“You can use Marketplace and Craigslist to attract customers to your booth…. and not have to meet them there…and guess what? Your item still sells! “
I have had the awesome adventure of being in the Antique and Collectible business for over 40 years now and it seems like it started only yesterday. I remember a paper I wrote in school titled “The Fun is in the Hunt”. Every day is still a fun adventure and working in this industry is very enjoyable. I love it!
Today, we have to be careful when using the apps on our cell phones or computers to make a sale or purchase. You need to take precautions when meeting someone that you don’t know in an area where you are not comfortable with the surroundings. What can be even worse, is having someone come into your home or you going into someone else just to get a good deal.
Please take precautions and make sure that you are making good choices. My son is a “New Millennial”, and I get it that being careful sometimes takes a back seat to getting a quick pay day. There are lots of things that you can do to be careful. Meet in a public and safe area, and be careful that you are not being followed home from the meet-up.
Safety should be your top concern. In keeping with safety being a concern while doing business and meeting-up with people (who may or may not show-up) through social media, an alternative option to consider is renting booth space in Relics. Offer your items for sale where you can easily stock and utilize social media to network and advertise your merchandise by referring buyers to your booth space instead of your personal space. No meet-ups required, and if they come fine, if not, you have not wasted your time. This way you can save your time (and perhaps your life) by letting the antique mall staff deal with the buyers. That way, you get to concentrate and spend your time on the fun part…hunting for items to sell!
As a bonus the Relics staff will take care of the details for moving, loading or even shipping your sold items. At Relics, we not only sell items online through our social media account, and Marketplace, etc, and over 10,000 customers though the store each month giving our dealers a multitude of ways to sell their items.
In addition, you will become part of a close knit group. Part of the fun of selling items within an antique mall is networking and meeting new people who have a shared interest in the things you like. When talking with others who sell items in the secondary market, you will begin to learn more about other areas of collectables and through networking can understand more readily what your target audience is looking for when they come to buy.
It’s exciting to go on the hunt for new merchandise to display in your booth, and fun to learn new ways to merchandise (display) your items to encourage sales. When shopping for merchandise to sell, make sure you are buying a variety of items at good prices so you can appeal to a larger number of customers who are looking for a good deal too. Remember, you make your money when you buy your items to sell, according to what you pay for an item, so it is important to buy smart so you can pass the savings along.
A customer will remember a booth they found a good value in and return to it. There are many great reasons to sell your antiques and collectibles in a Mall setting, but knowing that you can have fun and be safe doing so are two of the best ones. If you choose to rent space, in the end, you are doing something that you love to do, so make it exciting, be safe, and have fun!
If you’ve been considering getting a booth, come to Relics and our friendly leasing staff will be happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have and help you get started. We are open 10-6 Mon-Sat and 12-6 Sun. 2015 W. Battlefield Road. Can’t get booth on a street any busier than ours!