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 | Sourcing Strategies for Pottery & Glass
| Most antique glass dealers sell a finite commodity, made in limited quantities by bygone manufacturers. To increase supply and initiate new buying relationships, hit the road.
Develop a professional sourcing program. Here's how:
Travel Strategy:
- Create a regional and national database of important glass fairs, shows, auctions, and dealers.
- Group events by location and date so you can consolidate them and create a formal, yet manageable travel calendar.
- Determine the optimum times to travel based on the seasonality of your business.
- Consider traveling overseas to non-domestic markets.
Budget:
- Analyze your sell through and estimate your inventory needs for the next period.
- Set a budget for your travel expenses and purchasing.
- Be prepared to buy in bulk.
Wish List:
- Review your last six months' sales and develop a list of key buys.
- Include credibility items that will add prestige to your business in the coming quarter.
Network:
- At events, initiate buying relationships with other dealers and wholesalers.
- Educate wholesalers about your inventory needs so they can source product for you.
- Inquire with locals about quality dealers and antiquing opportunities in the surrounding area. Add them to your database. Include time in your itinerary for side trips.
Finally, to minimize the cost of your sourcing trips, invest in a professional laptop and high-speed Internet access, to continue your eBay business from the road!
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Choose the Right Pottery & Glass Category
Serious collectors are particular. They expect property to be catalogued correctly. Don't jeopardize your success by carelessly categorizing your pieces.
Take note of these important category-selection tips:
- Use "Other" Pottery & Glass categories sparingly. eBay research indicates that items listed in "Other" Pottery & Glass categories obtain lower conversion rates than in targeted Pottery & Glass categories.
- Leverage eBay's "List in 2 Categories" feature to simplify category selection. eBay research indicates that it can increase bidding and price by 15% and 18%*, respectively. Learn more.
Consider the drawbacks of improperly selecting your categories. Miscataloging...
- Diminishes credibility with serious collectors.
- Limits your items' qualified audience.
- Encourages unsatisfactory transactions and poor feedback.
Reach the right buyers the first time. Be precise with your category selection and realize results.
* This represents an average based on data from February 2002 transactions. No representation is made that a seller's final price or conversion rate of a specific item will increase by the average percentages noted above.
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Promotional Calendar
Over the next few weeks, eBay will be promoting the following products buyers:
Be sure to take advantage of increased buyer traffic -- start listing in these areas today!
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 | topshelfantiques (2822), Top Shelf Antiques
Using Stocking Trips to Build Inventory
| Looking for a true eBay success story: Try Frank and Melissa Keathley of Top Shelf Antiques. In the area of Victorian Vaseline glass, they're second to none.
These self-schooled glass experts from Seabrook, Texas, have been selling on eBay since it was Auction Web. They also were eBay's first "Ambassadors" before the PowerSeller program debuted. Moreover, they helped lobby for eBay's "List in 2 Categories" feature, which they use to this day.
With more than 5,000 transactions under their belts, the couple isn't slowing down, either. They are only getting more serious, increasing their investment in their collection, which fills 15 display cases, and their business.
"There's not a horizontal spot in the house that's empty," reports Melissa.
Ironically, the Keathley's business is really only as viable as their aggressive sourcing program. To ensure quality, they source regionally, nationally, and internationally. "Every once in awhile, I get lucky and find something here in town, but usually we have to take major road trips."
The couple travels far and wide in search of its original 19th-century glass. In fact, they just returned from England where they developed some new relationships and purchased an extensive collection. This May, they're heading back to do it all over again. Frank also takes three to four cross-country trips per year to attend glass auctions and visit shops off the beaten path.
"I just got back from a 4,000 mile drive that took me from Texas to Massachusetts," he says.
Their 17-year-old daughter, Laura, also assists with purchasing as well as running the business when Frank and Melissa are on the road. Similar to her Mom and Dad, she has become well known for her knowledge by dealers around the country.
The Keathleys are always ready to buy, too. Frank recalls buying almost an entire Washington, D.C. auction, eventually renting a U-Haul to get their merchandise home. "When the opportunity is there, we jump," says Frank.
Out and about, the Keathleys have also developed strong relationships with others in the trade. Nowadays, traveling dealers purchase goods specifically for wholesale to Top Shelf.
They don't let their eBay business slide when they are on the road, either. They travel with laptop in tow, responding to customers on the go.
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Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
