Antiques And Collectibles Are Big Business On EBay, The Collectibles Category Alone Had A Gross Merchandise Value Of Over 2 Billion Dollars Last Year Just In The Second Quarter. The ECommerce Boom Has Only Fueled The Industry Sellers Are No Longer Limited To Local Audiences, And Buyers Are No Longer Limited To Local Dealers. You Can Find Things On The Internet That Youd Never Run Across In Your Lifetime, From People All Over The World. Buying Or Selling Online Isnt Really That Different From Buying Or Selling In A Brick-and-mortar Store People Want The Same Type Of Information And Need To Ask The Same Questions.Pam Wiggins Of Http:ChicAntiques.com Suggests Numerous Learning Resources For Someone Who Wants To Get Into The Antiques Business But Knows Nothing About It: Use The Internet There Are Lots Of Great Web Sites, Such As Http:Antiques.About.com. Read Books On Antiques And Collectibles. Join Various Online Collecting Groups. Says Wiggins, Youre Going To Learn A Whole Lot In A Short Period Because Youre Interacting With Very Experienced People Who Will Answer Your Questions. Attend Actual Shows And Ask Questions About Items That Interest You Or That Youd Like To Learn More About.Wiggins Recommends, I Think Its A Good To Get Your Footing In One Or Two Areas, Then Branch Out And Start Learning About Other Things. Theres So Much To Learn That I Think It Builds Your Confidence If You Can Feel Like You Know A Lot About One Thing. Choose A Narrow Specialty Dont Try To Become An Expert In A Broad Category Like Dolls Or Glass. Instead, Specialize In Depression Glass Or Carnival Glass.How To Get The Best Prices When Buying And SellingBecoming Knowledgeable In An Area Enables You To Recognize A Bargain And Estimate What Different Pieces Will Go For In Different Markets. When Buying, Wiggins Suggests, Dont Be Shy About Asking For A Discount. In The Antiques Business, Its Not Only Accepted, Its Expected, So Ask. If People Know Youre Buying To Resell, They'll Usually Take That Into Consideration.When Selling, Remember Reserves Dont Always Work Well In The Antiques Business. If You Feel Confident A Piece Will Bring A Good Price, You May Want To Start The Bid Fairly Low. However, If Youve Invested A Lot In Your Wares, You May Opt To Start The Bid With The Price Youre Wanting. Always Keep In Mind What The Market Will Bear And Look At The Completed Items To Get An Idea Of What You Can Expect.Its Important To Have A Good Photo And Description Post Shots From Multiple Views, And If A Piece Has Authentication Marks, Be Sure To Show Those As Well. Buyers Will Want To Know The Age, Quality, And Condition, As Well As Any Flaws That Might Affect The Value.If A Piece Is Extremely Rare Or Expensive, You May Want To Consider Having It Appraised. However, Items Worth Even 1,000 Arent Usually Considered To Be Worth The Expense Of A Written Appraisal. If You Have No Idea Of An Item's Value, You Can Submit A Photo To WhatsItWorthToYou.com. For 9.95, Theyll Give You An Assessment Of Its Value And Answer Your Questions.
