Life blood of the Antiques Trade.

Dealer to Dealer Sales, Life blood of the Antiques Trade.

With out Dealer to Dealer sales the Antiques and Collectibles Business would fold.
It's not much talked about, but everyone is aware of it. In my end of the business it's absolutely vital, I have to buy cheap enough to resell to another Dealer who can mark it up and resell it to another dealer, in my view few items actually end up in collectors hands. Of course that's not a wholly accurate statement, but it does get to the point, that your more likely to sell to another dealer than to Jane Public.

Reasons being, dealer are out looking to buy every day, all week, the Public Buys when it falls in love with something or they have a need for an object. Very Hit and miss. Yes there are more Janes than Dealers, but dealers buy cold, wind or rain. Not just for Jimmys Birthday.

Dealers have the ready funds to purchase when they find what they want. They can buy it today rather than "Think it Over".

Dealers have the "Need" to fill their shelves, Electronic or other wise, they must have inventory. Some may call this the "Bigger Fool Theory" and I'm sure in some cases it is. Many items on the shelves of the "Higher End Shops" came from humbler shops, perhaps to be sold to another Dealer, to put in yet another shop.

I've seen the revolving door some items seem to get stuck in. Going from Estate Sale to Auction House to Dealer Back to the Auction House, round and round she goes.

Other Items move up the food chain, from Yard Sale to Picker to Dealer to Dealer.
Every Item I've sold on Ebay was bought by Dealers. Much of our view point comes where in that food chain, we find our selves.

I've seen no loss of interest at the Live Local Auction, Prices are lower in some categories, while other categories have stayed somewhat firm, but the population of the Auction Room has remained high, certainly there are no fewer participants than in past years. The vast majority of these folks being Dealers, of some sort.

Dealer to Dealer Sales are the Life Blood of the Trade, so far we seem to be holding our own, as long as we are not afraid to buy, we can weather this storm.
So it's important to know who our customers are, Dealers or End Users?

I was told when I first got into the trade, that if I could sell to other Dealers, I'd have no troubles in this business, that's turned out to be very true.