HAVE to make a living in vintage, part II: Inventory

denisebrain

denisebrain

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Some of you may remember that in August I started a thread: Does Anyone Else HAVE to Earn a Living in Vintage? and many very helpful comments were posted. I took to heart all suggestions, starting with volume.

The big news is that volume = income. What a concept!! :duh: I actually listed below my goal of 150 items per month, but since August I have listed 120 items average per month, with an 84% sales rate and an average sale price of $39.00. I am now a silver level power seller on eBay. I need that sort of volume to get by, frankly.

Now I'm up against another wall: Inventory. I started, in 1999, with something like three items in inventory, and gradually built up the padded cell which is my home! I keep a paper inventory, and I average about 400-500 items at any given time. Many of you I'm sure have much more.

As you can well imagine, selling 100 items per month whittles down one's inventory of 500 pretty quickly.

I have observed first hand how different areas of the US, not to mention Canada and the UK, have different norms for finding vintage. Some things I read about others' acquisitions sound ingenious and *impossible* to a woman in Spokane, Washington! In my area, the ways to find vintage are hotly contested estate sales, 2nd hand and thrift stores, slightly under-priced antique stores, and sporadic auctions. I have several personal connections that garner me some purchase possibilities, and I have an on-going ad in a senior citizen newspaper. About every other month something quite good comes of that ad. I have a friend in Chicago who is between jobs, and has a very keen VLV-style eye who alerts me to possible purchases on eBay.

Still, I'm sagging in inventory with my volume of sales. Does anyone have further suggestions regarding the finding of inventory, or any other aspect of the challenge?
 
Travel, travel, travel... it is the only way to do it for me.. But I live in the boonies so...
Also, get to know shop owners, even modern resale places. Ask them to give you a ring if something comes in that is vintage that they think you may be interested in.

I travel and eventually have made enough contacts that people ship stuff to me (that is only in modern designer but it could work for vintage as well I am sure)

Some things I am sure you have thought of

Michelle
 
Maggie - if you have several "Assisted Living" places in your area, maybe they'll put a flyer on their board for you? Also Senior Condo COmmunities, Mobile Home Parks, etc... Even at local Senior Centers. When you do this, be sure you leave some biz cards with the receptionist in case the family needs to find a home for their stuff once they pass on.

Also - I went to some antique dealers here & left them my phone # (prolly shoulda left a biz card) & one of them already called me like 2 days later to tell me there was vintage clothing at a house he'd gone to see.

I didn't do all that well there, but at least it worked, giving him my #, right?
If you can go to some antique sores that do NOT sell vintage & just ask the owners/dealers if they'd keep you in mind if they run across any clothing, well that could help a teensy bit.

I bought a box lot on eBay & I'm pretty disgruntled about it. I plan to get to L.A early in the Spring to go to a couple of wholesale vintage places there. But I gotta come up with some kinda miracle selling tool to sell what I have first! LOL

The whole idea behind *junque* was & is for me to unload stuff to save $ for my website. Scott tells me every nickel I make on eBay has to be put back into the biz - inventory, etc. Good Plan - but I tend to fall a bit short most of the time.

Anyway - maybe you need to plan a few road trips? How far are you from Seattle? Or somewhere else... Could be you need to broaden your picking ground.

My heart's with ya, honey. I feel like we're goin' thru the same thing - only different. ;)

leisa
 
With Gary having no job now, we have been plunged into making C&C the sole breadwinner until he can find something, or if it really goes well with C&C feeding us, then hopefully Gary will never have to work for anyone else again! :)

The problem is that can't drive to save my life. I've been taking driving lessons for 2 years now and the driving instructor still has to grab the wheel from me, etc. This means that if Gary has been at work, I can't get to any sales or it means that he has to do all the driving which is alot especially if the journey is a round trip of 200 miles or more.

Alot of the places that I have been buying stock from have either upped their prices or shut down leaving me to get more inventive and agressive about where I get my stuff from.

I've also realized for myself that volume for C&C doesn't always mean high sales. There are certain things that I will not buy now as they aren't getting the bids anymore or there is too much work involved with them for too little a profit margin.
Now when I go to buy, I will only buy something if I absolutely love it and would break my heart to part with it and NOT just because it's old and was a good price at the shop. I figure if I absolutely love it and would wear it or put it in my own collection in a heart beat, then others will too and it seems to be working.
I went to an auction the other day and am having a hard time parting with everything I bought!!! :)

Lei
 
One idea I had not considered is leaving my card at a modern resale shop, so thank you Michelle, I'll try that. Leisa, I need to make fresh rounds to the senior spots...I did that several years ago, and I think my cards have probably disappeared. I never got any calls from that, but who knows when something big will turn up?

Spokane is pretty far from just about everything! Seattle is 285 miles away, and I do go there about once a year to visit friends. Missoula, Montana is a little closer but over two mountain passes, and my car is a light little thing that is 11 years old. I would dearly love a picker type in Missoula, because I've always found nice things there. I even have a good friend there, but his eye for vintage is nil.

I certainly hear you on the argument about better items over volume Lei. I absolutely would rather sell fewer, better things, for more money. The problem is, at this time I can't get enough great stuff to make a living selling it, so I sell good stuff too.
 
Hope I'm not intruding...but I'm in the same situation. Trying to find inventory seems harder. I love the idea of putting up a flyer at the local retirement home. (There's one near my house that has a sale every year...there's tons of really interesting things but NEVER any clothing....It must be there though!!)

What do you include in a notice/flyer? "Say who you are...looking for vintage clothing & accessories...will buy for cash." I'm sure there's a more interesting way to do it!! Do you say it's for resale? Do you say it's for your collection? Do you ask for designer labels or is that tacky? Do you specify dates? ie. 1970s or earlier?

sorry...I'm asking questions rather then helping!!! :o:puzzled::question:
 
I think you could just say "buying old clothing" and that you will buy by the pound. Then you can sort through and give away what you don't want. Many estate sales or auctions just give away the clothing or tell the people to burn them. They would probably appreciate someone coming, bagging them up and getting off their hands.
 
Maggie...the best thing you can do is get a storage unit.

I did and it has increased my sanity level, financial state, and has improved my marriage. It is not big. I have a clothing rack for blazers, etc, and some rubbermaid bins and acid free boxes. Its 5x 10 but oh so worth it! We no longer have to have so much advanced notice for entertaining guests, and now my dogs can sit on the chair in my office while i there during the day. I still have somethings in a closet at my home. A big chunk of paper things and a few accessories. But the ball gowns, blazers the coats, etc are all in storage.
Before something goes there, I photograph it and measure it. I clean/repair things before i put them in too. (except unless i put them in a rubbermaid bin and mark them "repair" if i have way too much to keep tabs on).

There are things that will sell anytime of year if they are the best examples of things, but for others they really are better off being sold closer to their season to get the best price for them. It also better ables me to pick things up when i find them regardless of timing.

When something sells that is in storage, i just go get it. Or if its on ebay and something sells, but 7 other things have bids..i go get it all.

Another helpful thing to work smarter not harder is to feature something once in awhile. It really does draw more people to your listings and even though you realize higher prices on a lot of things, it does increase your chances of selling everything versus having a few things end without bids. Or it could make a few other things end higher too.

Another thing that really helps with inventory control is getting an ebay store, mall store, or webshop to "passively" sell a few add ons. A few items that might not go astronomically but someone might buy "while they are shopping with you". (I.E> buys dress at auction, picks up gloves and a clutch purse in the store). Or just the principle that when no one can see it, nobody can buy it. You may just be able to get a coat, say, to sell before the season, clear some space, and have the money in your pocket to get something else.
 
Give this a minute to load. It's the "idea" for my flyer if I can ever get $$$ to go thru with it.
<img src="http://img5.ranchoweb.com/images/leisa/ibuy.jpg" width=500>

It would've either been 1/2 page size on bright paper - or 1/4 on cardstock.
Maybe this will help you a bit? Also - Kristine (I think) told me to tell folks I buy by the pound. Like 25¢ per pound.

leisa

p.s. - LOL so now ALL of you have my phone #!!!
 
Great ideas!!!
I laughed and totally related to your marraige saving tip! We barely have room for our stuff never mind those vintage treasures 'I just have to have'. (Drives him nuts but i sympathize) I go to live auctons and never thought to ask them what they do with the estate clothes.

Leisa, I love your flyer it looks great!! Never think never...who knows what the future holds?!?

Maggie, You're pictures in your auctions are great!!! Good luck in your treasure hunting!
 
Chris, I'm glad you promoted your storage space because I agree, it is a life saver! I didn't mention that I have an 8 x 10 foot with racks...packed with the off-season items. I haven't a large house, and the something like 100 items I keep at home are enough to crowd the place. I live in a 1907 house with tiny closets, so my storage at home is on rolling racks. I also have huge amounts of fabric, general sewing stuff, books, records, CDs and 10 legal-sized file drawers full of music, so it isn't just the clothing cramping my style!

Leisa, I like your ad! I'd like to know how you fare when you put it up.

Thanks Yarah (is that your name or your trade name, I'm sorry we haven't met!), good luck with your hunting too!
 
Here's my flyer, put up in barber shops, bingo halls, Moose lodges, diners, pharmacies, old folks hangouts, etc...
<img src="http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com/virtualflyer.jpg">

Here's my card, 2 sided, self produced on my laser printer (gotta use that graphics degree somehow!). It goes to people at garage sales, the manager of the thrift, classy old ladies (Red Hat gals at a restaurant once), sometimes send one along to folks listed for sales with the big antique auctioneer here...have made lots off of his sloppy seconds!
<img src="http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com/virtualbuscard.jpg">

Let me know if you need any design help...there's always the freebie/next to nothing business card printer that's online, can't think of the name, though.

Jenn
 
Maggie it's hard to keep up quality inventory. The selling field is quite crowed now and the old standbys are getting very thin.

And good quality, good condition vintage clothing in decent sizes and colors isn't a quickly renewing resource.

I am much pickier now than I was when I started, which cuts down the amount I buy. I do drive a lot further, but am getting picky about how far and to what kind of auction/sale/shop these days.

I am amazed at your volume - I can't find that much good inventory to sell. So I am switching to fewer, but higher yielding items.

Good topic.

Hollis
 
Jenn! I'm inspired!! I take it these have been quite successful, eh? I'll see if I can whip up something similar.

I have to report that today I actually was called by one of my contacts in town and was able to purchase some interesting Edwardian, 20s and 30s items. These aren't the mainstay of my selling, but who could resist? The woman selling these showed me a lucite handbag and imagined I wouldn't be interested since it is "so new!"

I love meeting older people...I've adopted a fair share of grandparents this way!
 
Hollis, as you can tell from my median selling price of $39, my inventory isn't all ~that~ fabulous. I am slowly working my way up toward what you seem to be doing, buying and selling on a higher level. I simply wouldn't be able to make ends meet on just the best things I find, as I only have sporadic great finds.
 
Best thing I ever did for my inventory is make lovely lovely to a few realtors. I did do the ads in the paper and flyers and whatnot.....

The auctions in my area do not sell clothes. My realtor friends get alot of "my mom died and my dad now has to go to a home" or both my folks died.

Cleaning out my own MIL's house now.... I can see why no one wants to do it. I do still pay by the pound, and clean it all out.

The thing with realtors is that they want to take care of as much as they can for a client, so it is a scratch each others back type thing. If they havbe people in thier pockets to fix things like the plumming and such, than someone to help clear out the clutter is also a plus!

Alana
 
Thanks Maggie...if you need help just ring-a-ding.

I guess there are two schools of thought on this. Quality or quantity.
Most people would like to do 5 $100 auctions instead of 30 odd $15 auctions, and who could blame them?
You could check into a ragger as a rescource, but you would have to buy about 500 pieces at a time with the majority being $9 to $30 items. Pays the rent, but with loads more work.

The key is to do those 5 big money auctions peppered in with the smaller ones. Easy to say, harder in practice.

Jenn
 
This is going to be my project for the new year. I am also going to contact auctioneers in my area.:headbang:
 
Finding good vintage stuff is a constant challenge even down here in Fla. where there are tons of retirees. You'd think we'd be swimming in great vintage clothing. But near the cities there is a lot of competition for it.

Really like the flyers and contacting real estate companies is a great idea too. Makes sense that they would know about people needing to clean out a house. Am going to try that next!

Haven't tried the senior centers yet either, but I've been running an ad in a free classifieds newspaper and do get several calls a week. It's hard to get people to give good descriptions on the phone, so you drive there and hope for the best. Sometimes I get lucky. Also, sometimes I meet the sweetest little old ladies who are all alone and having to get rid of things because they're financially strapped. I feel so bad for them that I buy stuff I can't sell just because I know they could use the money. Of course, I'll never get rich doing business that way!

Also travel out of state several times a year for clothes. Luckily my neighbor works out of her home part time and she will take care of orders for me while I'm away. Find most of my best stuff when I'm on the road. I did meet a lady at an big antique show who used to be in the vintage clothing business, but was now only selling antique furniture. She had a few pair of shoes in her booth and I bought a pair. We struck up a conversation and she said she had a house full of stuff, but really didn't want to sell clothes anymore. Needless to say I was all over that! Ended up going to her house and got tons of great stuff. Now whenever I go to a big show like that I try to talk to as many dealers as possible. You just never know where you're going to get a good lead. Also, I notice at a lot of the shows there is usually a table at the door where people leave brochures and flyers. I always leave a bunch of cards there just in case.

Oh and I almost forgot. Antique trade newspapers. Sometimes you can run a classified ad in those for cheap and dealers will call you if they run across clothing.

Theresa
 
I am reading between lines to see something in bold print: NETWORKING. There are different venues, but networking is a relative constant in so many posts here.

I'm kind of shy, but I will see what more I can do. I hope all your networking is successful and your business cards end up in the best hands!!!
 
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