Tips for a successful antique booth

I have always enjoyed selling antiques and also shopping for them.  I would say that since the rise of the internet, being a successful antique seller has become much more challenging.  Folks can sit down in their underwear at the computer in the middle of the night and shop online for any antique known to mankind. (and womenkind)!  Thankfully, though, there are still lots of people like me that like to see and touch the item in person and still enjoy the thrill of the hunt. 

When shopping in an antique mall or at an outdoor event, it is important to not have too much clutter.  Less is actually more in displaying antiques.  One must find the right balance of too much or not enough.  In my opinion, one of the hardest things for a dealer is to learn to buy what the customers want and sometimes that may be items that personally don’t appeal to you.  I have to admit that I love antique furniture, especially Victorian and Art Nouveau but Primitives and rustic furnishings and decor are very popular.  It took me a long time to embrace the rusty and chippy painted style.

One of the most important things is to keep the display fresh.  If weekly customers see your booth with the exact same things in the exact same place, they are likely to pass by.  Just moving the items from one side of the booth to the other often results in a quick sale.  It is also important to display your items in an orderly and uncluttered manner.  I tend to pass by a booth that looks like someone backed up their truck and just dumped it out!

Some dealers like to specialize in one genre so shoppers will come to their booth weekly to see what is new.  Items need to be free of dirt and damage and reasonably priced.  Some sellers mistakenly think they need to at least double their money on items but you need to have a variety of things and some items you may make 25% return, some 75%.  Don’t get stuck on a price on an item or you may be stuck with it.  Always leave a little room for haggling, that is part of the fun!

Make sure to read the trade magazines and blogs to keep up with current trends and prices.  It is hard work for dealers to go out and find good treasures and clean them and haul them so don’t beat them up too bad when haggling!  Happy Collecting!