August: The biggest profit thus far...
Sub Total of Sales $195.00
Commission: $19.50
Grand Total: $175.50
Top Three Antique Store Lessons From August
These are my top three take-aways on selling in an Antique Store Booth for August.
1. The small ticket items add up to big sales
I forced some time out to incorporate beguiling grab bags and offer a wide variety of small ticket merchandise. You can see this makes up a lot of my sales and added up in the end.
2. Don't give up on some items, the right person will find it
Sometimes a special find will be slow to move. Don't sell it or mark it down too quickly, if you have faith in your product, the right person may find ir.
3. Take Risks: You never know unless you try it
Most of the items that sold this month weren't even vintage! Sometimes you just need to take a risk and try something new and gauge our shopper's reactions.
Thoughts: Sales are going well at the antique store. I'm busy, but I'm making time to keep on top of it by adding new merchandise, checking on sales, rearranging items, and curating the area as well as I can with my limited time. You have to continue to innovate and find new items to keep your sales going, but it's a welcome challenge that provides valuable retail lessons.
Past Antique Store Wisdom Posts:
[2/02/2011] Don't Underprice Your Items
[2/10/2011] Should You Rent a Booth at the Antique Store?
[2/16/2011] Stage Your Booth Like a Pro and Increase Sales
[3/03/2011] The Answers to Your Antique Store Booth Questions
[5/03/2011] The Four Month Update (A Candid look at my Sales)
[5/11/2011] Finding the Best Antique Store
[6/02/2011] The Vintage Cabin's Expert Reselling Tips
[6/09/2011] 10 Action Steps to Improve Booth Sales, NOW!
[6/07/2011] Antique Store Wisdom: The 6 Month Update
[7/14/2011] A Frank Look at the Sales Numbers
[7/21/2011] Sales Trends and Surprises
Past Antique Store Wisdom Posts:
[2/02/2011] Don't Underprice Your Items
[2/10/2011] Should You Rent a Booth at the Antique Store?
[2/16/2011] Stage Your Booth Like a Pro and Increase Sales
[3/03/2011] The Answers to Your Antique Store Booth Questions
[5/03/2011] The Four Month Update (A Candid look at my Sales)
[5/11/2011] Finding the Best Antique Store
[6/02/2011] The Vintage Cabin's Expert Reselling Tips
[6/09/2011] 10 Action Steps to Improve Booth Sales, NOW!
[6/07/2011] Antique Store Wisdom: The 6 Month Update
[7/14/2011] A Frank Look at the Sales Numbers
[7/21/2011] Sales Trends and Surprises
[8/10/2011] A Bigger Booth and Increasing Sales
[8/23/2011] A Late August Check-in
How are your reselling efforts going?
Small ticket sales are what my mom calls, bread and butter items. When she was doing craft shows in the 70s, she made macrame stuff. Her bread and butter were earrings...something small that cost very little to make and could be sold for very little. Earring sales are what made her booth. She moved fewer high ticket items. It's the same now. Our mini stuffed animals that sell for $3 each are what make our booth. People love them and everyone can see a place in their home for them. We nearly sell out of them at every show.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my mom is concerned, the key to even sales and earning profit is to have plenty of low ticket items that encourage your customers to pick it up and take it home.
I've heard that term for small ticket items. I need to develop more and more of them!
ReplyDeleteEarrings are huge. So many people I've grilled on their success as handmade vendors/resellers tell me earrings are their biggest seller.
Good for you! Glad things are picking up for you at the booth. I call those small ticket items 'rent payers' as I have to pay $100 a month + 10% commission on every sale for my booth space before I even make a profit.
ReplyDeleteBecke: I'd be doing even better if I followed the tips you shared religiously, I bet. It's been hard to physically get myself there AND fire up the motivation to not only add tons of new items but rearrange them liberally every week.
ReplyDeleteWe all have to do it- we want money :) !
Hi Van, I was wondering if you track what you purchased the items for as well as the selling price? I buy so much sometimes I can't keep track of the individual purchases from garage sales etc. Any recommendations?
ReplyDeleteVicky: I fell by the wayside with that a bit, but starting today I'm going to careful track my purchase prices again. It's a pain, but it's necessary.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a tip on my favorite way to track what you purchase here: http://www.thriftcore.com/2011/01/its-time-to-take-your-thrifting.html
Congratulations on your sales! I had a antique and collectible B&M store where we also sold new and handmade consignment items; earrings and toys for a few dollars.
ReplyDeleteWe had over 1600'of store space and themed it by rooms, living room, kitchen, bedroom, library, toy store, clothing, etc. When something sold we would have to rearrange the merchandise to make it all flow nicely again. As things got moved around it was as if people notice an item that my have been in the store for months for the first time and it would sell. I found that was an important lesson in merchandizing stock.
Also I track my purchases and sales in excel, makes doing my taxes so much easier. I use these columns: Item category, item, date purchased, where, cost of item, date item was listed, selling price of item, cost of item-again, listing fees, actual shipping fees, paypal fees, listed shipping fees. I also have the items separated by pages if they are vintage clothing, collectibles, patterns, fabric, jewelery, craft supplies or store supplies. And, I put a red asterisk in front of the items that have sold.
It really is easier than it sounds once you have the spreadsheet set up.
Wow! The items look great!! Love the photos.
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