Brian French of Wondrous-Things.com Our Ebay store: (copy and paste link) https://www.ebay.com/str/wondrousthings Our Online Art and Antique Store: https://wondrous-things.com/

The Hidden Costs of Selling Art and Antiques

• Retail vs. Walk-away Value: Many people mistake retail prices they see online for what they will actually receive. Valuation is complicated by the gap between the final sale price and the net profit after expenses 00:19 Opens in a new window .
• The eBay “Tax”: Selling on platforms like eBay involves roughly 12–15% in fees, plus 3% for payment processing. New sellers also face a “hidden tax” because a lack of reputation leads to lower bids and less buyer trust 00:41 Opens in a new window .
• Labor Costs: Researching, photographing, listing, and shipping an item all take significant time, which must be deducted from the item’s perceived value 01:12 Opens in a new window .

The Auction and Retail Reality

• Auction House Fees: Prestigious auction houses often require high-value items to even consider a listing. If accepted, sellers can expect to pay around 30% in commissions. Furthermore, bidding often starts 25–30% below market value to build momentum, meaning a seller might only net 50% of the item’s worth 01:33 Opens in a new window .
• The Retail Fantasy: A dealer’s retail price reflects their storefront rent, years of reputation-building, and guarantees of authenticity. Individual sellers walking in off the street cannot expect to receive these premium retail prices 02:22 Opens in a new window .

Market Liquidity and Timing

• Illiquid Assets: Antiques are not liquid cash. Finding the right buyer for a niche item can take years, and market tastes can shift drastically during that wait 02:58 Opens in a new window .
• The Bottom Line: An item’s true worth is essentially what a buyer is willing to pay in a 7-to-10-day auction, minus all fees and labor costs 03:37 Opens in a new window .

Conclusion

The only honest answer a dealer can give to “What is this worth?” is often “I don’t know” because value depends on the intersection of timing, platform, reputation, and luck. A more practical question for a seller to ask a dealer is: “What would you pay for this right now?” 04:05 Opens in a new window .