| You can, if you are ambitious, start a Mail Order | | | | need!) |
| Business selling collectables to hobbiest by mail. To | | | | |
| begin, you must first find a hobby that appeals to | | | | Place "Wanted to Buy" ads in your local newspaper. |
| YOU. Next, you must spend several weeks | | | | Be sure to list your phone number. |
| researching that hobby. You must learn what | | | | |
| collectors want and how much they are willing to pay | | | | It is amazing what you can find in your local |
| for it. You should also know what other dealers are | | | | community if you work at it. However, if you can't |
| willing to pay forthe merchandise which they sell. And | | | | find enough merchandiselocally, run ads in the |
| you must be willing to pay the same amounts. | | | | Collector's Magazines listed above. Their rates are |
| | | | very, very low. And you will soon discover that they |
| Perhaps you already know exactly what you want to | | | | are widely read! |
| sell. If youhave been collecting old Valentines, then | | | | |
| start a Mail Orderbusiness buying and selling old | | | | Once you have accumulated a decent stock of |
| Valentines. Or Stamps. Or Comic Books. The first rule | | | | merchandise, you are ready to begin selling it. If there |
| of Mail Order selling is to sell what you yourself would | | | | are publicationsspecializing in your field, by all means |
| buy. | | | | advertise there. Youhave a ready-made audience! |
| | | | Also run ads in the big hobbymagazines. |
| To give you an idea of what collectors buy and sell | | | | |
| by mail, here is a partial list of today's | | | | Type up a list of what you have and have an Instant |
| collectables:Phonograph Records, Cigar Label, License | | | | Printer make a hundred or so copies for you. |
| Plates,Beer Labels, Circus Posters, Music Boxes,Salt | | | | Hobbyists don't mind typewritten, mimeographed, or |
| Pepper Shakers, Greeting Cards, Old Pencils,Atlases, | | | | xerox copies . . . it's half thefund of collecting. Then |
| Military Medals, Sheet Music,Doll Clothes, Menus, Cigar | | | | run your ad. Your ad can merely offeryour list to |
| Boxes,Train Photos, Old Calendars, MapsStreet, Car | | | | interested collectors free (or for a stamp, to |
| Tokens, Buttons, Postcards,Fruit, Car Tokens, Fruit | | | | weedout coupon clippers). Or you can offer to make |
| Jar Labels, Old Magazines,Gun Catalogs, Paper | | | | a sale straightfrom the ad. If you do the latter, stick |
| Currency, Cartoon Books, Theatre Programs, Political | | | | in your price listwith the merchandise. It will be read . . |
| Buttons, Baseball Cards,Children's Books, Stock | | | | . eagerly! |
| Certificates, Old Toys,Gems, Minerals, Belt Buckles, | | | | |
| Airplane Photos,FBI Posters, Newspapers, | | | | Here are a few sample ads run by hobby dealers for |
| Coins,Arrowheads, Old Jewelry, Boat Photographs, | | | | yourconsideration: |
| Advertising Cards, Dog Pictures, Movie Magazines, | | | | |
| Autographs, Dolls, Hunting Licenses,Valentines, | | | | "Railroad Timetables, 1940's Four different - $4.00 |
| Cookbooks, Beatle Items,Stamps, Indian Relics, | | | | postpaid.. |
| Railroad Books, Fishing Licenses, Comic Books, | | | | |
| Thimbles, Automobile Manuals, Diaries, Railroad | | | | "Old Children's Books and Texts. Stamp for List." |
| Passes, Antique Barbed Wire | | | | |
| | | | "85,000 Comic Books, Movie Magazines, Funnies, etc. |
| | | | 1900-1957. Catalog $1.00 (Refundable)." |
| | | | |
| Once you have selected your field, start a file. Keep | | | | "Original Movie Poster, Pressbooks, Stills, 1919-1975. |
| copies ofall the ads selling your kind of merchandise. | | | | Catalog - 50 cents" |
| Also keep adsshowing the dealer's buying prices. If | | | | |
| price lists ar offeredin ads, send for them and | | | | "Sleigh Bells! Stamp for list." |
| STUDY them. MAKE YOURSELF AN EXPERTIN | | | | |
| YOUR FIELD. | | | | "Sheet Music. SASE for list." |
| | | | |
| Try to locate any publications that deal with your | | | | Just in case you are not familiar with the phrase, |
| field. Often, you can locate small mimeographed | | | | "SASE" means "Self-addressed, stamped envelope". |
| publications andnewsletters which will give you all | | | | As you progress, you will learn continually. Most |
| kinds of useful information. | | | | hobby dealers will tell you that they learn more from |
| | | | the collectors who buy from them than they could |
| Your next step is to look for merchandise in your | | | | ever learn from any other source. |
| own community.Here are some suggestions: | | | | |
| | | | Note to editors:To show my appreciation to the |
| Start by attending flea markets and antique shoes. | | | | editors that use my articles, I offer a free solo ad. |
| Don't be afraid to make inquiries of dealers. They | | | | Simply send an email to me by using the form on the |
| often have what they consider "junk" stashed away, | | | | contact me page on my website to tell me the url |
| assuming that it isn't of muchvalue to anyone. I once | | | | the article was used on or send me a copy of the |
| discovered a fabulous stamp collectionthat way! | | | | ezine it was used in. |
| | | | |
| Browse around through Thrift Shops. | | | | Copyright 2004 by DeAnna SpencerDeAnna Spencer |
| | | | is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a |
| Study the garage sale ads in your local newspaper. | | | | successful business by providing affordable |
| Visit any that sound promising. (Sometimes, it pays | | | | administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small |
| to telephone first. Also, by telling people what kind of | | | | business owners. Visit this small business resource |
| merchandise you are looking for, they may be able | | | | today. |
| to direct you to others who have exactlywhat you | | | | |