Released on: February 7, 2008, 1:18 am

Press Release Author: Lisa Marion

Industry: Internet & Online

Press Release Summary: Contrary to conventional wisdom, the business of selling
Antiques & Collectibles online, is as much vulnerable to economic swings as any
other financial practice.

Press Release Body: San Francisco, California - February 7, 2008 - Marks4antique.com
releases info on surviving an economic downturn if your business is selling antiques
and collectibles. It is often said that the business of Antiques & Collectibles is
economy-proof. This is based on the conventional wisdom that when people are in a
financial bind they sell their stuff quickly and cheaply, which creates
opportunities for Dealers ("Buyers Market"). On the reverse, when money is
abundant, people buy more and are willing to pay higher prices ("Sellers Market").
If you are a Dealer or an Auctioneer, and are involved in both sides of this
equation, either swing in the economy is good news for you.

However, this does not translate very well to online Sales. Online sellers on eBay,
RubyLane etc, when there is a downturn in the economy, find themselves holding
Inventory for longer periods of time and often have to
lower prices to compete with other sellers. This is particularly true for items
that are not absolutely unique, such as a one-of signed Baseball or a numbered
Bronze. In fact, most items sold online are Ceramics, Pottery,
Silver, Decorative Porcelain Figurines, China or Dinnerware Sets, Jewelry etc. Most
of these are usually manufactured in large numbers, which creates heavy competition
amongst Sellers and tends to drive prices down, especially in a bad economy.

Therefore, it is important that a Seller uses all possible means to prop-up an item
when selling online. Here are some useful tips that are effective when selling
Antiques & Collectibles online:

1) Add a personal dimension to your item: For example, if a Dinner Set you are
selling online was previously used by a prestigious family, let's say the Governor
of a US State or Country, make sure you mention it in the
description. This is called "provenance" and it appeals to many Collectors. If an
item is of such high caliber that a similar one is on display at some well-known
Museum or some famous Public or Private Collection, include this
information to give it an "endorsement". You can find some of this information by
searching on Google or your favorite search engine. The same is true if this item
was inherited from a distinguished relative, like "This
[item] was handed down to my family from my grandfather who was an Admiral in the US
Navy ca 1880s - 1930". This shows that the item has good "pedigree".

2) Describe your item with accuracy: This is super important. Most items sold
online are found by a prospective Buyer searching on Google or eBay and other such
sites. Most of these searches use "keywords" like the specific maker or its style.
If your item is described accurately and includes the maker, style, and period,
buyers are more likely to find it and bid or purchase it online. If you do not
know, use resources like books or online
websites that provide such information. For example, an easy and quick online
identification guide is available at www.Marks4Antiques.com

3) Price your items reasonably: Pricing is important but should not be
overestimated. There are times that an item, if priced very low, creates
suspicions, like something may be wrong with it. In this competitive market, it is
unusual that an online Seller cannot find comparable items to value an item. The
good-old days of bargains due to lack of knowledge by the seller are extremely rare
or perhaps limited to a genuine Flea-Market, but even there, this is less and less
of an option nowadays. Instead, if the market is depressed, try to offer a price
that is just slightly less than the competition, but do not overdo it. Pricing is
truly a balancing act and you must treat it as such. There are several great sites
such as www.Values4Antiques.com, online Appraisers and good-ole eBay.

4) Use sharp and inviting photos: I am sure that I am not alone in having had the
experience of finding an Antique or Collectible for sale online that is described
exactly as what I'm looking for, but the photos are blurry or
out-of-focus. Another issue is when there is only one very generic photo with no
close-ups to highlight the item's features, such as the hand-painted decoration on a
Porcelain Urn or Vase, or the minute details that exemplify
the workmanship on a Porcelain Figurine such as the hands, face etc. The same goes
for Silver or Jewelry, which often have exceptional details that literally "sell"
the item. Also, do not forget that when you edit your
photos, make sure that the color that shows up is true to the original. It is also
useful to include a close up of any maker's marks as these indicate authenticity.
Use a good camera and a popular or proven Photo Editor, such
as Adobe etc.

5) Be "polite" - not suspicious: For most people, it is a turn-off when a listing
on eBay or other online venue, has a couple of lines of dry and generic information
on the item and about 5 paragraphs on what will happen to me if I don't pay quickly
or am dissatisfied with the item or how patient I need to be on receiving it. Tone
it down! I agree that there is a 5% of people out there that do not follow up on
their obligations after bidding, perhaps more so in this unpredictable economy. But
I assure you, the vast majority of Buyers are good people. If necessary, include
this information on your checkout message, do not overemphasize your previous bad
experiences with the very few when you should spend more time describing your item
and compel the Buyer why this is THE item for them. Find sellers on eBay that have
a successful track record and good feedback and borrow some of these "presentation"
techniques. Make it pleasant!

Accredited media interested in discussing this press release in more detail are
encouraged to schedule an interview by sending a request to
Contact@Marks4Antiques.com or visit their Web site at Marks4Antique.com

About Marks4Antiques.com
Marks4Antiques.com was created to help Collectors and Dealers to research Antiques &
Collectibles. The successful launch of Marks4Ceramics.com in 2004 was quickly
followed by Marks4Silver.com in 2006 and then Values4Antiques.com this year. All
websites were designed for use online in order to accommodate the growing number of
mobile Antiques and Collectibles Dealers that roam the country to different Auctions
or Shows and those that sell or buy online (eBay etc). Subscribing to any of the
websites provides easy and fast pictorial methods of identifying and elf-appraising
items. An active member can also contact the experts of each website for personal
assistance when a mark is not already in the database at no additional cost. To
facilitate an unbiased Antiques Research & Evaluation environment, no Trade (buying
or selling) of items is allowed through these sites as they are totally dedicated to
Research. All staff are avid Collectors, Appraisers and professional Dealers. The
company is owned and operated in the State of California, USA.


Web Site: http://www.Marks4Antiques.com

Contact Details: 16 Heath Place
Garden City, New York 11530
516-578-1386
Contact@marks4antiques.com