posted on September 10, 2000 08:32:00 PM
Yard sale ad in the paper last week said Early Birds will be put to work!!!!!
But there is times when you have to get to the sale early just to get in line, I look forward every year to this sale it starts at 7 but you need to be there by 5 to get in line and believe me there is a line, this is a charity sale and they collect things all year long for it, last year we got a guitar amp ( great shape for 3.00, life size barbie 2.00, my son got 25 of the old wrestlers for .25 cents each ( he added these to his collection) the only way they can make sure people do not hog all the good stuff is that you have to pay for what you can carry. they will not hold any thing for you so when you get a arm full you have to pay and take items to your car then you can go back in. they do not lower the prices on any thing until after 2 and then they drop the prices to everything you can get into a gro bag ( the paper kind) for 5.00, Sale date is about 3 weeks away!
posted on September 10, 2000 08:34:00 PM
I agree with DrTooth, this is a funny thread. He mentioned "Uncle Joe" the expert trying to up a price after the sale and I think I met Uncle Joe the other day. There is a couple that rents out a vacant lot here in town along a major highway. Several months ago they had their first sale - sign said "Moving Sale" - everything was extremely overpriced - lots of things in wet carboard boxes. Along with some junk items, they had mass quantities of little trinket items all the same (kind of strange for a moving sale). I asked the woman where she was moving - just said out of state. Well, this same couple has been supposedly moving for the entire summer, they have a regular sale every Saturday. I passed this spot the other day, saw a sign that said "Big Sale", didn't realize it was the same couple that was "moving", ha, ha - until I pulled into the lot. Pretty funny, the guy now has an orange glow in the dark vest and one of those money changers on his belt. I found a box of old ribbons, asked the woman how much - said I could have the box for a buck - I said sold. After looking around and not seeing any other thing I wanted, I handed her $1.00 - she looked at the guy in the orange vest and quickly said "I said that was $8.00 - I told her I hoped she enjoyed her ribbon and left.
As far as early birds - I know the queen of early birds. A lot of people put their phone numbers in the paper in case you need directions. This person actually phones the sellers, asks if it's ok if she comes over a day or 2 before the sale and literally wipes them out - she is cheap, cheap, cheap - so it's not like she's doing these poor people a favor. Some people just have no scruples I guess......
posted on September 10, 2000 08:56:52 PM
You don't have to be the first to get good items. Late this Sunday afternoon I was heading home from the supermarket when I saw a sale being packed up. I could not resist and stopped for a quick look. Mostly childrens clothes a an excercise bike. But on the table with a bunch of old pocketbooks was a perfect real LV bag, they sell for 300 + on Ebay. I guess it is always worth a last look. All the antiquers pased it over. It was mine for $2
posted on September 11, 2000 04:18:17 AM
I too, am happy to say I have never had to compromise my principles to make good money. I always seem to be in the right place at the right time to find good things, and it's almost never early in the morning, as I am not an early bird. I rarely walk away from a yard sale, thrift shop, or flea market without at least one item I can make a good profit on. Maybe it's because I try to be pleasant and polite to people, but I never have to haggle over prices when I'm buying, people always seem to give me good deals. I also have friends and family who often give me things they no longer want, which I sell on internet auction. I will sell most anything that is legal and in good condition. The saying that "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is more true than I ever realized before I started selling at auction. A friend gave me a still sealed copy of the video "Bull Durham" which I ended up selling on eBay for $25. I had started the bidding at $8, and only had to list it one time, so I was more than happy with that. I also found a book by 60's artist Peter Max for $1 at a thrift store, when I got there only an hour before they closed. In all fairness, I must say I do not deal in Antiques, and maybe those sellers do have a harder time finding cheap items for resale, but I am more than content with the money I can make off the things I find so easily. I personally would not want the responsibility of authenticating and grading antiques. To all those out there getting into selling on auctions, please don't think you have to be fanatical to find great items for resale. You can laugh, have a great time, set your own pace and your own schedule, and still be extremely successful. For me, that's what being in business for myself is all about. If I wanted to get up early and run myself ragged I'd still be working for someone else.
posted on September 11, 2000 06:22:32 AM
fountainhouse is right!
This is business.
The only way to get good items is to come early.
I got disgusted with dealers showing-up hours before a sale and getting all the good stuff, so I found a better way.
Most sellers will let you in early if they think you are a neighbor. I come the afternoon before the sale and park around the corner. I get out with my pooch, and we walk by the house, like we live in the neighborhood.
I then say "Hi neighbor, having a sale?"
Invariably they are too embarrassed to admit that don't know me, and they often invite me in. I have wiped-out whole yard sales with this technique, and I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn.
You have to beat the other dealers at their own game . . .
posted on September 11, 2000 07:08:29 AM
I'm trying to be the sort of person that I want to meet. I figure if I treat people the way I want to be treated, maybe my corner of the world will get a little more civil, a little more neighborly. I just want to start the ripple in the pool, and see it spread out.
You can never be too sure that the person you cheated today, won't have a son who dates your daughter tomorrow.
Or finds your wallet at the mall.
So, I don't show up early. I don't badmouth their possesions and I don't make lowball insulting offers. Even if the seller is kind of pushy or rude, I just smile and go on my merry way. I take my daughter, and I work with her on how I think we should act around people.
I don't need a dollar ( or even a thousand dollars) so bad that I'm willing to be less of a neighbor, less of a teacher to my child, less of a representative of the family of man, to get it.
Those of you who think that it's always about money, you're welcome to your lifestyle, but you're probably not welcome in your neighborhood.
posted on September 11, 2000 07:37:50 AMraygomez, I'll bet not a single one of those sellers was offended, or thought your friendly overtures were rude, did they?
hammerchick asked "what time is too early to go to a garage sale?" The answer is dependent on how serious you are about your business. If you're playing around for pin money, I imagine whenever you feel like laughing and having a great time (as themagicattic says) is as good a time as any. Heck, it probably wouldn't matter if you went to sales at all.
If, OTOH, you're running a business that is your livelihood (or would like it to be someday), you're going to have to crank it up a notch. Finding quality merchandise IS your business, and important enough not to be left to happenstance. No widget, no income.
Now, please note that I did not say that you ought to go banging on doors before the roosters are up. I also didn't recommend speaking to sellers in anything but a cordial manner.
But when you're driving by before the sale and the seller is outside setting up, there's not a thing wrong with asking that seller if he/she minds if you have a look. Contary to what some posters here would have you believe, MOST of those sellers will invite you in.
raygomez - I love it! I may be borrowing that one sometime... On occasion I have been known to pack up a box of stuff that was destined for Goodwill and take it to rummage sales on set-up night. Course, I bring home more stuff than I went with, but that is, after all, the point.
posted on September 11, 2000 10:29:52 PM
I am not "playing around" for pin money, selling on auctions is my livelihood and my sole means of support and I do more than well enough to support myself with it. Can anybody figure out why I'm being attacked for enjoying my work? I guess there are some people who just don't want to believe it can be that easy for others. As far as showing up early being rude, I was referring to cases where the seller specifically states in the ad, "No Early Birds" and then people still show up way early. If a seller truly welcomes you early, then more power to you, party on dudes! If the seller doesn't say one way or another, then it's up to each individual to make their own judgement call. We're all just stating our own personal feelings on it and it sounds like it's turning into a war.
posted on September 12, 2000 05:03:13 AM
fountainhouse -
Is this rude enough for you? Neighborhood garage sale listed in paper, with OPENING TIME clearly printed, along with the words "no earlybirds, please" ... with 50+ houses in 1/2 square mile area, with maps and refreshment stands, we KNOW we'll get traffic, and we set up at our leisure. It's the semi-annual weekend where all the junk migrates a few blocks to a new home.
I'm setting up about 6AM and a dealer (has truck, pocket full of bills, bleary-eyed, must be a dealer) WALKS IN THE HOUSE without knocking and starts pawing through the boxes in the living room I have ready to take out ... looks at me and says "got anything besides this crap?". I told him to get the hell outta my house or I would call the cops. He told me to not be such a b!tch and went down the block to bang on someone's door. None of their lights were on.
In this neighborhood, he's lucky he didn't get shot, and he almost got zapped with my bear repellant (forget mace ... this stuff can knock out a charging grizzly at 20 feet)!
As it was, he woke several people and made a lot of enemies for ALL dealers.
Sheesh, somewhere between righteous indignation about honoring the letter of the "yard sale law" and total, wallow-with-the-hogs rudeness is where I try to be. Around here, if I didn't get out really early and politely ask if I can have a look while they contiinue to set up, I'd never get a thing. Most of the time, I'm not even the first one there. Yes, I've been snapped at and told they aren't open yet. It makes me feel bad because I'm not a pushy person at heart but in my area, what's left (usually) after 9AM is old tupperware and broken toys. I even try to show up at the "No early birds" sales a half hour or so early, just to check and see if they are ready for customers. Last week, one was advertised for 8AM "no early birds." I got there at 7:40 and there were at least 8 people already shopping , two of them were dealers (small area...I know most all the dealers).
Some sales use "no early birds" just to keep people from knocking down the door at 6AM like abacaxi's "friend." Yikes! I'm still shaking my head over that one!
posted on September 12, 2000 06:30:28 AM
I have been thinking of ways to handle early birds and other yard sale people. Maybe have a markup/discount during the hours of the sale.
Say the sale is from 9am-5pm
At 7am everthing is 150% of marked price
At 8am 125%
9am 100%
from then on make your own increments. Whether it is -5% per hour or -50% after 12:00. At least make early birds pay a premium for the priviledge.
posted on September 12, 2000 07:05:53 AM
Let me make something clear before those that are wringing their hands break a bone or a nail.
No one said to be rude. No one said to enter a house/garage/etc without permission. what was said was to answer the question when is to early. That answer....again and still is 'its never too early'.
The day that a dealer truly cares about what the neighbors is when they retire. These people who dislike you will not dislike you for coming early, they will dislike you cause you pay what they ask, or cause you DO try and dikker for a better deal. While it is true that many earlies go for the throat...and try and get stuff 'on th cheap' it is also true that some of the earlies are the best customers.
Real simple.....go early, ask nice. If they say no, ask nice if you could return at an earlier time. If it is still no.....and worth the effort, return just before the appointed hour and make sure to rub their face in the fact that there are already some of the bottom feeding early birds rummaging thru their stuff. They turn red pretty quick. As an extra thrust to the Sellers mid-section, make sure that you ask them 'hey that person with that box of widgets.....you did not sell it for less than 50.00 didja?' WOW! you did? Too bad'......and walk slowly away. LOL Thats always fun. Why go if you cannot have some fun, right?
Another thing to have fun with is when you see another Buyer about to buy something [good/decent item] for 1.00 or two, point it out to the Seller and say 'I'll give you 10.00 [or 20.00, or even more] for that.'...and then watch the fur fly. It ain't over till they have paid for it. The Sellers are often hungry enough to go for it and its fun too.
posted on September 12, 2000 07:37:27 AM
Boy, abacaxi that one takes the cake! In all honesty, I would have called the police -- as soon as I came-to.
You'll get no dispute from me that there are rude people in this world. Having run a few garage sales myself, I have at times been awed by the lack of decency and downright gall of some people. I will say, though, that early shoppers aren't alone in the incivility department -- they have plenty of company among the late-comers.
I'll say it once again: Early does not equal rude. Talking and behaving impolitely equals rude. Although it's stating the obvious, I'll add: Talking and behaving rudely to sellers is counterproductive to the goal, which is to access the sale before everything of value has been whisked away. This is accomplished with charm, not crudeness.
paperfan, agreed. Don't you just love it when a seller firmly announces "no sales until 9:00" and, when you come back then, the sale's been in full swing for 20 minutes? After a few of those, one learns real quick to take those "absolute" starting times with a grain of salt.
mark090, just tell me when. If you have the merchandise, I'll pay the premium -- gladly.
posted on September 12, 2000 08:15:31 AM
DrTooth, I was sort of agreeing with you until you said "Another thing to have fun with is when you see another Buyer about to buy something [good/decent item] for 1.00 or two, point it out to the Seller and say 'I'll give you 10.00 [or 20.00, or even more] for
that.'..".
That's a real low class thing to do, I hope you were just kinding and have not actually done this to a fellow dealer.
On occasion I have been known to pack up a box of stuff that was destined for Goodwill and take it to rummage sales on set-up night. Course, I bring home more stuff than I went with, but that is, after all, the point. 
