Website for an antique dealer in Varna: how to present objects so buyers trust them

Start with the questions a buyer asks before writing to you

Collectors and decorators tend to ask the same few things before they send an enquiry: what exactly is it, how big is it, in what state is it, where does it come from, and can it reach me. If the page answers these, an enquiry arrives already informed. If it does not, the buyer either writes a long list of questions or goes to a dealer who answered them.

That is the practical reason to build the site around the object, not around the shop. A photo of the shop front helps people find you in town. The object page is what convinces someone abroad.

One object, one page

Give every significant piece its own page with its own address. The title names the object plainly (type, period or approximate date, material), the body gives dimensions, a short description and the status: available, reserved or sold. Keep sold pieces online with a note. They show the range of what you handle and keep bringing in searches for similar items.

Avoid reusing one text block with a few words swapped. Two chairs of the same style still differ in wear, repairs and history, and that difference is exactly what a buyer wants to read.

Photographs that do the work of a visit

Photograph the front, back, underside and interior, plus close-ups of marks, joints, signatures and any damage. A dealer who writes about buying antiques online lists the same set of views as the minimum a serious buyer should ask for (see sources). Use natural, even light and a plain background, and do not paint text, prices or watermarks onto the image.

For product photos Google’s Merchant Center guidance recommends images of about 1500 × 1500 pixels or larger and tells sellers to avoid overlays and watermarks. That guidance applies to product feeds, but it is a sensible standard for any object photo. Give each image a descriptive file name and an alt text that says what is visible, so search engines and screen readers can use it.

Condition and provenance: say what you know, and how sure you are

Write restorations, replacements and repairs into the text instead of leaving buyers to discover them. Separate what is documented (an invoice, an earlier catalogue entry, a maker’s mark you can show) from what is your assessment. Wording such as “attributed to” or “in the style of” is honest only if you mean it, so use the terms you can stand behind.

I do not write these statements for you and I make no claims about authenticity or value on any site. The words belong to the dealer or the expert who examined the object. My part is to give them a clear place on the page: a fixed block with condition, history and documents, in the same order on every object.

International buyers: language, shipping and export paperwork

Many people who look for antiques in Bulgaria do not read Bulgarian. A Bulgarian and English version of each object page costs little compared with a lost enquiry. Add German or another language if that is where your buyers come from.

State how you ship: packing, insurance, who pays, and whether you deliver in person for large furniture. Objects leaving the EU can need an export licence under Council Regulation (EC) 116/2009; the European Commission says it is issued by the competent authority of the country where the object was last lawfully located and that the applicant must prove provenance. Which of your pieces fall under it depends on category, age and value, so check with the relevant authority and do not promise a buyer that papers are “no problem”. This is not legal advice.

Enquiry first, shop later

For one-of-a-kind objects an enquiry form usually fits better than a cart. The buyer asks, you confirm the object is still available, you agree on shipping and payment directly. Add a phone number and an email address next to the form, and say how fast you reply. If you later sell lower-priced items in volume, an online shop can be added.

The form should collect only what you need (name, email, object, message) and link to your privacy policy. A contact form that collects personal data also falls under data protection rules (this is not legal advice).

What Google and AI search can actually read

Search engines and AI assistants read text. A scanned catalogue as a PDF or details that only exist inside a photo are mostly invisible. Put title, dimensions, condition and history in the page as text, and consider marking up the object with structured data, which I describe in the article on structured data for local businesses. Add the shop itself to Google Business Profile with opening hours and address so local searches find you as well.

I cannot promise rankings. What I can do is remove the obstacles: readable text, fast pages on a phone, clean titles, a sitemap and both languages.

What I need from you

A selection of objects with photos or the chance to photograph them, your own notes on each, your preferred shipping terms and how you want to be contacted. I handle structure, text layout, bilingual pages, speed and the technical side. The “Start” package covers up to five pages in Bulgarian and English from €490 net; see the pricing page and the article on website costs in Bulgaria.

If you run another kind of small business, website for a small business in Bulgaria is the general version.

Sources: European Commission: export of cultural goods · Google Merchant Center: image requirements · Nicholas Wells: how to buy antiques online safely