Friday, June 15, 2007

Warning: Salvage Chick VENT!!

There is a lot of stuff going on that I can't always Blog about, in the interest of good business. Mostly silly stuff people do or say without realizing how they come across. Like those who tell me "I've been wanting to come in but you're NEVER OPEN." Well you must mean I'm never open when you happen to drive by, right, because there is a sign on the door with the hours I am open on it and only VERY RARELY am I not here during those hours unless there is an emergency or my cousin's wedding or something in which case I post a sign if at all possible... When I query these people with "I'm sorry, what would be more convenient hours for you to shop?" I get "Oh no, it's just that I drive by every morning at 7 on my way to work." OK well thanks for clarifying instead of letting me feel like a jerk shop owner who conducts business hours on a whim in the meanwhile.

Then there are the Unsolicited-Advice-Givers. I'm not talking about any of the many dealers who frequent my shop and offer me words of encouragement or constructive criticism - these people have my utmost respect and their advice is always welcome. (If you're Even Wondering "Is she talking about ME?" - I'm most assuredly NOT) I'm talking about these Yahoos who pop in and and judiciously announce things like "I'll tell you what, this Post Office Box Door is GROSSLY underpriced. I sold 300 of them in 1978 for $50 each" Well OK Thanks, it is good to know what you were doing when I was 5 years old and boy you lucked out selling those before the advent of eBay and every schmuck with a digital camera and a Post Office Box Door coming out of the woodwork!

The Underpriced-Police always get me. If it's such a bargain, BUY IT. Re-sell it at a Profit, I don't care! Sure the shops on Cape Cod sell it for triple the price but they have quadruple the audience AND overhead. I'm in BRYANTVILLE for god's sake, how many people are going to come through willing to pay $4000 for a pair of felt-tipped tweezers from Tiffany's? There is a fine line between pricing things low enough to keep things moving yet pay the bills and pricing stuff at "what it's really worth" and becoming a broke Museum Curator.

"These Aren't That Old/Valuable etc." Right. That's why the sign outside says "Collectibles" and "Good Furniture" in addition to "Antiques" do you really think you're going to stumble on the Hope Diamond in a place with SALVAGE in the title??

WHEW I feel better, Thanks!

No comments: