Auctionwally's best gas saving advice for antiques dealers

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July 20, 11:22 AM

by Auction Wally, Auctions and Antiques Examiner

 

 

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These days everyone is weighing in on gas saving tips. I believe that each business has it's own particular best way(s) to save gas and the world of antiques dealers is no exception.

There is no worst gas guzzler than a wasted trip on a wild goose chase. So when your answering a house call, make sure to qualify it with a set of questions designed by you to uniquely fit your wants as a buyer. We in the biz, know that the folks on the other end of the phone often either don't know what they have, or sometimes will pretend that they don't know in order to bait you.  Sit down, write out a list of questions to keep by the phone when you get a reponse to your "antiques wanted" ad.

To find out if they really don't know what they have, (which can result in trash or great treasures) or whether they are faking it, listen for key dealer terminology. If they use "trade" words in an experienced way, it's a safe bet they are saavy about what they have.

If they use words and phrases that show  they really don't know much about what they have, you'll need that list of questions  I mentioned earlier to discern whether its an antique Carnival glass lot, or later rerpoductions made by Indiana Glass co. You can't always tell for sure what's in the attic, but you can elimiate a lot of wasted calls with a good set qualifying questions as part of your housecall strategy. Avoiding a wasted trip is a 100% gas savings!

Now, those of you with a few years in the biz, know about the "bee back". You may call it a different name, but a bee back is a person who  wastes your time by saying, "I'll get back to you", 99 out of 100 times they never do!  This is especially true of people whom you visit on house calls. It's human nature to shop around for a better deal. If your the first one to go to the home and you bid on a great lot of antique furniture, and they say, I'd like to talk it over with my wife, husband or other, you've wasted your time. What they really mean is they have another dealer coming, they will almost always confide to said dealer the amount of your offer, since any good dealer will recognise a great deal, he/she outbids you by a small amount and you lose.

Now you have a new weapon in your arsenal to close the deal with. Throw out the high gas price scenario in creative ways that work for you. I like to say something like this, "Time is money, gas is money, I don't like to play hardball, but my offer is good for this moment. I'm not interested in coming back. I came prepared and willing to offer fair money and I feel that's what I've done, but this is not an open ended offer. Would you be interested in accepting it?"  You've got nothing to lose by doing this and everything to gain because "bee backs" don't work.

Always remember to be as fair as possible with your offer, and word of mouth will have your phone ringing off the wall!

In episode 21 of my online radio show I cover other gas saving tips for antiques dealers. 

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