She called her site Hidden Treasures , and you can find it at. Her second site is part of an Internet antique mall, and it's called Thanks for the Memories .

When I talked on the telephone with Leigh, I asked her why she started selling her jewelry on the Internet. She replied, "Everyone else was doing it!" I also asked her whether she had designed the sites herself.

She said, "For someone who is computer illiterate like I am, hiring a professional to design the site is the only way to go." However, the second site was easier to design, because there was a template that came with the Internet mall site, Internet Antique Shops .

Leigh has some well-informed advice for others who'd like to open an Internet business: "I would suggest that you design a site that is user-friendly. By that I mean one that loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and has clear pictures and descriptions. You also need to spend time to market your site and register with the various search engines."

Because both of Leigh's sites meet these criteria, she told me that now she makes more sales on the Internet than in both of her showcases at antiques malls in Los Angeles, California.

The main advantage that Leigh sees in doing business on the Internet is that people have access to a larger group of customers. She also said, "It's relatively easy to do, and your store can be as large or as small as you want it to be."

She thinks that the most difficult thing about doing business on the Internet is "…getting and keeping your business out there. Though it's time-consuming to take the pictures, upload them, etc., it is definitely worth the benefits."

She also said that now that more people are selling jewelry online, the prices have begun to decrease a bit because of the competition. I visited several sites on the Internet in preparation for this article, and I must say that Leigh's pictures are among the best I saw.

It's difficult to take good pictures of jewelry, but Leigh says she often uses her flatbed scanner to capture an image of the jewelry she sells. "Scanning the pictures takes a lot of time," she said. She also told me that scanners aren't good for anything three-dimensional, though.

Leigh enjoys her business on the 'net because she has access to customers all over the country and the world. "You can develop a clientele, so that if they're looking for something special, I can find it for them."

When I asked her where she gets the jewelry she sells, she said, "I get the items from flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, auctions (both online like East Bay Auction ) … anywhere I can find it!"

She also confided that she also buys jewelry from people online. One of the disadvantages is that the items bought online are not always in good condition or as described."

Leigh's business has also led to the production of the "Hidden Treasures" videos, three of which were just released on June 26th this year. She co-wrote the videos, which are about vintage and costume jewelry. You can find details about these videos on her "Thanks for Memories" site.

Based on Leigh's considerable antique jewelry expertise and her professional marketing techniques, I wouldn't hesitate to do business with her. On the other hand, I'd like to issue a word to the wise. If you're shopping online, don't send your credit card information to anyone who doesn't have a secure site for credit card orders or a fax machine.

The nice thing about Leigh's business is that she's invested in an 800 number as well. You can reach her at 1-800-981-8433. I think this is one more reason to do business with her. She's paying for the call!

I'm sure you'll enjoy visiting both of Leigh's sites. The pictures are lovely, the jewelry is gorgeous, and you'll be dealing with a reputable vintage and costume jewelry dealer.

Copyright 1998, by Ellie Kuykendall