Discover Home-Based-Business Opportunities in Antiques and Collectibles

Antiques and collectibles are two hot categories on eBay. Collectibles by themselves represent billions of dollars in sales every year. This boom has been fueled by an ever-expanding e-commerce market place. No longer confined to only a local interest base, antique and collectible sellers now have a huge opportunity to cash in on their unique finds. And buyers can shop the world for the items they crave. Whether online or offline, buying and selling is the same - namely, people will continue to seek the same type of info and ask the same basic questions.

If antiques and collectibles interest you there are numerous online resources you can refer to in order to better understand the opportunities present in these categories.

Make a Friend out of Your Computer:

Plan on spending some time checking web sites devoted to antiques and collectibles. The bad news is, it takes time to look at all the good ones. The good news is, you'll not only love checking these sites out but you'll learn a lot along the way. A good place to start is with 'The Kovels' Top Twenty list' at kovels.com. While you're there get a free issue of Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles. Google, 'antiques and collectibles' to tap into a huge research database.

Visit a Bookstore:

There are a lot of great books on the shelves featuring antiques and collectibles. Your local library may have an assortment of books you can borrow free. Amazon.com offers a large list of popular books you can purchase at reasonable prices, particularly if you shop the used book bin. If you know of others interested in sharing the cost of books you can quickly save a great deal on your purchases. Form a private 'resource library' for family and friends to contribute to. And don't forget magazines such as 'ANTIQUES & COLLECTING MAGAZINE' at acmagazine.com.

Check out Forums:

As with anything in life, experience helps. Today you have that experience at hand with a few click of a mouse button. Join as many online forums and groups devoted to antiques and collectibles as you can find. You are sure to find lots of people who share your interests. Try fantiques.com, antiques-collectibles-auction-news.com, forumgalleries.com.

Google 'antiques and collectibles forums' for more suggestions. And don't overlook the boards, such as HGTV's Antiques & Collectibles Message Board.

Attend Shows:

Asking questions at shows will go a long way towards building your knowledge base. Seek out those items that really interest you and ask questions. Pay attention to what is being said around you as well. Here, it pays to be a good listener. Carrying a tape recorder will help you pickup on things you may have missed or to recall those things you've heard. Having a cell phone with a built in camera can be a big plus here as well. Check out 'Google Directory for Antiques/Shows_and_Events/' for a listing of various events. Many locations publish shows and event news and can easily be found online.

Specialization: Key to focus:

It's a good idea, when starting out, that you specialize in one or two items that really interest you and that you can happily spend time learning about. The key is not to expend your energy chasing too many antiques or collectibles at once.

Gaining insight in your niche is vitally important. Mostly it takes time and a lot of questions and reading to get a good education. The more you learn about various objects the more you'll be able to negotiate for the best prices when you buy. Remember that your profit is made when you buy. Selling is something you do to claim that profit. So don't be afraid to ask questions before you buy. And, knowing your antiques well lets you negotiate the lowest prices. Asking for a discount when buying is to be expected. After all, when you sell your collectibles your buyer will also seek a discount. Plan on this when you buy. There are no "bad" prices, only bad negotiators.

Avoid Reserves When Selling:

You want to avoid reserves in the antique business when you sell. Placing a reserve price on your items is a quick way to lose two-thirds of your potential audience. If you've invested a lot in your items you can decide to set a reserve. Just remember that you will be limiting your ability to make a sale. Sometimes this won't matter, at other times it may. To get a good idea of what your items will sell for look at similar items currently being sold.

Keep Good Records:

It pays to keep good records. Along with quality photos you'll want some background information to include in the description. Get this at the time you are making the purchase! Don't wait until you've dragged the stuff home before you start asking about the history of the items you've bought. Get all the information you can while standing before the seller and TAKE NOTES! You may even want to know who was the previous owner and if it would be possible to contact them to ask a few questions as well. In antiques and collectibles having the right information, the history of each item, can be a major reason why someone is compelled to buy Iron Man movie you rather then from someone else. The more you know, the more knowledgeable you come across.

Assessing Value:

Save having your antiques and collectible items appraised for the most expensive items you buy. buy pinball machines are expensive and not really necessary on items up to a $1,000. If you must know what it is worth you can check web sites like antiquemystique.com to assess value. Or Google "appraising antiques" for additional web sites.

Dan Walter has been following major market trends since 1996. He is the creator of a unique online software program he uses to scan 'eBay Pulse' for the latest product trends. Visit his web site at http://www.1800realitycheck.com to use his FREE tool to monitor what's selling on eBay. Follow his blog at http://1800realitycheck.blogspot.com to catch DAILY SCANS of 'eBay Pulse', PLUS learn the latest business techniques and marketing strategies of the pros.