My bent is more toward the arts and crafts, literally and figuratively. I love to sift through old linens and rescue runners, doilies, tablecloths and napkins that still have life in them. Many will come home with me and be treated to a nice soak to return them as closely as possible to their original state. Lace is a particular interest, though I must rely on the expertise of my friend Sharon of The Rook and the Raven (also an eBay seller, check out her store here) to identify what I've found. I'm also keen to find antique and vintage clothing (I believe I lived a previous life in the late 1800s, how else can I explain my connection to the Victorian era?) to share with collectors and style mavens. Though I have no gift for needlework, I appreciate the skill reflected in many of the pieces I come across.  I'm also inclined to rescue dolls and stuffed plush animals and love anything miniature. Jewelry from all eras captures my fancy, as do photographs or other snippets of personal history, such as ledgers or journals. You can find more of what's up my alley in my curated CoolVintageFindsShop on etsy .

There are plenty of reasons to justify investments in previously adored merchandise. Fortify your decisions to choose used with these brilliant bits of truth.

If you opt to wear vintage, are you ever at risk for cookie-cutter couture? Au contraire, my dear—you demonstrate your independence and flair. You can set yourself apart from the crowd by reaching back in time to reclaim and celebrate fashion, home decor and collectibles of all kinds. When you fill your home with vintage treasures, guests will ooh and aah as they walk down memory lane. You can mix and match centuries while creating a look that's uniquely yours.

The term "vintage" covers a lot of turf, but it often spells higher quality. For instance, back in the day, American-made merchandise was prized around the world for its workmanship.

Industrialization meant automated production for many items that were once lovingly made by hand of only the finest materials.

Mass production has diluted quality, as has off-shore manufacturing that takes advantage of cheaper labor and materials.

There's something reassuring about a tag that tells you a human being took care to see that your merchandise was well made.

Seriously, people, we have all that we need in this world already. You just have to find it! Whether you're looking for something sick to wear or amazing to adorn your home, it already exists. When you pop for goods that have been around the block but have life left in them, you're doing your part to diminish landfills. Buying used items is the ultimate form of recycling.

There's a lot of good juju in redeeming an item that might otherwise be cast off. It feels good to breathe new life into an object that another person no longer has a use for. And when you buy something that has lived for a while, it has a story to tell. You're connected to another place and time. Damn, that's deep.

Most of us who ply the trade of reselling are small business owners, so your dollars go to support mom and pop shops rather than corporate execs in their corner offices. If you like to contribute to our thriving entrepreneurial society versus the Walmartification of America, then by all means buy vintage. You can find curated treasures from sellers like us online, via our own websites or selling platforms such as eBay and Etsy as well as in brick-and-mortar stores, flea markets, pop-up shops and more.

No matter what you collect, your fabulous finds deserve to be displayed. A pleasing arrangement allows you to enjoy your curated menagerie and gives onlookers the opportunity to fall in love with it, too. Plus, it's fun to share your acquisitions and earn the admiration (and envy) of an audience. But how should you exhibit your discoveries to their best advantage? Here are some creative ways to make your unique collection shine.

The items you collect will have some say in how they are best displayed. By their very nature, dishes lend themselves to stacking. Collectors of beautiful pyrex milk glass, glow-in-the-dark uranium glass (aka vaseline glass), and other popular wares are stackable on sideboards and shelves for great effect. Take, for instance. the stunning stacked assemblages by Tanya Hughes. ​Aside from maintaining the awesome Mrs. Hughes vintage fashion blog and offering vintage patterns for sale in her etsy store, Tanya is a pro at showcasing her amazing pyrex collection. Follow the pyrex maven on instagram (tanyamaile) to get a steady dose of her talents.

A sturdy shelf can be home to more than stackable things. Figurines, photos, ceramics and other alike objects pack a visual punch when aggregated on a mantel, ledge or shelving.

You can see the impact of a throng of similar pieces in Susannah Carson's exquisite and otherworldly displays.. Carson has a real “eye” for artistry. Her ocular designs elevate porcelain plates, canvases and other substrates. Perched in simple plate stands, these museum-quality painted plates are a sight to behold. Start your own collection at her online shop and follow her on instagram.

Take a lesson from the pleasingly peculiar world of Tina at peculiarpullip for creative shelf display.. This collector of Pullip dolls had the brilliant idea to use a dollhouse to "house" her collection. A cabinet shelf does the trick too, as her overflow army of big-eyed dolls will tell you. For more info on these delightful creatures, read Tina's Peculiar Pullip blog on Wordpress.

Blenko glass is much beloved by collectors around the world. Since 1921, the West Virginia company has crafted hand-blown glasses in a rainbow of colors and a plethora of shapes. Our friend Chris Martyn is a premier collector, a proud owner of dozens of rare and desirable pieces. Chris was kind enough to share a few pics of how he displays his exceptional collection in his home to inspire other glass owners.

It's fun and interesting to cluster families of like things on a shelf. We were thrilled to acquire this group of Happy Children for that very purpose. 

You don't have to be a librarian to maintain a library of books. Tomes on shelves do more than just dress up your space—their mystical properties enrich minds and lift moods,. So put yourself in proximity to the real and imagined worlds of writers and thinkers with an artfully arranged shelf of books.. Don't forget to dust 'em off and read!

Themed artwork is especially engaging when it's displayed en masse. Consider hanging your like-minded paintings, sketches, photographs or other works of arts together on a wall. "Cluster art" isn't new, but it is timelessly appealing when it's done right.

There are a multitude of ways to put your treasures on display. Hey, that rhymes! The point is, forget the rules, just be guided by what works and looks good. 

Show us your best ideas! You're invited to share how you've displayed your collectibles to our gallery and inspire collectors everywhere.

Last but not least, here's a sampling of vintage finds in the latter fourth of the alphabet (and often up for grabs in our Cool Vintage Finds Store on eBay).

Thanks for reading! Help us get the word out by sharing this post with friends. Shoot us an email and we'll send you a coupon to shop our store with an extra discount!

1. Spruce Up Your Furniture
Feel free to express yourself through your furniture, which has no permanent impact on a rental unit. Evaluate the furnishings in your home for their ability to enhance your space. Swap out that tired chair or dinged-up end table for something new or gently used. If you’re on a budget, check local thrift stores or shop for affordable Facebook Marketplace finds. When you’re looking to buy, comfort is key. Whether you replace or rearrange, make the most of the furniture you have. Upholstered couches and chairs can get dirty and dusty over time. Home upholstery cleaning products remove grime and revitalize upholstery fabrics. Likewise, leather cleaners help protect leather surfaces. If you have a stubborn stain, contact an upholstery cleaner. 

2. Cut the Clutter
Living with lots of stuff can sap energy and interfere with your ability to function. For every inch of surface piled with books or clothes, you lose a counter or chair that could fulfill its true purpose. Consider de-cluttering your space by packing up items to ultimately store, donate or sell. Organizational aids such as shelves, storage cubes and baskets can help reduce mess-related stress.

3. Improve Lighting
It’s not unusual for rental properties to have insufficient lighting. Make sure you have the right bulbs in light fixtures to properly illuminate the room. Place floor and table lamps for strategic lighting, such as near a work space or reading nook. Indoor string lights can add a festive element without causing any harm. 

​4. Energize Your Home Office with Color
Your home needs to do its part to boost your mood and productivity. This is especially important when you work from home. Colorful furniture, pillows, and rugs are all great options for providing decorative accents that foster a productive atmosphere. Even a bouquet of fresh or artificial flowers can bring a needed pop of color to your interior spaces. Bright colors can actually improve your workday. Research shows bright colors increase concentration and help natural light illuminate the room, which can lessen digital eye strain linked to work that requires staring at a screen for hours on end. 

5. Create an Attractive Space for Entertaining
Make your space conducive to entertaining friends or family as well as relaxing. Arrange seating and coffee and end tables to encourage conversation and allow guests to place a beverage nearby. Don’t forget to put out the coasters. Make your living space more inviting with cozy accents such as throw pillows and decorative blankets, rugs and other textiles. These items are also easy to pack up and take to your next home. Shop from reputable online sellers such as the Cool Vintage Finds Store on eBay to find unique and desirable home accents. 

6. Bring in Elements That Promote Relaxation
Don’t let living in a rental unit prevent you from creating a space that nurtures your spirit. Personalized decoration is more than a luxury. Having a living space that feels like an extension of yourself is good for your mental health and overall well-being. Art such as figurines, pottery and desktop frames won't damage the walls and can make you feel happy. Apply your green thumb indoors to take advantage of the known health benefits of houseplants, which include reducing anxiety. Your home should ultimately be a place that feels inviting and peaceful to you and your family. 

Stay tuned to find out what's featured in our Vintage Alphabet, Part III. There's always a full alphabet of vintage collectibles  in our eBay store.

Find these treasures and beyond in our Cool Vintage Finds Store on eBay.

On occasion, an online transaction disappoints. Maybe the item was lost or broken in transit, or there was a flaw that was overlooked when the item was photographed and described. When this happens, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the seller to find resolution BEFORE leaving negative feedback. Give the seller a chance to set things right, and your negative feedback may not even be necessary. Read more of the feedback we've received as eBay sellers to see how we make shopping on eBay a satisfying experience.

There are hundreds of interesting and unique items in our Cool Vintage Finds Store on eBay. Browse to your heart's content. If you decide to buy, please leave feedback after you receive your purchase. And if you read and enjoyed this blog, please leave a comment below!

It's a big world. There's a market for just about everything—it's just a matter of connecting to buyers. We've had items languish in our store for several years, then sell out of the blue. Nowadays, having learned from trial and error what's desirable in today's marketplace, we're a little less likely to list duds. But even duds sell with patience! Condition, price and rarity all factor into the speed of an item's sale. Traffic also matters; we need eyes on our stuff at just the right time to close the deal. For the most part, we "set it and forget it"—until it sells!

If you hang out in the selling blogs or online seller Facebook groups, you might get the impression the marketplace is loaded with people trying to pull a fast one and get something for nothing. Our experience tells us otherwise. The vast majority of our customers are respectful, cheerful shoppers who are delighted to find something in our store, willing to pay a fair price and grateful when their purchase arrives intact. Like the saying goes, if you want to attract more bees, pour on the honey. We've seen grumpy customers change their tune when we simply acknowledge their concern. Here are two examples of exchanges that could have gone south quickly: twice in the last six months, a customer contacted us to say they didn't receive what they ordered in the box that arrived from us. Instead of sending an irate email suggesting they're trying to scam us, we responded by very nicely asking them to check the packaging again. In one case, the buyer had hurriedly unpacked a box containing two items and missed one of items entirely! In the other instance, because we had used a recycled box, the buyer thought they had received file folders! Both led to happy endings. On the rare occasion of a truly difficult customer, we do our best to please them, but if they persist in being unpleasant, we don't engage in a war of words. Instead, we just move on to the happier campers.

Last year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) delivered an average of 20.5 million packages per day throughout the year, with deliveries spiking to more than 28 million daily package deliveries during the two weeks prior to the Christmas holiday. That's a gargantuan load of mail to manage! Lost packages and other delivery errors are extremely rare. We've never had a lost package, though a few times a box was misdirected and took a little longer than expected to arrive at its destination. For that reason, and the fact that we have an amazing postal carrier who works very hard to see that our packages are picked up in a timely manner, we ship most of our orders with USPS. Once in a while, when we have a very heavy or extra large box, we may choose a different carrier, but the vast majority of our packages go by USPS.

Ebay, Amazon and Etsy push sellers to offer free shipping. Buyers may love it, but it's not a sustainable arrangement for the majority of solo entrepreneur online sellers. Either the buyer pays for free shipping through an inflated price, or the cost falls on the backs of small sellers (and these costs are back-breaking). The fact is, it is expensive to ship things. Sellers must acquire or purchase shipping materials (boxes or mailers; bubble wrap, foam or paper; and don't forget tape) and take the time to package with care. These costs apply on top of postage.

About two years ago, we succumbed to pressure from eBay and decided to offer free shipping across the board (domestic only, of course). We were assured our sales would increase to offset whatever costs we would eat shipping items across the U.S. Well, after more than one year of this experiment, we found no improvement in our sales. In fact, shipping costs made a significant gouge in our ability to realize a profit. We've returned to charging a reasonable fee for shipping. For the most part, customers understand that the volume of our business does not permit free shipping and are willing to pay to have the items they desire shipped to their homes.

We are happy to sell to overseas customers, and we have on many occasions. However, we've found that the only viable way for our business to manage the shipping piece is to rely on the eBay Global Shipping Program (GSP). Our store stocks a wide variety of items, with different weights and dimensions. It would be too hard for our two-person shop to pre-package and calculate shipping for myriad countries. Instead, we simply ship to one US address and GSP takes care of the rest, including any customs forms that need to be completed. Customers may pay a little extra for this service, but they also benefit by knowing their purchase is protected in the event it gets lost or arrives damaged.  We also have a handful of international customers who purchase through a shipping service that manages  OUS shipments.

Since we've been selling online, we've seen drastic swings in the going price of many collectibles. For example, our very first eBay transaction was the sale of a first edition book for over $100. In today's market, that book might fetch $10 at best. Because so many booksellers have put their entire inventories online, only very rare or unique books command a high price in this platform. Similarly, Bing & Grondahl plates, Hummels, Norman Rockwell prints and other items that were desirable and expensive "back in the day" now sell for a small fraction of their original price. Demand for Arts & Crafts era decor is still relatively strong, while interest in Mid Century Modern is waning. A segment of Millennials are driving a growing interest in collectibles from as recent as the 1990s.

What's causing the downward shift in prices? Younger, minimalist globe trotters aren't shopping the same way their parents did.  Baby Boomer estate liquidations are starting to glut the marketplace. But there's still opportunity for merchants who curate with care and offer stellar products and service. Even if Americans hit their limit, there's opportunity among international buyers.

Every day, new sellers jump onto the online bandwagon. Sites pop up to compete with the eBay platform. Trends come and go, and tastes change. Certainly the rules (and costs) of selling morph over time. In order to survive, eBayers need to be flexible and adapt to new policies and fluctuating demand. 

Let us know what your eBay experience has been like, as a buyer or a seller. We're happy to answer your questions too. Thanks for reading!