When the site is officially launched it will be updated daily. According to Davidson, the business is expected to show a profit in two years. Profits come from the on-line sale of antiques from the virtual gallery, and next year a general store will appear where books, care products, and conservation services will be offered. Dealers will pay nothing to post inventory but will pay commissions when they sell. According to Jennifer Hanes, senior vice president of E-commerce and the daughter of Connecticut dealer Lee Hanes, there will be no exclusive dealer contracts.
Dealers can sell on any other Web site, including their own, or consign to auction venues.
Prices will be posted and can be negotiated between other dealers or private collectors. If there is a question of authenticity, the purchaser can return it at any time. All buyers have seven days after receiving their purchase to return it for any reason. Davidson thinks his business plan is sound. He sees real growth in the antiques business over the next decade and beyond.