Stand at an antique centre

Thank you all so much for your helpful comments it’s given me a lot to think about. I’m not liking the sound of a fixed term contract as said if you don’t sell anything you’ll never be in profit. It seems this may be more of a hobby than a business. I do sell on eBay but to be honest I was looking forward to having interaction with the staff at the centre getting out of the house etc. as with most businesses there’s not always much money to be made. The centre needs to pay for its costs so charging large rentals is their way of balancing the books!

People steal from charity shops so it's no surprise they steal antiques!

The conditions in the antique / vintage shops vary quite a bit in different towns. Locally (my daughter has a unit), you pay a lowish rent (she pays £30 a week) for a space, but she has to work in the shop one day a week. In some shops you pay more rent and do not have to work there. She does the local antiques market once a month too - and generally makes more there, in one day, especially in the summer. She buys online and at auctions; she has a good eye - her displays are very good.

Cfaz49

My DD tried this. She had more stolen than she sold. She was tied into a contract, I think it was 6 months. So had to continue to pay for it despite not making any money. Beware!

A friend had the same experience - she was tied into a contract and didn’t make enough to cover the costs, and said she was for ever dealing with people who wanted to barter the prices down to practically giving things away. The theft part of it doesn’t shock me - years ago I helped out a friend who had moved house and downsized. We tried to sell the stuff she no longer had room for at a car boot sale and we literally had to have eyes in the back of our heads to keep track - so much went missing. She gave up after a couple of attempts and ended up putting most of it on ebay - much more successful and the selling fees are a percentage of the end price, so you don’t end up with a loss.

Maybe start by having a table at a car boot sale, when the weather warms up!

I assume the fee is reasonable and it will give you an insight in to the world of buying/selling bric-a-brac.

Our local market has a multitude of antiques stalls on a Sunday. I wonder if they all make money- probably a hobby and happy to just break even.

Oops, sorry M0nica - I cross posted saying something very similar.

Have you considered trying this out by taking a stall at an antiques fair or flea market? These one off events attract a huge crowd and a stall for the day only costs about £35. This is the regular one near me in Somerset. www.sheptonflea.com/

This way you can enjoy the process without any long term commitment. It's a great atmosphere and the only danger is that you might buy more from other stalls than you sell from your own!!

Msdaisy Do you have any experience of buying stock to sell? Do you know what people are looking for and buy?

We have been buying and selling through Antiques fairs for nearly 10 yearsmand we have yet to make any significant profit, which doesn't matter to us because it is a hobby.

We find matching stock to what people want to buy quite tricky. We will have a couple of fairs where an item sells well, so we will stock up with that item, and from then on no one is interested in then. Anyone want to buy a decanter?

We have looked at renting a case at a Antiques Centre, but decided they were too expensive. Also quite demanding, if you do sell well, constantly monitoring auctions, going to viewing day, bidding inperson/by phone/online.

A lot of visitors at Antiques Centres are window shoppers, A nce and interesting place to walk round, especially on a wet day, but they do not buy. Visit the centre a few times on different days and different times, and see how many/few people actually buy anything.

Before you rent a case at a Centre, try some local one day antique fairs and see how you do. In the summe we have a local combined antiques fair and carboot sale. We have sold our cheaper and 'reduced for quick sale' stock there quite successfully.

Msdaisy Why not specialise in something and sell on eBay or Etsy?

Goodness me at theft

My DD tried this. She had more stolen than she sold. She was tied into a contract, I think it was 6 months. So had to continue to pay for it despite not making any money. Beware!

It all depends how high the rent is.

Ah that’s interesting I have had people tell me the rent can be so high you’d need to sell so many items per week to break even. That’s a shame as I think I’d enjoy the project in itself. Thank you for your reply. I think I need to do more research!

A friend did it, it was really a “vanity project”, it cost her more in rent than she made.