Antique Mall Vendors ~ How have your sales been?

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Permalink Reply by Charmed Life on July 20, 2011 at 12:35am

Wish I had known ... we were in St. Louis in June and I would have loved to visit your booth!

 

We have a small booth in a local antique/collectible/vintage shop here in Southern Maryland. We have about 190 square feet... so we have lots of space for treasures. I have a tall display cabinet with mostly fine jewelry. I have a table top display case of vintage costume. And I have my "Treasure Chest" of bargains ($1-$5 pieces).

 

Our sales have been steady, with the last 2 weeks being the best 2 week period we've had since opening last October. My vintage costume jewelry sales there are small items, generally from $5 to $40. High end costume pieces go online ... we just don't have the market for high end vintage costume jewelry here. When we have a "sidewalk sale", I often set up and bring my high end pieces. I've sold a couple pieces then, but many people are in the market for bargains ... and spending $100+ on a piece of costume jewelry seems "crazy" to them. (Yes, I had a customer tell me I was crazy for asking over $100 for some Eisenberg jewelry.)

 

I like having a wide range of items in the booth ... that way I'm not depending on just one specific product. We sell everything from jewelry to furniture ... and everything in between! There are always fluctuations in what's selling on any given day. Sometimes I put a piece in the shop and it sells within the first day ... other pieces languish for months.

 

I look foward to hearing from more experienced dealers !!! 

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Permalink Reply by MTippingAtelier-Admin on July 20, 2011 at 8:58am

I set up a booth with a friend in our local Antiques Mall and have been there since the beginning of May.  At the end of May I sold an antique Regency Canterbury that I happened to bring from my home (well, I really gave it away;) to a dealer doing a local Antiques show.  She sells period antiques and scooped it up.  Since then I sold a set of framed cigarette silks and an Italian art pottery covered jar.  I am, of course, discouraged.  However, everyone says that summer is typically bad for sales, especially in my area (southeastern PA) where people go to the beach (or shore;) all summer.  Having said that, my friend, with whom I share the booth, has made some nice sales, primarily to collectors of Arts and Crafts pottery and antique glass.

Yet...another dealer's items literally fly out of her booth, daily!  She sells mostly shabby chic items, lots of vintage china, linens, etc. VERY inexpensively--books for a dollar, Limoges for $5, old dolls for $10...I simply couldn't buy those items and sell them for so little money.  That is not my market, in any event.  So, I am hoping the autumn brings in some sales! 

I have an Etsy shop and not only are sales non-existent, so are views:(  I thought it would be good (and fun) to have a "local presence", but I think a lot of people just don't want to spend money--even if they have it;) 

Mary

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