Phone photo of my booth check-in yesterday. I like the new beaded curtain, makes it feel like a cozy closet.
I do enjoy staging the booths and I'm anxious to make them as professional as possible, but the antique malls are a hell of a lot of work for not enough payback.
One problems is that I'm not giving people exactly what they want in this mall, housewares and furniture of the best quality and lowest prices possible. But the more I think about filling my small apartment and merchandise room to the brim with furniture I don't have the space to store or time to fix-up, the more anxious I feel. This work makes me feel weighed-down by STUFF.
I just wanted be frank with you, the dark side of reselling is often feeling overwhelmed by all the junk you have to sell. Your soul will be weighed down by THINGS. Things make me feel like I'm not location independent the clutter is unsettling to look at. I put it away at the end of the day but I still know it's there.
Selling online is a lot of time consuming work but I can track the metrics to increase visibility to and sales, there's a global audience and I make more money from it. One day I may switch to all online, but I like the local connection I make at the shops. I'll keep working hard at it to find a way I can fill the booths and makes sales without sacrafising my selling standards or sanity. That and working on as many community-building projects and nonprofit things as possible so I don't feel like a soulless retailer!
Feel free to vent, what's the bugging the hell out of you about reselling? Or selling online? Or your creative side job, blog, day job?
My antique store owner nags me and I want to choke her. I'm about ready to move. She is rude to me and questions my judgment in front of customers. I stay because the rent is the cheapest in town and my sales are good (not awesome) but good. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI've been questioned on my prices or things I bring in, but at least my owners aren't overly rude. I have heard of this as a consistent problem across the US for other mall sellers, too.
DeleteOH GIRL. I know how you feel. These past couple of months, my biggest problem has been finding the motivation to list items. 99.9% of my business is online, so I have to buckle down and post them. Problem is, a lot of my friends and family that I talk to are like "Okay, so, just list them! Just do it. What's holding you back?" But they don't realize how much time is actually involved in listing an item. There's cleaning, photographing, editing photos, researching, description writing, marketing, packaging, shipping, etc.
ReplyDeleteI did a little experiment yesterday, and I concluded that it takes me roughly an hour (not counting time of procrastination) to list one item in its entirety. This means that when I look for items to sell, I need to be thinking about how long it takes me to get it out in the marketplace. I value my time for most jobs right now around $10 an hour, so I have to ask myself, "Will this item bring me at least $10 in profit after listing and shipping?" If the answer is no, or if the item would take me longer to list or would be a hassle to ship, I need to leave it. I'm hoping that this mentality will help me to be more selective and to really put a price on my time so that I can be more efficient. I think I'll do a blog post about that soon.
Okay, so I just wrote way more than I planned to. Oh well. Thanks for posting this. It really helps to see that I'm not the only one who gets frustrated by all of the items that linger around the house. Hang in there, Van!
Yesterday I timed myself. The photos were already taken, but it took me 4 hours straight to list 19 items yesterday from editing them to get them on to Etsy, and that was without writing the best descriptions ever or doing the most important part- measuring them. It's time consuming as hell, gotta think of some shortcuts or start taking speed to get through it ;p
DeleteThank you for the honest feedback! I wrote about it before, I've raised my prices and continue to do so because time is valuable! Gotta get paid.
You guys are right-- take more time than people realize!
DeleteYes, and Yes, Dani and Van - it is very time consuming to buy/prep/list/ship our online items. I've made the same calculations that Dani found and got demoralized. Now I think about it in averages..if I can list 3 per hour (after doing the photo game) and average $10 profit per item then I feel okay. Helps me not get demoralized for the lesser priced items that help 'pay the rent' in slow times. (For me that was Feb and March!) [Batching tasks helps - and listing like after like to speed things up]
Delete4 hours for 19 items is decent time.
DeleteDani, I don't know how long you have been doing this, but listing got much easier for me as I went along. I treat it as production work.
Clean the lot, photograph the lot, list the lot. I spend much less time on reasearch today than I use to since I have become more familar with the type of items I sell.
My biggest problem with listing is the constant interuptions that mess up my train of of thought.
That's my biggest problem too, you really have to be in the right mind-set, wake up early, and treat listing like an assembly-line process. Clean in one bunch, shoot in one bunch, measure in one bunch, list in one bunch...
DeleteGlad my time isn't too bad, but I wanna be faster~ Listing machine!
I don't have a booth in an antique mall, do all my selling online. But i relate to what you're saying about having all the things cluttering the space around you.
ReplyDeleteAll though i try to keep things organized, i have most items stored in vintage suitcases, there are always the 'work in progress' treasures laying around, waiting to be photographed, listed, or packed and shipped. Just recently a new self storage building opened up on walking distance from my home. I need to crunch some numbers, but the thought of being able to have all my shop stock stored away somewhere else nearby and get my home back is a wonderful dream.
I've considered storage. I'm lucky my boyfriend's letting me use his sun room. Driving back and forth to get things to photograph is a bit of a pain but it's --MUCH-- better than having my house taken over by merchandise and boxes everywhere. From what I've seen from the photos you do an amazing job of keeping your apartment organized despite the amount of merch.
ReplyDeleteWell... you wouldn't want to see it now! lol.
DeleteHaha, yes my apartment mess ebbs and flows too. Will stay clean for a while but then a few hardcore work days in a row and...
DeleteI was selling primarily online. I know listing is time consuming, but the nit picky questions that come after listing on eBay and the packaging and shipping time is the most annoying to me. I opened a booth in a lovely store here in town with great landlords and an awesome selection. However their hours are terrible and make it very hard to get there while keeping a full time job. I opened another location at a flea market to offload some of my other items, they have great hours but they are expensive and their store is kinda dumpy. Items sell great in there but there is so much and such a mishmash of stuff the displays just look terrible. I cant stay motivated to go in there and I noticed my booth there never looks as nice. I am influenced by others bad behavior. I bought an entire estate two weeks ago and had a huge estate sale at my garage this weekend. I think I may just go back to one location and then if the stuff doesn't sale in a month and isn't worth putting online I will just take it to the weekly junk auction and get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteI am learning that I need to handle things as few a times as possible and turn things over as quickly as possible. For example I have added two big Rubbermaid totes in my back seat and a toolbox. One tote is for items to go on ebay, when I find something that needs to go on ebay I just put it in the tote. When the tote is full I list all of these as individual items but in one big batch so I can ship all items at the same time.
When I find something for the store. I walk directly to my car open the toolbox clean it, I keep lysol wipes, magic eraser, goo gone rags etc. in the toolbox. Once everything is clean and spiffy I then get a tag and pen from my toolbox and price it right there by my car and put in the "to the store" tote. If an item takes more attention than what I can do right there on the street before I put it in my car, I don't buy it. This is helping.
That's one sad scardy-pants thing keeping me from eBay, I hear complaints about the sellers on it all the time and the people on Etsy are really damn friendly. I've had no complaints or curse-outs even though some things break in the mail.
DeleteI've been meaning to do the same set-up for having things cleaned and priced immediately. I'm going to set that up in my trunk TODAY! Been meaning to carry goo-gone and a magic eraser into stores anyway to see if damage can be cleaned up BEFORE I buy an item.
Thanks so much for your honest feedback. I've considered local flea markets but I already know they would frustrate me to no end. You're a hard-working lady!
HollyLane, this is completely brilliant!! Thanks for the great idea. :)
DeleteGotta make my to-go cleaning kit now before I forget :D
DeleteThank you for the honesty. There definitely is a dark side to this business, but the bright side is a whole lot brighter :-) I have a basement with shelves for storage, but sometimes my dining room table gets occupied too. I hate that. But it is such a good feeling to take a load to the antique booth, making it pretty and know it will sell away from MY house. BTW, your antique booth corner is adorable!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's funny I'm feeling more inspired and making more from my smaller booth AFTER the big booth opened, which I'm not selling much from. A big basement to store things in would be NICE! But I'm grateful that not having much room for storage keeps me in-check. I'd have filled a basement in no-time on the onset if I had one when I started.
DeleteI too often feel overwhelmed with STUFF! It's everywhere and no matter how much I try to keep things organized and put away, there is ALWAYS something out. Items waiting to be washed on the kitchen counter, items on my dresser waiting to be photographed, items on the dining room table that need to be packed up, a closet full of cardboard and tape, 2 garages full of bins, and it goes on and on and on. It is definitely a part of myself (not liking clutter and wanting everything neat and organized at all times) that I have had to shut off in my brain in order to do this and maintain my stores at the level they are at or soon will be at. But there are days when it is impossible to do that and I just want to pack up the car and take it all- load after load after load- to Goodwill and be done with it!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have had the same Goodwill dump fantasy before! ("Fuck it, I'm going back to school for herbalism! I'd rather be a witch doctor. Or a farmer!") I've also noticed the same thing, no matter how clean/organized I manage to get my life there's small merchandise run off, a box or two in the living room or bedroom corner, etc.
DeleteThat said, Imma brew some coffee so I can work on getting this stuff photographed ad listed like crazy!
I started a real-life antiques & vintage shop a little over a year ago. Very slow going, but satisfying. I supplemented by selling on eBay, and still often feel I have an eBay store with a supplementary storefront, not the other way around. :) I look at it this way -- I'd be paying for storage (if I didn't want to take over an entire half of my house) and *this* storage unit actually gets people in to shop.
ReplyDeleteHardest part was getting used to *being here* all day, every day; no freedom to shop for new finds, do housework, etc. But I am also a freelance writer and when I'm not doing shop-type work I am doing writing work. Keeps me focused.
We had the tiniest store on the street and it was packed full, so we tried the antique mall route just for expansion. HATED IT. HATED IT SO MUCH. Only twice did we ever earn past our rent (Nov. & Dec.) and it was such a pain moving the stuff around between store and booths. Plus then there was commission on the items too, and nobody in the booth to sell or give background info.
The mall owners were super nice but the other booth owners were NOT. They would come by while we were setting up and criticize. I was at one mall for a while where other vendors would put their stuff in other booths and put yours in theirs (with the same tags so you still got credit, so it wasn't technically stealing . . .), and when vendors were at the mall they'd hover near booths similar to theirs and chat up customers ("you like that? well come over to my booth, I've got a better one.")
Ick.
Having your own place is scary, paying rent every month, having to be there, paying utilities and insurance and phone etc. But I think it's really the only way to succeed at this -- except for going totally online, on a small enough scale that the stuff doesn't overwhelm you. Those are the two alternatives.
A few months ago we even moved from the tiny place into a slightly bigger place and it's made a huge difference in everything, from in-store traffic to online listing efficiency.
I make it my goal to list 10 things online every day - that's about all I can keep up with in terms of packing and shipping, too! I set a sales goal, in-store and online, and usually I make it. Sometimes I do much better. You can too!
Thanks so much for sharing your story. I've been thinking the same exact thing, having a brick and mortar space is a nice way to double as storage AND an actual additional retail space where people can buy from you. I nearly had one early this month but the former tenant decided to stay. I'm on the look-out for an inexpensive place near my apartment, which has EXCELLENT foot traffic. And like you I'm at the computer doing side-design work a lot of the time and I'd be able to do that in the retail store.
DeleteYour story is inspiring :) I made the same goal before, 10 items per day. Gotta play catch-up on that!
Boy, I hear ya' on the stuff thing. I am basically a minimalist at heart, so I really do hesitate about jumping in with both feet with selling. We have a very organized 2-car garage with a small storage room in our townhouse, so I could get by with filling up as many as 4 bins/tubs without much trouble. (clothes would be the best). But like you, I would know it is all down there! I am constantly winnowing and sifting as it is. In fact, my motto is "one thing in, two things out."
ReplyDeleteOne of the best solutions I have seen is a reseller, and former blogger, who bought a large, wood storage shed for her backyard. It was wired for electricity and had baseboard heat, plus a door that locked. Everything she bought went right into the shed in tubs and onto hanging racks. There are stations for photos, listing and for packing and shipping, and a storage 'loft" for packing supplies. Now, that would be awesome, to really be able to separate your life from your junk!
I have been dabbling in eBay, but I can see right away that I need to raise my prices because, after fees, I am not making much! Thanks for all your honest tips!
The clutter is the first thing I warn would-be resellers about. It will overwhelm a minimalist's soul! Yes indeed!
DeleteWell , I could write a book about this but I wont because I don't have the time. That is the point Im getting at. I have 2 ebay stores both with a feedback of over 14000. Yes I do gross 6 figures,make approx. what a 60,000 a year job would be. Not meaning to brag but it did take mine and my husbands focus for 10 years to get to this point. We both have many years of retail experience and yes my husband still works. Would I like to have a spot in an antique store mall? Hell yes but I do know through watching others I could never make money doing so.Should I waste that money on overhead? Did I start an etsy store for fun 3 years ago, hell yeah, but I had more whiney women trying to get something for nothing and giving me the "right" advice on how to sell on retail, no offense but I did not need it, and listing took forever. Not to mention the multitude of times the "system was down".Do I have problems with people on ebay HELL YES I have a record store what do you think? But In my previous retail experience I have had more than my experience with this. Its just a part of business. No way anyone will make easy money doing this. Fun money yes. Don't get me wrong I still like etsy and I sometimes feel like cleaning out my store into a nice little spot ,but I chose to keep my money where it works. By growing my stores I am seeing increased profit due to increased sales. I also have 20 hours a week of listing help. Personally I could not juggle all those balls in the air at one time. I thankfully chose to hunker down and focus on "building" my business. Might I add that if you do ebay turbolister is my godsend. With templates my girls can list up to 150 items a day. And yes I had no problem listing 10 items a day on etsy .lamplight was right and it will keep you on top of the item search so you will be exposed daily. Its not just someway to get more things on. It works also to keep exposure of your products.
ReplyDeleteOh and yes I have quit 5,762 times in my head. Just remember summer sucks and use this time to build your store for the selling season.
DeleteNope, definitely not easy money! But I still prefer it to working in the office. Thanks so much for the honest feedback and detailed information and tips!
DeleteI don't do Etsy, but that's the advice I recently gave someone who wanted to improve their Etsy traffic - list daily, even if it's just one item a day. Much better than a lump of 100 all at once. New items keep your shop on top.
DeleteIt works for eBay too - if you have items ending every day your store gets noticed. Better yet, stagger them throughout the day. This even gets your Buy It Now items moving, too, if you have one of those scrolling marquees that show your other stuff on each listing.
I don't really care for Turbolister. I'm a bigger fan of Garage Sale, but it's only for Mac and of course my Mac's at home and the PC's at the shop.
These tips are awesome, thanks so much for the valuable info. I need to make the eBay leap one day to sell my "nerd stuff" that's too new for Etsy (comic books, DVDS, action figures, etc.) I'm back to listing 10+ things per day on Etsy.
DeleteGreat topic and comments! I've only been selling on Etsy for about a year. Not making much just a nice little extra-- I have chronic health probs and can't have a "real" job so this is a nice option for me. I also get overwhelmed with the stuff! Hate the clutter. We don't have any kind of antique mall nearby so only sell online. The packaging/shipping gets old in a hurry for me. I hate listing breakables but still do it. Get tired of the emails asking about shipping worldwide. After you quote these people a price, you never hear from them again! Typical of any business, I guess. Boils down to the old adage: nothing's perfect! Thanks for letting us vent, Van!
ReplyDeleteYep, the shipping quoting part is always scary. I've had people ask me to round up lots of vintage items they were looking for to take photos and in the end they change their mind. I've had to round up all the planters and everything vintage I had from Japan.
DeleteThat is another reason I prefer eBay to Etsy. eBay lets you choose calculated shipping so you don't have to guess how much it'll cost to send that doodad to Finland or wherever. :)
DeleteBut I have noticed those worldwide shipping requests seem kind of shady. I get them *often* on eBay too even when I have already included the option for worldwide shipping. Maybe the reason you never hear back from these people is that it's some kind of a scam. I don't know what the scam is, but it makes me suspicious.
REAL international customers never seem to mind paying shipping and it often amazes me what they're willing to pay.
The shipping round up scenarios come from people e-mailing from the blog so I can't get around 'em, unless eBay has a shipping calculator I can use without listing something. And yep, it's amazing what international customer will pay sometimes. They want that item!
DeleteWell, you can use the shipping calculator on the USPS site.
DeleteYep, that's what I use. Calculating the shipping isn't the hassle, in the case of random group batches it's hunting down what the customer wants (between two antique mall booths, my apartment, and my storage), photographing it all, weighing it, and then sending the invoice for them to randomly back out. But it's the risk you take and it pays off nicely :)
DeleteI might have mentioned this before but i've sold on eBay since 1996ish...I honestly don't remember the exact year but it was certainly before 2000. eBay was precious, ALL collectibles was ONE category! The first few months no pictures and then we got lucky and could scan our pictures and everyone paid by check or money order. I've have watched the world of resell ebb and flow. I've quit ahhh once really but it was a job I really wanted and I wanted to see how the other half lived!
ReplyDeleteIt kinda makes me sad that eBay gets a bad rap ALL the damn time. I think they try and I rarely have jerk face customers. My customers respond to how I start. If I don't communicate and throw their package in a box then I get the exact attitude back. Does eBay get a little customer eccentric and tell the sellers to kiss off. Yes but its slowly changing thanks to Amazon.
I don't like Etsy I may be the only one. I don't like their format. I don't like how its so vintage orientated (I do know know people who do very very well selling only antiques on eBay I just personally make it my lowest priority).
Anywho this is not a easy business and it takes years to figure out what works for you. I love to sell and I'm happy selling anything that is not breakable. I HATE (LOAAATHHEEE) having to carefully package and find boxes and blah. I'd burn out super quick if I had to do that. Not to mention storage. Its why I focus on clothing, linens. Heck right now i'm learning ties. I know a girl that focus's mainly on silverware. Yep silverware. She started out with general antiques and found this niche and gets great satisfaction in it. You have to try new things and when your buying start to think about what will be the easiest item to ship.
I list like a mofo. I'm fast really really fast. My four hours easily fifteen, twenty auctions. Once again though it took years to get a flow. Music with earphones works for me. It keeps my brain jumping and helps me concentrate.
I did a antique booth back when I first started. Hated it never made a profit. I've learned over the years the truly successful antique stores and booths sell furniture. Its just how land stores are. People can buy smalls anywhere and everywhere and most people who are into antiques are very savvy. But no one wants to buy furniture online. Right now the most successful sellers here (Phoenix) redo their furniture and quite frankly a lot of times I think they are horrid but they sell. I won't even go into how future generations will have to keep tubs of stripper to bring some of these beautiful pieces back to their former glory.
Anyway sorry to ramble so much. I think what I should have said is. It takes a long time to find your groove. Its the one little tidbit a lot of people leave out.
Thanks for all the honesty and tips. Almost everything I sell is breakable and the packaging part is stressful. I wrap my wares like precious antique mummies but things did break going out to Australia. I've also considered the same thing, with future generations working to strip paint from antique finds. Painted things sell big at our antique mall as well, I want to add more small painted finds for the money but my heart's not completely in it.
DeleteI've heard of people focusing on silverware and making big money from it. Still experimenting to find where my place in all of this is exactly. Hmm...
My favorite thing to sell online is vintage costume jewelry. SO easy.
DeleteShipping isn't that much of a hassle for me, really. Most of my stuff is sent Priority USPS mail. I get free boxes sent right to my door in many different sizes and the mailman comes to pick them up, too. I order bubble wrap and peanuts from an eBay seller with great prices and just make sure the cost of materials is absorbed by the buyer's price.
Granted lately a lot of people have been asking for First Class or Parcel Post -- but so often it works out that Priority is actually cheaper so I rarely bother. It's definitely something that gets easier with practice. I probably ship out 10-15 packages every day; it's just part of my routine.
I need to get my system down to a science like yours, too :)
DeleteHi Van! Great post about keeping it real. There is truly and dark and dirty side to this awesome career of vintage resale and we live and breath it every day. I spend many mornings and afternoons in my "office" a/k/a the garage getting sandy from my sander humming away, dirty from the filth often collected on these pieces of history I bring home and easily disgusted from the rodent droppings and more I find piled up in some of my purchased items....it's definitely not a glamorous job. But, I love it and wouldn't change it for anything.
ReplyDeleteI am finding myself buried in product at the moment (most of it ready to sell, thankfully) because I have been waiting paitently for the weather to cooperate for an outdoor market I am participating in. I can hardly stand the extra clutter around my house, it seems to be everywhere! Luckily my family doesn't seem to mind so I try to keep a positive mood about it.
Lately my sales have quieted somewhat....I blame it on the time of the year, graduations, proms, etc. There is a lot going on right now. And sometimes, I believe less is more....sometimes I feel my buyer might have too cluttered a view so I've learned to purge and give my slate a clean look. It's funny that taking away product actually increases my sales.
One thing that really bugs the h*ll out of me is when I go to my booth for a re-stock and find items on the floor, open and out of sorts, or better yet, when they use my item, leave their evidence and then don't even buy the item. Really, are you going to play with something, use the merchandise, leave your residue on the floor and then walk away?....YES!, I guess so. I would think shoppers would have more respect for items than that.
Overall, I would not consider selling on-line because I love the quick turn around. I love buying an item, giving it a quick clean, tagging it and selling it...sometimes it happens just that quickly.....yesterday, as a matter of fact. I LOVE it when I am at the mall to witness it! Keep up the good work!!
I've stopped buying "project pieces" for that reason. Once you put in the work and clean them up they can make a pretty penny (yours always look beautiful!) but I stopped fooling myself about having the time for it between blog posts, design clients, selling online and selling in SOCO. And hunting for stuff. And the part-time kitchen job :D haha
DeleteFor me turn-around quicker via the blog than the antique mall. I added everything from yesterday's epic haul post to the antique mall with few exceptions. Sold four of the pieces on Monday and none of the new ones in the mall over the weekend. I thought the sales looked slow around the whole mall so thanks for letting me know it wasn't just me. I've been adding lots of low priced items and hosting super sales just to stay even with rent so far. Thanks for sharing your story, Carla!
Yes, I think overall the mall has been a little more quiet than usual. I just looked back at my numbers for 2012 to see that January & May were my two lowest income months....bummer tho for me, right on the verge of expanding next month....kind of makes me question the decision. But, I'm going to go with my gut, it's something I've wanted to do for a long time, so I'm just going to go for it and see what happens. I might never have the chance to stay in my same spot AND expand all at the same time.
DeleteThe furniture projects are time consuming, and fortunately, I have a husband that can fix almost anything, but I find that selling the $20-50 items one at a time really help increase my sales numbers. How could they not?....Buying items for $2-5 and turning them for $20-50 makes me happy.
You made the right choice, gotta do it while you can!
DeleteI hate having things just laying around or clutter in my house so I can only imagine how you must feel with all that stuff around you. Like you said, even when it's put away, you know it's there so it gets a bit overwhelming. I'm not a re-seller but we're actually in the process of moving and I have been posting things to sell online that we don't want to bring with us. It really is a lot of work and takes time to go through the process of cleaning them, taking all the pictures, posting it and waiting for it to sell. I'm sure having to do that all the time for your business is so tedious and then waiting for profits is another thing.
ReplyDeleteGood on you trying to clear out and sell things online. Let me know if you wanna try to rent a flea market table one day or try a yard sale. I have a bunch of stuff I'd love to try and unload, too.
DeleteWow! I sell in a consignment booth in an antique mall and I have the exact same sentiments you do. It's not profitable enough and my online sale are... But, I like the personal connection within my local community. I've hosted art shows and events and I'm planning more things for this summer. I like being involved. But,this is also my job. I HAVE to make an income and if I devoted all the time and resources that I put in the mall into my online business I'd probably double my money. I am constantly considering quitting. Worried about making rent this summer and fall was not good enough to take a hit :(
ReplyDeleteOh, man and all THE STUFF!!! Hard to stay on top of ALL THE THINGS!! Constant battle.
We were really are on the exact same wavelength here, huh? I love doing art shows and meeting locals and interacting in the community so I'm going to keep with it. Looks like we need to examine it and try new things all the time to see what will work. Imma tote a bunch more THINGS to the mall now. Sales! Need 'em!
DeleteWhat's bugging me is that my Etsy name when I change over my blog and business name has been taken. I know it's my fault that I failed to check that one important thing. But when I researched My Vintage Childhood on etsy I found it was an account that hasn't been used, never a store set up nothing for years. So I contacted etsy and asked if there was a way of securing the release of that name so I could use it. I would even be happy to pay a small fee for it. Apparently there is no way no how I can get it even though it's not being "used". So I've tried to brainstorm my other options to be able to use my name still. I'm hesitant to say out loud to everyone here what I've come up with, but lets just say I'm being tricky about it. I haven't tried changing it yet, as I'd really like to speak with someone doing the Etsy thing and tell me what they think.
ReplyDeleteAnyways I'm ranting and rambling and frustrated that I've been blocked. I've stopped ebay sales because trying to fight against people selling stuff to clear out and have no idea about what the vintage market would pay for something is a pain, so you miss out on sales. So I'm looking at a integrated Facebook store using Ecwid with proper cart and checkout etc. So yeah the whole online selling is a thorn in my side at present, I just wish I could sort out the Etsy drama. Hence why I've been happy to get out on the local market scene as the response has been great. But with a baby due again in August I need my online stuff sorted out again ASAP.
Sorry for my rant and ramble.
No, your rant and ramble was much appreciated. That is craziness with the etsy name you can't use. To keep the branding consistent I'd try to keep the name, it'll still be on the banner so the title will b e there. You can be creative with abbreviations to kind of keep the account name the same, it may even be easier for users to type in that way. I do definitely recommend Etsy to get eyes on your merchandise. You're doing an amazing job so far from what I can see, loved your market staging.
DeleteWe're not trying hard enough if we're not making mistakes. In some ways having my brand being called "Thrift Core" across the board is a pain because it sounds like "Thrift Store" and implies my prices will be thrifty. Not a good retail store name, but I've come too far to change it now. I even tried to merch with a friend's brand and change the name it didn't work out. ;p
Thanks for the support and kind words Van. Would you mind if I emailed you privately for your opinion on what I've come up with to get around the Etsy issue?
DeleteDamn straight about mistakes, they've got to be made find a way and through it helps strengthen the resolve and commitment to what we're doing I think.
No problem at all, I'll look for your e-mail now :)
DeleteSales are down for me this month. Especially at the booth. My fellow Ohioians are busy working on their homes, weekend outings and hitting garage sales themselves. It is discouraging.
ReplyDeleteI have to make it work. And view it as an opportunity to make myself better. This is far from easy, but after 3 1/2 yrs. I can see that it does get better. Because we learn. We learn our markets, we find our nitch, etc... Giving up is not an option. If others can create a living doing this then so can I.
Agreed my friend, I'm determined to make the booth a big money-maker too. But I want to do it in a way that is still satisfying creatively. I remember original art sold well in there, need to get back on making it!
DeleteI'm depressed now! I just committed to start in an Antique store in July! Now I'm reading that it's all terrible! I have an etsy store called Redneck Feng Shui. I did a nice business until the last several months. Then nothing. I have a fan page, get cards out, pray, etc. I feel that I have been buried under the avalanche of Etsy sellers, so my stuff just isn't as unique as it used to be. Etsy has also really gotten lax about people who are using overseas labor and selling it as handmade. Handmade in a sweatshop in Sri Lanka. So I felt that the best thing for me to do is "go local" - the shop I am going into is local, on the square, and our square and community do lots and lots of stuff to drive business to the area, so I hope it's lucrative. I cannot imagine that I can't make the $50/month it takes for the rent!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't be depressed, I'm sure you'll make back the rent and then some! I love the branding for your Etsy shop, quite clever! Are you listing lots of items daily? Like we've discussed here, adding new listing on a consistent basis and being active in Etsy really is a key for success.
DeleteI interviewed Carla, who's turned who antique mall booth into a four-figure maker, in this post if you need inspiration: http://www.thriftcore.com/2012/05/antique-store-wisdom-how-to-make-over.html
And also have a beginner's guide to it here: http://www.thriftcore.com/2012/10/cheaters-guide-to-antique-booth-victory.html
Good luck with the new venture!
Ur, monthly four-figure maker that is*
DeleteThanks for the plug again Van......so far, until this month, I continue to do so.....I can't complain for one tiny second because I am confident that my sales will pick up again. I've also been holding some items back for an outdoor show I am participating in this Saturday. I didn't want to show up with an empty tent. =) And, I am going to add those sales to my monthly total which may be a + considering I don't have to fork over the extra 10% to the owner. We shall see!
DeleteGood luck at the sale. I'm not ready to participate in any yet but I want to explore and try different ones.
DeleteMy problem is my antique mall is over an hour from my place. That is the only way to get good foot traffic. I sell on ebay under 2 names. One with my girlfriend then one with my brother. I also work 40 hours. I can honestly say I have no time! With the mall being so far I only make it once a week ish! I do okay. I'm not sure about you guys but my rent is pretty high and they take 10%. I have been making money and its well needed storage but I don't feel I give it my all. I will say I have sold plenty of stuff that I did not sell on ebay. I don't know...I feel something has to give. It is tough
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky my store is in walking distance, if it were an hour and away and I was still working full time on top of reselling I'd have given mine up by now. My rent is also fairly low with the amazing amount of foot traffic we get. Have you been switching up strategies as often as possible to see if it will increase sales? Sounds like you're tenacious enough to still make the sales you want, though sometimes we're just not right for a certain mall.
DeleteHoly cow Van, way to help every one release a bit of frustration! The only issue I've ever had at my mall is this lady who works there. She's just rude to everyone for no reason. Hateful women.
ReplyDeleteI've been a photographer and a jewelry maker. Both started as hobbies and became lucrative businesses until I burned out. I don't know what it was.
It will get better!
There's definitely some cattiness to deal with in the handmade/resell biz. I can ignore it/laugh it off in most cases. You're right though, it always gets better. In the end I still like what I do and power through the bad times and self doubt.
DeleteWelcome to the Dark Side Van!! Truthfully though, I have the same thoughts about the whole resell business. The booth requires a lot of work for little payout sometimes. Online selling can be very time consuming but usually much more profitable.
ReplyDeleteSince I work a full time day job now, I've moved more to selling on ebay again rather than etsy. The things usually sell quicker and I am working on only listing items more than $40.00, to make sure it's worth the effort. Everything less than $40.00 gets put into the booth. A bigger booth definitely helps too. You have more merchandise to manage but the payout helps with expenses for the month. I made over a $1000 in my booth last month so the risk of taking on more space has paid off.
Seriously, I hate the dark side just as much as you do, but like everyone else, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't do this. I probably obsess over something else so it might as well be something that makes me so money.
Agreed, a lot of us are probably the type of people that HAVE to always be working on something. I come back to reselling because documenting the finds and curating them into a collection is creatively stimulating, even though it's frustrating.
DeleteThanks for sharing your tactics, I'll have to try these out. I may have to interview about your selling style and how you made $1,000 with your booth last month if you'll let me!
I admit it, I'm a boarder hoarder. Shopping 5-8 hours a day and selling at flea markets every Sunday has left me with little energy to list and sell through items like I did back during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteAn after holiday "brake" in listing and a focus shift to selling at a local flea market has left me with a mess to clean up. At first the quick turnaround of product that selling at a market can bring made it seem like a good idea. However, I soon had to take a storage unit (10x7) and it's now completely full of desks, chairs, lamps, antique fixtures, paintings, the list could truly go on.
It's a bit like the old adage, when you make more you spend more. Well I got more space and I used more space. The hoard extends to my home as well. My kitchen cabinets have become mausoleums for Dansk, Le Crueset, swanky swigs, and everything else that I couldn't pass up.
So my plan to get back on track and cut the clutter is simple for me, I'm only buying something that I will never come across again and that will make $100 or more in profit. In other words, just put down the Dudley Do Right Pepsi Glass.
Also, I think having a notebook devoted to my finds will help. Any new item that crosses my door will be immediately written down with it's measurements and cleaned. Before heading out the door for hunting the next morning, I will write descriptions. This way, all that's left to deal with are photos. Then immediately after a shoot, the item will be packaged and sent to storage.
Taking a step back from the flea market so I can make a leap forward goes without saying.
Anyone who runs a business straddles the overwhelming sense of chaos meets accomplishment. You're not alone.
Thanks for sharing your story, Greg. When I was working full time and reselling I wouldn't have time to list, but made time to buy! It was all so cheap and plentiful and I had a side garage thing to keep it out of sight so it could pile up. I took me a few months when I first transitioned to selling full time to wade through all the junk! I sold a lot of it at yard sales and gave away some more.
DeleteI'm starting to do the same thing, hold back on buying anything unless it's amazing, and document, clean, list, and/or get it into the shop immediately! I'm going to keep a clean-up/tagging kit in the car so finds can more efficiently go from flea market to antique mall.
Too bad all of us here can't shop your hoard, we'd probably help you with the chaos problem :D
It may be, it does get crazy in there. I tried two smaller ones and did not do well inside them. The huge amount of foot traffic in Southern Crossing is better because there are more buyers and exposure. I'll keep working at it.
ReplyDeleteYou're right though, maybe I should seek out even more locations that would be a right fit. I'm still looking for a small, inexpensive retail space as well.
DeleteWow. I wish all my friends would read these comments... "It's the weekend, Amanda! Let's go to the beach and hang out!" No, I have to clean cobwebs off inventory and take 130 pictures of 10 items to list on my Etsy! LOL The "Antique Row" here in Galveston is touristy, and it gets a ton of traffic but the rent is just crazy. Some shops off the strand have lower rent but then want you to work in the store for two days a week! I'm looking into local small bazzars, festivals, church sales, farmers markets, craft shows where I can sell also. Some places are just $20 a day. I do a search on Craigslist for "vendors needed" and "vendors wanted" I also search festivalnet.com for events in my state. It's a tough job, but I love it! Take a look at my post today - I give a tour of my reselling room!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, I have the same conversations all the time. I'm going to start looking into local markets, fairs, etc. too. Gotta get organized and refine the brand first. Now that I got my venting out of the way I feel refreshed and ready to get back it. So appreciative of everyone's feedback, it really helped and gave me lots of ideas for getting back at it.
DeleteAlso: LOVE your reselling space, just what I needed to see. I'm re-doing mine again now that I have more packaging supplies to store.
Hang in there, Van! I know sometimes reselling can make you feel like a hoarder. Maybe you should take a break, even a few days off to get your mind off things. Then you can go back when you're refreshed and look at everything with fresh eyes.
ReplyDeleteWhat bugs me most about reselling is the unpredictability of it all. Sometimes your sales are great; other times you wonder if you'll ever reach your goals. I'm gonna be working on keywords and redoing the categories for my eBay store in the next few weeks. Hopefully, that will give a boost to the visibility (and sales) of my items. I'm also planning on finally launching my blog soon. (Keeping my fingers crossed)!
I'm working hard at getting sales to be more predictable too. The #1 thing I miss about the day, almost the only thing, is a consistent paycheck. You gotta bust-ass and be persistent to get sales up this way.
DeleteI feel so much better after venting on the blog, I was holding back this post for a while but finally found the way to express myself without whining TOO much. ;) So appreciative of all the feedback, it was a path to self-discovery. I'll have to write about some tactics I've already started that make me feel better about the work. Feeling much lighter now.
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is truly informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of moving out of an Antiques Mall and just selling online for all of these reasons and more! I'm behind the 8ball on this post but it's seriously just what I needed to read. I really wish more bloggers talked about the dark side. Maybe when I get my house cleaned up and the holidays over I'll start that Blog I've always dreamed of...first post "The Antique Mall From HE Double Hockey Sticks", nice ring huh? Lol, anyways your post and comments keep on giving, even months later :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNice information. I have read those information which you mentioned here. It's very useful for those who are looking for ways to earn money online. I am doing reselling business to earn money .Reseller is nothing but getting product from someone fixing high rate for those products and then earning money by getting commission from them. To do this we must have a reseller account .I got a reseller account from . making money on ebay here they provide basic and pro reseller plans. I chosen basic reseller plan using which i bought domain names, website builder service, web designing services and so on. After that i fixed high rate for those services and sold them .I earn quick cash through this business. According to me reseller business is one of the best way to make money online
ReplyDelete