Featured I took the plunge

Hello,

I recently needed an idea to earn some additional cash.

So i spent £500+ on eBay antiques and collectables and rented 3 cabinets in 2 antique shops all within the same day.

i also need to raise £10,000+ to attend a private acting school in Prague.

how did you start? any advice? tips? buying advice? what sells the best? what doesn't sell?

what have you learned? what mistakes have you made? anything really lucky happened to you? I noticed vintage cars, stamps, silver coins sell well?

this is an industry where you never stop learning and your knowledge constantly grows.

I will keep you updated on my progress.

 

for fast money our FINDS thread is a place to scan....looking for ways and opportunity to pick up gold and silver for pennies on the dollar.

Antique shop cabinets....your items could languish there for months....and turn over could be dependent on fresh stock and things you have no control over........

just sayin...

 

If you haven't done this so far, I'd recommend making a spreadsheet of costs, projected profits, etc. You might also want to visit thrift stores or garage sales and consider selling online as well; I've found that I have better luck finding things at flea markets or thrift stores than I do online.

 

Sounds like a lot of great, free expert advice!!!!! Hoping you haven't put the cart before the horse by "renting cabinets and antique shops on ebay" first, and wishing you well in your venture!!!!

 

Good advice above. Best to know what you are buying and selling, and how much profit you need to make, before starting. In my experience Ebay is not a good place to buy if you want to resell - you will find prices are lower at thrift and garage sales (if they aren't, then find a different thrift, garage sale). You will find that people buying from you expect to pay Ebay prices, and you can't make a profit paying Ebay prices unless you only buy things that are grossly mis-represented (and those take time to find on ebay).

 

Thank you so much, I buy in the antique stores and carboots and then sell it in eBay or buy on eBay and sell it in my cabinets.

It's week one and I made okay profit on eBay so far.

Will keep this thread going
Thank you for all the good advice.

 

Be careful, ebay is generally not at wholesale prices. You will often see hallmarks being thrown out left and right like hot cakes unjustly, often by members that dont know a thing or don’t do their due diligence. Others just dont care. This often lead to liget buyers getting scared off and confused. It falls in line with surfing the interent in, know your source before you jump in.

I am new to this too, and while I could write books upon books as to mistakes I have made, I am not trying to put myself through school so I chaulk them up to scraps and bruises, like falling off a bicycle after taking the training wheels off.

The best advice I can offer is, if you want to make money, you need to understand the true value in “always buy lowest, and sell highest, but sell at all cost” else you will own a lot of stuff you dont need.

And last but not least, what I am rapidly learning while dabbing into the antique/vintage world, copies look really very beautiful to your eyes, until you see the original. If you are going to buy something to sell from a well known artist or hallmark item, it really should be a piece of art and quality. That is the reason they have stood the test of time in the first place.

[Edit] estate sale are often a great place to buy old beautiful antiques and vintage at awsome prices. Preivious owners often take much better care of their antique collectibles than their own children

All IMHO
Best of luck.

 

Thank you i will keep you all updated.