posted on August 3, 2001 03:36:37 PM new
Went saleing today, and although I'll admit I'm in a horrific mood lately, I came across a "practice" that really (no, REALLY) burned me & I'd like to you what you all think.
The merchandize at this sale was spread on some small tables, but mostly on the ground (NOT a problem as bending for treasure is darn near close to the only excercise I get LOL!) I spot a few items that were of interest and as I approach them, a woman sitting pretty much in the middle of this stuff, shoo's me away announcing "this is MY stuff", as she is checking a big stack of postcards...Ok, still not a problem. I walk around, find a few things and return to pay, only to find this woman now deciding which items she really wanted. Seems that she & her partner had run thru and grabbed everything they "thought" they might like and then, at their leisure with a bunch of other salers ready to buy, picked thru each piece, negotiating each with the seller. It made me rippin' mad (again, this may just be my mood) but I noticed two things 1) other salers were quite annoyed & 2) those of us NOT hoarding everything in sight got MUCH better prices from the seller (nothing was marked)....
Sorry for the length of this, but as a sanity check, wadda you all think?...Time for me to lock myself in house until my mood passes or not?
posted on August 3, 2001 03:55:02 PM new
Yeah I agree this is pretty Rude for sure, I think my method of Garage saleing is far better.
we hop in my Daughter car she's a new driver pretty much Let say we call this car the uncle buck mobile if this will give you any Idea.
We show up a sale in the car with no muffler loud and smoke'n to high heaven shut down the motor and it trys to run about 5 more mins after were out of it, this pretty much fogs the other buyers out when the smoke clears and we get up to pay for what we found the person running the sale starts makeing the pile of things they simply seem to think us poor folk could use for free.
posted on August 3, 2001 04:35:49 PM new
1. I don't show up earlier than the advert stated.
2. I don't disparage or denigrate the items for sale hoping to embarass the homeowner into lowering the price.
3. I carry small bills & change at all times. It's insulting to haggle down a few dollars then ask for change on a $20.
4. I don't take custody of things I don't intend to buy.
5. I don't park my car in the middle of the street or block other cars in.
6. I don't lie about whether a thing is valuable or not.
7. I don't enter into extensive negotiations over the price. I make an offer, and either it's accepted or not.
8. I don't shove other buyers or snatch things from their hands.
9.I don't steal. The number of thieves at yard sales is depressing.
I think I'm in the minority in statement nr. 1, 2 & 5.
I try to treat others with respect and expect it in return. Attending a yard sale should not be an excuse for rude and selfish behavior on the part of the buyers. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of rude sellers I've encountered throughout hundreds of yard sales this year. I've lost count of the number of rude or just plain mean-spirited buyers.
posted on August 3, 2001 06:04:36 PM newshe & her partner had run thru and grabbed everything they "thought" they might like and then, at their leisure with a bunch of other salers ready to buy, picked thru each piece
I've seen people do this. I had to laugh at one guy that did it, though. He grabbed up a big pile, sorted thru it, and kept a few "decent" buys. After the clown was done, I bought one item that I know made me ten times as much money as everything he kept. I couldn't help rubbing it in, and told the guy (out on the street, away from the people running the sale) that he missed the best piece, and what it was worth.
posted on August 3, 2001 06:37:57 PM new
Victoria I do about the same as you. I even leave a sale when there are people doing that because it makes me sick to see it. I am from a town where almost all the people that go to a garage sale do ebay or have a mall space. Wow, are they ever greedy. I have had things grabbed out of my hand. I don't arrive until the time it says in the paper and most of the time the sale has been open for an hour. I also pay what the seller wants or I don't buy it. I have even given back a highly collectible to the seller if they say it was their grandmothers and they would like to keep it. I guess when it comes to garage sales there are no rules to follow except, trip your fellow buyer, grab items from hand, stand in front of all the collectibles. when item is a dollar ask the seller if they would take less. It will never change. Everyone, Good Luck Tomorrow and watch your backs.
posted on August 3, 2001 10:12:43 PM new
The people in my area (and I call this town garage sale heaven) work in pairs. One will gather all the items and stand guard and not let anyone tough "their" items. Then the pick and choose, or bargain with the seller and usually only take half.
In a town of 40K on the first weekend of the month, there will be 4 columns of garage sales listed in the paper. I have a map which I have memorized and I limit my travels to north of a particular street. Lots of rich homes in the area. Then I mark my map with yellow for early starts and pink for later starts.
I'm usually out of the house by 6:30 and home by 9, 10 at the most.
Not my name on ebay.
posted on August 3, 2001 10:20:38 PM newlimit my travels to north of a particular street. Lots of rich homes in the area.
I know what you mean. A neighborhood like this has a better class of junk, and the folks having the yards sales don't need the money, and will make deals just to get rid of it.
posted on August 3, 2001 10:50:04 PM new
"I know what you mean. A neighborhood like this has a better class of junk, and the folks having the yards sales don't need the money, and will make deals just to get rid of it."
OR as is our experience they have the money b/cuz they are tight. Their garage sale items are priced retail and they all have computers and have been on ebay. They even quote you "Well, I checked it out on ebay and it is going for this amount."
The best sales we have been to are the church bazars or charity sales - or sports team sales etc. Items are donated and usually good as they want all other members of the community or sports team to not see their junk. The people running it are usually the kids on the team or adults without a clue as to value.
posted on August 4, 2001 09:59:54 AM new
I've been to a lot of garage sales in my lifetime, and hold one myself every couple of years. Next week my friend and I are having our annual sale, and there's two things I plan to do differently.
<p> (1) I'm going to rope off the yard with some of that yellow police tape stuff so they can't get in until 8 a.m. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I print "NO early birds" in the ads, they come early anyway. "Oh, we're not BUYING anything..." they say, "we're just holding it in our arms until 8 a.m.!" As someone who hates going to a sale that supposedly started at 8 a.m. only to find everything picked over, I'm going to rope the suckers out.
<p> (2) The second new thing I'm going to do this year, is print up a couple of big signs on poster paper that say "Our prices are firm on Saturday. We'll make deals on Sunday." This will be printed in both English and Spanish. I know it's common, but I hate the haggling of garage sales, especially first thing on a Saturday morning, and over a few cents here or there. "Can you take a dime for this 25c saucer?" "I'd like all three of these 25c items for half price." etc. I try to price my items fairly and cheaply in the first place as it's all e-bay leftovers and I really want to get rid of it all. I don't know how many times I've wanted to scream "For heaven's sake, it's only a quarter! That Coke you're packing around cost you twice that much!!!" I don't mind coming down in price when it's worth it--but these blue-haired ladies that try to nickel and dime you to death drive me crazy!
posted on August 4, 2001 10:05:37 AM new
Ok, so I got up at 4:00am this mornin', ripped the exhaust off the DH's 81 dinged, dented, rusty old Cutlass and headed out for salein'. First sale I came to, I reeeved the engine to thin out the crowd, then I jumped outta the car, and headed for the goodies. Rather than bother myself to actually look at the items, I found the high spot on the lawn, stretched out my arms and yelled "It's MINE, ALL MINE"...That got rid of most of the stragglers (most probably the smokers who didn't even notice the car exhaust)...I knocked over a little old lady and managed to catch the vase she dropped on the way down. I then proceeded to take my time examining each item. Dickered with the seller (50 cents for a roseville vase, HA! I wanted it for a quarter!)...Gathered the two items I wanted & headed on down the road to my next conquest, uh I mean sale!
Alright, so maybe it wasn't QUITE like that!
I pretty much follow Victoria's Rules (see above)....&....(most of the time) I actually ENJOY the experience!
Joycel, I'm having a sale of my own in a few weeks and have decided that early birds are welcome, Yup, even gonna post a big sign "Early Birds Welcome - ALL PRICES DOUBLED"
Hope you all found gold on them thir driveways!
~ Rancher
[ edited by rancher24 on Aug 4, 2001 10:19 AM ]
posted on August 4, 2001 10:49:16 AM new
"...limit my travels to north of a particular street. Lots of rich homes in the area..."
I used to live north of that particular street (in my city anyway) and used to laugh every weekend when a local realtor would take down the for sale sign, and up the garage sale sign...seems he rented it out of weekends so folks could have sales in the better neighborhood.
posted on August 4, 2001 11:17:16 AM new
hmmmm, in my area we stay OUT of the rich home area. I have found that they are WAY overpriced & seem to forget that they are having a yard sale. Geez, just cause you paid $500 for a comforter that you only used 3 years, doesn't mean I'm gonna pay you $100 for it!!!....In my neck 'o the woods, we are much better offer in the middle class neighborhoods. Most of those sellers don't like "old" stuff (Old People's Garbage or OPG as my friend likes to call it) and just want to get rid of it.
robnzak, we have a local like that too, cept he actually rents peoples lawns/driveways & then advertises his "estate" sale...AGH!!!...He sets up table after table, days in advance, with no concern for weather (so much fun to turn a vase to check markings only to have a puddle of water pour out!) & charges outrageous prices for items that are chipped & cracked!
posted on August 4, 2001 11:21:25 AM new
I would post four rules at a sale
PEOPLE WHO ACT RUDELY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE
NO HAGGLING; PRICES ARE FIRM
NO ONE ALLOWED ON PROPERTY UNTIL FIVE MINUTES BEFORE EVENT
ANYTHING ELSE IS SUBJECT TO NUMBER ONE
posted on August 4, 2001 11:44:01 AM new
Regarding best sales.. I agree with Joycel... the church sales are the best for me, those and the estate sales with children beneficiaries who are also not all that young ... Like today, a 65 year old guy was clearing the estate of his mother and I scooped really well... First of all, to him, anything made after 1940 is junk, and was priced as such. And, he already has a house full of crap himself and doesn't want his mother's stuff as well.
As a side line, I also prefer garage sales run by men -- they are easier to deal with than sales run by women... sorry gals, but I am so tired of unpriced items at a yard sale that when you ask how much there has to be a gaggle assembled and a vote taken by the leading hen on what the price will be - ARRRRRRGH!
Guys say either a "quarter" or "2 bucks" to everything... How much is this tool?..."a quarter", how much is this dish?... "a quarter", how much is this 18th century chest of drawers?... "2 bucks".....
I myself just had a garage sale of left over ebay stuff and I priced EVERTHING in advance and said NO EARLYBIRDS....
This first knock on the door came at 5 a.m.... I finally opened the doors 1/2 hour before opening because I couldn't stand the beady eyes of the early birds boring holes into my back. I decided no "dealing" (ie: prices are FIRM) until 8 a.m. (advertised opening of the sale) and for the most part everything went fine, with the exception of one dealer who got all bent out of shape when after she and her husband had been walking around with a LOT of well marked priced stuff in their arms for 30 minutes insisted on a deal because it was now 8 a.m. and I refused... I said ticket price or put it back... She put back two things and took everything else. If all garage sellers would price their goods and stick to this rule, it would help....
I don't blame you for being peeved for hoarders.... I refuse to act desperate or greedy at a garage sale - I try to have SOME dignity....
posted on August 4, 2001 11:45:16 AM new
Here is a good phrase to put into your garage sale ad.
"Early Birds will be charged double" This will either clear out your early bird troubles or make you more money. Even if they have it in their hands and don't pay for it until after 8 they will be charged double.
I do like the idea about the yellow tape but knowing how rude some buyers are it probably won't stop them.
posted on August 4, 2001 04:41:27 PM new
Rancher! Loved your reply so much I had to read it out loud to my husband--only I had to keep stopping to laugh. It is so true! We used to have a lady in our town we called The Snatcher. Every time she'd show up at a yard sale she'd get there early with her big cardboard box, and start snatching anything that (1) looked new or (2) looked valuable. Then she and her daughter would hover in the corner like a couple of vultures to sort out their booty. And, you guessed it--take only a few items out of all those they'd grabbed. I heard when their house caught on fire the firemen couldn't get through--there was only a narrow pathway going through the house. Guess what goes around comes around...
<p> (edited 'cause I didn't mean it the way it sounded!)
[ edited by joycel on Aug 4, 2001 04:57 PM ]
posted on August 4, 2001 06:37:32 PM new
joycel, glad to hear you got a chuckle outta it!(I do owe Dman3 credit for the car idea!)....Oh, how I would love to just once behave like that when saleing, but it's just not me and never will be!...Guess I'll never be "The Snatcher"!
posted on August 4, 2001 07:13:58 PM new
It's easy up here to learn which sales to stay away from since everybody knows everybody. I haven't had much time to sale this summer, but I've been lucky at the ones I have stopped at. Two weeks ago - tons of old magazines (Hot Rod, Speed Age, Sport) from the 40s and 50s. Buck a piece. Today - it was Dungeons and Dragons RPG books, like new condition, all maps - buck a piece.
Husband and I were talking about how these magazines never turn up at the local auctions...I think the kids throw everything like that away before the auctioneers see it, never knowing what they are tossing!
The rich folks up here are bad, too. I've been to three sales so far this year that had beautiful clothes in my daughter's size that were priced $6 and up. I can pay less at Once Upon a Child!
When I have my sale, I'm gonna put "early birds pay double" in my ads.
posted on August 5, 2001 10:01:41 PM new
EARLY BIRDS PAY DOUBLE
I just watched a show on the PBS about flea markets. It said many people pay the seller's fee of $50 to come in early and pick up the goodies before the rest of the buyers come in.
posted on August 5, 2001 10:11:12 PM new
I hate early ins at Flea Markets. I don't care how much they pay they are rude. When I use to set up at this certain flea market I would pack all the good items and put them in the truck first and the not so good items last. Well, you know they don't like to stand around and wait and at that time of the morning I am rather slow, hubby just stands around and talks, well needless to say there are some irate buyers but who cares they don't want to pay the price anyway leave the good things for the collectors.
