How do people act at garage sales?

[werleibr]

The thing that bugs me the most is what has happend to me at some of my sales. We had some things that we knew would be hard to get rid of due to the value, but were still cutting people a deal, and they knew it but wanted a bigger one. Example, we had a bike that was only a year old. Still worth $350 easy. We had it up for $125 so we could sell it and have space, but people were only offering at best $50. I told them well I have this bike here for $30, and they did not want that one. That bike that was for $30 was still about a $125. I did end up selling that one priced at $30. Sold it for $12. This was all the man had in his pocket after a week of work, he normally had to walkabout 3 miles to get to work. So this bike is going to a good cause and don't feel like I lost anything since it is going to someone who NEEDS it.]

Another thing we were selling were two animal cages that were worth $140 each. We had $40 on them to get them out of our small appartment. People knew it was a steal, but felt it was to much to pay.

Now this all happend this past weekend. And the ones that were the rudest were the well aged women. I don't know if they were upset because a young gun was selling lot of things a young gun has collected over their short life or what.

Oh and of the jewlery and shoes we were selling, to help prevent "sticky" fingers, we only put one out and said the other is in the home ready to be shown if they wanted to see it.

But now for a good person story, the guy that ended up buying the bike, well he came while I had went back in the home to make me some food since no one had come in an hour. He knocked on the door to let me know he was there to look at my stuff. Another reason why I ended up going lower on the bike and other goods his friend got.

 

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[jerseyben]

The thing that bugs me the most is what has happend to me at some of my sales. We had some things that we knew would be hard to get rid of due to the value, but were still cutting people a deal, and they knew it but wanted a bigger one. Example, we had a bike that was only a year old. Still worth $350 easy. We had it up for $125 so we could sell it and have space, but people were only offering at best $50. I told them well I have this bike here for $30, and they did not want that one. That bike that was for $30 was still about a $125. I did end up selling that one priced at $30. Sold it for $12. This was all the man had in his pocket after a week of work, he normally had to walkabout 3 miles to get to work. So this bike is going to a good cause and don't feel like I lost anything since it is going to someone who NEEDS it.]

Another thing we were selling were two animal cages that were worth $140 each. We had $40 on them to get them out of our small appartment. People knew it was a steal, but felt it was to much to pay.

Now this all happend this past weekend. And the ones that were the rudest were the well aged women. I don't know if they were upset because a young gun was selling lot of things a young gun has collected over their short life or what.

Oh and of the jewlery and shoes we were selling, to help prevent "sticky" fingers, we only put one out and said the other is in the home ready to be shown if they wanted to see it.

But now for a good person story, the guy that ended up buying the bike, well he came while I had went back in the home to make me some food since no one had come in an hour. He knocked on the door to let me know he was there to look at my stuff. Another reason why I ended up going lower on the bike and other goods his friend got.

Not to sound mean or anything but this isnt exactly what I would call a bad experience. I think you just met a case of the reality of yard sales... When you say things like "valued at" and "worth xxx" that is a red flag. I think the prices people were offering were the true values of the items versus retail values. Not to sound too negative, I think it was nice to offer the cheaper bike to the guy who really needed it.

 

[werleibr]

The thing that bugs me the most is what has happend to me at some of my sales. We had some things that we knew would be hard to get rid of due to the value, but were still cutting people a deal, and they knew it but wanted a bigger one. Example, we had a bike that was only a year old. Still worth $350 easy. We had it up for $125 so we could sell it and have space, but people were only offering at best $50. I told them well I have this bike here for $30, and they did not want that one. That bike that was for $30 was still about a $125. I did end up selling that one priced at $30. Sold it for $12. This was all the man had in his pocket after a week of work, he normally had to walkabout 3 miles to get to work. So this bike is going to a good cause and don't feel like I lost anything since it is going to someone who NEEDS it.]

Another thing we were selling were two animal cages that were worth $140 each. We had $40 on them to get them out of our small appartment. People knew it was a steal, but felt it was to much to pay.

Now this all happend this past weekend. And the ones that were the rudest were the well aged women. I don't know if they were upset because a young gun was selling lot of things a young gun has collected over their short life or what.

Oh and of the jewlery and shoes we were selling, to help prevent "sticky" fingers, we only put one out and said the other is in the home ready to be shown if they wanted to see it.

But now for a good person story, the guy that ended up buying the bike, well he came while I had went back in the home to make me some food since no one had come in an hour. He knocked on the door to let me know he was there to look at my stuff. Another reason why I ended up going lower on the bike and other goods his friend got.

Not to sound mean or anything but this isnt exactly what I would call a bad experience. I think you just met a case of the reality of yard sales... When you say things like "valued at" and "worth xxx" that is a red flag. I think the prices people were offering were the true values of the items versus retail values. Not to sound too negative, I think it was nice to offer the cheaper bike to the guy who really needed it.

I guess it was more of the way of when you think of selling a car. It KBB's at $6000 You ask $4000 some one offers you $900. If you actually witness the item you would see why I was not going to let it go for under $125.

 

[cyberdan]

Maybe when i'm 65 or so, i'll enjoy relaxing under the shade tree with a glass of sweet tea in my hand watching the local wildlife, or maybe not.

Not me! I am real close to that age right now. I won't even allow a rocking chair or sweet tea in my house. I am starting a 2nd business right now that has nothing to do with yardsales. I want to have something to do in my "golden years"

Look at Andy Rooney, retired last month and gone last weekend.

 

[diggummup]

Maybe when i'm 65 or so, i'll enjoy relaxing under the shade tree with a glass of sweet tea in my hand watching the local wildlife, or maybe not.

Not me! I am real close to that age right now. I won't even allow a rocking chair or sweet tea in my house. I am starting a 2nd business right now that has nothing to do with yardsales. I want to have something to do in my "golden years"

Look at Andy Rooney, retired last month and gone last weekend.

Yeah, I was just being a smartazz, you know, one stupid remark deserves another. I don't like rocking chairs but the sweet tea is another story.


Midnightrider08- That story about you chasing the dude that stole the pornos was classic! I can see that chicken sh!^ mutha taking a swan dive right now!

 

[Midnightrider08]

diggummup - What blew my mind was ..as he's dog paddling he's trying to plead his case and using my "erratic " behavior as some sort of defense ...It was ok for him to take my stuff because my erratic reaction outweighed any bad he could have done to begin with ...

Say What ?

 

[Nightowl 280]

lets see four years of buying and selling at flea markets and yard sales .

A few times ive almost been clipped by a lady driving a car trying to cut me off from the sale . Having decent re pore with others dealers has told me this isnt to uncommon down here in the tampa area .

Estate sales have been pretty mild other then some elbow shoving . For the most part i think its that im a big guy and most dont want to risk pissing me off .

Yard sales and garage sale pricing I like to know where i start so i always ask for a price and if someone tells me to give a price Ill normally say $1 which will either lead to haggle proccess or me learning that they over value items .

The thing that will turn me off to a sale is price changing and sellers remorse . I had a lot of jewelry bought and paid for at a sale and was going to go after another table of jewelry and the other lady at the sale jumped in and said that i paid to little on the first lot and it was worth alot more . At which point im like can we deal on the other set of jewelry or not . The answer was no . Now a smart seller would of upped the price on the second lot and all could of been smoothed over no the other lady threw a fissy fit so i gave the jewelry back and told her to give me my money back . And i left . They turned what could of been a good day because there was 7 to 8 items i was interested in beyond the jewelry . Also understand i didnt dicker or set the price of the first batch of jewelry the lady i was dealing with did .

I also hate estate sales where the item you want all of the sudden isnt for sale even tho you have it in your hand and its a estate sale aka everything not bolted down is for sale normally .

Fleamarkets - mainly im a seller there not a buyer . I do know the market i normally go to doesnt have the haggle rep that i like in any sale or buy . Ive had vendor get offened at me for picking them . I havnt picked if you wont sell at the price i want to pay . Most of my sales at the market happen in the first hour or two . And most of that is to other vendors/dealers picking so its rude to even get in a frazzle over it . Like i say to guys that dont like my prices make a offer if i dont like it ill say no and either counter or you can counter till we either sell or you walk away . Lately the dealers have been more willing to deal so maybe the antique store idea is dieing in the market .

If it wasnt fun i would be doing it and very few times have i been flustered to pissed off by this game of buying and selling we play .

PS I think we have that band of Haitians around here to . I watch one garage sale lady kick a few off her property I laughed . They tried to bully the lady to sell her cloths for .10 each or something idiotic like that when they where priced at a standard $1 a peice for clothing . You dont see them around often anymore .

 

[diggummup]

diggummup - What blew my mind was ..as he's dog paddling he's trying to plead his case and using my "erratic " behavior as some sort of defense ...It was ok for him to take my stuff because my erratic reaction outweighed any bad he could have done to begin with ...

Say What ?

I hear ya. Dude's a loser anyway to be stealing from a garage sale, much less porno. Sometimes animal instinct takes over and you gotta do what you gotta do. Truth be known he probably pissed his pants in the process of it all. PS- speaking of pornos, I ran across a bunch of early 1900's hardcore photos at a sale last year. Paid $25 for the bag. Made well over a grand by piecing them out on Ebay. I know you like to sell in lots. I like to buy in lots and break em up into smaller ones.

I also hate estate sales where the item you want all of the sudden isnt for sale even tho you have it in your hand and its a estate sale aka everything not bolted down is for sale normally .

PS I think we have that band of Haitians around here to . I watch one garage sale lady kick a few off her property I laughed . They tried to bully the lady to sell her cloths for .10 each or something idiotic like that when they where priced at a standard $1 a peice for clothing . You dont see them around often anymore .

I walked off from a sale not long ago when the first 2 items I asked a price on weren't for sale. Especially since their ad said "Entire Contents". I gave them the definition of it and left.

The Haitians are out of control down here. And I mean that literally. For their majority, i've never seen such a bunch of uncivilized, uncouth, disrespectful human beings IN MY LIFE!

 

[srcdco]

This has been very interesting, and fun, to read. It's amazing what people will do when money is involved. I have a couple of stories to add. One happened last year at a church rummage sale. There was a couple that always look for jewelry and I've seen them at many sales. In this case, the church moved the jewelry table to another part of the building and the couple had trouble finding it. I found it first and checked it out and decided there was nothing that I was interested in. Then this couple found the table. There were three jewelry boxes full of junk, but he grabbed all three, gave two to his wife, and told her "watch these and don't let anyone else look at them", while he looked through the third one.
I saw the man at another church sale earlier this year and as soon as he got in, he found the jewelry and grabbed all of it and dumped it into his bag, then started looking around. He didn't even look at it this time, just took everything before anyone else had a chance to look at it.

Another story goes back about 25 years. There was an antique dealer in Jamestown, NY that would actually bring his own "sold" stickers to sales. He would go through the house and put his stickers on anything that he was interested in, then try to get the price down. It got to the point that the people that hold professional sales would stand at the door and not let him in. Once he pushed his way in past them and they called the police on him. He eventually moved away.

Scott

 

[Nightowl 280]

Ive seen sold/hold signs and stickers lots of dealers use them . I lost a box of fossils at a estate sale to one . I normally respect those signs just not worth the trouble most day to try to get them . Haggle is a normal part of sales even when items are claimed . As a dealer is it in your best interest to always try and get the best price . I have a good idea what companies that run sale will do when haggling normally so it makes it easier to play the price game . Normally dealers get a different price then collectors and off the street buyers . Dealers have the money long term to buy stuff so if you are running sales you have to appease them if you want to stay in business .

What i have seen is a increase of what i call traveling antique stores or staged estate sales that dont deal . There are a few in tampa i wont go to because i see the same over priced no profit stuff from week to week at different sales .

My dad falls for the ads for them all the time till i point out the stuff we have seen before and who is running the sale . Sometimes i wonder about him and not picking up the hints that are there in front of him .