Ms Dow Antiques Tique Talk by Marianne Dow: 12/1/08

Auctiva Officially Unveils Stores

OK-- Auctiva just officially announced their new non-eBay stores (available Jan. 20, 2009) -- get all the info including FEES here.

Basically, $9.95 a month (introductory fee) plus a low sales commission rate. And they will be creating a portal/mall front to help generate traffic.

But, they are really just another beginner fixed-price store option. Will they prove to be the best option for us? It's all about the traffic -- and how do we predict that?

Now I really do wish I had a crystal ball!

eBay Reminder: Grace Period Ends Jan 15 for Removing Paper Payment Methods from Item Description

Reminder: Grace Period Ends Jan 15 for Removing Paper Payment Methods from Item Description

Excerpted from the eBay Developers Blog:

in late October the Accepted Payments policy was updated to remove paper payment methods like checks and money orders. This was enforced immediately...

but a grace period was granted to remove those payment methods from the Item Description. That grace period ends Jan 15.

Soon after Jan 15, Item Descriptions will be automatically reviewed at listing time to make sure no paper payment methods are included. If paper payment methods are present, the listing will fail with an error. "

I don't know how they plan to review the listings --a keyword search program?

49er Bottle Show Report on Worthologist site

Another site I've been reading regularly is WORTHPOINT.COM. They've got interesting articles, and info about antiques, auctions, shows and more. You can access their database with values, and even buy and sell stuff. I admit, I haven't signed up yet -- just been a "lurker", but plan to sign up soon. It's free to register, and look up values. For a fee, you can enhance your membership level, and then ask "Worthologists" about items you have.

The site seems to cover all kinds of antiques and collectibles. You know I love to share anything I find about bottle collecting, and they have a good article/show report on there now about the 49er Bottle Show that was held in California earlier this month.

The next bottle shows in my area are:

JANUARY 11 MUNCIE, INDIANA
Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club Winter Show & Sale, (9 AM to 2 PM), at the Horizon Convention Center, Muncie, IN
Info: DAVE RITTENHOUSE, 1008 S. CR. 900 W., Farmland, IN 47340 (765) 468-8091, email: rittjman@aol.com --- http://www.fruitjar.org/
FEBRUARY 21 - COLUMBUS, OHIO
The Annual Columbus, Ohio Antique Bottle Show (Sat. 9 AM - 2:30 PM, Adm. $2; Early Adm. 7 AM, $20) at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, 17th Avenue (Exit off I-71), Columbus, Ohio. Scott Antique Show also same day at the fairgrounds.
INFO: JOE HARDIN, 594 Layman Rd., New Vienna, OH 45159, PH: ( 937) 371-0264. EMAIL: jkcollectables@gmail.com

Collectors Weekly site getting better and better!

Just got my Collector's Weekly newsletter, and thought I'd post some of it here.

You can sign up to receive their email newsletter yourself at: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/about/newsletter.php

So, here's what's new at one of my favorite antiques info resources, Collectorsweekly.com --

New Categories Added

We've recently added several dozen new categories, including: China and Dinnerware, Wristwatches, U.S. Stamps, Vintage Motorcycles, Surfboards, Classical Records, Z-Scale Model Trains, Loetz Art Glass, Movie Cameras, Stereoview Photographs, and Railroad Timetables. We now have over 600 category pages and counting (see the complete list).

Recent Collector Interviews

Check out these recent in-depth interviews we've done with experienced and passionate collectors... there's a lot of great stuff here! If there's someone you think we should interview because of their deep knowledge in a specific collecting area, please let us know.

Photograph Collector (and Antiques Roadshow appraiser) Wes Cowan

Fishing Lure and Tackle Collector Joe Yates

Fountain Pen Collector Jim Mamoulides

Antique Bottle Collector Bill Lindsey

Ken Doll Collector Jef Beck

Postcard Collector Ann Waidelich

Vintage Fashion and Sewing Expert (and Author) Amy Karol

Slide Rule Collector Mike Konshak

Bolex Movie Camera Collector Michael Tisdale

Art Glass Collector (and Antiques Roadshow appraiser) Reyne Haines

Art Pottery Collector (and Antiques Roadshow appraiser) Riley Humler

Ericofon Telephone Collector Richard Rose

Vintage Guitar Collector Clay Harrell

Eames Collector and Mid Century Design Aficionado Steve Cabella

Model T Ford Club of America President Russ Grunewald

Stock Certificate Collector Gary Rose

American Furniture Collector Chuck LaChiusa

Vintage Chevrolet Collector and Schwinn Bicycle Aficionado Jim Snell

By the way, we're constantly publishing new collector interviews... to keep up with the latest, just bookmark our main articles and interviews page. If you have a collecting-related blog or newsletter and would like to do a post about one of these interviews, that would be great. All we ask is that you link back to the full article... thanks!

My thanks to Collectors Weekly for all the great info. They just keep getting better!

Auctiva Stores Fees update

Just a quick note:

According to Auctiva CEO Jeff's recent forum post -- The AUCTIVA STORES fees will be on the http://auctivacommerce.com/ site this week.

On the auctionbytes forum he also said "We'll be announcing the fees soon and will also be having an extended 2 month free trial when the site goes live January 20th."

Crystal Ball? I Wish...

Here's the headline of a recent post on the eBay Developers Blog:

What Does The Future Hold?

Don't we all wish we knew what eBay's plans are?

An exerpt from the post reads:

"You may have noticed that there's a lot of change happening on the eBay site. "

That's an understatement if ever I heard one! There has been increasing rumbling about what's coming up in 2009. Remember, eBay said last January "A year from now you won't even recognize us!"...

Well, here's a little window into their future, and perhaps it will help us to at least have some dates when things actually "go live" on the site.

To quote the post some more:
"Stay informed about what is happening and when by checking out the eBay API Release Schedule calendar."

I checked it out, and you can click ahead into the year, and see the entries. There are only a few entries, but the post's author, Laurel Kline, says:

"Dates are subject to change. But the benefit of the dynamic calendar is that you find out immediately after I do."
"Where possible, exact dates are given. Otherwise, a window is given. And yes, sometimes that window is very big. As I get more information, I make the window narrower."

Just something to keep our eyes on...

Another New Auction Site

Here's another auction site to check out: SeeAuctions.com
It looks great, and sounds great, but, like the others, doesn't have a ton of traffic yet.
But -- it IS auction style listings -- yay!
With low listing fees, and that's it -- NO other fees. Double YAY!
No extra fees for listing in up to 3 categories.
No reserve price fees.
They have the auto-extend feature, so it's like a real auction, and doesn't stop till there are no bids.
You can use google checkout and/or paypal, or checks, etc. Seller's choice - what a concept!
You can link to your website in your listings. More yaying here!
And you can see the completed prices if you enter a search term.
They are allowing only VINTAGE items -- no repros.
No items under $5.00.

It's worth checking out, especially as they are having an introductory trial period, with NO FEES for one year. Here's what they say:

Sign up by March 31st and sell for 1 year free!
NEW! Any seller that signs up before March 31st, 2009 will get a 1 year free trial at SeeAuctions.com. No listing fees, no commission, no premiums, no contracts. We are confident that sellers will love our marketplace and we have received much positive feedback from our current sellers. We plan to be the #1 online site for antique and collectible items. To that end you will notice an aggressive advertising campaign to let the world know about us. This will drive more buyers to your listings and result in higher sale prices. Selling will be 100% free until we meet that goal!

Anyone with any experience with this site yet? Please leave a comment. I will be signing up to give it a try soon.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that one of these many sites becomes "The One"...

Super Collector Jay Walker

I have gone to just a couple of auctions recently, but that's it, antiquing-wise, so I haven't bought much lately. I am trying to take my own advice and only buy the good stuff, but I'm not sure if I can stick to it if I go out to lots of antiques shows and malls. But if I don't go out hunting, how will I find anything? It's a catch-22. I definitely need to be more disciplined.

I would love to wind up with a collection maybe a fraction as super as the collection of Jay Walker (Priceline.com creator). You have got to read this wired.com article, Browse the Artifacts of Geek History in Jay Walker's Library. His library is so amazing -- from the architecture to the contents.

I am trying not to be depressed or jealous, and not to think "what could be left to find?", but instead to be inspired.

Arcadia's Christmas History Books

My favorite book company has these great Christmas History books
-- great gift ideas for collectors...

HAVE YOU HEARD?!

SANTA HAS A PAST!


Chicago's State Street Christmas Parade	Christmas on State Street: 1940s and Beyond	Holiday World
	Postcards of America
Santa's Village	The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival	The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival