20 November 2020
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2Covet, a new online portal for dealers and buyers
During the enforced periods of lockdown and isolation auctioneers are seeing online sales boom.
One of the online portals to have benefitted from the increase in online sales is 2Covet, which saw a 283% increase in business between March and June. The site was set up last year by two dealers who saw an opportunity to link buyers and sellers. Another trend has seen older people who learned to buy from internet sites during the first lockdown trust in the method for other, higher-end purchases.
Charles Wallrock, from Lymington, Hampshire, and Steve Sly from Bournemouth, Dorset, joined forces to create the platform. Dealers pay a monthly fee to feature their antiques or contemporary items on 2Covet and buyers use it as they would Amazon or other shopping sites. Charles, who specialises in maritime and nautical antiques, said, “We felt there was room for a new marketplace for dealers. We wanted to connect them with buyers and the platform simply does that, without commission or other extra costs. Dealers have to be of a high standard and the majority are trade affiliated so visitors to the site know there is quality control.”
Steve Sly, an expert in Japanese art, said, “We were experiencing rapid growth before the first lockdown, but that really accelerated things. The existing trend speeded up when people couldn’t buy and sell through shops and fairs. We had 283% growth during the first lockdown and now believe the ball is well and truly rolling, and already we have seen another uptick during the latest lockdown. Those who previously wouldn’t have trusted using the internet for these sorts of purchases are now rapidly becoming online shoppers and it is changing the industry.”
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