The Antiques Lover’s Guide to Selling Antiques

Have you been dreaming of quitting your job and selling antiques? We get it! Here, seasoned dealers share how to make the leap, with practical tips for every path, from opening an online shop to starting a full-fledged fair. If you’re ready to embrace the world of “recommerce” in ways beyond yard sales and Facebook Marketplace, here’s what to know to get started.

If you’re thinking about selling vintage and antiques online, choosing where to sell is just as important as what you sell. Fees, audience, shipping logistics, and even the types of items that perform well can vary widely from platform to platform. To help you make the smartest choice, we compared the most popular places to sell vintage and antiques online—eBay, Etsy, Chairish, and more—breaking down how they work, what they charge, and who they’re best for.

FIND THE BEST ONLINE PLATFORM FOR YOUR PIECES IN OUR FULL GUIDE

In her 14 years of selling, Melanie Alexander has run multiple booths as well as a “Booth Sellers Bootcamp” online course. Here, lessons drawn from her years on the floor:

Understand your upfront costs. Melanie says most malls require a signed lease that can range from month-to-month to yearlong and charge $1 to $7 per square foot per month. Many malls also take a 10% commission per item.

Know the mall matters more than the booth… “The worst spot at the best mall is better than the best spot at the worst mall,” Melanie says. Look for places that are clean, have a friendly front-desk staff, and are air-conditioned.

…but setup beats booth location. Nothing should be out of reach or precariously stacked. “If anything is too hard to get, people are going to walk,” Melanie says. She also encourages sellers to show how pieces can be put to use. “Fill that beautiful basket with faux greenery,” she suggests.

Master the mix. Start with a large focal point such as a nice cabinet, says Melanie, then layer in medium-size wares such as small nightstands and side tables that are always in demand. Unique artwork, decorative accessories, and baskets are also quick sellers. Pepper the rest of the space with “smalls” (candlesticks, pottery) that move daily and will keep cash flowing.

Stop by once a week. Redo vignettes to fill in any holes created by sold items. Then, once a month, make the trip more extensive (swapping furniture, restyling the space). Regular change-ups encourage repeat customers.

Use it as a stepping stone—or not. “I’ve seen people start with a booth and now they’re a designer or they lead antiques-buying trips,” Melanie says. Not interested in building a bigger business? “At least you always have a reason to go shopping,” she says.

Designer Ali Mahon would like you to know that it’s never too late to start a new business. “In my 50s, with my four kids all grown, I feel more confident and empowered,” says the former finance professional. “It’s been a great time to start something new.”

In addition to making a midlife pivot to interior design, Ali launched her latest endeavor, an antiques business, in 2024, and the location was as practical as it was personal: three circa-1800s red barns situated outside her longtime family home. “It meant I could be rent-free and not have to mark things up quite as much,” she explains. (Those interested in a similar setup should check local and state business license requirements and consult an accountant with regard to tax issues.)

With her business open by appointment only, Ali initially imagined a seasonal schedule, but word of her keen eye spread quickly, and she now welcomes customers almost year-round. In the barns, shoppers are treated to a mix of Early American and European furniture alongside folk art, textiles, and homewares sourced from auctions, house calls, and dealer shows. Intentionally steering clear of a cluttered showroom feel, Ali stages her spaces using residential-style vignettes. “Seeing things in situ helps people visualize how pieces would work in their own homes,” says Ali, who also enjoys showing customers how to repurpose antiques in creative ways. (An upside-down rain barrel, for instance, makes a great side table.)

While collectors can peruse her website, Ali has a hunch that her IRL setting has been the key to her success. “When you open the doors and expect a lawnmower and instead see a barn filled with beautiful things, the surprise makes you want to linger,” she says.

For Greenville natives Cathleen Wilson Seay and Jean Wilson Freeman, the thrill of the hunt took hold early on. “Our dad would give us each $5 for the flea market during summers,” Cathleen says. “He encouraged us to start collecting, and we ended up selling at a booth when we were teenagers.”

As adults, the sisters dreamed of running a shop together, but with families to raise and budgets to mind, they knew it would need to be a flexible operation in an affordable location. The solution arrived in 2018, when a Realtor friend mentioned a 1940s gas station for sale that was tucked away in Greenville’s burgeoning Woodside neighborhood. “It was not cute,” Cathleen admits, but the sisters rolled up their sleeves for a shoestring reno, painting the exterior, framing new walls, and repurposing old metal awnings for the entrance.

Today, the aptly named Wilson Girls hosts five three-day-long pop-up sales each year, stocked with finds such as vintage flatware, blue-and-white china, and other items sourced from auctions and church rummage sales. Customers can pick up ornaments for $1 each during the holiday sale or take home an antique secretary for $2,000. “This model gives us work-life balance and the time to source, which helps the shop feel different every time,” Cathleen says. “Our goal is for you to walk out feeling like you had the best time and got something great.”

Changes in the field can make the process unpredictable, but the finds more than make up for any uncertainties. Here, some expert wisdom from dealer Brad Stanwick:

Know that the inventory will be unmatched. A lifelong Anglophile, Brad Stanwick of The Parson’s Nose Antiques sources pieces from the U.K. specifically for their stateliness. “The pine pieces are so well built and have such a story to tell,” he says.

Remember, you’re catering to American customers. “Our houses are much bigger,” Brad says, which means U.S. buyers gravitate toward larger-scale pieces.

Beware of odors—and expect to have to do repairs. “If I open a drawer and it smells a little musty, that’s romantic to me, but it doesn’t work with Americans,” Brad says. Then there’s the wear and tear: Almost everything needs a bit of TLC after it comes out of the container, and some things don’t travel well.

Ask for help on shipping. Brad suggests that the dealers you’re buying from can be great resources. “They will have a good idea of what’s needed and can often be very helpful in pointing you in the correct direction,” he says.

Leave room in your budget. Driver shortages, tariff changes, backlogs from COVID (yes, still), the pound vs. the dollar—all these affect import costs, which can fluctuate wildly even over a few months.

Look forward to unloading day. While sourcing trips occur only four times a year, container-arrival day at the Parson’s Nose warehouse remains a highlight. “It’s like Christmas Day,” Brad says.

When it comes to selling online or in person, visual merchandising matters. Here, some expert tips from online seller Claire Ferrante:

Create a story. “Context helps customers understand how they can have things in their home,” says Claire Ferrante, who promotes new product “drops” in her Etsy shop with richly styled Instagram vignettes at @littledogvintage.

Stay consistent. Claire’s “studio” is composed of a piece of drywall mounted atop a plain white dresser, lit by a single window on the right. (Cloudy days, with minimal harsh shadows, are best for shooting.) Over time this signature look has created a sense of familiarity that draws people back. “Even if they don’t need an item in the moment, they connect with the overall feeling,” she says. “When the right piece does come along, they’re excited to shop.”

Vary scale. The most effective vignettes mix objects of differing sizes, textures, and heights. A few ever-rotating wood stools help Claire add dimension and fill out the frame.

Accent sparingly. Plants bring a scene to life but shouldn’t compete with the product. Claire favors slim, leafy branches and orchids. “They add interest without too much visual weight,” she says. She often also strips lamp bases of shades and bulbs.

Train your eye. “Devour as much visual content—art, architecture, interiors—as you can,” advises Claire, who’s especially inspired by French Impressionism and Indian textiles. Absorbing a wide range of references builds an internal library of styles, colors, and eras—and an instinct for what works together.

Though their main point of sale is their brick-and-mortar shop, Urban Habitat, the Cooleys have been regular exhibitors at Round Top’s famed Marburger Farm Antique Show since 2018. Here, how they make the experience worth their while:

Bring your A game. A large show like Marburger draws both serious buyers—the Cooleys have sold to celebs such as Miranda Lambert and Matthew McConaughey—and serious competition. “Everyone has good stuff,” Shonte says, “so you’ve got to bring something to make your booth special.” For Rodney, that’s his taxidermy; for Shonte, it’s concrete garden statues.

Prioritize opening day. “If it doesn’t sell on opening day at Marburger, you’re in trouble, especially [if you want] full price,” Shonte says. Shoppers willing to pay extra for early access are typically more motivated to shop than those who wait and come later.

Price to sell. The fact that clients can pay top dollar doesn’t mean they will. “If everything is priced too high, it’s not fun for them,” Shonte says. To hit their margins, the Cooleys stock double the monetary value of what they expect to sell.

Offer little extras. Shonte keeps a cooler stocked with Topo Chicos. “The less money shoppers spend on beverages, the more they can spend with me!” she says.

Keep things moving. Don’t let shipping dissuade sales. If you aren’t set up to help move larger pieces yourself, the Cooleys recommend signing on with a venue that offers an on-site shipping service.

Brought together by a shared passion for antiques and buoyed by the success of The Found Cottage, their storefront in Hudsonville, Michigan, Abby Albers, Liz Marie Galvan, and Lisa Van Dyke set out to create a larger, more immersive shopping experience. In 2017, the friends chose Holland, a picturesque Lake Michigan town just 15 miles away, to host the first Found Cottage Mercantile Market. Now in its ninth year, the annual two-day event features 140 vendors and draws thousands of visitors.

“We’re intentional about whose booth is next to whose, making sure vendors’ styles complement each other,” Abby says. Curated displays of clothing, furniture, art, and antiques, along with food trucks and a celebratory vibe, are hallmarks. “It’s like getting a family back together every year,” Abby adds.

Hosting the market outside their hometown meant leaning on a broader community. The trio enlisted the support of staff, friends, and family as well as the Holland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “They helped us promote the market, which was a huge asset,” Lisa says. They also invited local Holland businesses to get involved. “It made them feel more invested in the event’s success,” Liz Marie says. “Plus it’s fun to meet people you don’t get to work with as often.”