posted on September 13, 2005 08:02:02 AM
I just finished reading the "how are sales on ebay this week" thread. Seems ebay and shows have alot in common. Brimfield ended on Sunday. The show I do (one of 10+ shows all under the umbrella called Brimfield) sets up on Tuesday and closes on Sunday. I usually at shows this size, 5000+ dealers, do alot of charge sales thousands in dollar amounts. I did ONE charge for $400. Half of my sales were in cash the rest with checks. People were certainly buying, but with alot of thought and carefully. I am certain I did more in sales than a good precentage of dealers who set up... but I am a pro-active sales person. I speak to everyone who comes into my booth and work for sales.I am not one of those dealers that sits and waits for someone to hand me the item and the money.Nor do I read in my booth!!!!I sold alot of under $50 items and then it seemed to take a jump to the over $200.00 items. My overall impression was that even more than gas prices, folks are sad,depressed concerned and worried. They are very careful about spending money. It ain't the 90's anymore in other words. I suspect this anxiety will continue on ebay for some time. As Betty Davis once said "Hold on it's going to be a bumpy ride!"
posted on September 13, 2005 09:18:28 AM
Glad to hear your report, bj ... I know Brimfield is a BIG, important and well-known show, so it was very interesting to me to see how you handled it ...
Did you do approx. as well as you'd hoped to, over-all?
posted on September 13, 2005 10:11:00 AM
Thanks for the show report - never been to Brimfield and want to go to the next one. Interesting observation about the $$$ amount of the things selling - I think the same will reflect on Ebay under $50 and some higher ticket items.
I am hoping as New Orleans recovers more quickly than originally thought, people will start buying again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on September 13, 2005 10:20:09 AM
Marcia, I went into the show having only done it one other time. I have done Round Top in Texas for 15 years and have ALOT of good repeat customers.... there!We moved to New Hampshire 2 years ago. I did Brimfield for the first time this past May. We did about half of what I normally do at R.Top. I figured that that was good as no one knows me and I have no customer base from which to depend. This fall with all that has been going on in the world and with gas being a real factor... I thought if I do enough to pay the house payment,pay bills and put some fresh merch on the table at the next show .... I'll be happy. That is about what we did.... just enough to get through. I do not in any way mean to make that sound negative... I am very grateful. There was a couple set up in my building with excellant period furniture and wonderful smalls... they did $70.00 all week. I am grateful. But times are really tough and I think we have to be ready to accept less than 5 years ago. The old addage "fast nickel,slow dime" is even more appropiate for this time on the planet. There is not ONE THING I sell anyone HAS TO HAVE to live on the planet... wants are not needs! Gina Round Top is actually MUCH larger and I think the quality of merchandise overall is better. There is alot of junk at both shows but for my money R Top is the better of the 2.
posted on September 13, 2005 10:48:45 AM
Thanks for sharing -- which field did you do? I got mixed reports from my friends who went; one of whom did about half of what he normally does; the rest said it was empty, dismal and depressing, half the gate, half the dealers. Several of my southern friends didn't go at all after figuring expenses to do the show, and said they were better off even eating the prepaid booth rent.
Did Atlanta this past week end with no expectations, but customers came, even from Alabama as usual, which was nice to see. Turned out to be a pretty good show after all. Very grateful.
We had one customer from Baton Rouge who bought up a storm to fill her shop back up. Apparently a number of new homes have been purchased there and owners need things to fill them with.
posted on September 13, 2005 12:05:22 PM
I do New England Motel. There are lots of dealers who do the 1 and 2 day shows .. set up /pack up and move to the next field. I would KILL someone! I set up decorate and thats that! Its a 6 day show. I am not going to Round Top this fall for the same reasons as your friend,brig, after all is tallied up I would have to do an aditional $5000 to make up for the additional costs and I can't see that happening right now. Breaks my heart not to be going but this is business not romance!
It does seem to me that the crowds were lighter certainly than the spring and we did about half of what we did do in May. I don't leave my booth to shop once I'm set up so I really don't know if the other shows were "light" on dealers or not.
Which show do you do in Atlanta? I LOVE the Scott show... gosh I have bought wonderful things there! I have never been to the Lakewood show but understand its as nice??
Caroline just observing what you deal in and your questions on this board... you would love Brimfield and Round Top. I bougt a lamp last week for my show booth. Its a Chinese elongated vase maybe 20" tall + harp and shade ...Cornish blue with TDF pink flowers for $20! There were bargains to be had... and that was on Sunday. I was pleased....BUT I too was very careful about spending...
posted on September 13, 2005 12:57:43 PM
I do Lakewood, mostly because it's a fun show, I have lots of regular customers (probably 90% of my sales), and Scotts is just a bit "constipated" for my merch and my modus operandi. If I'm doing a show, I want to smoke, take my dog into the booth, not worry about whether I clock in at opening, etc. etc. Scotts feels like a "job" if you know what I mean. Plus I probably buy better at Lakewood than anywhere; you just never know what might turn up.
At Scotts, I can find the higher end's lower end merch and do very well. As a reasonable purist, I can't deal with the decorator stuff and the reproductions -- probably the reason I only run over now and then.
Brimfield to me is just another show, Roundtop was fun, but too far, and way too long. But I bought the best piece of American folk art I ever owned from ... the person who goes to the same auctions and does two monthly shows in the same building with me!
I enjoy the combination of eBay and shows -- some things are just too touchy-feely for eBay, and some things just need the right buyer I'd never find at a show. It's the best of both worlds!
posted on September 13, 2005 01:46:05 PM
The shows in the MD/DC area tend to have way overpriced merchandise. It sounds like Brimfield may be more reasonably priced.
It think the dealers who will really be hurting are the ones who price too high. They are used to getting top dollar for their merchandise and that just doesn't happen anymore.
I see what some are paying at auction and wonder what the heck they are thinking - some are buying at near retail prices, so no wonder they are overpricing.
I think those dealers that show flexibility and versatility - in other words, wheel & deal - will be just fine this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on September 13, 2005 02:40:32 PM
As usual, it's the middle level dealers who will fare poorly -- mediocre things at higher price points, and dealing in tired categories (sorry, but glass and china on that level just doesn't sell any more). Too bad, 'cause I kinda miss my "I have a little space in a mall" dealers -- they're the ones who fall by the wayside first.
I will say that I have on occasion overpaid for some very special things at auction. Most of the time, it pays off if it's really a show stopper. And then I have friends who operate on a ridulously low profit margin, but who seem to float along for many years paying those near retail and selling at retail prices.
Those who buy correctly -- be it low end or very high end, will do just fine as usual. I've been through this in the 1980s and 90s too -- and guess what? The world didn't end, I'm still in business and people are still buying. I will say the profit margin is down, but so is my volume, so it seems self-correcting. Customers do seem to want more "practical" things, and unfortunately, it seems old time collectors either have everything or died on us.
Caroline, I'm curious if you go to Crumpton, S&S etc.? I haven't been for almost two years, but hear prices are high and good merch sparse. True?
And to keep this eBay related, I have listed things that didn't sell in five shows and ended up with many times my original sticker price. And vice versa too!
posted on September 13, 2005 06:10:32 PM
I do go to Crumpton - I've bought and sold there - I live about 20 miles from it. It's still iffy as ever. Last week was alot of junk, tomorrow I may hit the motherload! The prices are still high for the good stuff. The only difference is now they have one or two guys who seem to sell the majority of the stuff in the barn. I feel like I'm in recycle hell with them. They're hitting the local auctions and bringing it there.
Haven't been to S&S yet, but want to go soon. I did hit South Jersey, up the street from them a few times. They're OK - not my favorite though. I thought some of the prices there were outrageous.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on September 14, 2005 02:38:20 PM
"I think those dealers that show flexibility and versatility - in other words, wheel & deal - will be just fine this year"
Caroline... I tell folks when they ask if I can do better... I RARELY offer first.... I am only married to my husband lets talk! That breaks the ice and we most times can reach a deal. This is a tough way to make a living and I work hard to make it work for us. We do make a living at the antique biz but it is those of us who are not married to our inventory that fair better in times like this.
As for paying to much for stuff... my philosophy is you don't make money when you sell something, you make it when you buy it! Wether its something for ebay or show merchandise I am a very careful shopper. That does come from having to make a living at this... you have to be careful and smarter than the person that has a husband or wife with a "real" job... or they have a pension or this is a hobby!
Brig what is the next scheduled Lakewood show?
posted on September 14, 2005 03:00:39 PM
Lakewood is always the second week end of the month just like Scotts. Next month it's early, since October 1 is on a Saturday, so Lakewood actually starts on Wednesday October 5 for those who do early set-up. (You want to shop Wed. and Thursday usually). We have a lot of Scotts dealers who pick Lakewood Wednesdays.
Many northern dealers will do Metrolina in Charlotte the week end before Lakewood on their way down (although Metrolina can be weak the month before an extrav which is the first week end in November).
If you need any other info, feel free to email me privately at [email protected] (one of those disposable addresses that one can just dump if it turns into a junk receptacle).
posted on September 15, 2005 08:55:28 AM
I love that response! What a great icebreaker. I do try to get others to name their price first - whether buying or selling. It's so funny to watch their mind start to work at coming up with an offer. It really gives you a good starting point and often it can be more than you were going to say in the first place!
Did that last year at a show when I was buying a great old butcher block table priced at $575. A decent price, but I didn't want to pay over $500 for it - that was my budget for the whole show, and it wasn't for resale. They tried to get me to make an offer, but I just turned the tables each time - they named their best price finally of $450! I paid them in cash and we were both happy.
It's a good business technique, and it works.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
Caroline