Tag: Shopping tip

How do I price an item so I can sell it online or in a booth?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Lessons Learned, Selling tips, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

You have been shopping at flea markets, auctions and even thrift stores for a while now.  You have gotten several good deals now, and you have decided to make the plunge and sell some of the deals off either in a booth or online.

You have suddenly run into a problem with selling—how much do you charge on the item you want to sell?

This is a simple solution.  You need to ask yourself a very simple question—can I legitimately double what I paid for the item?  If you can double what you paid, then you are good to go.

Now, you need to remember one thing about pricing—you can’t just pull a number out your ear to say this is what you paid.  You need to keep good financial records not just on what you sell an item for, you also need to keep track of what you paid as well.

You need to keep your receipts for your records as well.  This helps prove what you paid in case you have a question later on arise.

The problem with the antiques and collectibles area is that there are going to be times that you do not get a receipt.  So, how do you prove that you paid a certain price for an item?  You will need to write it down on a piece of paper what you paid, where you bought it and the date that it was purchased.  Doing this will help go a long way in helping out.

One trick that I do is to keep things like a packing slip as well if I happen to buy something online.  The packing slip will have all of this listed on it, so it could stand in as a receipt if you don’t have anything else.

Now that you have a price for the item you want to sell, how fast do you think it will sell?

What is a good piece of advice for finding inventory to sell?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Inventory, Selling tips, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

You have just decided to sell some items on your favorite website, and now what?  Well, the first thing to do is to find some items to sell. Here’s the thing—you don’t need to go to a flea market or estate sale to get that inventory.

There is a very simple trick to help you find that inventory, and you do not need to go very far at all.  All you need to do to find a few things to sell is to shop your own house.

That’s right, shop your own house.  I know I know, this surprised you when you first heard this.  There is a reason that I recommend this trick to you.  Several years ago, I got to looking at what was going on with what I was doing with the items that I had in inventory.

I saw that when I had an item that was no longer being sold online.  I was taking items down from being sold online because they were not selling.   I would set them on a shelf and I was going to sell them at a garage sale, and then I began to stack items on that shelf with items that I was going to list online.

The thing was was that I began to walk around those items or just plain forgot about them.  I kept walking around them, and before you knew it, the shelf was full of items.

I finally broke down and took those items and listed them.  I started with the items that I had taken down from selling.  I gave them brand new photos that were a lot better and a completely refreshed description and new tags.

Do you know what?  They sold pretty fast.  I then moved on to the new inventory that was on that shelf and got it up to.  Then it got to the point where I went to my own bedroom and saw many more items to sell that I never even bothered to put into inventory.  I have been moving through my house and I am amazed how much inventory there is for me to sell off.

And that is what I would do if I were you—start in an area that you use for storage.  You will be amazed how much you will find because you either have no use for that item or don’t particularly like the item.

You don’t have to list everything at once.  Start with 2 or 3 items at first and then go from there.

You will be amazed at how much inventory you will find!

What are some of the different types of bowls?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, History, Item highlight, Kitchen Items, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When it comes to bowl designs, we all have heard about the console bowl, the cereal bowl and even the mixing bowl.  What are some other designs that you might run across when you are out shopping for vintage items?

Cream bowl—this bowl is used by some during a formal event when pureed soups are served during the first course of the meal.  This type of bowl comes with two handles and a shallow bottom on the bowl.

Bouillion cup—also known as a broth bowl, this serving piece is used to served chili, custards and even pudding in formal events.

Tureen—this is meant to hold soups and stews and it is used on the table.  This is meant to hold several bowls of soup that is meant to be ladled out into a bowl.

This is just a handful of the different types of bowls that you will run across.  What kinds have you run across?

What are some different types of pitchers that you might find?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Functional items, Glassware, Pottery, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When you get started shopping, you will run across a pitcher pretty fast.  You will be amazed how many different varieties there are.  You will quickly start to wonder what the different types of pitchers are.

This was one of the first questions that I ran across when I first started buying and selling antiques and collectibles.

Here are some of the most common ones that you will run across:

Iced tea pitchers—this type of pitcher is pretty large, they typically hold 64 ounces.  64 ounces is a standard size when it comes to Iced tea pitchers, but I have even seen that get close to 70 ounces.  Don’t let the words “Iced Tea” fool you—this type of pitcher has also been called a lemonade pitcher.  The great thing about these is that you will often find them with matching glasses.

Milk pitchers—this one actually threw me off when I first heard this one.  A milk pitcher is half the size of an Iced tea pitcher; it usually holds 32 ounces.  Why such an odd number you say?  32 ounces is how many ounces a quart milk bottle holds.  Milk pitchers are used to give a decorative look to the kitchen table when you are having breakfast.

Creamers—you don’t think of a creamer as a pitcher, but it does fall into this category.  This is the smallest of pitchers that are being talked about here, and they are usually 8 to 12 ounces in size.  One reason that you see quite a few creamers is the fact that you have a smaller serving size of milk when you are having a cup of coffee.

This is a small sample of what is on the market, and there are a few more types of pitchers that are out there.  What kinds have you heard of?

What are some do’s and don’ts when you attend an estate sale?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Estate Sales, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

You have attended a local auction and even have gone to some antique shops and even thrift stores that are near you.  So what is the next thing that you want to go to?  An estate sale!

Now that you have decided to take the plunge and attend an estate sale, what are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when you attend one?

The first thing to remember is that the company holding the sale may be limited to space in the house.  If they are, the company will limit the amount of people inside the house at one time to help with overcrowding.  The sale company will let in a certain amount at by doing something like handing out numbers to help with this.

Another thing to remember is not call or email ahead of time to get the price of an item you are interested in.  I have seen this happen several times when I am at a sale, and I have never seen the company give the price out.  This takes time away from the sale company from either running the sale or setting it up.

The next thing to remember is to respect others at the sale.  Cutting in line either waiting to get into the sale or to pay is one way to anger fellow customers.  Another way is to grab things out of another person’s hands that they are interested in and walk away with it.  These are a few of the jerk things that I have seen happen at sales that shouldn’t go on.  The thing to remember is to treat people the way you want to be treated.

This is just a small handful of do’s and don’ts when it comes to attending an estate sale.  What do you do when you attend a sale?

How do you find items to sell online?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Inventory, Selling tips, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

One of the more common questions that I am asked is how I find items to sell online.  Some of the more common places to find items are estate sales, auctions and even flea markets are common, and you can even find items at local thrift stores.

So where are some other places that that I find items to sell online?

Did you know that you can even find items in junkyards?  The obvious items to be found there are car parts.  I have seen other items like enamel signs, wire baskets and even gas pumps hanging out in junkyards.

I have also found items to sell on the curb of my own neighborhood that my neighbors set out at the curb for free.

The clearance isle of a store is a good possibility of finding items as well.

These are just a few ways to find items to sell.  How have you found the items you sell?

What are some of the different types of pottery?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Pottery, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you jump into the world of antiques and collectibles you will see a wide range of pottery that’s on the market.  It could be transferware, stoneware or even art pottery—you really never know what you could run across!

What are some of the different types of pottery that you will find?

Ironstone—this is a type of pottery that made its debut in the UK in the early 1800’s.  It is similar to fine stoneware and was developed by potters in Staffordshire England as a cheaper alternative for porcelain.

Agateware—this is a type of pottery that is decorated with a combination of clays that have contrasting colors.  The name of this type of pottery comes from the agate stone which has different colored layers in it.

Raku Ware—this is a type of Japanese pottery that is traditionally in Japanese tea ceremonies.  The pieces are fairly porous vesels that are a result from low firing temperatures and lead glazes.  The traditional process sees the fired piece removed from the hot kiln and allowed to cool in the open air.

This is a small portion of the different types of pottery that you will find on the market.  What types have you run across?

It happened in 1947

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Item highlight, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

It happened on April 15th, 1947, and it happened to be a Tuesday.  The first day of Major League Baseball is a day that people always look forward to, but this year was special.  Spring was in the air, the smell of hot dogs was wafting around, and Jackie Robinson was making his Major League debut.

When Jackie Robinson took the field on this day, he became the first African American to play baseball in the majors.  He succeeded in every way possible, and he eventually found his way to Cooperstown (this is the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame).

When it comes to the collectibles area that features either Jackie’s name or likeness, it is very wide-ranging.  It includes everything from hats to jerseys, ads or even bats and gloves (this doesn’t even begin to cover how much is out there).

One of the areas that is very sought-after are baseball cards.  Not only are they easy to store, but they can also command a very pretty penny.

The downside of the collectibles that feature Jackie Robinson is that there are plenty of reproductions or fantasy pieces on the market that you will run across.  You need to do your homework to see what an authentic piece looks like so that you don’t get taken for a ride.

One of the best ways to tell if the card pictured above is authentic is to look for the TOPPS copyright information on the card.  One of the best areas to find it is on the back of the card where the players stats are.  Another way is to look at the paper stock that the card was made of.  For 1956, TOPPS used paper stock that had no sheen to it, and the card itself is a little bigger than modern cards.  If you have a question about a certain card, lay a modern card over it to compare the sizes.

The picture above shows what to look for about the size differences on the cards.

What kind of Jackie Robinson collectibles have you run across?

Tips to remember when you are buying inventory

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Inventory, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

When you are new to the world of buying and selling, you may not know where to buy inventory for your business.  What are some tips to remember when you are out and about looking for deals?

It might sound like I’m pulling your leg, but I keep an eye out for inventory wherever I am.  You never know where you might be when an item might turn up.  I have literally found items that people are giving away by the curb of a street that I have turned around and sold.

Carry pocket change—it can be a life saver.  When the summer rolls around, I throw a couple dollars’ worth of change in my pocket.  It is always welcome by the people running the sale.

Poke around online.  You can find cheap inventory for sale, even with the shipping added in.  You can also look online at websites like Craigslist for items that might be for sale that you could pick up and then sell.

This is just a handful of things to remember when it comes to buying inventory for you to sell.  What tips have you run across?

Weeding out the reproductions

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, History, Reproductions, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

Homeowners this time of year begin to get rid of lawn weeds in hopes of having a lush green yard.  Likewise, shoppers need to learn to “weed out” those items which typically show up on flea market and antique shelves this time of the year.

Weeds are what I like to call reproductions, and they can be quite convincing.

It could be an advertising sign that is rusted and looks to be ever so real.  Damage to the corners, fading to the paint, and even dents are all applied to a brand-new sign to help make it look older than it is.

There’s glassware on the market that copies Depression Glass and art glass patterns.  It is so convincing that the pattern and the color are the spitting image of the old items.  There are some manufacturers that have figured out how to make a piece of glass “glow” in a black light like the old stuff without using Uranium.

Brass imports such as spittoons or candle holders already come with tarnishing.  Wooden boxes and furniture furniture that is hammered, faded and well-used are also plentiful without much looking around.

So, buyer beware and do your homework!  You can never have too much information when it comes to antiques—it always comes in handy.