Pick for Profit

Looking to boost your antique and vintage sales for Mother’s Day? In this episode, we break down the bestselling Mother’s Day antiques and collectibles, from mid-century greeting cards, vintage Pyrex in pastel colors, and chintz teacups to costume jewelry, lockets, floral prints, and nostalgic home décor like cake stands, table linens, and serving trays. Learn how to tap into the growing granny chic trends, list your items as ready...

Think you'll never be able to afford art to resell (or find any customers who can afford to buy it)? Art does not have to be museum-quality or painted by a well-known artist to attract a buyer. In this episode, we break down real-world art categories that sell, from figural pieces like cast iron doorstops, chalkware, porcelain figurines, and garden statuary to one-of-a-kind folk art, handmade “make-do” objects, and upcycled pieces....

Vintage technology is having a moment, and some retro gadgets are surprisingly profitable for online resellers. In this episode, we break down the vintage tech items that we're seeing consistently sell, from 1970s Princess rotary phones and colorful transistor radios to Atari games, Bakelite radios, and reel-to-reel audio equipment. We also talk about overlooked sellers like phone tables, metal office devices, typewriters, Big Chie...

Clothing can be one of the most unpredictable categories for John as an antique and vintage seller. Some months, everything flies out the door, and other times it just sits. In this episode, we break down the clothing items that are actually selling for him right now. From 1970s and 1980s fashion, varsity jackets, fur coats, and Harley Davidson boots to designer pieces like Juicy Couture, Ralph Lauren, Coach, and Michael Kors, we t...

In this episode, we dive into some surprising items and categories John is having luck selling in his online antiques and collectibles shops: from overlooked smalls like vintage lapel pins, tie tacks, and band patches (think Spinal Tap and Black Sabbath) to chipped but still desirable 1800s transferware like Mulberry pieces. We also talk about some wintertime sourcing issues (fewer estate sales, but still hidden garage sale wins), ...

In this Q&A episode, we break down selling antiques and collectibles online with a side-by-side comparison of eBay vs Etsy. John actually dug into his numbers on both, so you want to hear this...and, he lets you know the techniques he's used to make each platform profitable. He also shares his weekly schedule that keeps listing and inventory management doable and makes mundane activities less of a grind. Perfect for beginners a...

For this Q&A, we answer listeners' questions about the most common scams John has faced in his 10+ years as an online dealer (including buyer high-pressure tactics). John also goes into depth about his current photography setup: camera preference, lighting, sizing references, etc. And if you're struggling with mounds of paperwork, John offers advice on recordkeeping: organizing inventory, tracking sales, and managing monthly pr...

In this episode, we explore the hidden market for antique accessories and vintage replacement parts: Depression glass lids, cookie jar lids, transferware lids, sugar bowl spoons, cruet stands, dust jackets, antique boxes, foam inserts, doll clothes, Star Wars toy parts, game tokens, kerosene lamp parts, appliance cords, and original packaging. Learn where to find antique replacement pieces at estate sales, auctions, and garage sale...

Did you make a bunch of New Year's resolutions for your biz in '26, and now, it feels like those resolutions are falling apart? It's absolutely not your fault. So much of the antiques and collectibles business is out of your hands. In this episode, we dig into our own January numbers, shifting buyer behavior, and what’s actually selling right now (and at what price points). We talk about pivoting inventory, pricing realistically, t...

Americana collectibles tell the story of American life through the decades, and with America’s 250th birthday approaching, we're anticipating demand rising across the antiques and vintage market. In this episode, we define what counts as Americana and highlight high-interest categories for sellers, including ephemera, military photographs, Norman Rockwell and Saturday Evening Post covers, folk art, vintage cookbooks, sports memorab...

In this episode, we explain why we’re coming back to buying and listing pottery and ceramics (hint: it's driven by cottagecore, farmhouse, and rustic interior design trends). We cover basic definitions of pottery vs. ceramics, why crazing is normal, and what we're seeing gain renewed interest right now, including transferware, mulberry, wall pockets, planters, teapots, chip-and-dip pieces, and brightly colored kitchen pottery. A pr...

In this episode, we focus on kitchenware collectibles that have consistently had a market, long before trends and social media attention. We also share the single resource that helped John get truly versed in kitchenware collecting early on. It's a reference he still relies on today! It’s a practical discussion about learning the market, training your eye, and understanding kitchen collectibles beyond whatever happens to be popular...

You don’t have to be in the glassware market long before hearing dealers say, “And it glows!” But what does that actually mean? In this episode of Glassware 101, we talk about why some vintage and antique glass fluoresces, and break down the often-confused terms uranium glass and Vaseline glass. We also dig into solarization: what causes it, how to recognize it, and how it differs from fluorescence. We wrap it all up with practical...