I never thought I would ever be doing this. I still remember the days of 14.4 modems LOL Anyone else remember those days? Little did I know all those years ago, the internet would change my life.
In 2007, hubby and I bought a beautiful arts & crafts bungalow built in 1919. Coming from an apartment we had little in the way of furnishings so off I went to a nearby auction to look for period pieces. I'm a stay at home mom to his daughter who has severe CP and requires around the clock care. Problem was, I had always worked and was going stir crazy being home bound.
I've always loved antiques and collectibles. As a teen, I used to race downtown every Saturday to a place called Ye Olde Country Antiques. In those days, our downtown area was becoming a bit on the seedy side and my mom would freak on me for going but I didn't care. I would spend hours in that decrepit three story building. I was quite the bookworm and that's the area where I spent most of my time but sometimes I would treat myself to an old bracelet or hat. By the time I left for university, I had amassed over 50 pre-40s hats and a small collection of jewelry. I spent hours talking to the dealers and they taught me what makes an item valuable. My first major purchase was a first edition by Goethe at the age of 15. Still, I never saw myself as a seller.
Until those auctions....
We bought our house at a time in the furniture market when Victorian pieces were on the way out and Art Deco was on the rise putting many of the pieces I wanted well out of my price range. There was all kinds of stuff available at the auctions and from time to time I would come home with a bargain box of jewelry or postcards, etc. Some of the items were really cool and I figured why not try to sell them on ebay and see what happens? Being stuck at home, I certainly had the time. But the know-how? Now that was a different story.
Forced learning is the best. As an online seller, you learn as you go. The internet is forever changing and there are no set rules, just the basics that apply to all businesses, on land or in cyberspace. Loving what you sell always makes it easier too. You won't give up as easily if you are passionate about it.
Now where was I? Oh ya, ebay. YUCK! Never do that again but it was a good place to start. Within 6 months I had about 200 sales but the bids were disappointing and I was barely turning a profit. A woman bought a necklace from me and asked what I was doing on ebay selling some of the lovely jewelry I had. She told me to check out her shop on Ruby Lane to see what she would get for that necklace. Sure enough, she sold it for three times the money and I immediately opened shop on the online mall.
That was over two years ago and it's been smooth sailing since. I like the community of sellers and sophisticated buyers on RL but there are many good venues online now. You just have to find the one that's best suited to what you're selling and your volume.
My specialty was jewelry but the better pieces were fewer and far between so I had to look into other areas. Having always been a huge fan of the old black & whites and MGM musicals, clothing was the ideal way to go for me. I look for anything unusual really. I've sold stock certificates, war memorabilia, photography, toys and postcards. If it's cool, I want to sell it.
I figure most long time sellers, even if they bomb online, will always be able to go on Jeopardy! one day and recoup their losses. The endless hours of research are a huge part of the business and most sellers really don't mind. Like I said, when you love what you do, you're always in the mood to learn something new. Besides that, there's no greater thrill than finding out you really scored on that $1 bargain at the Goodwill. Generally, we're a happy lot when we find out something is worth more than what we paid even if it's not that much.
We seem to find our talents by accident, don't we? I attended auctions for my house and ended up on ebay. As I was researching my buys, I came across so many interesting facts and people. When RL began an incentive program for shop owners on it's blog, I thought what a great way to help fund my shop and get some more of that forced learning in!
I love to blog about fashion designers, vintage clothing, famous and forgotten women who have changed history, online selling tips, fraud alerts and whatever else I find that's interesting.
Please stay tuned...
Falls Avenue Vintage Fashion
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