Helpful dealers I've found at TIAS and elsewhere

You know, giving credit where credit is due - I'm finding that, overwhelmingly, within the antiques and collectibles community, the dealers are helpful and very giving of their knowledge and good sense.

Most recently, I posted a link to my blog and asked for suggestions for my show checklist. Bearing in mind that the forum has to do with online merchants, I didn't expect a huge response. But of course, I was mistaken.

Please take a moment and check out the following links to the dealers who have helped me so much - they have great stuff too!

Neeley's Antiques, owned by Marty and Karen. They've had a store at TIAS since 1998 and so have had oodles of great advice to give me about my online store there. (I'm working on it, I'm working!) Karen never fails to give me encouragement and support.

Material Pleasures - Dana has a standalone storefront within TIAS (that means her web address is her store name only). She specializes in antique and vintage textiles as well as other wonderful items. A beautiful store. Dana is also steadfast in her encouragement.

Eliot Dennis Jewelry - Excellent technical know-how from this dealer. Beth has helped me out with my store's funky background, which I loved, but as a wallpaper was really distracting to the eye. Just one example of one dealer helping another out.

Tear Drop Memories - check this site out! Greg has been great with suggestions for improvements and refinements to our TIAS store. He's actually the person who planted the suggestion for starting a blog by explaining the benefits of writing one...

Tennessee Antique Shack - Sierra was the first person to respond to my post at the dealer forum as a newbie. (That makes you special!)

Sandy's Fancy Pants - now I have to admit that I'm partial to the store name for rather obvious reasons. Sandy's a moderator on one of the boards on the dealer forum, and has been great at helping me negotiate the technical aspects of the TIAS store - something that I struggle with.

Donna's Korner Kollectibles - someone else who really took the time to go over our store at TIAS when it first opened and offered lots of great advice.


Overwhelmingly, these dealers and others (I'm so sorry if I've left some kind people out!) have gone out of their way to make things better and easier for us. They've helped in raising the bar overall for dealers at the TIAS online mall by helping me make our store look and operate better. How a store looks, how the inventory categories are set up, how you use the internal press release system, and how you charge shipping rates all affect the impression an online customer gets when they find your store through using a search engine to find that perfect "something".

I can only offer my thanks to these generous dealers for shining the light my way.

Today's picture: A Dominion Electric waffle iron, circa 1950's, with original electrical cord, and recipe book. Bakelite handles, and chrome in excellent condition. We found this vintage beauty in a lot at a local auction house. Isn't it handsome?