Antiques are much cheaper in Europe than Australia

It's even getting harder to find the antiques where I live. Younger people are looking for younger things, and true antiques often aren't viable these days. When I first started on eBay close to 20 years ago, I shipped stuff all over the world. Never sent anything to Antarctica but I used to send things to Australia and Japan regularly. It was always something never exported there, or at least not in any quantity.

Then the Recession happened, and postage went nuts. There went that market. These days postal rates are even crazier and I no longer sell on eBay for a long list of reasons. The postage rates didn't help, for certain.

 

It always amazes me why there isn't more antiques trade between the UK and Australia, all it takes is someone in the UK as a buyer and someone in Australia telling them what sells and for how much. The price difference between the 2 countries is amazing, import tax on antiques is around 5% and shipping costs are around $3000 for a 20ft container $5000 for a 40ft container, seems like a no brainer business idea. I think you could fit enough antiques in a 40ft container to make shipping costs around 1% and over all costs being 6-7%? It's not like Australians don't have the money these days, I suspect in the next few years they will have the deepest pockets in the world. https://www.shipit.co.uk/container-shipping-costs/australia

 

supply chain....& when the guy in the UK figures out his 100 pound item is being sold by the Aussi for 500 pounds......his prices will skyrocket..

 

That's why it is best if they work together. There are plenty of Brits in Oz who still have relatives and friends in the UK, they could set up business together.

Good to see you, @Asian Fever !

 

Yes, you have to have a trusted business partner.

 

I was watching a Youtube vid done by one of the Antiques Alley presenters, and it seems at least one Japanese dealer is already doing it. Brown wood in the UK that goes for pennies sells for good money in Japan. Maybe the Chinese go there to buy it? At any rate despite the shipping cost of a crate he's making money at it.

 

I think I watched the same thing.
Drew Harpers channel.
Some of the things were nice but some were pretty ugly and were only really borderline antique

 

David Harper? Never heard of a Drew Harper. As for ugly - if the dealer can make a buck on it, who cares?

 

Harper is an idiot who pays nonsense prices and knows squat. I’ve thrown things at the tv when he talks glass.

 

He seems to know the older stuff, but when it comes to real art he hasn't a clue of what's good and what isn't. (ever seen his own work? Fancies himself an artist, but I"ve seen better stuff in high school student exhibitions.)

 

Sure. Just noting that these were not very antique and not very nice. I would have thought the Japanese would be able to see that.

 

It all depends on what you like, and what's currently "hot" in your location.