Why are antique dealers so hesitant?

"Bryan J. Maloney" wrote in message . 193.32...
(Saler) nattered on
le.com:

Let me clarify, I am a publisher of a well received newspaper called
The Garage Sale Weekender reporting on the second hand economy.

I have had resistance (not sure if this is the right term) from many
of the local antique stores/malls when asked if they would like to
advertise their in our FREE paper. I have heard from "It's not our
market" to "It's like telling our targeted client to go and purchase
on eBay"


"Garage Sale".

That is the reason. Never underestimate the nose-in-the-air factor.

Ah yes the nose-up-in-the-air factor, the factor that I only buy high
end merchandise but knowing darn well that if you don't go yourself
than you are having someone go for you (AKA a picker) Like I told a
previous respondee, Never judge a book by its cover. Have you ever
heard of a small 11x17 foldover calleed the Frugal Shopper? Well he
started out of his house giving tips on how to be a Frugal Shopper,
Since the I believe the early 90's he has written several books and
now is a well know critic/book author. Would you have ever thought
that a title like that would ever lead to book deals and riches?

Love to hear from you.
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender

On 29 Oct 2003 18:22:10 -0800, (Saler) wrote:

Bob Ward wrote in message . ..
On 29 Oct 2003 06:40:27 -0800, (Saler) wrote:


When I first started this paper my business plan had Antique stores as
one of the major supporters of our paper, but it looks to be that I
was wrong. How can this be? Am I missing something here, am I out of
the loop on some underground knowledge amongst owners of
collectible/antique stores?

Please feel free to be candid. I am open to suggestion.
"LET'S GO SALE-ING!"
Henry


It sounds like your business might be based on a flawed business plan,
from your description.

Could you explain how my business plan is flawed? I mentioned that it
HAD antique stores as ONE of the major supporter but never said that
it was the only one. How would you suggest I improve upon it?

Although you never mentioned that it was a bad idea neither. :-)

I especially look forward to hearing back from you,
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender.

It just sounds like the research, if any, wasn't sufficient to
correctly identify the major source of income.

Many successful entrepreneurs don't bother with a formal business plan
at all. If you're not looking for outside financing, it makes it a
lot easier to make midcourse corrections.

At any given time, I have as many as eight or ten income streams in
the works - some are successful, some aren't - but I prefer to juggle
a lot of interesting jobs to relying on one or two clients for the
majority of my income. Perhaps I'll never be filthy rich, but I have
my share of fun with what I do.

The best part about being self-employed? Last year I was "Employee of
the Month" twice!

pamfree (Zemedelec) wrote in message ...

"Garage Sale".

That is the reason. Never underestimate the nose-in-the-air factor.
BRBR

And never be amazed at the junk you find in nicely presented stores, sold as
"antiques." An antique used to have to be at least 100 years old. Then that
crept back to 75. Now, it seems to be anything you can convince a gullible
customer is "antique."
zemedelec

Zemedelec,
Thanks for that reply! You aren't kidding when you say "it seems to be
anything you can convince a gullible customer is "antique."

And alot of unexperienced customers confuse or even call antiques with
collectibles.

(Saler) wrote in message . com...

Kris,
Thank you for your honesty. But, I am pretty sure you have heard the
old saying of "Never judge a book by its cover".

Like many old sayings, it's useless advice in any operational sense.
What should you judge a book by, especially since you don't have time
to read every book.

And that is what alot
of advertisers are doing ...

Then the answer is staring you in the face - change the cover.

Saler wrote:

Arri London wrote in message ...
Saler wrote:

Let me clarify, I am a publisher of a well received newspaper called
The Garage Sale Weekender reporting on the second hand economy.

I have had resistance (not sure if this is the right term) from many
of the local antique stores/malls when asked if they would like to
advertise their in our FREE paper. I have heard from "It's not our
market" to "It's like telling our targeted client to go and purchase
on eBay"

snip

Please feel free to be candid. I am open to suggestion.
"LET'S GO SALE-ING!"
Henry

Not an antiques dealer but certainly haunt the shops/galleries and talk
to the proprietors a lot.
Real antiques can be quite expensive to obtain; at least those with any
valid provenance. Consequently they are expensive to buy at retail.

The dealers you talked to probably don't wish to lower their 'tone'. It
works for them to advertise the most to people who have the money to buy
what they are offering.

After all the poshest jeweller locally never advertises in the 'Thrifty
Nickle' or 'Pennysaver'. No need to do so and no desire to change the
image.

Thank you for your reply it is much appreciated.

I somehow beg to differ, we have a local rolex dealer that advertises
in the smallest of local community papers. Why he is advertsing that
he buys coins and rolexes. And after being in his shop I have a
feeling he is not hurting for money.

That's your locality of course. Here the posh dealers don't advertise in
the budget publications. They don't need to.


Advertising is a communication tool to let buyers and sellers know
about your store and what it has to offer.

Yes but targetted advertising is often more efficient.


Thanks again for your reply to my post.
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender

No prob. If I were a real antique or art dealer, I wouldn't advertise in
a budget publication either.

Bob Ward wrote in message . ..
On 29 Oct 2003 18:22:10 -0800, (Saler) wrote:

Bob Ward wrote in message . ..
On 29 Oct 2003 06:40:27 -0800, (Saler) wrote:


When I first started this paper my business plan had Antique stores as
one of the major supporters of our paper, but it looks to be that I
was wrong. How can this be? Am I missing something here, am I out of
the loop on some underground knowledge amongst owners of
collectible/antique stores?

Please feel free to be candid. I am open to suggestion.
"LET'S GO SALE-ING!"
Henry


It sounds like your business might be based on a flawed business plan,
from your description.

Could you explain how my business plan is flawed? I mentioned that it
HAD antique stores as ONE of the major supporter but never said that
it was the only one. How would you suggest I improve upon it?

Although you never mentioned that it was a bad idea neither. :-)

I especially look forward to hearing back from you,
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender.

It just sounds like the research, if any, wasn't sufficient to
correctly identify the major source of income.

Many successful entrepreneurs don't bother with a formal business plan
at all. If you're not looking for outside financing, it makes it a
lot easier to make midcourse corrections.

At any given time, I have as many as eight or ten income streams in
the works - some are successful, some aren't - but I prefer to juggle
a lot of interesting jobs to relying on one or two clients for the
majority of my income. Perhaps I'll never be filthy rich, but I have
my share of fun with what I do.

The best part about being self-employed? Last year I was "Employee of
the Month" twice!

BOB W,
Well there was quite a few years of research but in different markets
(cities) thinking that they would all be the same, there is where I
went wrong by assuming.
LOL I never said it was formal nor written in stone. But what it does
do is give us a guideline to where I should be and other basic
business practices of helping move forward. Like I said I am always
looking for suggestions (hence my posts) and if some ideas are worth
changing my business plan so be it, for the better of the company.
(Except a name change at least not this early in the ball game)
Good point Bob, I too juggle but not as many as you. Have you read:
"The One Minute Millionaire"? It talks of this practice and how you
are not going to get rich on one idea in these days and age. So I
whole heartily believe in what you say.
I guess with something being so new and never been done before people
are hesitant can I blame them? I know I would be, but on a positive
note I am getting warm welcomes, open arms if you will, to having my
paper displayed in their stores. Not just antique dealers but many of
the sort.
As for being Employee of the Month" that is impressive! My boss is so
hard on me I haven't even gotten paid, he's so bold to even ask for
money! I know my time will come it just takes time and patients and
ALOT of juggling.

Thanks for your post Bob! I enjoy your feedback.
Henry

"lpogoda" wrote in message ...
Saler wrote in message . ..
Let me clarify, I am a publisher of a well received newspaper called
The Garage Sale Weekender reporting on the second hand economy.

I have had resistance (not sure if this is the right term) from many
of the local antique stores/malls when asked if they would like to
advertise their in our FREE paper. I have heard from "It's not our
market" to "It's like telling our targeted client to go and purchase
on eBay"

For the life of me I am definetly confused when it comes to dealers.
Where do you get your merchandise, (not like it is not known when,
how, and where you purchase your merchandise) who supports your stores
overhead? (The second hand economy how else would you be able to call
your store a collectible or antique store?)

What I am getting at is why not promote your store in a low cost, well
written, professional paper that deals directly in "YOUR INDUSTRY"?
Our advertising rates are very competitive if not lower. Our
distribution covers 4-5 counties. and we are open to doing
advertorials for our customers.

When I first started this paper my business plan had Antique stores as
one of the major supporters of our paper, but it looks to be that I
was wrong. How can this be? Am I missing something here, am I out of
the loop on some underground knowledge amongst owners of
collectible/antique stores?

Please feel free to be candid. I am open to suggestion.
"LET'S GO SALE-ING!"


I'm reminded of an old (well, I guess they all are old) episode of The
Beverly Hillbillies. It's the one where Mr. Drysdale is showing the
Clampett's around their new mansion for the first time, pointing out the
Louis XIV chairs and genuine Chippendale sofas and Tiffany chandeliers and
other fabulously expensive antiques. Jed finally says something along the
lines of "That's OK Mr. Drysdale, we're simple folk. We don't mind second
hand.".

While I suppose antique whatever is technically second-hand, that's not the
way people generally view it, and not everything second-hand is an antique.
I could understand why an antique dealer wouldn't want his/her stock to be
considered second-hand furniture. I'd also expect that the average person
"shopping" in your publication is unlikely to be looking for relatively
expensive antiques, so no matter how low your rates, their perception could
be that it's not likely to increase their sales.

But you're asking the wrong people. You should be asking these dealers
themselves why they don't want to advertise in your publication, and what
you would have to do to get them to change their minds. It might be that
something as simple as a name change would be all it takes to win some of
them over.

Oh believe me lpogoda when I say I pick and choose where my
publication goes. I would never never walk into a highend antique shop
and ask them to advertise. I know my limits and markets. Seeing how my
in-laws own a highend antique jewlery store on the west coast.
Our paper is not a Pennysaver nor a Thrifty Nickel trying to have them
advertise their wares in a paper, but it is a paper bringing buyers
and sellers together. Informing would be patrons that this is where we
are located and this is what we sell. That is my first approach and if
they want to take the path not taken and decide to offer a discount or
just a friendly ear so be it.
You have a good point lpogoda, but I must admit that I am not a sales
person, I treat all my clients with how I would like to be treated or
even approached. As I stated in an earlier post I really can't change
the name at this point in the game unless the paper takes a complete
360 that lends itself to a name change.
I think I will ask you this "what do you preceive a garage sale person
to look and act like? What type of tax bracket do you think we are in?
Please answer this honestly. I think this question is going to be my
next post.

Thanks alot for your feedback lpogoda! Look forward to hearing from
you.
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender.

On 30 Oct 2003 20:13:22 -0800, (Saler) wrote:

You have a good point lpogoda, but I must admit that I am not a sales
person, I treat all my clients with how I would like to be treated or
even approached. As I stated in an earlier post I really can't change
the name at this point in the game unless the paper takes a complete
360 that lends itself to a name change.


You might want to review your geometric concepts, there. A 180 would
be a much more radical approach than a 360, in this context.

Because of the current popularity of antiques, there seems to be a zillion
people cruising garage sales trying to find treasure. I don't know about the
rest of the folks here, but I have noted a lot of people trying to sell
dealers crap they picked up at a garage sale. It seems to be an easy way
now to get a free appraisal...walk in and ask how much the dealer will give
for an item. It is becoming a nuisance, and I don't think I would want to
advertise in a magazine that these creatures have access to. They seem to
find the store easily enough already. There are people that know how to shop
garage sales to get "the good stuff" and sell to dealers as part of their
living. They know how to sell to them without such a publication, and more
importantly, without disrupting daily business.

You can get some good things at a garage sale, if you go yourself. You can
pick and choose the sales you want to see, reducing the odds of seeing a lot
of crap. However, they are not the best places to find things, and it is
time consuming. . Dealers work by keeping an ear to the ground and filling
the rolodex. I know which auctions or estate sales I will attend, and which
I will pass on. Since I can't be everywhere, I have to make educated,
informed guesses about what format is likely to have "the good stuff" on any
given day. It is rarely a garage sale that wins this contest.

There are a lot of second hand, and "retro" stores out there that would
benefit from your publication. These are the people that need garage salers
banging on their door with their "treasure". The other business you might
want to hit up are pawn shops. I'll bet there are a lot of people that
take stuff from garage sales right to a pawn shop.

C.

"Bob Ward" wrote in message
...
On 30 Oct 2003 20:13:22 -0800, (Saler) wrote:

You have a good point lpogoda, but I must admit that I am not a sales
person, I treat all my clients with how I would like to be treated or
even approached. As I stated in an earlier post I really can't change
the name at this point in the game unless the paper takes a complete
360 that lends itself to a name change.


You might want to review your geometric concepts, there. A 180 would
be a much more radical approach than a 360, in this context.

Thanks again for your reply to my post.
Henry
The Garage Sale Weekender

Henry seems to be playing "Yes But." See "Games People Play" by Eric
Berne.

Maryann

"Anything can be anywhere!"