Travel and design
On The Road with The Antiques Diva® – Virtual Buying Tours
By Toma Haines
Leading European Antique Buying Tours means my travels take me on the road in dozens of countries helping tourists, antique dealers and interior designers buy abroad. What clients often don’t realize is that The Antiques Diva & Co also offers virtual tours for clients who can’t go abroad themselves, giving clients a reach beyond their borders.
Back in March a bubbly brunette from Texas with impeccable taste came on a Belgium Tour as part of a Girls Getaway. She was so inspired by antiquing abroad that she decided to open an online store reminiscent of Wisteria, complimenting it with container pop-up sales at select locations when deliveries arrived every quarter from Europe. The only problem? In the middle of starting her business her husband was transferred – suddenly her travel agenda was knocked out of whack and she couldn’t travel abroad to stock her store due to the move. She could either delay the January 2013 launch date or ask The Antiques Diva® & Co to buy on her behalf!
Never one to cry uncle this client sent The Antiques Diva® & Co on the road, crisscrossing Holland & England to source at trade warehouses (where you won’t find inventory online). We snapped pics of wholesale pieces and emailed prices to our client. As she confirmed, we bought on her behalf. The client gave us her shopping guidelines and we sourced them but also translated that list and suggested additional inventory. Finally, we took care of all the shipping liaising with a preferred transporter, consolidating her delivery so she didn’t feel compelled to fill a container at this time.
All in all our client – who will be coming abroad to shop in person in the spring and fall 2013 – said “this was the best antique buying tour I didn’t take!”
PHOTOS: From a secret Antiques Diva source in England that sells only from her home via private appointment