How To Start A Vintage Card Business

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Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>Okay, so I do not have a clue, but there are apparently plenty of people making money at it -- how did they get started? But more important, if you wanted to start a vintage baseball card business today, what would you need in terms of start up cost/collection? Could you just operate through ebay or would it be beneficial to start one's own auction site? What would be the biggest obstacles?<br /><br />Just one of those things I think about whenever I sell a card for more than I paid for it -- hey, if I could do that a thousand times, I'd be up like $500!

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>If you are selling a few cards here and there, that's a known as a good start. If you wanted to do this as a business down the road, you should slowly increase your sales and see how it works. If, after a while, it turns out you are selling a lot and making a good profit and people are clammering for you to sell their stuff, then is the time to consider starting your own catalog auction or whatever.<br /><br />Being a knowledgeable, honest and reputable dealer starting now will only serve you well no matter what direction you go. If you are right now selling a few cards for a profit and your customers will testify that you are a honest seller and a good shipper, that's a good start. So, at this point I would be focused on being a good and effecient seller of the few cards you sell once in a while on eBay, rather than planning the catalog cover designs for your future million dollar auctions.<br />

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Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>...I've already designed a hologram cover that has my head in place of Wagner's on a huge blow up of his T206 card.<br /><br />But seriously, thanks. That is sound advice.

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Tell me if I'm incorrect, but you're 14, right? Few people make their livings selling baseball cards. However, there are people who make supplimental cash or otherwise have collections that sell for more than when they bought them. At the least, buying and selling on eBay is real world practice that can be applied in ways to other businesses (time magagment, costs, shipping costs, authenticity, losing money on bad purchases, etc). <br /><br />I'm not a business recruiter, but I'm confident that a young person who showed he had a profitable small eBay business with high feedback and a solid reputation within the hobby would be attractive to many employers, including auction houses. If it turns out you make enough money you don't need no stinking employer, even better.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I would say if you can buy something for less than you can sell it, you're in business. It is very competitive however so while it is not too tough to sell material these days it is hard to replace it at the right price. I would say start small and just keeping doing it as long as you're still making money.

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Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>Maybe silly like 14, but old and balding like 32.

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>If you're 32, forget about it. Any chance at glory passed you by a long time ago. I've been told Bill Mastro became a dealer at 7, and Rob Lifson at 2.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Good one David!

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>On a final note, there are people who make money by consigning items to auction houses and other sellers. They often also sell on eBay and in other ways. Even big auction houes sell items on eBay. <br /><br />The key is the profit, not a pre-conception of what is a business looks like. Some may not consider consigning stuff to be 'a business.' But if it makes more profit than a brick and mortar card store or printed sales catalog, it's not only a business, it's a better business.

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Posted By: <b>jay wolt</b><p>Anybody can sell the vintage cards that they have, be it on eBay, a website, setting up at a card show or consigning to an auction house. So selling the vintage cards is the easy part. And with the recent higher prices reported on the pre war cards, you can make some money if you bought your stock awhile ago.<br />The problem is however, replenishing your stock and buying it at a margin to keep making a profit. That is easier said then done...jay

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Remember the 'Ralph's Rug' commercial? Ralph had a rug store with one rug. He refused to sell the rug because, if he did, he would no longer have a rug store.

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Posted By: <b>BlackSoxFan</b><p>I certainly have nothing to add to this topic b/c i'm not young and i don't make my living selling items for other people! haha!<br><br>Regards,<br /><br />Black Sox Fan<br /><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><a href="http://www.blacksoxfan.com" target="new" border="0"><img src="http://www.blacksoxfan.com/images/art/sig.jpg"></a><br /><a href=mailto:shoelessjoe@blacksoxfan.com?subject=Ne t54>email me</a>