posted on December 12, 2000 11:54:42 PM new
I buy all of my ebay items to sell at garage sales. I feel most of the items are over priced at garage sales, and wonder what the theory is behind this and if these sellers end up getting what they ask a large percentage of the time, or if there is a strategy in pricing higher and then figuring people will bargain, which I always do and assume most others do also.
What do some of you do when bargaining, do you have a system such as offering half and then if they say no which they usually do then go up half again? I find this to be the most difficult part of garage sale hunting is to know what to offer. I find it a bit awkward by offering half because 99% of the time they don't accept and I feel I might be insulting them.
I just wanted to get some of other peoples experiences when garage sailing, basically I find most people have high prices on their things and find it hard to believe alot of people will pay what they ask!!
posted on December 13, 2000 12:29:40 AM new
I make it a habit of having someone with me...my son or sister... and we talk out loud about how pretty an item is, "but the price...", and we start to walk away. Usually if the seller wants to sell they will lower the price. I don't like to barter, I'm not good at it.
posted on December 13, 2000 01:10:47 AM new
I think garage sales are like flea markets. Some sell regularly and will hold out for the best price. Others just want to get rid of their stuff. I suppose you need to know which you're dealing with. (It's pretty easy to tell. One has overpriced junk, the other has good stuff at low prices.)
With the first type of seller, I suppose it's expected that you will dicker. With the second, I guess offering half the asking price would be an insult. It devalues the item and marks you as a "pro."
I kind of go by instinct. I'm willing to pay a fair price. Sometimes I'm thinking "can I make money on this?" and if not, I may offer less. I don't always bargain but I often do. I learned how in the Arab market of East Jerusalem. In the touristy sections, you absolutely must bargain or else you paid too much. (Yes, it often requires making several moves towards the door.)
posted on December 13, 2000 02:04:07 AM new
I always always ask if they will take less. The attitude in which they answer me decides if I try to buy anything at all. If they start telling me what things cost new, I'm out the door. After telling them nobody at a yard sale cares what it cost new. I hate to see a man in charge of a yard sale. They usually want a trip to Hawaii paid for with their old bloomers at the sale.
If I see something really good and they won't take less, I will give them my name and number to call me if they do not sell it. I have gotten quite a few things this way.
posted on December 13, 2000 05:03:16 AM new
I very seldom bargain at a Garage Sale, but I don't mind if they do at mine. The reason being I won't buy an item that I know won't give me the return. I recently was at a garage sale and bought a bracelet for $2.00. That was the price they wanted. I knew that I could make quite a bit more so why should I try and bargain with them? Most items won't give a return if I offer 50% less so I just walk out. Sometimes I am stopped and asked if I would like to pay less but unless it is worth my time I won't buy it. My garage sales are very low priced. 25 to 50 cents. I know that is cheap but if I couldn't get rid of it before I will now. Yes, I have some good bargains but I hate to pack things up so out they go.
posted on December 13, 2000 05:42:23 AM new
My rule of thumb is that if something is already a good price, whether it be for resell or my own collection, I will not ask for a better price.
If something is priced so outrageously high that I would have to ask the seller if they will come down by 50%, to get it into my price range, I won't waste my time or theirs. But if I do feel a slight reduction would not bo out of line, I just politely ask if the marked price is their best price or could they do better? If they say no, I just put the item down and walk away.
I almost never bargain at a garage sale, unless I'm buying several items, then I will ask if they can give me a better price.
A personal pet peeve: There is nothing more irritating than a potential buyer pointing out every flaw in a piece to try and get the seller to reduce the price a ridiculous amout. If it's in thet bad of shape why do they want it?
posted on December 13, 2000 06:41:24 AM new
We always look at the items we feel we can do well with--sometimes it's a guess--and never pay more than it's worth to us.We do ask if they will take less IF the item is overpriced
and we feel at a reduced price it would be a good item to sell.We often pay asking price if it's a fair price..Sometimes for larger priced items I'll ask "what's the best you can do? and found it to be an easy way to open up the seller to lower the price a little.
posted on December 13, 2000 07:24:07 AM new
I usually don't try to deal over individual items but will ask if they will make me a deal on multiple items.
For example, I was at a yard sale and they had an entire table of books. I asked how much they would charge if I bought all the books. They sold all of them to me for $5! I sold one book out of the bunch and more than had my money back.
On the other hand, I asked the same question about a collection of pinback buttons that a gentleman had for sale. There were approximately 30 in the lot and he was adament that he wanted $1 each. When he turned his head, his grandaughter shoved the box at me and said "Quick, $3 and then get out of here!" I didn't have to be told twice.
posted on December 13, 2000 07:43:52 AM new
I say things like, "Is this your best price on this?", or "What would be your best price if I take this, and this, and this . . ?"
I think asking anyone, anywhere, to take half what they are asking is just plain rude. I do not think it marks you as a "pro" by any means.
I think you are usually better off to ask for a price cut (politely) than to name an exact figure. Often the seller will offer the item for less than you'd have suggested.
The main thing I am looking for at sales is books, but I am assuming this might work for other items. At sales where there are a few books I ask, "Are these all the books you are selling?" I have been invited into the house on several occasions to look over a book collection and have made some good buys that way. Once I asked about books at a sale where there were none. It turned out that one of the people having the sale was moving, and had left all her books in the old house nearby. I met her at the other house a few days later and had my pick of the books there.
Few people get all the things out for their sale that they really want to sell, so it can't hurt to ask about your particular interest. If they don't have it, they may know someone who does!
posted on December 13, 2000 09:41:42 AM new
I never hesitate to bargain at a garage sale. The reason the folks are having the sale is because they want to get rid of the stuff, not keep it. Many of these are items are no longer wanted and will have to be hauled to Goodwill or wherever if they do not sell. I have gotten some fabulous bargains by asking "Would you take $XX for your item?" My husband will walk away from me, later telling me that he wanted to die of embarrassment when I offered only $XX for the item. (He never complains when the offer is accepted, though.) All they can do is say NO, right? Or counter with a more desireable price. If I get to the sale and hear other people offering lower prices and being turned down, I won't bother and will just leave. I have been to other sales, though, where everything is way underpriced (Usually 'cause the grandkids are selling off Grandma's estate items and have no idea of the value of these items. They just know that the stuff doesn't go with anything in THEIR house and want to get rid of it). I grab the stuff and pay, no dickering. I've purchased rare books for .10, Black Americana items for .50, occupied Japan items for .25 at some of these sales. Should I have told them the stuff was worth more? Maybe, but not while 100 other people are snatching it all up around me. Besides, the garage sale people look so happy that everything is selling so well.
posted on December 13, 2000 10:06:04 AM new
Every Yard or garage sale is different.
Sometimes Flea Market Dealers are trying to unload some of their stuff and their prices reflect that ... higher than I usually want to pay even if they gave a discount.
Some sellers just want to unload their stuff and the prices are so low I wouldn't think of asking for anything less.
Some sellers think that they have treasures like those seen on the Antiques Road Show and are asking absurd prices for their stuff. I usually look say thank you and leave those places.
Then there is the seller who gladly barters and the more you buy from them the better the deal.
You never know what you will find at any of these places and deals may be there when you least expect to find them.
posted on December 13, 2000 12:54:09 PM new
Ha, everyone knew a garage sale thread would get my two cents! I will ask "Is this the least you would take for this?" if the item is marked at least several dollars. I have heard people ask the sellers if they would take 10 cents for something marked 25 cents. I think that is ridiculous! I seem to be successful at bargaining for several items together as well, especially towards the end of the sale. What annoys me personally as a seller is the buyer's tactic of "Let me see how much money I have" and then offering less according to the amount. If you don't take it, more times than not, they go out to their car and "find" some more money!
posted on December 13, 2000 01:10:55 PM new
Sorry there, I should have made myself clearer. If things are marked 25 or 50 cents I don't offer less. I usually gather all the things I wish to buy and when I am ready to pay, I ask if they will take less for all the items together. IMHO, part of the fun of yard sales and flea markets is the bartering. At a flea market we visit each summer weekend, a seller had a snowdome, which I collect. I asked if he would take less and he said no but would give me a bag to carry it home in. It was a really neat purse that I would have gladly bought. If I find a $50.00 item for a quarter, I too run out of the sale after paying.
posted on December 13, 2000 01:46:57 PM new
I have made a living for over 15 years by going to Garage Sales. I never ask them to take less. Most do because I pick out a lot of stuff and when they add it up the give me a better price. I find if it is a higher priced item and I show an interest they will usually tell me what they will take.
When I sell at the flea market and someone makes me a reasonable offer I sell. If someone asks me to come down 50% they never ask me again. I tell them how cheap they are and I make sure everyone nearby hears it.
posted on December 13, 2000 01:49:45 PM new
Garage sale, estate sales, flea markets, etc...
It's all the same to me. I see what I want and grab it. I usually never buy less than 5 items anywhere and I have always gotten a discount for buying multiple items. Even when I do not ask for a discount I get it anyway.
I have been to sales where I have bought up 100 or more items all at once ! I have gotten incredible deals due to the fact the sellers offer me one price for all or if they are trying to nickel and dime me, they usually screw up on their math and I make a killing !
Asking someone to take 50% off of one item is RUDE and IGNORANT !!!
If I had a sale and someone asked me a stupid question like that, I would TELL (not ask) them to leave !
[ edited by cix on Dec 13, 2000 01:50 PM ]
posted on December 13, 2000 05:00:28 PM new
I agree with most of the posters on this board - every garage sale is different. I too will not ask for a discount from .25 or .50. I have never asked for a 50% discount as I would be horrified if the seller kicked me out or made a big scene. My usual question is "what is your best price on this item or items."
My pet peeve as a seller - people who ask what I will take for that item, that item, that item, etc. if I buy them all - then take only one of the items and want the same deal for all the items. Worse yet, the ones that make a deal for all three items, then start asking questions about other items and switching packages = i.e, 2 out of the first negotiated deal - 1 out of the second negotiated deal - by the time they are done, you are all confused, which is the reason I RUDELY show them the door.
I got a real chuckle out of the comment about people criticizing all the flaws in a piece to negotiate a price. A dealer friend of mine, who can be a little cranky, once had a lady in his store wanting a better deal on a piece that was marked "as is". He gave her his better price and then she proceeded to tell him about all the flaws in the piece, obviously looking for more of a discount. He took it out of her hand as if to view the flaws "he didn't see" and immediately threw it on the ground and busted it - told her it really must be crap and he would rather break it than sell it to her. I would not have believed that story, had I not witnessed it myself. I cracked up for days about that.
Asking for a discount is always a wierd experience for me and it is a little uncomfortable at times. Sometimes the seller will get real snippy and other times they are very nice about it.
www.xenavalloneantiques.com
posted on December 13, 2000 05:13:51 PM new
I agree with what a few people are saying. Generally, if a sale has items that has items priced higher than they should be, I just leave. I always say to my garage sale buddy "I guess they have a high opinion of their junk." (Not out loud, mind you, but that's how we gauge whether to haul the kids out of the car to really look or not.) Anyway, if I'm buying one thing, I usually pay the marked price, or if it's something that's a few bucks, I might ask, "Will you take $XX for this?" Rarely has anyone said no. It's also true that you can get great deals near the end of the day, but sometimes the pickings are slim by then. I had one woman have a sign that said 50% off after 12pm, and I asked her at 10 to 12 if she'd take half price for an item and she refused. I left. Not gonna argue.
I've got the least problem asking for a discount on multiple items. Last time I bought two items marked for $14 for $10. That sort of thing. I don't think it's rude to bargain if you aren't uncomfortable with it, but unless your 50% off is going from $2 to $1, I'd try not to do that so you don't make the seller mad.
posted on December 13, 2000 05:22:09 PM new
people seem to put higher prices on items that had a meaning for them OR that they paid a lot of money for...also, I've seen many garage sales where people print out ebay auctions and tape them to their items, usually not an accurate item or an auction that never got a bid but had a high opening bid...people everywhere use ebay to try to get big money....luckily, it's the items they really have great prices on that are the really valuable items, at least that's what I've found. I almost always ask if they'll take less...and it'usually a funny story they tell me about how valuable their antique (12 year old) item is...then they almost always add: I'm seen this on ebay sell for ***.**!!!
posted on December 13, 2000 05:53:29 PM new
i prefer to haggle if i think the price is too high. sometimes prices are marked and i'll ask the owner myself.
if the prices aren't marked, my 14 year old daughter, who comes with me and is quite cute, has the task of asking what the prices are. she will almost always get a lower price than if i ask. i "manage" to be within hearing range to hear the price and so i'll intercede if need be. sometimes i give her a price that i don't want to go over. if the asking price is too high, she'll bargain it down herself and usually get it.
she does make $5 a saturday to come with me and do the "dirty work."
my .02 worth
[ edited by paulswife on Dec 13, 2000 06:07 PM ]
posted on December 13, 2000 06:46:31 PM new
Bleah!....The new definition of C H E A P tonite!
In my own humble opinion! But don't use your kids (what's next? Babies in arms pointing to what they want to buy?)Geez! I am astounded!
posted on December 13, 2000 07:50:42 PM new
My rule is to wait till it looks like rain and starts litely raining then stop at a sale I seen something at stand there admireing the items till its near down pour they offer it to me near free just to get outa the rain.
Honestly I dont do that but did happen a few times that way
posted on December 13, 2000 08:33:48 PM new
Interesting reading. I try not to take my husband to Garage sales but sometimes he insists to go along. Well, when he picks up an item he likes and askes the price and maybe they say 50cents, he says it is worth more than that and then gives the seller more than what they ask for. I think that is just as embarrassing as asking to take less. Now you can see why I don't want to take him along. I could go broke with him along. Yes, this is a true story.
posted on December 14, 2000 04:33:17 PM new
My grand daughter has loved garage sales since she was a baby. She did point at what she wanted and grandma usually bought it for her. Most kids like garage sales, ever notice how many toys they have at those things?
