TIAS.com said it experienced a 19 percent increase in sales volume of antiques and collectibles in December 2007 compared to December 2006. TIAS.com has tracked online sales data for the antiques and collectibles merchants within its online mall since 1995.

TIAS.com President Phillip Davies said the December sales increase is important because it is the first significant sign the antiques and collectibles market may be recovering from what he says were significant decreases in online sales volume over the past 3 years.

"What we have witnessed is that many merchants just pulled out of the market entirely because they could not get the returns they needed to stay in business," Davies said, reporting the downturn had affected both brick-and-mortar antique shops and malls as well as online merchants. "These new December numbers may signify that the devastating market correction we have witnessed over the past 3 years is finally coming to an end."

TIAS.com will post January 2008 data next month.

http://www.news-antique.com/?id=783476