goWholesale

Many know about these; many may have forgotten about them and others are unaware of them totally. But in the event you stock inventory and want to broaden your sales, or you can't survive at auctions, get into your car and check the shopping malls and the local "antique markets/malls" for "cabinet rentals." This has been a nationwide trend and involves renting glass enclosed, locked cabinets at monthly rents. From what I've seen, rates seem to go from $35 to $50 monthly. Most locations keep about 5% of the sale. They also collect sales taxes and pay them for you. You stock the shelves of the cabinet and sales reps walk the floors handling sales with customers. They post your sales to a data base you have access to. I don't have to tell you that many of these "antique malls" around the country attract hundreds of visitors daily and the weekends more so.

Although they are called "antique malls" in most cases, if you take a walk through them you'll find people selling just about anything imaginable. The one near me, which I also use, has all kinds of "resellers" of extensive products, so don't think these places are just for "antiques." The trend of what is selling shows differently.

It's your own "storefront." People can see and feel what you're selling, the rates are good, and you don't even have to be there to sell the items! This time of the year, many of these places are swarming with traffic. What's even better is that patrons "spread the word" in the community that the place exists and they saw a particular cabinet that contained "xyz" widgets. Those neighbors, in turn, show up to buy some!

Check into it; walk the floors to see what's selling and for how much; ask questions and see if it fits in with what you want to do. Many of the sellers in my place are "making a killing" on their items.

Happy Holidays

I"m in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY and use the antique malls to sell nostalgia signs, etc. as almost a "storefront" with no problems from those "up front." In the same case with signs are nostalgia cd music items, magnets, and switchplates. I guess from what you're saying that it may depend on the rules and regs of those running the show, coupled with the area you're in. I wonder if within several miles proximity you might even find one mall with one set of rules, another with another set in your area? One guy down from me makes a killing on nothing but Italian charms in his cabinet and another guy is doing great with those laser imprinted items into the glass you see nowadays. EAch one's cabinet has nothing else in it. One other fellow kills 'em with his entire cabinet of "Hot Wheels." Go figure........

thanks and happy holidays.