I was cleaning up. They say it's fun but don't ever make a profit and kind of acted like that was everyone in the business. 
It kind of rained on my parade a little... lol
But I'm putting my all into this so hopefully I'll see some positive results. 


I was at the counter later getting tags when another couple said 'we missed you at the auction the other night! '

I told them I've been dumping all my money and time into prepping my booth.
He went on to say I didn't miss much because "them high rolling ladies were in there running the prices up"

I knew exactly who he was talking about.
Ugh. I don't like that this couple found this auction house. They have bottomless wallets.
I guess it's good for the auction house but I'm wondering if it's going to start chasing other customers off.

When I start back going I know I'm not going to waste 4-5 hours of my Friday night to come home with little to no money to be made. :umno:
I'll just have to find another place.
...which stinks because I really like the people who run it and their regular customer base.


----------



## DanyellL

Do not get discouraged! I'm not sure who said that to you but there are a good bit of older couples with booths in our mall. They don't make profits because they don't work their booth. They aren't selling what customers are looking for. I am not a pro...but as far as that mall goes I think I have it pretty down. 

Have you been to the Cherry Hill auction yet? I went this past Saturday and it sucked! They had so much awesome furniture but there were some dealers down from Atlanta and the prices were going at retail what I could sell it for. I was kind of upset that I drove the hour out there for the crap I got. But that is the nature of the beast. You never know.


----------



## RoseW

IME, the ones who make the $ are the ones renting the booth to you. They already know what to look for - what will bring more. Some things may bring less @ auction - but the thing you didn't know you had, may well make up for it.


----------



## thesedays

Most people who start doing this give it up because they do indeed expect to make a living at it. 

Doesn't usually work that way.

:stars:


----------



## SeaGoat

I'm still working to get it together! 
Sunday we took most of my bigger things in and semi set up. I forgot my hangers so everything is pretty much leaned against the wall :bash:

Oh my goodness! lol
Who would have thought it would take SO long to set a booth up! lol


----------



## SeaGoat

thesedays said:


> Most people who start doing this give it up because they do indeed expect to make a living at it.
> 
> Doesn't usually work that way.
> 
> :stars:


yeah, I don't expect to make a living, but a little extra here and there would be great!


----------



## earthymomma

Sorry I've been so quiet! We are officially all moved into our homestead! I'm so excited but anxious to get back to spending some love and attention in the booth! 

Has anyone ever sold any vintage cookbooks? I found one wit the sleeve still mostly intact today at goodwill and figured I'd give it a shot


----------



## earthymomma

This month has been pretty slow for us, which stinks but makes sense since my focus has been on the move. I'm considering doing a sale and big push for Memorial Day to hopefully turn things around. Staying decently consistent with custom orders though


----------



## thesedays

earthymomma said:


> Sorry I've been so quiet! We are officially all moved into our homestead! I'm so excited but anxious to get back to spending some love and attention in the booth!
> 
> Has anyone ever sold any vintage cookbooks? I found one wit the sleeve still mostly intact today at goodwill and figured I'd give it a shot


They don't sell well in my booths, but I do have some listed on Amazon, and have sold a number of them. They can be surprisingly valuable. A perennial favorite is called "Household Searchlight".

I actually came here to say that I found a forum for online and other independent sellers. It's called http://sellersoapbox.com/ and I just registered. :thumb:


----------



## SeaGoat

In the 4 whole days Ive been officially open I haven't sold anything 
lol

I went and added some fresh flowers for the weekend today. 
I saw more people in there shopping today than i did in the week of painting my booth, so maybe I'll get something before the months out.


----------



## SeaGoat

I keep having nightmares about my booth, lol, is that normal?

Ive sold a few things, nothing ground breaking that is going to pay rent. We had a lot of traffic yesterday with the first day of the grand opening. 
Im hoping we get a TON of traffic today with it being Saturday. 


I may have priced my items too high, but you can always come down, right?


----------



## thesedays

The store where I've had my longest booth (3 years) recently consolidated into a bigger building half a block down the road, and I've seen a big increase in sales, just from the move! :rock: My old booth was a 3-sided thing about the size of a phone booth, and now I just have a lot of shelves against a wall, and a pegboard in the middle. Everything's out there and visible, and I went back and put up signs for the different types of books and other items. Moving day for me was Monday, when the store was closed, and yet several people walked in and wanted to shop!  The old location wasn't anywhere near that busy.

Other vendors have seen increases in their sales, too - and they're not even finished moving yet.

So, at least I have good news.


----------



## DanyellL

SarahFair said:


> I keep having nightmares about my booth, lol, is that normal?
> 
> Ive sold a few things, nothing ground breaking that is going to pay rent. We had a lot of traffic yesterday with the first day of the grand opening.
> Im hoping we get a TON of traffic today with it being Saturday.
> 
> 
> I may have priced my items too high, but you can always come down, right?


Personally I thought your items were priced low. Lol I wouldn't mess with them too much.


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> Personally I thought your items were priced low. Lol I wouldn't mess with them too much.


I dropped my prices on some items yesterday. 
The SO is like, 'WHAT?!' when I tell him some prices, which makes me feel weird, but in reality he doesn't know what stuff costs


----------



## earthymomma

Moving into our homestead took wayyy more of my time this past month than I anticipated and in result had an awful month :-/ ready to dive in head first this month and hopefully make it a good one! Have a few custom orders lined up and I plan on giving my booth a facelift with some new paint color and a dramatic permanent shelving unit. Fingers crossed that helps! Last summer we had killer sales so I'm hoping that trend continues! 

How is everyone else doing??


----------



## SeaGoat

I went in yesterday to pick something up someone requested me to bring and noticed several items missing in just a few days, yay!

Im designing 2 signs for my booth. 

1 as a hanging isle sign
the other as a social media sign.

Have yall noticed in influx of Facebook 'likes' once yall advertised it in your booth? 

I have them slowly trickling in, but mostly just fb friends.


----------



## earthymomma

That's awesome! I love checking on my booth and seeing multiple missing items! I've never left a sign in my booth consistently with my Facebook page on it to make a difference. I get most of my "likes" advertising on the local yard sale pages on business days. I've also heard that the first 1000 are the hardest to get! Lol after that you gain likes much easier


----------



## DanyellL

SeaGoat said:


> I went in yesterday to pick something up someone requested me to bring and noticed several items missing in just a few days, yay!
> 
> Im designing 2 signs for my booth.
> 
> 1 as a hanging isle sign
> the other as a social media sign.
> 
> Have yall noticed in influx of Facebook 'likes' once yall advertised it in your booth?
> 
> I have them slowly trickling in, but mostly just fb friends.


I have a sign in mine that has our FB info. We also have flyers we leave on furniture with our contact information and fb info. I don't notice a tonnnn of likes that way but I think we get a few with the sign. Most of our likes come from the FB yardsale groups and other pages that do what we do and have share days. It has taken almost a year for us to get 617. LOL


----------



## DanyellL

And Sarah you changing your name just threw me completely off. LOL


----------



## SeaGoat

DanyellL said:


> And Sarah you changing your name just threw me completely off. LOL


Haha, yeah. 
I asked about a job on here and when i realized they were researching me and my business I got paranoid and changed it so I wasnt linked


----------



## DanyellL

How is everyone???? It has been so quiet in here lately!!!


----------



## SeaGoat

Pretty good. 
I've been making over booth rent with a little extra to spare 

Some things aren't selling like I thought they would but i heard some one summer is a hard time for antiques


----------



## DanyellL

SeaGoat said:


> Pretty good.
> I've been making over booth rent with a little extra to spare
> 
> Some things aren't selling like I thought they would but i heard some one summer is a hard time for antiques


Yep. It's always super slow for us. 

We have been slacking on getting things in the booth. We have actually decided to give up our big booth and just keep the smaller one. We have had so many custom orders we can't keep up with keeping the booth full. We have made well over booth rent every month, even this month with it being slow. But it's too much for me to keep up with myself. I am kind of sad to see it go, but know it's the best decision for our family at this time.


----------



## jlxian

I've promised you all that I would tell you when the Ghost Hunter's episode will air that was filmed at the flea market where I have my booth. They have finally announced it will air on September 23, 2015 on the SyFy channel. Hopefully it drums up some business!


----------



## DanyellL

jlxian said:


> I've promised you all that I would tell you when the Ghost Hunter's episode will air that was filmed at the flea market where I have my booth. They have finally announced it will air on September 23, 2015 on the SyFy channel. Hopefully it drums up some business!


Soooo awesome. I'll be sure to set a reminder!


----------



## thesedays

Haven't been around here for a while, but I thought I'd stop by and update everyone on how I'm doing.

I'm going to pull my booth that's 40 miles away, because the last few times I've gone there, the owner has been VERY nasty to me. :stars: Other vendors have said the same thing, and it just isn't worth it any more. Her business partner is having a hard time dealing with her, too. I've heard that the business isn't doing well. Gee, I wonder why. Running off your customers doesn't help matters!

In the meantime, I downsized one booth that didn't make any money, and my oldest booth, the one in the consolidated building, is doing OK. I'm going to move all the stuff from the OOT booth into that one, because the booth owner next to mine pulled his things out at the beginning of the month. Yesterday, a friend and I moved some shelves in, and earlier today, I brought in some extra books and CDs that I had on hand.

My Amazon business has had its ups and downs too; I'm always happy to see "SOLD - ship now" in my e-mail list.

:buds:


----------



## MountainGirl56

I'm glad to see this thread has a new message or two. I have read through all the old posts and have really enjoyed and benefitted from them.

I started an antique booth about 6 weeks ago. It's $170/month for 100 sq. ft. plus 10% commission. I love it, but I can relate to the comments about staying up nights wondering if anything will sell and if I'll make the rent. So far I have, but trying to figure out what sells and at what price seems to be an art.

I started the booth with lots of stuff from my parents (who are downsizing) and my own acquisitions from past antique mall expeditions. I had a grandmother who was an avid collector of porcelain. Too bad porcelain doesn't seem to sell well in this area! I really don't believe in keeping items in boxes, they should be displayed and enjoyed, and sometimes I like to change things out. If I'm not using it, it's time to give someone else a chance.

I try and visit the booth twice per week, adding new items as others sell. I love to go to thrift stores and find pieces that the workers apparently do not know are vintage/antique. I also love to upcycle and remake items that look pretty useless to others.

There's some great advice on this thread so keep it up! I can use it.


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## thesedays

I went to that booth today and took as much with me as I could. I had planned to make two trips, and now I'll have to, because I took some things to a consignment shop down the road......and left my dolly cart there.

Oops!

I mean, loaded the things they wouldn't take into my car, and left it on the sidewalk! I must have been more tired than I thought.

:stars: 

I was planning to go back on Sunday or Monday to retrieve the rest, but I think I'll have to do it on Saturday instead. The consignment shop is closed on Sun&Mon, the antique store on Tuesdays, and I'm paid through the 15th.

To my pleasant surprise, I'd also sold quite a few items, so I have less to bring back than I thought I would, and the owner was pleasant to deal with today as well.


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## thesedays

Three trips. I went back the next day and got the cart, and some of my books too. I was going to take the booth down for good today (I'm paid through the 15th and they're closed on Tuesdays) but I'm not feeling well, and called to ask if I could do it Wednesday. She said that was fine.

I think my forgetfulness was a sign of my impending illness. I think I have a viral sinus infection. 

Plus, keeping the booth for 2 extra days may mean that people will buy stuff, and I'll get more $$$$$$ and have to move less stuff.


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## DanyellL

YAY! Some new post! 

Welcome to MountainGirl and good luck with your new booth!

And *waves* Thesedays! Hopefully since you are keeping your booth for 2 more days, things will fly off the shelf! And I hope you feel better soon!

We are doing pretty well this month. Summer was pretty rough for us. But I swear the first crisp morning here in the South gets people anxious to buy stuff! Which is great! So hopefully it will continue to be a great fall and holiday season for us!


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## jlxian

Just a reminder that on syfy tonight at 8:00 (CT) the flea market which has my booth will be on Ghost Hunters.


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## thesedays

jlxian said:


> Just a reminder that on syfy tonight at 8:00 (CT) the flea market which has my booth will be on Ghost Hunters.


Did you see your booth?


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## jlxian

thesedays said:


> Did you see your booth?


 No, I didn't. Their focus was mostly on the basement and second floor. But that is okay. They've aired the episode 3 times now in two weeks. Petty amazing. Did anyone on here see it?


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## jlxian

My husband and I made these pumpkins to put in our booth. In October, the town has a huge week long fair, ending with a parade. There should be a lot of traffic in the flea market during that time.


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## jlxian

I gave notice at my flea market I will close my booth at the end of the month. Too much frustration and few sales. Even during the fall festival, nothing sold. Bummer.


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## thesedays

jlxian said:


> I gave notice at my flea market I will close my booth at the end of the month. Too much frustration and few sales. Even during the fall festival, nothing sold. Bummer.


You have to do what's right for you. My two remaining booths didn't do well in November (both owners said the whole stores didn't have much business) but did a lot better last months. My Amazon account is doing quite well too.

:bowtie:


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## Duffy

My wife and I are planning on taking the Antique Mall booth plunge as soon as one is available. We are gathering stock to prepare. Are you using tax deductions for your booth? Are you registered as a Sole Proprietorship? Do you deduct rent at the antique mall you are at, but your home as well where you store inventory? Any other thoughts when it comes to reporting taxes?

Thank you!


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## thesedays

Coming back after being away for a while: When I last posted here, I had two booths, but now have only one because one of the malls closed about a year ago. Unfortunately, the mall where I'm doing business now is losing vendors left and right to a 3rd business that opened down the road. Such is life.


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## OzarksFarmGirl

I have two booths at one of the three local antique malls and am on the waiting list for a third, larger booth there. The mall I'm at was the first in the area and has been in business for over 20 years and there is never a day I've passed by and not seen at least a dozen customer vehicles there. Needless to say, there is a long waiting list for booths. Of the other two malls, though one is several times larger and packed to the roof, rarely does it have any customers and so vendors are starting to bail. And I've noticed last month that the mall has been redesigned to sell typical new retail merchandise ... furniture, large appliances, mattresses, etc.. When it comes to the third mall, I've often been the only person in the entire building, save for one employee. It's been there about 5 years, but I don't see it staying in business for much longer, which is sad because their layout is very customer friendly and their computerized system for vendors is really nice.


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## coffeecassie

I check in on this thread every so often, hoping it is active again. This thread really helped me when I took the plunge a few months ago and opened my first booth. I am loving it. I am turning a profit every month so far, which is great because we are in slow season retail wise here. Not getting rich, but the income is nice! Would love to see some new life in this thread! The shop I'm in offers new, vintage, second hand and antiques.. A little bit of everything.


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## Rchickenlady

coffeecassie said:


> I check in on this thread every so often, hoping it is active again. This thread really helped me when I took the plunge a few months ago and opened my first booth. I am loving it. I am turning a profit every month so far, which is great because we are in slow season retail wise here. Not getting rich, but the income is nice! Would love to see some new life in this thread! The shop I'm in offers new, vintage, second hand and antiques.. A little bit of everything.


Thank you for bringing up this thread. I just started a booth, second time for me. The first was several years ago, for a six month trial. I just made rent then. This time I will change the booth more frequently and be lower on pricing. What do you find that works great for you? I like the idea of themes, and am going to try to work in more toys. Antiques and collectibles here.


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## coffeecassie

Rchickenlady said:


> Thank you for bringing up this thread. I just started a booth, second time for me. The first was several years ago, for a six month trial. I just made rent then. This time I will change the booth more frequently and be lower on pricing. What do you find that works great for you? I like the idea of themes, and am going to try to work in more toys. Antiques and collectibles here.


I have had the best luck stocking part of my booth with very low priced items, like in the 1-2 dollar range. These items lure the shoppers back to my space in the back of the shop over and over, and the return shoppers also buy my more expensive items later on. My bestsellers are small toys, miniature/ knick knack animals (especially pigs!) wood or glass boxes, mini teacups and teapots, and really anything unusual with a low price tag. I think the most important thing for me is that the owner knows that the same people got to my booth every time they come in, and he told me they are buying at least one thing every time! For my larger and more valuable items, I'm pricing things about 2/3 of what they sell on eBay for. The mall I'm in is in a middle class area, and I think my target audience for higher priced items are people who want to buy and flip the stuff they find.


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## Rchickenlady

coffeecassie said:


> I have had the best luck stocking part of my booth with very low priced items, like in the 1-2 dollar range. These items lure the shoppers back to my space in the back of the shop over and over, and the return shoppers also buy my more expensive items later on. My bestsellers are small toys, miniature/ knick knack animals (especially pigs!) wood or glass boxes, mini teacups and teapots, and really anything unusual with a low price tag. I think the most important thing for me is that the owner knows that the same people got to my booth every time they come in, and he told me they are buying at least one thing every time! For my larger and more valuable items, I'm pricing things about 2/3 of what they sell on eBay for. The mall I'm in is in a middle class area, and I think my target audience for higher priced items are people who want to buy and flip the stuff they find.


That sounds like great strategy! I was pricing my stuff about 25% less than eBay, but stuff honestly wasn't selling well. The things I found out later were way low were the things that sold, so you're right about higher priced things going for resale. Time to get the 'littles' out to spice it up. Do you put a time limit for how long you try to sell something before you replace it, or do you keep marking it down?


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## coffeecassie

Rchickenlady said:


> That sounds like great strategy! I was pricing my stuff about 25% less than eBay, but stuff honestly wasn't selling well. The things I found out later were way low were the things that sold, so you're right about higher priced things going for resale. Time to get the 'littles' out to spice it up. Do you put a time limit for how long you try to sell something before you replace it, or do you keep marking it down?


I don't really have a time limit, but I do take things home once in a while to make room for other stuff, and then bring it back to fill holes on the shelves as needed. Sometimes just moving items from on spot to another makes them sell... I moved some stuff to the bottom shelf the other day and it sold right away after it had been sitting on a middle shelf for a few weeks.


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## OzarksFarmGirl

My two booths are upstairs, not the best for customers who have difficulting climbing stairs (myself included), but still enough traffic to always make a profit. I'd say about 70% of my booth is from the 40's-50's, with some things bit newer and some from the 1800's. Nothing this century. 

Here are some things I've found that help make having a booth a successful venture: 
Smalls - items $5 and under - are what make the rent, whilst furniture and high dollar items are where your real profit lies. 

Visit your booth at least once every week (mid-week works best for me), even if you have nothing to add, and move things around to keep the look fresh. Many people are repeat customers and seeing the same items in the same spot week after week will cause their eyes to glaze over and they pass right on by. Keeping it fresh makes them pause to look for what might be new or what they might have missed on the previous visit. 

Another tip that I know sounds crazy but often works. If you have a high-end item that you have marked on the lower end of the typical going price and it's not sold after a couple of months, bump the price UP by at least 50% - if not double. Chances are it will sell within two weeks. Of course, if it still doesn't sell after a couple of months, then you can have a "sale" on it. 

BTW, last week I received notice that a large booth in prime location on the street level has just been made available if I want it (YES!!!). Contract has been signed and I'll be moving things in the first of Aug.


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## coffeecassie

Congrats on your move OzarksFarmGirl! I bet being on the ground floor will increase your sales! I have heard the increasing your price idea from several people now. I am going to have to give it a try!


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## coffeecassie

Checked on my booth today, lots of smalls have sold, but nothing big. Not worried, this is a really slow time of year in this shop, and stuff is still moving, even if it isn't big stuff.


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## coffeecassie

Things are still moving! My sales for July were pretty good, but not amazing. I sold 77 items priced at $1, and 63 items with a higher price point ranging from 2-30 dollars. August is historically the words sales month in my neck of the woods, but my items are still moving pretty well. Fingers crossed for a good month!


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