My Children Just Don"t Want My Antiques

As an Auctioneer and Appraiser, I hear it almost every day: "My children just don't want it".
Our generation has spent much of the past 30 years collecting and accumulating things.
We collected high end and middle market Antiques & Collectibles, often counting them as part of our investment portfolio.
Many even speculated that if they bought certain lower-end collectibles (Avon, Jim Beam Bottles, Beanie Babies, etc.
), they would be getting in ahead of the pack, and that their nominal investment would multiply many times over in the coming years.
Our generation bought for investment.
We bought for the future.
But things haven't worked out as many had anticipated.
I can't tell you the number of people I know who purchased an excessive amount of merchandise during the 1980's-1990's, planning to use it as start-up inventory for their fledgling Antiques business which they planned on starting after retiring from their full time career.
Today, most of these individuals are re-thinking their plans.
We never really anticipated that the next generation wouldn't be interested in the same things as us.
To be perfectly honest, I've been collecting for nearly 35 years, yet none of my four children collect anything of significance.
And neither do the children of most of my friends.
That generation is generally more interested in spending their disposable income on big screen plasma TV's, computer hardware, software & accessories, exotic vacations, expensive cars, high-tech toys like GPS devices, MP3 Players, and iPod's that can hold 15,000 songs (how do you even keep track of 15,000 songs?).
They could care less about the Country Look, Victorian Furniture, Depression & Carnival Glass, or collectibles from places or events they never even heard of.
So, as more and more of us are reaching the age where we need to downsize and dispose of our excess collectibles and inventory, we are unfortunately seeing a softening in the prices of many collectible categories.
Whether you look at eBay, the Retail Markets, or local Auctions, prices generally just aren't what they used to be.
Why? Here are just a few of the major factors impacting prices today.

• Older collectors are generally selling, not buying, in today's market...
  resulting in fewer available retail buyer.
  
• As the older collectors leave the market, they are not being replaced by younger collectors...
  resulting in fewer available retail buyers.
  
• Dealers who are selling less in today's market, are buying less for resale...
  resulting in fewer available retail buyers.
  
• As many buyers are spending more on the Internet, they are spending less at the retail level...
  resulting in fewer available retail buyers.
  
• And the speculators...
  those individuals who bought anticipating either a quick profit or long term growth in value, have all but left the market, seeking greener and more lucrative markets...
  resulting in fewer available retail buyers.
  

Not all Antiques & Collectibles categories are soft today.
Coins, Jewelry, and Firearms, just to name a few, are extremely hot.
Some categories are actually thriving and growing in value.
And if you are actively involved in one of these categories, to you I say "Congratulations".
But if you are in one of those categories that is showing signs of softening, what are some of your options when it comes time to sell?

• Keep it and enjoy it, hoping that the market with rebound to pre-September 11th price levels.
  
• Reduce your prices and expectations, even if it means selling at a loss.
  
• Dump it for as much as you can get in today's market, and move onto something else.
  
• Sell it on eBay, hoping to attract national and even international buyers for your goods.
  
• Sell it at Public Auction, letting the Auctioneer do the work, and letting the market determine what your merchandise is actually worth today.
  

Which approach is best? No single option is perfect for everyone and you'll have to decide which approach is best for you.
Change if never easy.
Individuals who understand today's market...
those who embrace the Internet rather than curse it...
can continue to thrive in the Antiques & Collectibles business.
You can sell on eBay.
You can open an eBay Store.
Or you can own and operate your own Web Site.
But, in my opinion, Collectors must have some type of Internet presence today.
Those who fail to utilize the Internet to its fullest advantage will be missing out on a huge portion of the business that has moved from the traditional Retail Markets into Cyberspace.
The New Formula for selling Antiques & Collectibles in today's market is quite simple: You can make more money if you sell both at the Retail Level and on the Internet, versus utilizing only the Retail Level, or only the Internet.
The market is changing.
Are you changing with it?