Hello to all in the treasure hunting realm!!!  Are there any others out there who find it their goal in life to stumble across "The Perfect Find"?   I have been on that quest for several years and have a never-failing belief that my dream will come to fruition at the next yard sale only five blocks and ten houses down the street.  The near-misses on finding a rare "Picasso" or an authentic "Corgi Toy" keep me going on my lone travels Saturday after Saturday.  Why give up a weekend to go through other people's junk they don't want or need?  The answer is simple.....There are still treasures out there to be discovered!!  Now, where do I go to find them??!!

Most people who get the eBay selling bug begin by selling off their own "relocated to the attic twenty years ago items, which is a great way to get started at a very low cost and the possibility to make some extra spending money.  Eventually, however, you will come to the realization that there is nothing left from your home to list on eBay, except maybe the large kitchen appliances and the items your family have wisely locked in a safe-deposit box so you can't get your hands on them.  When this happens you are faced with the classic store-owners' dilemma.....Where do I get more stuff to sell??  (Or in proper business lingo...Where do I want to purchase inventory and what do I want to sell as my inventory??

There are many traditional avenues to take on filling up your store.  You can buy merchandise from a wholesaler, steal from the nearest chain store (I do NOT advise this one), or simply pick and choose your items via estate sales, flea markets, antique shoppes, and thrift stores.   My choice of inventory stocking involves the personal approach.  I pick and choose my own items for resale on my store at every available outlet that involves antiques and collectibles and that is open to the public.   I have compiled a little bit of information on each of these below:

1).  GARAGE SALES - This is by far the easiest and cheapest way to stock your store full of delightful items that will have serious collector's perusing your store with glee.  These types of sales are very simple and are usually a one-on-one approach to buying.  Someone wants to get rid of some items that have been around for too long and they do not care to research the item for its actual value.  They go by different names depending on where you live.  In the South, we have yard sales, one even goes through 3 states in one weekend.  Simply get on Highway 127 North around Gadsden, AL during the month of August, take a week off at work, and hire a U-Haul for this one.  There is nothing else like it and the dates can easily be found by putting "longest yard sale" into Google.  Other regions of the country have other names for these inventory builders such as:   garage sales, attic sales, apartment sales(esp. in big cities), and I've even been to a cellar sale before. 

2).  THRIFT STORES - These can be found everywhere from big cities to one-red-light towns.  Here in Florida there are still more thrift stores than Starbucks.  These are the ultimate store stockers!!  People drop off their unwanted household items, clothes, decorations, knick-knacks, toys, shoes, furniture, and even kitchen sinks at these places.  They are virtual treasure troves for everything and anything that has ever been invented.  Little-Known-Fact:  They can even be located in the yellow pages.  I do a lot of traveling and have found this fact very important.  Steps to take if you are in a different city:  1).  Buy a city or regional map with street names included,  2).  plan out your route using the yellow pages Thrift Store category and  3).  Go to the nearest ATM for cash.  Most of theses stores only accept cash, but a few are becoming credit-card savvy.  Don't go crazy here, buy only the items that you feel will interest the buyers who visit your store.  Thrift store over-load can become addictive and needs this disclaimer.  Don't think like a seller, think like your buyer.  What do I think is worth collecting?  What is the quality and condition of the item?  Would anyone even want it?   Treasure Queen's Extra Tip of the Day - Don't ask yourselves these questions out loud.  It is okay just to "think" them silently. 

3).  ESTATE SALES -  This is a pretty big step up from the local yard sale.  There will be a couple of people running this type of inventory selection who know their stuff and what it is worth and they will price items according to their knowledge.  I have been to several of these and left without buying anything.  It all depends on resale value.  If the estate sale prices the items too high, then I am wasting my time looking around.  The profit margin you make will be zip, nil, nada.  But that should only happen infrequently.  The people in charge of the estate sale WANT to see everything go.  Most still have very reasonable prices that can help you during re-sale.  The average estate sale will get between 100-500 people interested enough to drop by and check out what they are selling, but on eBay you can have that many people see your items in a few hours.  Remember this tip - "Don't buy in quanity when you can buy in quality!!"  A whole bunch of items that only a few people collect won't keep your eBay store thriving, yet a few choice pieces that several people desire will keep your eBay fees low and still give you many hits on your auction.

4).  FLEA MARKETS -  Flea markets have expanded in recent years to booming businesses, many of which are in-doors and air-conditioned.  These are typically huge markets which have a large variety of merchandise.  Most of the dealers in this type of business will also be willing to negotiate with you on a few of their items.  Tip for Negotiating - "It never hurts to ask!"  The most they can do is say "No".  I have been to enormous flea markets recently which have had everything for sale, from antique quilts to Star Wars collectibles and most have reasonable prices.  Check down near the floor or far-back on the shelves to find the items that have been sitting there for awhile collecting dust.  These are the ones to start negotiating with the booth owner about.  Again, your on-line store will definitely see more traffic in one hour than the random flea market booth. 

5).  ANTIQUE SHOPPES -  These can range from a mom-and-pop store to high-end shops on Madison Avenue.  Be careful with your inventory budget and keep your goal in focus, you need to be able to profit from the re-sale of the item.  You might see objects here that are only in the research books and are totally out of your price range.  However, there are plenty of items sitting in every antique shoppe in the country that the owners desperately want off their shelves.  Check price, condition, authenticity, markings and overall appearance on the ones that catch your eye.  Several antique stores will also have information on auctions that usually take place on the weekends in the same stores and are run by the stores or local auction house.  Check with the antique store owner regarding their auction dates and times if you don't see the information displayed.  And if you decide to pay a high price for some of the merchandise, you will have to be willing to display it in your own home if it doesn't sell.  That same marble statue of Zeus may look great in the store, but will it display just as nicely in the backyard near your doghouse if you can't generate a sale?  Remember - Buy smart and Sell smart!!

Last, but not least, CHECK OUT THE OTHER EBAY AUCTIONS AND EBAY STORES!!

Your treasures are just around the corner, street, or eBay page!!

Off to more royal duties, anyone with a different recipe for sloppy joes??