Customer Reviews

How to Make $20,000 a Year in Antiques and Collectibles Without Leaving Your Job

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Without a fresh look at the marketplace, this book is completely outdated. While you may glean some "useful" information, this book resides in the mid to late 80's and fails to take into account 20 years of change with the advent of technology and the Internet.

The Internet has changed everything, including how sellers perceive the goods they have. Values, frequently updated online and in current specialty books change the buyers methods of approaching the areas the author suggest for purchasing merchandise.

My premise in reviewing this book includes Johnson's suggestions about garage sales, antique dealers, shops, auctions and dealer shows. I am experienced in all methods of acquiring merchandise for resale online and in newspaper ads. Sellers have a better database of information and use this to gain their advantage. With that said, because of increased competition and the Internet, deals can be had if you find the motivated seller.

The same tools available to sellers should be used by serious buyers/resellers. You must research your niche thoroughly and be armed with information and knowledge so you can get the best price. Use completed online auctions and start a library of books on the information you need.

Having some negotiating skills is important but knowledge is king. Armed with prices your willing to pay to make a return on your investment is number one. Using your time efficiently will help you obtain merchandise to sell quickly to turn over cash to keep your enterprise moving.

Johnson's book can set you on a course of where to find goods but you must visit these places in a learning capacity based on the world of information technology, which is critical and not discussed in this book. You must learn to use the Internet because the sellers are using it to estimate values and profits. Many undersell merchandise and their ignorance is your potential bonanza.

Another example is the abundance of Antique Malls, which have become prevalent and are very commercialized. These places generally have zero negotiating room since the sellers aren't present. The items for sale are usually set at top value or beyond and purchasing from these outlets won't provide you with leverage to make a profit.

Smaller antique shops with vendor booths are more reliable yet still priced very high. Once again the person in the store is not the individual selling everything so it's difficult to negotiate a fair price or come in contact with the actual seller. If you can find smaller venues it's possible vendors are occasionally present or nearby, which will provide an opportunity to negotiate. Sellers are usually willing to lower their prices in my experience, especially when you tell them you're a dealer.

Garage sales are good sources, especially if you visit block sales with each house in a community selling items. It's efficient and you may still find some gems. It's tough work but remains a fairly good source and you can negotiate asking prices downward.

Placing ads on Craig's list is a valuable method in obtaining goods. Once again, this method won't be mentioned in Johnson's book because of age.

Online auctions and online malls are a valuable source of finding good deals for items in your niche. Because Johnson's book has not been updated this method is not listed. It's easy and more efficient to find what your looking for in search engines and most times you can deal directly with the seller. You have more control and accessibility to purchase adequate inventory. You're also armed with information and your top-purchasing price.

Buy this book on the cheap only to gather some very basic and rudimentary information if you haven't any knowledge on how to get started. Find your niche, purchase specialty books to perfect your knowledge and test out the area's Johnson recommends. Live auctions are the best "offline" source to work and Johnson provides some basic information on terms used at auctions. Don't get caught up in emotions or competition at lives auctions, stick to your predetermined price and don't budge. Do your homework ahead of time.

It takes sweat equity as well as an investment. Keep good records, as suggested in the book and implement technology. It's takes time, patience and consistency but a part-time business can eventually become full-time.

As a seller of Antiques both in my Retail Shop as well as via Auctions this book gives the insight needed as to what to buy, when to buy, when to sell and how and how much to sell for. It gives the hidden pitfalls as well as treasured secrets of this wacky but profitable business.

This should be a Guide Book as well as a Reference Book in any Antique Collector's or Antique Dealer's Library.

It has been written to be understood by all who read and use this valuable book.

At this price, nobody should pass it up.

Why give the book three stars and use Excellent in the review title? This book needs updating. What it doesn't cover could cost you money.

The advice concerning auctioneers is spot on. For an eye-opening account of what two of the biggest auction houses got up to, read: The Art of the Steal: Inside the Sotheby's-Christie's Auction House Scandal, by Christopher Mason.

Most auctioneers are honest. However, auctioneer's are like Realtors - they are effectively paid on a commission basis - it is not in their interest to hold out for the best price for a consumer; achieving volume and an "acceptable" sale price is better than making no sale (of course an auctioneer, like a Realtor, would not stiff the seller to the point where they would loose credibility / repeat business). In your area, you may find auctioneers who sell both real estate and antiques. If you need convincing of this incentive, read: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner. Or, just look at the basis the auctioneer is rewarded.


If you follow the advice in the book for selling venues (and sourcing)and do not consider web sales you will act as a source of cheap stock for everyone else! Example: Yard sell, maximum viewers (100's), antique fair (1000's), eBay/Amazon (millions). I bought an item for 50c at a yard sell and sold for $15 on eBay.

I would agree with everything the other reviewers have said about this book. It contains great advice. Negotiating advice is superb. I would also add that the outlines of possible home based antique businesses provide additional possibilities I hadn't even thought of.

If you are seeking to make money from antiques DO BUY this book, it has valuable advice and is well worth the price. Just make sure you supplement your reading with some basic internet selling advice, either from books (The Tech TV eBay selling or How to do everything with your business on eBay are good starting points), or read the free instructions on eBay and Amazon.

On line auctions aren't always the best bet, but they are a tool that can be utilised to make money from antiques. Great book but does need updating.

Overall not a bad book as there is a shortage of books to tell you how to actually get into the business of antiques. It desperately needs updating; it has no mention of ebay or other Internet sources. I didn't like the authors advocation of rude behaviour at garage sales and other venues in pursuit of a "deal" or his obvious mistrust of auctioneers. Perhaps it's a regional thing. Don't make it your only source and read with an open mind. Take the good, leave the bad, and get some good books on sales, marketing, and small business to go along with your technical antiques books.

This booke covers all aspects of buying and selling antiques,though it is somewhat outdated(there alot more avenues available for antiques...Internet),It does the job well,the info here on auctions and buying and selling can be applied to anything you might want to sell.Negotiating the best prices is also covered,Book is fun to read and very informative,just needs to be updated to the present year.

While some of the information was helpful in a very general sense, much of it was outdated and unrealistic. Overall, not a particularly useful book.

If you are interested in getting into the Antiques and Collectibles market, this book gives some good starter tips, even though it is rather old. While it does not cover the incredibly expanding online and auction market, it is a good source for tips on where to find inventory, how to purchase inventory, how to set up a B&M shop/mall space, and how to be "antique" savvy.

Like other reviewers have said, this book doesn't take into account the Internet factor. But there's still lots of good advice in this book that hasn't changed: What to look for, how to negotiate, and how to get to the good stuff first. These gems will be good for the next century and beyond--as long as people hold yard/garage/tag sales and people use automobiles for travel.

If you want eBay advice, there are hundreds of other books that give you that. But I haven't found one of those books yet that contains the good old-fashioned advice this book has. Plus, some of the old-fashioned salesmanship advice in this book translates well to online venues.

This book reads quickly (read for about an hour before bed and you'll have it knocked out in less than a week), it's entertaining, and it's inexpensive. Pay the cover price plus shipping and it'll still cost you less than $10. You'll probably make your 10 bucks back the Saturday after you finish it. I did.

This book was written in the 80s, so there is no mention of using the internet as a tool but aside from that, I still found the book as a useful resource to anyone just starting out and wanting to learn about the antiques business. I wouldn't say its a "bible" on the business, but it gives you some good pointers to, a starting place to build on.