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Tips on Displaying Antiques for Resale

It̵7;s not enough to have a store full of antiques; you have to know how to display them to have them sell well. How you arrange your items is almost as important as the quality of your merchandise. In addition to keeping your stock fresh, a few simple display tricks will help you bring more traffic into your store and increase sales.

Space and Lighting
- Increase sales with increased lighting.
  
  Though you might be tempted to cram as much as possible into as little space as possible, resist the temptation. Crammed and cluttered shops don̵7;t get as much traffic as neat and tidy ones. Equally important is to have ample lighting -- the more, the better. Not only are lighting fixtures a popular item for antique shoppers, they brighten your space, make it look bigger and help all your other items to show well.
Furniture
- Display furniture as it would be used in the home.
  
  Set up small display sections for furniture, decorate them as they would look in a home and add lighting. Set tables with china, crystal, flatware and linens, then hang a chandelier overhead. Pair side chairs with side tables and include a reading lamp. Set dressers and chests with matching or complementary headboards and footboards, then add typical bedroom accessories. If you have the space, set the displays for similar rooms in the same general area. For example, keep bedroom furniture in one area and living room furniture in another.
Rugs and Blankets
- Blankets and rugs sell better when customers can see them laid out.
  
  Rugs and blankets can present a special challenge for display, especially if space is limited. Displaying rugs requires real thought. They sell better when displayed in a room setting or unrolled and unstacked; however, it̵7;s best to keep heavy furniture and people off them. Strategically place furniture to prohibit heavy foot traffic or hang them in full view whenever possible. Make blankets part of bedroom displays or draped and layered over furniture. If space is an issue and you have to put them in a shelf, fold them neatly with the best part of blanket exposed and rotate them for increased access.
Multiple Items and Accessories
- Neat and attractive displays are best for multiple items.
  
  Multiple items and accessories are the exception to ̶0;in home̶1; display techniques. Although it helps to sell furniture when you include accessories, it may not help sell accessories and multiple items of a particular type. When shopping for items like crystal, porcelain or jewelry, buyers want to see their options in one place. They don̵7;t want to have to hunt for like items. An attractive, well-lighted and well-stocked display case is the best presentation technique for multiple items and accessories. Use displays of varying heights to create interest in the space and draw people in.

Antiques