One of the most difficult things about buying and selling antiques and collectibles is knowing when the market is at its best. If you search the internet, there are about as many opinions as there are collectors and sellers as to what to watch for and when the market is best for buying or selling. Of course, the objective is to buy low and sell high, that is if you are going to sell. However, knowing when to sell can be a tricky business.
The Monthly Breakdown
In terms of selling, the general consensus is that certain months are better than others. The holidays, weather, school schedules, tax filings, etc. all impact which months are better than others to sell your collections.
January is mostly slow for sales as people recover from holiday spending. It is a great time to buy things, though, if you have the cash. January is traditionally a home furnishing month, with New Year’s Day being one of the biggest home furnishing sale days of the year. People who are looking for furniture or décor and who appreciate unique items, vintage and antiques, might be in the market for larger items. Be sure you capitalize on the focus for those items for the home. Get yours items listed or marketed by mid-December for a January sale.
February is also slow, presumably due to the weather. People just want to hibernate. But again, President’s Day is a big home furnishings sale day in new furnishings, with a little creativity you can capitalize on that and sell your larger items and decorative goods. Football fans and collectors will be thinking about buying those collections around super bowl, so be sure to get your football items in front of buyers before the excitement dissipates.
March isn’t that great for selling. Between spring break, waiting to pay taxes, and winter, people are hanging on to their funds during this month. However, March Madness brings out college basketball fans and an opportunity for a specialty sale. It’s a great time to appeal to a niche buyer with nostalgic basketball items.
April is typically the worst month of the year. Everyone collectively seems to hold their breath, and their wallets, until the tax man has come and gone. The good news is, the weather starts to improve and people come out of hibernation.
May is a great month to begin to sell. Buyers are ready to add to their collections or are redecorating. Memorial Day is another big home furnishing day to think about capitalizing on. Racing fans are thinking about the season and are in collecting mode for racing collectibles.
June is also a great selling month. The weather is nice and outdoor venues abound. People are out of the house and are willing to spend some money. It’s a great time to market and sell your vintage patriotic items.
July and August– just like the dead of winter, summer seems to slow down, although not as bad as winter. It could be the heat of the summer or vacations; it’s anyone’s guess. Labor Day is a huge day for home furnishings so it’s a good time to begin to target that market and get ahead of the curve.
September is a conundrum. The weather is better, taxes aren’t due, but it’s not one of the hot months for selling, unless you are having a specialty auction. Specialty auctions can do well no matter what month of the year as they are targeted at specific collectors. Be sure to sell your vintage Halloween décor this month.
October thru mid-December is a great selling time as people hunt for unique gifts for the holidays. It’s also a great time to sell your vintage and antique holiday décor.
The bottom line is that sales are difficult to predict as so many variables affect them – weather, elections, holidays, taxes, vacations, school schedules, so on and so forth. It’s best to watch the market, take advantage of the hype of any particular event or like item, and be ready to have some wins and some losses. When in doubt, seek professional advice. At LAWSON & CO we can help you determine the value of your collection or item and bring it to market at the right time. We ensure that it is marketed to the best audience to maximize your potential profit. Give us a call at 317-745-6404 and talk to one of our seasoned professionals.
1280 E. Main Street