Estate and Online Auctions/Sourcing For Resell

 For those of you who sell vintage items, estate and on line auctions are one of the best sourcing methods I've found. Whether you sell tools, jewelry, clothing, furniture, crafts, glassware, books...well, you get the picture. You can find most anything at an auction, and if you know your stuff and Don't get caught up in a bidding war, you can acquire quite a lot of items for not a lot of money and get a good return when resold.

Do your homework, know what is selling and what is not. Don't just buy something because it's cheap and you Think it might sell. Been there, Done that. You can use eBay's advanced search to check what's been selling and not, average selling prices ect. Some sellers use other methods.

Is there something your passionate about, that you always look for at thrift stores, garage and yard sells, the classifieds in your local paper? I'm crazy about vintage glassware, pottery and older collectibles. I especially look for certain makers, along with colors, patterns and textures in glass, china and porcelain items. I personally collect the red trimmed Christmas baskets from Longaberger and if I come across any that I already have for a good enough price, I'll buy it and resell, Longaberger baskets and pottery has a huge collector base and although prices have fallen on some items due to the economy, they are still a great item for resell. Always, always, check on any item that you're considering for any flaws or damage. 

Auctionzip.com has local Live auction listings for every state, along with Absentee Bidding Auctions. When considering an auction with absentee bidding, make sure and check the terms for payment and shipping, you'll need to register with Auctionzip for absentee bidding and sometimes an individual auctioneer. Should you find an item or items you want to bid on and aren't sure about condition, size and so on, you can either email that auctioneer or call them. I find that calling is best. Before posting a bid, Do The Research if it's not something you know much about, then factor in the shipping, buyer's premium and estimated selling fees, base your bids on your information. I've been doing very well with them, I've been outbid on some stuff, but I look at it this way, there will always be another
auction. I've learned over the years Not to get get up in the excitement of bidding, it can turn into a costly mistake when your buying for
resell. Most of all, have fun!

For live auctions, arrive at least an hour early so you'll have some time to look at items and check the condition and so on. I hope this will be of some help to you. I've been going to auctions since I was 15 years old and I'm now in my 50's!
www.auctionzip.com

The Auction Junkie