November 23, 2023

How To Sell Antiques Online With Shopify

Discover the secrets of success in selling antiques online with Shopify! Our comprehensive guide provides expert tips on launching and optimizing your Shopify store for antique sales. Uncover valuable insights, from sourcing unique pieces to crafting compelling product listings. Start your journey to online antique success today!
How To Sell Antiques Online With Shopify
How To Sell Antiques Online With Shopify

Most of us are used to seeing physical stores with antiques and collectibles. But, with the rise of ecommerce platforms like Shopify, selling antiques online has become popular. 

In fact, reports reveal that the online antique industry revenue in the United States has almost tripled in only a decade with revenue growing from $ 1.1 billion in 2013 to $2.8 billion in 2023.

Shopify is a powerful easy-to-use ecommerce platform that allows you to sell unlimited products to a wider audience. Thanks to its intuitive features, you can maximize sales and increase revenue on your Shopify antique store. 

So, if you’re thinking of how to sell antiques with Shopify, read on as we walk you through simple steps to setting up a successful Shopify antique store. 

Why sell antiques with Shopify? 

So why sell antiques on Shopify? Well firstly, selling antiques on Shopify opens up your store to a global audience. You can have people from all over the world at any time visit your antique store. 

Secondly, Shopify is beginner-friendly. You don’t need any technical skills to get your Shopify antique store up and running. All you need to do is work with Shopify’s easy-to-use features to set up your online store. 

Also, you can quickly build your brand and introduce yourself as an expert in dealing with antiques. Thanks to the array of themes available, amongst other features, you can create a brand image that has long-term benefits. 

Lastly, Shopify gives you the flexibility to grow and expand thanks to its inventory management tools, sales features, and payment methods. 

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How to sell antiques with Shopify in 7 steps 

Now, let’s go through the steps to get started with selling antiques on Shopify: 

  1. Find an antiques niche
  2. Source for your antiques 
  3. Set up your antiques Shopify store 
  4. Add antiques to your store 
  5. Set prices for your antiques 
  6. Go heavy on marketing 
  7. Comply with laws and regulations 

Find an antiques niche

The first and most important step to creating an antique store in Shopify is to find a profitable antique niche. 

What’s unique about selling antiques is that, unlike other products where you need to stock large quantities, you will most likely deal with small quantities. This is because you will mostly find one-off deals or customers buying in smaller quantities. 

So, you will need to find and buy more stocks regularly. 

Choosing an antique niche will help you gain valuable insights for profit-making. 

Start with researching to find popular antique niches. You can go to platforms like Etsy and eBay or make use of tools like Google Trends or Google Analytics to find out what type of antique people are searching for. 

You also want to research your competition to find out what they are doing well and what they may be missing that you can provide. You can decide to explore untapped antique niches. You also want to consider how easy it will be to source products within that niche. 

Some examples of antique niches you can start with include furniture, jewelry, paintings, silverware, textiles, glassware, ceramics pottery, etc. 

Source for your antiques 

To sell antiques successfully, you need to ensure you have a consistent source of supply. When it comes to sourcing antiques, there are several options you can look into.

You can find antiques at competitive prices in thrift stores or yard sales. People selling antiques in yard sales and thrift stores are mostly trying to sell as much as they can quickly. So, you are more likely to find products at an affordable rate. However, the process can be time-consuming, so you want to know exactly what you’re looking for. 

You can also find high-value antiques at an auction. However, you want to carefully access the item that is up for auction to avoid overpaying and making it difficult to make a profit. You may also want to source your products from flea markets and other antique dealers. 

Overall, find a supplier that offers high-quality but low-priced products that you can resell on your online store at a fair price.  

Set up your antiques Shopify store 

Next, it’s time to set up your Shopify antique store. Shopify powers thousands of online stores and has millions of active users from all over the world. 

What makes Shopify stand out is its ease of setup and use. With little or no technical knowledge, you can create an antique store thanks to its easy-to-use features. 

If you have no experience creating an online store, it may be a bit bumpy at the beginning. However, once you’re used to it, it is super easy to set up. You can also decide to hire a Shopify expert to ensure your store is fully functional. 

You can check our article The Ultimate Guide to Sell on Shopify for a step-by-step guide to setting up your Shopify store. 

Add antiques to your store 

Once your store is all set, you can add your antiques to your store. You want to showcase your products and your store so well that it makes a great first impression. 

Your product images should show potential customers the style, color, size, and intricacies of your antiques. You want to take your product images on a clear white background to ensure your product features stand out. To help your customer understand how well your antiques will fit in their homes, you can take images of your product in a home setting. 

Your product description is also an important part of showcasing your antiques. You want to include relevant product details including the dimensions, condition, history, and so on. 

In addition, you want to use emotive language to highlight the features and benefits of using your product. Create a compelling story that makes your customers feel a certain kind of emotion.

 

Overall, your Shopify product page should help potential customers picture what using your product is like and persuade them to make a buying decision. 

Set prices for your antiques 

Antiques are unique. Some antiques may have been around longer than you and putting a price tag may be slightly difficult. 

But one thing that can help you price your antiques fairly is to know the history and perceived value of the product. Also, you want to consider the condition of the product. 

Check with other antique stores to find out what the price range is for your product. 

With a little bit of research, you can ensure you’re setting fair prices that keep your customers coming back. 

Go heavy on marketing 

What’s a beautiful antique store without customers? After setting up your antique store, the next thing to do is to market your products. 

With a good marketing plan, you can get enough buzz around your product, increase traffic, and maximize sales. 

So how do you market your antique store? Well, online stores rely heavily on traffic. The good news is there are many sources and channels to market your product and increase traffic to your store.

Here are a few ways to market your antiques, improve brand awareness, and drive traffic to your store: 

  • Search engine optimization (SEO): Online marketing begins with search engine optimization. With thousands of other antique stores like yours, you can’t afford to skimp on SEO. Search engine optimization helps search engines like Google recognize your store and rank it on search engines. So, you want to optimize your store for search engines using relevant keywords potential customers are searching for. You can use keyword tools like Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner to curate short and long-tail keywords that are relevant to your product and brand. You can check our article here to discover how to search for relevant keywords for your brand. 

  • Social media marketing: You will have to be living under a rock not to know how powerful social media can be to a business and brand. You can take advantage of the power that social media has to create awareness about your antique store and attract interested shoppers. You can use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to create and share valuable content. Shopify allows you to integrate your store with your social media accounts to create a seamless shopping experience. Customers can simply click the “Shop” button on Instagram or Facebook and buy your antiques. Social media ads are also a powerful way to target specific audiences and get more traffic to your Shopify antique store.  

  • Content marketing: If you’re reading this article, you are most likely looking for ways to market your antique store. So, creating and posting blog posts on your website is one way to educate and market your product to potential customers. You can have guest posts on other relevant websites to increase awareness and traffic. You can also post videos, case studies, and other forms of educational and even entertaining content on your website. 

Comply with laws and regulations 

Selling antiques online may require that you comply with some laws and regulations. So, it is important to be familiar with the laws applicable to the type of antique you’re selling. 

You may need to adhere to certain export laws, tax policies, and so on. You may also need to obtain a license or permit to sell some types of antiques. 

Also, to prove the authenticity of some antiques, you may need to request a certification or in some cases, get third-party certifications. For example, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is one organization that offers third-party certifications for gemstones. 

Overall, research the laws and regulations that apply within your country or locality and adhere to them. 

Examples of Shopify antique stores 

Here are two examples of Shopify antique stores for your inspiration: 

  1. DSF Antique Jewelry 

DSF Antique Jewelry deals in antique jewelry and other accessories like watches and belt buckles. You can find antique pieces from well-established brands like Tiffany & Co, Mont Blanc, Cartier, etc. 

  1. The Collective Charm

Located in downtown Chippewa Falls, The Collective Charm deals with a curated collection of vintage, antique, upcycled, or restored collectibles. 

Final thoughts 

Selling antiques on Shopify can be a profitable move for your business. Thanks to Shopify’s intuitive interface and features, you can easily set up your Shopify store, source for products, and start selling to a global audience. 

Keep in mind that there are different types of antique buyers. Some may be hobbyists and enthusiasts while others may want to shop for high-end antiques. You want to be very clear on your niche and target audience before setting up your store.  

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