BECOMING AN ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES DEALER

Why become a dealer in antiques or collectibles?

• Make money while extending your collecting and/or decorating habits
• Social aspects of buying, selling, trading, etc.
• Discounts when buying
• Tax deductions -- Business expense
• Get rid of unneeded merchandise

Considerations

• Licensing
• State of Mo Sales Tax # (Optional)
• City & County Licenses (May be needed)
• Merchandise to Sell
• Small versus Large Items
• Wide vs. Narrow range of merchandise
• Sell what you know and enjoy
• Sell what you can physically handle.
• Sell what you collect
• Sell what sells -- current trends

Someplace to Sell

Own your own Shop

• Minuses -- License, Rent, Staff, Time, Investment,
• Pluses -- Direct contact and control

Shows

• Minuses -- Weather, Packing, Set-ups, Time
• Pluses -- Customer contact and control, Cash

Internet

• Minuses -- Need specialized equipment and is time intensive to list, sell, pack, ship
• Pluses -- Highly defined, mint condition things make money; Work when you feel like it

Malls

• Pluses -- Permanent booth or case space; limited time investment; limited customer contact; booth serves as storage; high traffic count to view items, finite cost of doing business limited lease time if it doesn't work.
• Minuses -- Limited customer contact; price competition within mall for similar items

Investments

Dollars

• Sell what you already own
• Restocking is a must to keep sales up
• Investment of $$$ to buy merchandise

Time

• Attendance at auctions, garage sales, etc.
• Research in pricing items
• Cleaning, repairing, tagging, arranging

Finding Merchandise

• Your collection
• Auctions
• Estate Sales
• Other shops -- flea markets
• Internet
• Private parties

Buying

• Use your head not your heart
• Know your market
• Know the trends and demands
• Reinvest percentage of sales to build inventory
• Always check mechandise condition

Merchandising

• Keep it neat
• Keep your booth safe -- no loose rugs, cords, etc
• Do not over pack your booth or case -- Customers shop mostly with their eyes.
• Re-arrange often. Give them something to catch their eyes.
• If the entryway is too small -- customers will not enter your booth. There is a fear of being charged for "breaking" something. A booth rarely holds more than 1 shopper. Give them room to see, touch, pick-up, exit.

Selling

• Price to sell -- good turnaround is a must
• Merchandise your items to attract customers
• Condition is Everything in many categories
• Research items for proper price based on condition
• Price guides are just that -- a guide!!
• Know your competition for similar items
• Know when to take a lesser offer or dump an item to get your investment back.
• Good tagging to describe item
• Allow a "dealer discount". It encourages repeat sales. Figure the % into your price.
• Use a "loss leader" -- e.g. sell an item or two at a very low price so customers will remember your booth

Outcomes

• Is it enjoyable ?
• Is it profitable ? As a rule, your monthly check should be about 3 times your rent. e.g. if your rent is $125 per month -- you should get a monthly check of $375 -- on the average

The Market Place

WHAT WE OFFER

• Clean, Secure and Professionally managed Malls that bring selling opportunities to both professional and part-time antique and collectibles dealers.
• Permanent booth and display case space
  • 30-day, 6-month, or yearly contracts
• Fully staffed to show and sell your merchandise
• We will call you with offers if you desire.
• Open seven days a week
• Layaway option offered
• Local, regional and national advertising
• Twice yearly advertised sales events to reduce slow moving merchandise
• Internet selling service for unique, mint-condition items
• Computerized sales reporting and record-keeping.
• Timely monthly payment to each dealer
• In-house rent deductions for the next month
• Lots of free parking
• Wide Aisles
• Private dealer entrances for merchandise
• YOU DO NOT NEED A TAX ID NUMBER TO BE A DEALER

WHAT IT COSTS

• Booth space from $2.75 per square foot down to $2.00 per square foot. Cost varies by term of contract and booth location.
• Discount for having booth in both locations.
• Display case prices from $70 per month or less depending on size and location of case.
• No other charges for advertising, bookkeeping, etc.

OWNERSHIP

• Ron & Tesa Sterchi

MANAGER

• Dwaine Witte