Anyone have a booth at an Antique Mall?

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!

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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www.MontanaSticksAndStones.com at Goshen Farm

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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I came for the cat's-eye and stayed for the Tightwad!

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

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!

Yes flater rate boxes.
do you have a shop set up?

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2Ti 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Luceo non uro

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.

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!!!!

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.

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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For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring - Carl Sagan

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!

DanyellL, let us know the link to your Etsy shop when you set it up!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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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I always wondered why somebody didn't do something, then I realized I am somebody

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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I always wondered why somebody didn't do something, then I realized I am somebody

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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I always wondered why somebody didn't do something, then I realized I am somebody