I need some good hard advice.

[Beachkid23]

Thank you all for taking the time to read this. I used to post a lot on here but I’ve gotten so busy it’s been crazy!
I was always a picker. Specializing in jewelry. In The 5 years I got a dealers license. I work at my house. I don’t really advertise just kind of word-of-mouth when I go out to sales and stores.

Kinda gotten to where I have 15 stops a month that I buy jewelry from consignment, thrift and secondhand stores. Never really thought of it as an opportunity to expand. I just pick up and scrap...

I have some things set up in two different Antique Mall’s . another mall is starting and I’m friends with someone who owns it. She wants to train to be the general manager of that store.

Well, another consignment store wants me to open a booth in her store. And then times that by seven. I’ve had crazy offers. We will give you free rent. You can buy jewelry... 🤮

I can’t afford to open my own cash for gold
Store.

I started this because I got kicked out of the coin store. Some lady was getting ripped off and I spoke up. The owner kicked me out and I said I will never contend with you but I will spend the rest my life telling them what they have is worth!

Here we are. Got to figure out what’s next

 

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[smokeythecat]

I wouldn't want to be tied down to one place or another. Most folks are buying off the net these days, lots of the antiques stores around here have closed.

 

[tamrock]

Start advertising on the radio. I must hear three or four different jewelry stores every time I'm in the truck listening to the radio advertising they're the best place to bring in for cash your broken and unwanted jewelry, plus watches. Just be honest and offer fair pricing to anyone who is lured into that way of getting their attention. As for the thrift stores, pawn shops and flea markets, I negotiate anytime it's possible, but I've never up and told them your way under selling that item. Makes me wonder if I'm bad for not doing that , but then I feel like it's not my job to educate them, as they've already agreed on a price to sell, plus there is the fact they got it for less than what I'm giving. Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10:4

 

[trdhrdr007]

Sounds like you are all over the place and need to focus on the areas that are most profitable to you. When I first started I had a display case in an antique mall and later had a booth. I had decent sales and don't regret doing either of those but I'd never do it again. The profit wasn't enough to justify the time it took. I can't stress enough how much of a time suck that is. In my neck of the woods most of the people doing that are retired and "supplement" their income with one or more booths. Talking with the majority of them they'd be better off with a minimum wage job.

It sounds like someone opening an antique mall may want you to be the general manager? That could be a good deal if you were able to buy jewelry from the customers.

Some of the antique stores here have people that run a we buy gold booth. In general, they have display cases with a small amount of inventory and have set buying hours when they are at the booth. The most profitable/professional ones I've seen have small locked rooms with evening/weekend hours when most people are interested in selling. If you currently have a license and an outlet for PM's all you'd need to get started would be display cases, a booth or room at an antique mall with good traffic, & enough cash to buy whatever jewelry came in that day.

 

[dts52]

I don’t have any advice (as my advice is usually worth exactly what one pays for it) but I do want to congratulate you for being so honest when that woman was getting ripped off. We need more folks like you. It reminds me of a time I was in a gun store years ago when a fellow brought in some souvenirs his recently deceased father had gotten overseas during WWII. One was a Belgian pistol, complete with holster and ammunition. The dealer told him it was basically worthless and offered him a very small amount. This was WAY before the internet and the guy told the dealer up front that he knew nothing about guns and that his wife didn’t want it in the house (big mistake). He didn’t sell to the dealer but asked for the name of other gun shops in the area, which the dealer provided. As soon as the guy left, the dealer got on the phone and called his buddy at the other gun shop, telling him that a guy was coming in with a really clean pistol and that he had offered him only $75 (if I remember correctly). Obviously, the gun was worth a lot more. I went to the parking lot in an effort to give the guy a heads-up but he was already gone.

Glad to hear that you did the right thing. Congratulations.
dts
Maybe it was Karma but the dealer went out of business shortly after that.

 

[goldenwonderbear]

Good advice................fine cat...........................hal

 

[freeman]

Honestly? The internet, you reach a wider customer base and can work from where you want. I have bought rings from an estate jeweller wh uses ebay: set up his 'shop', has photos, grading, descriptions, return policy,xthe works. Used him twice now.

 

[jcc]

Storefronts suck time and don't provide consistent revenue for time put in.

The big winner of many small web endeavors are UPS/USPS/FedEx. Make the customer pay shipping.
Some cities have 70% package theft, so make sure you don't get caught up in disappearing packages.

In terms of use of time and personal efficiency web based is the way to go in my opinion... many
brick and mortar store fronts are disappearing.

 

[A2coins]

Just keep your integrity and you will be fine