I have to tell you this business idea is one of my favorites, there are so many interesting possibilities.
You see, there are some very enterprising sellers on eBay who sell all kinds of vintage printed materials.
Vintage magazine ads, maps, funeral cards and old menus, magazine and book illustrations, photographs and a very popular item – vintage postcards, are all being sold on eBay with great success.
And with this business idea, you can learn how to do it to.
Take vintage magazine ads for example.
With more than 25,000 positive ratings,
eBay seller “237”
knows what people want and how to keep them returning again and again: by finding and selling all the best vintage ads.
Be sure to click on the link and check out this eBay sellers store.
Seller 237's store is filled with vintage ads from old magazines, and at any one-time, eBay buyers can find several thousand items for sale.
His supply is a collector’s dream. Among the many items currently for sale are ads featuring legends like The Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, and Frank Sinatra.
The huge supplies of vintage ads are separated into categories, making it easier for buyers to find what they want.
Seller 237 classifies ads into categories including: Great Art, Opera, Music Instrument, Classical Music, Aviation, Nautical, Soda, Celebrities and so on.
A simple click on the category in which you’re interested brings up a list of all the vintage ads available, including a photograph that pulls up. You can also search via a "list view" or a "gallery view."
And a helpful tip I want to pass on to you if you decide to pursue this business idea - study the categories other sellers use to list their items. They may not be the usual ones you would think of.
Frequent flea markets and garage sales, and you might be surprised to find what gems you uncover.
You can also put a classified ad in the paper, requesting old magazines.
Some people who just want to clean out their basements or attics, may be glad to get rid of what they deem as simply "junk."
Perhaps you live in a neighborhood where several older people live. Ask them if they have any old magazines they don’t want anymore.
You might just stumble upon a goldmine!
Keep an eye on the local papers, attend all estate sales, and tell everyone you know you’re on the lookout for old magazines. A friend might know someone who has a huge collection of old magazines they’re ready to set out for the trash. You never know unless you ask.
Once you’ve got some old magazines, go through them and start cutting out all of the old ads.
Keep in mind, when we’re talking about old or vintage, that doesn’t mean you’re confined to the 40s or 60s or 80s for that matter. You might just run across a rare ad featuring Michael Jordan or a campaign ad for President Clinton. Keep your eyes and your mind open.
How are you going to sell all of the vintage ads you find? Well, you could offer them to seller 237, or you can set up your own shop on eBay where you’ll have instant access to thousands of potential customers.
And while you are looking for old magazines, don’t stop there.
I was very interested in trying this business idea, so I purchased the ebook
Mags To Riches,
from an eBay seller who is also very successful with this business idea.
I learned so much about what kinds of print material collectibles you can find to sell, magazine ads are just the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend the book if you are interested in pursuing this business idea.
A word of warning though; you need to do your research on eBay and know what people want. And you need to find very cheap supplies of magazines, books and other ephemera.
I wanted to experiment with the business idea so I went to a few local antique shops and bought some magazines and postcards I thought looked interesting.
Very bad idea!
Why? Because antique dealers already know how valuable things are and the items will be priced accordingly.
So it’s hard to make a profit if you overpay for your stock in the first place. But I did sell some things, including a postcard that I purchased for $1.00 and sold on eBay for $12.50.
The same seller that wrote Mags To Riches also wrote an ebook
Selling Vintage Postcards On eBay,
about what the most in demand postcards are and how to find them. I would have benefited greatly from reading that book before I bought my postcards.
Vintage postcards are a very hot market if you know what to look for, and if you can find them cheaply at garage sales and estate sales/auctions.
Animals, old city towns and streets, and railroad postcards are some of the most popular.
Another category of printed material that sells well are vintage illustrations, especially old fashion magazine illustrations. If you can happen upon a cheap vintage copy of Vogue – you are in luck!
Certain illustrations from old children’s books are always in demand too, along with beautiful landscapes and animal prints.
Another eBay seller, Stuart Turnbull has written the ebook
Prints Make Profits,
in which he tells how he makes money with beautiful old prints from books.
I found this book to be another helpful resource if you are interested in pursuing an eBay vintage prints business.
What's especially helpful with Stuart's book is his information about how to find these books and resources so you have stock to sell.
In this book you’ll also learn which prints are in demand, where to find these prints, and how to add extra value to them in order to get the best price possible.
Mounting and framing is one way of doing this, and I know some eBay sellers even do some light tinting and coloring of their prints with charcoals to add even more appeal.
To get more of an idea of the scope of what's possible with this business idea, check out these three eBay vintage print sellers:
Each of these seller's has a different area of specialization, one has more historical and landscape prints, another natural history and the third specializes in children's illustrations.
And with these vintage printed materials you are not limited to selling your items only on eBay.
You could also frequent antiques shows with some of your wares, or perhaps do arts & crafts shows with your beautiful vintage prints.
You could also work out a deal with local antique dealers to carry your prints on a commission basis.
And if you have lots of beautiful images that are in the Public Domain, be sure to read Business Idea #63 -
Public Domain Info Products
for ideas on products, websites and more that you can create with these images to resell over and over again.
Part of the allure of having a selling on eBay business is the fun of the treasure hunt, and with this business idea there are treasures galore just waiting for you.
This really is a fascinating business idea and the possibility and potential is really unlimited.
