Palm Springs dealer predicts 2020 trends in antiques business
Mike Rivkin, Special to The Desert Sun Published 11:30 a.m. PT Jan. 13, 2020
Now that the double 20s are underway, it's time for a top-10 list to start the year.
Frankly, I'm not even sure I can count to 10 after all the eggnog that's gone down the hatch over past month. However, following is my best shot at observations, predictions, and developments — past and future — in the antiques business.
1. Here in the desert, the number of antique dealers continues to shrink. Several closed their doors this past year and others are planning to retire or move in the months ahead. While that means some good deals will be out there in 2020 as these retailers liquidate their stocks, it's also an unfortunate sign of the times. Whiling away an afternoon shopping for antiques is relaxing and returning home with something you never expected to find is part of the pleasure. But don't worry. Some of us will remain in the game and are doing just fine.
2. Mid-century modern continues to dominate the local scene, but certainly not everywhere. While mid-mod remains the center of the designer universe in Palm Springs, it holds little sway as you head down the valley. Mid-century dealers remain clustered on North Palm Canyon with a few near Sunny Dunes Road, and others off Perez Road in Cathedral City. Nationwide, this look has pockets of urban enthusiasts but does not appear to be gaining strength. What's next? I don't know.
Despite pressure from knock-offs, original mid-mod furniture will continue strong in 2020 antique trends, (Photo: Courtesy Antique Galleries of Palm Springs)
3. Auctions, both online and onsite, are popping up like weeds. The big boys, like Christie's and Sotheby's, are becoming more and more fussy about the consignments they accept, setting the stage for smaller specialty auctioneers to feast off the crumbs. Online auction portals like bidsquare.com and invaluable.com have opened the auction market to worldwide bidders, effectively making retailers out of everyone looking to sell something. Once the purview of wholesale buyers, auctions have become a resources for all.
4. eBay remains the giant in the online auction category but much less dominant than before. It has grown unwieldy and too much protective of buyer interests at the expense of sellers. We've had or heard of numerous instances whereby items have been returned to sellers for no good reason despite an accurate online description, multiple photos and a clearly checked "no returns accepted" box. The original idea was for feedback scores to identify devious sellers, but the feedback system has been diluted and all decisions left to eBay. I'm all for protecting buyers but eBay's system has become unfair.
5. Old-school antiques continue to fade. Bronzes, crystal, porcelain, silver, statuary and Victorian-era furniture are all categories on life support, at least here in the Coachella Valley. While soft voices in the wilderness have argued that these categories will eventually return to prominence, we've seen few sparks of life. To be sure, there are other parts of the country where demand for traditional antiques lives on, but not here. If you have collections of such items, don't expect that your next luxury cruise will come from their sale.
Colored glassware of all shapes and sizes remains a designer staple in 2020 antique trends. (Photo: Courtesy Antique Galleries of Palm Springs)
6. Likewise, the collectible categories of old are equally moribund. Demand for brands such as Franklin Mint, Hummel, Lladró, Limoges and Royal Doulton has faded into virtual nothing-ness. If there is any business at all being transacted in these items, it is at thrift stores.
7. By now it's no secret that millennials have accumulated enormous buying power and will be the dominant consumer block for years to come. Unfortunately, they have little regard for craftsmanship, preferring instead to furnish their Internet mansions (those that have them) with IKEA, or nothing at all for those who don't. Their interests run to experiences and technology with little left over for long-term acquisitions. If there's an exception, it is modern and contemporary art, a category almost completely lacking in appeal, taste and evidence of expertise (at least to me). Of course, if this last statement reminds you of the "If it's too loud, you're too old" aphorism, you may have good reason to regard my opinion with suspicion.
8. As for antique categories with legs, there remain a few. Vintage watches continue to sell in the $500 to $5,000 range with unusual characteristics or short production runs being enticements to buy. Decorative glass of all shapes and colors remains a staple of the antiques business, as does barware, bedding, costume jewelry, lighting, old-school kitchen accessories and retro clothing. Surprisingly, some of the traditional men's categories — books, coins, military and maritime — have remained stable even while the industrial look has wilted. Although our valley has never been a hotbed of Asian tourism, antiques from across the Pacific remain in demand.
9. Finally, it's hardly a secret that 2020 will be a wildcard year in many respects. Political uncertainty, both domestically and abroad, will continue to play havoc with consumer confidence, and our economy is showing all the signs of near-term wobble. Insofar as nobody actually needs antiques, it may prove to be an unusually challenging year for those of us in the biz. On the other hand, many people shop for antiques for the same reason they go to movies: to forget about the chaos outside and enter into a past world of small pleasures and calm waters. That, at least, is not likely to change.
10. Yep, too much eggnog.
Mike Rivkin and his wife, Linda, are longtime residents of Rancho Mirage. For many years, he was an award-winning catalogue publisher and has authored seven books, along with countless articles. Now, he's the owner of Antique Galleries of Palm Springs. Want to send Mike a question about antiques? Drop him a line at info@silverfishpress.com.
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Top SEO Trends to Watch Out in 2020
Towards the end of 2019, Google introduced a new algorithm that partly started off possible trends for the next year. Keeping a keen eye on the trends will help website owners improve their ranking and if they are already up there, they can keep a step ahead of the competition and not see a surprise drop in their ranking.
We saw a number of trends in 2019 which included mobile-first optimization as more internet users accessed the internet using mobile devices and Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant all caused a bit of a wave in the way a percentage of users searched for different things. Some trends are likely to remain trends even in the next year and some may not play a very important role even if they may still matter. Let us take a look at the hottest ones to look out for.
Featured Snippets
It is now official, there is a position higher than 1 and everyone is already trying to get there. 2020 will see more competition to be in position 0.
Voice Search
The rise of the virtual assistant has come with the rise of voice search. This is going to be a big trend in 2020 and it will definitely affect SEO. How?
Local Search
According to research, 4 out of 5 searches are for services or products nearby and 50 percent of the searches will result in an action to either visit the physical location or make an order. In 2020 this is not likely to die out, it will instead become more popular.
Search Intent and Keyword Context
Google released a new algorithm in 2019 which prioritizes search intent. It is part of its attempt to teach machines how humans speak so that search results are more accurate. In 2020 this is predicted to become a big deal as SEO experts discover ways to optimize for search intent and keyword context.
Structured Data
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This will probably be one of the trendiest SEO efforts in 2020.
Brand Building
A recent survey showed that fewer people are clicking on search results even when the results are among the top 10. About 40% of search results are going to waste and that number is on the rise. Why? Simple, humans are creatures of habit and that means they will click on results they recognize, so this means the big brands that are known are what they would click on. If you are a small fish in the web waters, 2020 is the year to start acting like a big fish. Branding is not just an option for SEO it is a must. So many companies noticed that in 2019 and they are bound to work hard at the brand building in 2020 because that is the only way to survive.
BERT
In 2019, Google released the BERT update and almost immediately there was a buzz about it with many SEO experts noting that it will change the SEO landscape. Google may have tried to downplay its implications, but no one is falling for that, BERT is big and it will indeed be a major trend in 2020. This BERT algorithm helps search engines to understand human natural speech and that means that long search queries will get more accurate results. Optimizing for BERT is already a big deal for any business that takes their online presence seriously. Content needs to be even more relevant because Google will not be fooled by a few keywords stuffed into your content. Large text can be deciphered better and questions by searchers will receive better answers — this is going to be BIG.
UX & Technical SEO
You may have already noticed that most of the trends in 2020 focus on user experience. Well in the past a lot of the SEO trends were more about pleasing the search engines. As time goes by, the two have become linked so 2020 will see user experience meet technical SEO. Trends like mobile-first, knowledge graphs and BERT are evidence of that. SEO experts are advising their clients to ensure that they produce content that will be useful for the user, and then perform technical SEO to ensure that they have a good experience as well as meet all the expectations of search engines like Google so that they can have more clicks. 2020 will have the two working closely together for the best results and no one can ignore them and expect to be ranked positively.
Knowledge Graph Optimization
Information is one of the things that searchers are looking for. Google is aware of that and that is why we see the top 10 search results being pushed further down and getting replaced with what people really want. Knowledge graphs are an essential part of SEO and that is a huge trend for 2020. Franchise brands are eyeing knowledge graphs as a great source of traffic. The great thing is that people can even claim knowledge graphs created by random people and they can even correct the information there for example on Wikipedia. 2020 is likely to see more competition for the top spots using knowledge graphs.
Back Links are Still Important
If anyone is claiming we can say goodbye to backlinks, then they have no idea what they are talking about. SEO in 2020 will still need to embrace backlinks as an off-page strategy for SEO. This helps to add credibility to a website and if you are trying to build your brand, they are a great way to do that. Search engines will still use backlinks when ranking a website and ranking high is a trend we will see every year. Website owners are expected to spend millions of dollars in 2020 to get credible backlinks that are related to the content. Like any other trend, quality is important and more websites will be looking for quality links.
In Conclusion
2020 will be another busy year for SEO professionals as they try to get pages ranked high. The focus though will not change. Great content that focuses on the user will carry the day. It will become increasingly hard to fool Google with keywords since its focus is on providing the user what they want. You may also be on the lookout for the rise of other search engines that will dictate the SEO industry to an extent.
Author: Navneet Kaushal
Navneet Kaushal is the founder and CEO of PageTraffic, India leading Digital Search Marketing Agency . A leading content marketing & search engine strategist, Navneet helps clients maintain an edge in search engines and on social media channels. He has helped value-conscious businesses build site traffic, increase the user… View full profile ›
Your Blueprint to Marketing in China in 2020 (Chinese New Year Special)
China’s substantial population, its thriving economy, and unique cultural norms make it an exciting region for marketers around the globe. In our Chinese New Year special, we discuss:
As the world’s second-largest economy in terms of GDP, China is now a key market region for brands. However, marketing in China can seem difficult, due to regulatory complexities and unique cultural norms. For example, commonly used social media marketing platforms, such as Facebook or YouTube, cannot be accessed in China. Also, the influencer marketing community in China is organized differently, with niche segments and norms.
On the occasion of Chinese New Year 2020 (January 25), we take a closer look at marketing strategies for Chinese consumers and bring you useful tips and insights.
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Why Marketing to China Is a Key Priority for Businesses
Several factors have made China a popular region for businesses going global. To begin with, it has a large number of high net worth individuals (HNWI) – between 2016 and 2019, the number of Chinese adults in this bracket increased by 80.8 million. Further, China boasts exceptionally high mobile penetration making it ideal for mobile marketing strategies. With approximately 1.2 billion subscribers, China now has the largest mobile audience globally.
Here are a few important metrics from McKinsey’s China digital consumer trends 2019 report that surveyed 4,300 digital consumers across the country. They precisely indicate why brands need a well-defined strategy for this region:
These metrics reveal an interesting picture. Unlike other market regions, the Chinese consumer is truly omnichannel, and the lines between digital and offline are increasingly blurred. In 2020, brands need a robust, reliable brick-and-mortar presence, bolstered by a well-articulated digital marketing strategy, to win in the Chinese market.
Let’s look at five tips to make this happen.
Learn More: Can Better Online Visibility Disrupt Offline Retail?
5 Tips to Remember When Marketing in China
Despite its localization complexities, large brands do not shy away from investing in marketing to China. In 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported how Chinese shoppers played a significant role in maintaining Gucci’s global revenue levels. And last year, PepsiCo made a major investment in one of China’s largest natural food companies, buying 26% of its shares for $131 million.
For marketers looking to take advantage of China’s promising consumer base, here are five useful tips:
1. Use a dedicated platform for influencer marketing in China
Influencer marketing in China is different from the standard approaches in other market regions. It has a highly organized influencer community, with specialized influencer agencies, consultancy groups, and incubators to hone social media talent.
And, there are various levels of influencers, like key opinion leaders (KOLs) who are recognized for the validity of their opinions, in a specific domain. There are Wanghongs or influencers who gain popularity for their online appearance. This is in addition to traditional celebrities who also have a large social media following and influence.
In 2020, marketers can use a dedicated platform like Parklu or Robin8 to navigate the influencer community and find the best online advocates for their brands and marketing needs.
2. Live-stream short videos as part of your social marketing strategy in China
Last year’s edition of the Internet Trends report by Mary Meeker highlighted the critical role played by short-form videos in China. Chinese consumers spent a total of 600 million hours per day watching short-form videos in April of 2019. Popular apps for video consumption included Douyin (or Tik Tok), Kuaishou, and Haokan.
While there are other social media platforms for long-form video consumption like Youku and iQiyi, short-form is the trend to follow in 2020. You can work with KOLs, Wanghongs, and other types of influencers to create short videos of your product. These can be live-streamed through social media at regular intervals to garner a loyal audience.
3. Leverage WeChat for B2B marketing in China
B2B marketing in China involves several foundational steps, like hosting B2B websites on a Chinese server and optimizing website content as per Baidu’s SEO norms. The content should also be available in Chinese so that it can be accurately indexed. B2B marketers also need a special license called the ICP Beian License to host their websites in Mainland China; this also entails a local offline entity.
To streamline B2B marketing in China, we recommend leveraging WeChat for customer communication rather than website updates or emailers. Email marketing in China isn’t a good area of investment for B2B brands as the number of email users in China is surprisingly low.
WeChat is a messaging app with integrated services for networking, online shopping, and payments, where users can view posts published by accounts they have subscribed to. Leverage WeChat to send newsletters, new product updates, service recommendations, and other marketing messages.
4. Take advantage of Chinese shopping festivals for affiliate marketing
The first thing to remember here is that websites that work with the affiliate platforms outside of China cannot be promoted in the country. Once you have an alternative website domain in place, one with China-supported payment methods, such as Alipay or WeChat pay, you can get started with your affiliate marketing strategy. The operations are pretty simple – you partner with an affiliate network under the CPS Union.
To make your affiliate marketing strategy a success in China, take advantage of localized shopping festivals in the region. Keep an eye on Double Eleven (Single’s Day in China, celebrated on November 11) – it was popularized by Alibaba in 2009, making it the Chinese equivalent of Cyber Monday. There’s also 618, a mid-year shopping festival that usually falls in June.
Events like these are perfect occasions to share promotional content and hold private sales through your affiliate marketing networks.
5. Replace multi-level marketing in China with direct sales
There are no two ways around it: multi-level marketing in China should be strictly avoided. Pyramid-like sales structures that employ an undefined number of resellers (on the lines of Amway) were banned in China in 2005. And as the Chinese economy has grown, publicly-traded multi-level marketing companies, including Herbalife, Nuskin, and Usana, have dipped in valuation.
You can replace multi-level marketing with a stronger direct sales strategy, explicitly focused on brick-and-mortar locations that are complemented by online content. This will allow Chinese consumers to confidently buy products from your brand while utilizing digital assets for additional research.
Remember, direct sales channels require a business license, as well as training courses for all resellers.
Learn More: Navigating Growth at Home and Overseas - 3 Tips for Mobile Marketers
In 2020, Digital Marketing in China Will Take Off – Are Brands Ready?
The future of digital marketing in China looks optimistic, to say the least. A 2019 survey of 240 marketers in China revealed that 79% of professionals were looking to increase their digital marketing spends. Social marketing spends in China was expected to grow by 21% on average, with special attention on KOLs, short-form videos, live streams, and official WeChat accounts.
The writing is on the wall – businesses eager to scale fast must make deeper inroads into the Chinese marketplace in 2020. This includes a careful blend of digital marketing and offline activity and compliance with the country’s regulations. Keeping these five tips in mind, you can articulate an effective strategy for marketing to Chinese buyers, gain from its large (and fast-growing) segment of affluent consumers, and build a robust brand in the region.
Happy selling, and have a great Chinese New Year!
Do you have a recommendation for marketers who want to enter the complex Chinese market? Tell us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
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