Tips on Running an Antique Booth & Things We Wish We Knew

Are you considering selling at an antique mall and need some tips on running a booth? We've expanded to a second booth and want to share what we're learned so far.
We're Kelly and Melissa, vintage treasure hunters, collectors, and resellers who find new homes for delightful finds. We go to yard and estate sales, thrift stores, flea markets and anywhere we can find earthly delights.
Thanks so much for joining us on our picking and reselling adventures.
THANKS FOR WATCHING!
#vintagereseller #antiquebooth #recommerce
Our eBay Store- www.ebay.com/s...
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OUR RESELLING TOOLS:
Rollo Thermal Label Printer- tinyurl.com/yd...
Shipping Scale: Accuteck ShipPro- tinyurl.com/2x...
Lightbox for Product Photography: Neewer Photo Studio light Box- tinyurl.com/57...
Packing paper- tinyurl.com/4z...

[@donnaatboogaloobuys5381]

My favorite part of having a booth is sorting and pricing. I do it at home then pack it in boxes until the next time I go up. I find it very relaxing.

[@juanitagarcia958]

Great video! I've heard some resellers use the phrase, "a fast nickel over a slow dime." It does make sense to sell some items at the flea market for a fast nickel, but then be picky with things that will make the booth look attractive and draw buyers in but might be a slower dime. Makes perfect sense. I LOVE antique malls, and your booth looks amazing. 😊

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks! I’ve heard “turn and burn” too. We’re learning that putting things in different “ponds” is the way to go for us.

[@territheoldneedleshop996]

You guys do a great job at staging your spaces! Looks really nice.

[@earthlydelights]

Thank you!

[@uncommonthrifts]

Just love the telephone cabinet! And the music was on point Kelly!!

[@vintageresalemama903]

After teaching middle school for 30 years, I left teaching during the pandemic and spent a year and a half going to estate and garage sales to source items to resell. I think I could have made it work but where I live (northern Indiana) there aren't many estate or garage sales between November and March. So now I'm working at a museum full time but still try to go to as many estate and garage sales as I can. I love the thrill of finding great items that I can resell on ebay or FB Marketplace. I may even try to get a booth with a friend so that we can both try our hands at retail reselling. Thanks for the great video!

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks for your comment. I currently teach so can only do this part time during the school year. We’ve experienced up and down trends as well on eBay, sourcing, etc. We’re still very much learning and a big lesson is diversifying the business. We used to just do eBay but that isn’t enough financially or in terms of maximizing on our sales profits so the flea, online and now the booth really helps when slowdowns happen in one area. People swear by online auction and we’ve sourced using them but definitely haven’t come class to mastering how to buy that way.

[@michelelupo3207]

I've been watching a bunch of your videos since I came across your site. You ladies are rockin it So young yet very knowledgeable. Congrats on your second booth. Never had one but I know everything you guys do is ALOT of hard work. Ilove that you know enough tomove things around. Not only in the booths but throughout your time at the flea markets. Having the 2 of you working together is a great bonus. Team work makes the dream work. Looking forward to more videos. Do you use worthpoint?

[@earthlydelights]

Thank you! So important at the flea as well and just keeps the energy going. We are very lucky we have each other to work with. We used to use worthpoint and then we didn’t renew our subscription. It comes up a lot though where we need it so probably will get it again. Super helpful tool for pricing and research.

[@brendarushka9966]

Hello! Just found your channel and I am really enjoying it. I have sold on eBay for about 20+ years but just went heavier in last year to prepare for retirement. I also have had a booth for about 3 years. It is a lot of work and staying motivated has been hard for me. I do this by myself. My husband has no interest so you are very lucky to have a partner who shares your interest. My issue with our antique mall is theft. Would love to do more smalls but would have to buy at low margins to be okay with it. So I have to try to source “bigger than a bread box@ items. No matter how vigilant the mall is and cameras etc. theft happens. Generally theft is small things that someone can pocket. I have the opposite issue with pricing. Since I sold on eBay, getting used to lower prices to move items is hard. You are juggling a lot! You are learning. Moving things around can get them sold. Keeping things fresh drives selves and using social media to drive people to your booth helps. Posting your booth or specific items in your booth on fbmp helps drive people to the booth. The best month I ever had was 10x rent. But generally average about 3-4 times rent monthly. It is a roller coaster for sure.

[@earthlydelights]

@@brendarushka9966 thanks for checking out our channel and for your comment on your experience. You’re right. It’s a lot to juggle even with two people. I’m very grateful I’m not alone doing this. We would definitely need to scale things differently working alone. We sell nearly every weekend at the flea and spend a big chunk of the week pricing and resetting the booth. eBay for us is just when we find something highly sought after and that will make us bigger profits. We have lower cost items in the store from our early listing days but we learned that it just doesn’t pay off to sell low ticket items online. We send those to the booth to drive in traffic. It may be naive of me but I don’t think much about theft. Not saying that’s right but the benefit for us outweighs some items disappearing. We had costume jewelry in there for a minute and then realized that wasn’t a good decision so we pulled it. Definitely not one way to run a vintage reselling business but it’s all about what works best for you. We have found that we need multiple ponds to put things in, in order to make consistent money and it’s just more fun for us. I got really bored and I think Melissa did as well, just selling online.

[@yvonneelizondo3267]

Love your booth I hope you put another video this week.

[@earthlydelights]

Working on a flea market video now!

[@lisazilaro6906]

Your booth’s looks amazing. Thanks for sharing 🪡🧵♥️

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks so much!

[@wilmaflores6204]

Totally enjoying your channel. 😊

[@earthlydelights]

Very nice to hear!

[@uncommonthrifts]

Managing the various marketplaces is so impressive! I can barely manage eBay 😅

[@adventuresinmichiganwlisa9852]

Thanks for sharing

[@earthlydelights]

You’re welcome!

[@tanyawalker8168]

Booths look beautiful!

[@earthlydelights]

Thank you! It’s been a process but a very fun and creative one.

[@annettelalonde1977]

Yall are rockin it! You have GREAT inventory! When are your online sales?

[@earthlydelights]

We had a static Instagram sale and are planning a live sale very soon.

[@curio.dehaven]

I'm new to creating a KZbin channel and came across your video! This particular video has inspired me to do something similar with my next video (or at least in the near future) Thanks!

[@earthlydelights]

That’s great!

[@yblasini9935]

OMG, I am so glad I found your channel. Hard, hard work but if you and Melissa love what you are doing (that I wish I could do) it’s not called work as you are enjoying it. Beautiful booths. 🎉🎉🎉Yvette

[@earthlydelights]

@@yblasini9935 thanks so much! Glad you found us as well.

[@kathystephens7549]

The booths look amazing, so good when you display things together to tell a story.

[@earthlydelights]

Thank you! So true that telling a good story is what it’s all about.

[@cidsanta4204]

Omg that dried flowers on wood-I think I gave that to my mom as a gift…70’s…Pier One Imports!😄

[@earthlydelights]

I have one from my grandmother and kept it because I remember it from her house growing up and always liked looking at it.

[@BethCvintage]

Your booths look amazing! Congratulations ❤️ Your information is very valuable and spot on. You get out of a booth the time and efforts you put into it. Best wishes always.

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks! So true.

[@uncommonthrifts]

Hi gals your missing in action fan finally tuning in! I love the editing technique of going back and forth! Also the booth concept of earthy and delightful sides is truly Master Class in selling !!

[@earthlydelights]

Ha! Welcome back. Thanks for pointing out what you like!

[@donnaatboogaloobuys5381]

I have found a ton of items at antique malls as well. Most things I purchase blindly but like you, it is something I know I want to sell on my Etsy, sometimes it goes into one of my 2 booths. I have always made money from sourcing at antique malls.

[@kellbeth85]

The “*want” corrections made me laugh. Excellent info. Thank you!

[@earthlydelights]

@@kellbeth85 ha! Glad you enjoyed.👍

[@borderlass101]

Also the cleaning and drying vintage clothes. 🇬🇧♥️

[@vincentcharlton4995]

its looking great !!! i bet you end up with your own store good luck to you two

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks so much!

[@kimkerley4218]

Great booths girls! 😊

[@janeferguson8678]

You two are very hard workers! Thanks for the videos.

[@cindystrout6212]

You girls are amazing. I live in South Jersey and love watching your channel.

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks so much!

[@virginianatalie2879]

Love your channel!! This was very helpful advice! Thank you!!!!

[@sandy-sagerabbitvintage2681]

Love the "Delights" side, just because I like odd, fun and unique items. Hope to get up there some day to check it out.

[@earthlydelights]

The delights side is proving harder to source for, but hoping to find more odd objects and pop culture to fill it soon. We’re on the hunt!

[@sandy-sagerabbitvintage2681]

@@earthlydelights I can imagine. Good luck!

[@chriscarlson1237]

Love the booth vids!!!! Great insight!!!!

[@earthlydelights]

Very good to hear! Thank you.

[@jennielee3977]

Very impressive! I'm looking forward to watching you re-stock your booths! I just wish I could go there. (I'm checking your eBay store regularly, though.)

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks! We plan on releasing more booth restock videos.

[@kimetherington2252]

Your booths really look amazing! Are they open all week, and do you have someone working them? I really like the Flea Market setting and the craziness that comes with that! I wish you both continued success. Keep on picking. Catch you on the next. ✌️ 😊

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks! They’re open Thursday-Monday 11-6pm. They have employees and it’s so well managed. They do a lot in the way of social media and just helping customers find things. It’s a great environment from my perspective.

[@theweatheredfencepost]

We have had booths for over 10 years and YES! pricing takes soooooo long. After 10 years I still whine there has to be a quicker way to price these items for the booths! I call them 'Pricerama' nights. It feels great though to review the sales reports and see the items we curated and had fun finding go to a new home. 😊

[@earthlydelights]

So glad to hear others find pricing a long process. You’re right though. The payoff of people connecting with these finds and buying them is so satisfying.

[@HannahsHeirlooms]

So happy I found your channel, the name seemed very familiar and then I realized I bought something from your eBay recently! Please let me know if you get anymore interesting glass pieces (I bought a small perfume bottle). 😊

[@earthlydelights]

Wow! That’s quite a coincidence. Will do!

[@hullygullyrio]

Great video! Congrats for the new booth! I would love to buy the yellow piece you showed at 2.49 of the video! How can l get a price, please? Thanks!

[@earthlydelights]

Thanks so much! Are you referring to the metal yellow fruit shaped canister next to the red pot? It may be an apple. The price is $20 in the booth.

[@Stolimel]

What do you all consider fair rent pricing at an antique style mall for vintage and Native American jewelry and small trinkets like pill boxes? Appreciate your input. Suburb of Houston, tx. I’m thinking a curio cabinet with items.

[@earthlydelights]

I’m not sure I can answer that given that every antique mall is different and prices for booths and curio space is also different based on the city you’re in. I think a curio is under $200 a month by us. Good luck with the process and sorry I couldn’t offer more info!

[@Stolimel]

@ thank you. It does help.

[@gretasrq7682]

Ok I have to ask. Did you 2 quit your jobs to do this full time? The booths look fantastic!

[@earthlydelights]

Ha! No we didn’t change our situation. I teach 10 months out of the year. So over the summer I can work on KZbin and selling full time. But who knows what’s in store…

[@zeballos5757]

First! Lol That never happens. Good video!

[@earthlydelights]

Ha! 🎊 Thanks!

[@zeballos5757]

@@earthlydelights welcome. Thanks for the reply. 😬

[@cindystrout6212]

I don’t know how far you go for Cell Berlin, New Jersey. There is a place to sell outside.

[@earthlydelights]

Which one are you referring to?