Are Yard Sale Customers Really That Crazy?

How many of you yard sellers, flea marketers get this guy or gal at your sales...

So guy walks up and points to something on the table.

Crazy Guy: "Whats that?"

Me: "That is a (fill in the blank)"

Crazy Guy: "Oh, what does it do?"

Me: People use it for (fill in the blank)"

Crazy Guy: "Ah, how much you want for it?"

Me: "$50 dollars"

Crazy Guy: "I'll give you $10"

Me: "No, I will wait for someone who knows what it is, and really needs it and knows that $50 is a great deal."

So people are actually crazy enough to believe I'm gonna sell them something they knew nothing about so they can flip it for a profit?

Yep, as a corollary to "are CL customers really that crazy?".... there are definity more than a few out there.

But where would we be without the crazies.

On Sunday the 8th of July I visited an antique flea and was there from 12 to 2 visiting a vendor friend.

Fellow came up and said "Would you take $5 for the pitchfork?" 

My friends response was "Well, let's see, I'm asking $15. Let me think about it for a moment. No."

While it's mostly the norm for people to make an offer that is less than the asking price, if they want it they typically wouldn't go THAT low. When I offered that "He might split the difference with you" the customer's response was "Hey, it's the end of the flea today."

This was not some old fart (who often offer such deals) but an early 30's guy and someone who could have afforded $10 or $7.50 but maybe wanted it for $5 because he knew someone who would pay him $10 to $15 for the item.

Or maybe he was just cheap...that happens too.

****

Bottom line, it takes all kinds.  I'll end this one and add one more in the post below.

Story #2...not a yard sale (as I don't do them) but a storage facility had a "yard sale" for its customers and since I bought a lkr there and rented it during that time it was great for selling big stuff out of the lkr without moving it somewhere else.

This was the great lkr I got maybe a year and a half ago that had a big gun safe in it.

Old fart walks around it, opens, closes it, pushes it to see how heavy it is.

I'm asking $600. It has a brand new lock as I had to have a locksmith open it for me (just over $300 labor/parts).

So the guy says "Will you take a quarter for it?"  Took me a second to figure this meant $250.  But I restrained the laugh. "Nope, but I'll take $500"... I couldn't come back with "I'll take a half."

Anway, he scoffs, backs off and comes back half and hour later and offers $400. Sorry, I'll take $500.

So he goes away. Sold a few days later for $500 to a guy who came and loaded it up and took a BIG weight off my shoulders.

Old farts, go away...DON'T come back another day.

Just yesterday was at an estate sale and guy walks up with a lamp and offers $10,

Lady says that this sale isn't doing 50% off on Sundays at owners request and besides, it's marked $25, that's more than 50% off.

He says all the other companies are  willing to negotiate.  So she informs him that they are willing. But only if he can show its marked way to high or if he's buying a lot. And negotiation will not go anywhere close to half off marked price.  Says: sir, you have ONE item. I've never seen you at any of our sales. And that lamp is $100 new and looks brand new.

At which point his wife (?) walks up with a ton of towels and bedding.  So estate lady says: buy the lamp at $25 and I'll throw in the rest free.  (pretty sure they were free anyway, only thing in house not marked.)
Guy comes back at $15 and free towels.

Long story short....he walked away with nothing.

People are crazy.

I just get pissed cause most everything I sell is well below retail.  Most could be resold for more, not much more, but I always price to move.  I'll negotiate further but as soon as someone's becomes an a** I just shut it down. 

Yep, Cobia - those people are out there.  I've had people offer to buy 10 $2 bills for $15.  Um - sure let me pay you $5 to take this stuff off my hands.

Now, at yard sales I'll try and get a good deal.  I will lowball something if I think I can get it.  Or if I'm buying for the thrift store.  We roughly pay 1/2 of what we think can get back.  I get told NO at times, Yes a number of times, and a few times will haggle.

Case in point this past saturday - guy had 4 nice wood chairs at $20 each or all 4 for $60.  Now, that is what my buddy can get at his store, around $15-20.  I told her up front I may be interested in them for the store but I don't think he would go for the price.  While I waited for a response I checked out the yard sale right next door (love twofores).  Buddy came back with $30, she asked her hubby who said $40.  Now, she had also told me about a 5th chair out back and went to get it for me to see.  While waiting hubby mention that a) they not sold anything yet that morning  b) they had a sale last weekend  c) really didn't want to put this stuff back.  So I offered $35 for all 5 chairs and they took it.  Didn't have change so I tried to get a little tikes picnic table and a dora trike for the $5.  He said $10 so I settled on the picnic table...which sold less then an hour after I delivered it for $12.99.

Different yard sale had a tent (no instructions, pita) for $5.  Had a 10 yr old 5hp shop vac and a newer 1.5hp shop vac for $20.  Had a pair of ok bar stools for $15 or $20.  Now stools go for 7-10 bucks, not had any vac's to sell and tent was iffy.  Offered $30 for it all.  He said NO so I walked away and headed to the next sale which was above.

Some of these people just want stuff gone...specially late in the day.  I've picked up whole boxes of random stuff for $5 many a times.  It's like a small version of a storage unit.  I rummage real quick - see 5-10 bucks worth of stuff and offer $5 for the box.

@ craig that is how I will sell stuff.  box of stuff for $5.

Had one of those huge ziploc storage bags (used) filled with a few matching lids and bowls the rest was just misc, lids a mix and match sold for $2.00.

I call my husband a thief when we go to yard sales. He will throw out a price I would not even consider, he usually gets it.  If not he just walks away.

@ Cobia I got a price reduction because I knew what something was. 

Husband had told me about his parents use to can there food , metal cans and seal them in a 55 gal drum full of boiling water. We went to an antique / art sale and I saw the caner. Guy was impressed I knew what it was, husband did not know what it was.. Anyway he knocked $10 off. Sure he was tired of lugging it around pretty heavy. 

We have a SS bait bucket, it gets lots of looks. Asking $10 (cheap) lady offered me $5. No thanks. Worth having on the table, people stop and look.

Lol money - I've learned it never hurts to ask.  If I'm really interested in something I'll work up.  Most times it's items for the store and we have set prices.  So offer and then leave with item or not.  Bunch of sales this time of year.  Most times I don't even get out of my local area before noon hits and people pack it up.

I have if can find it this electric lightning ball buddah.  I used it a number of times at the flea with a $50 price tag.  It's not really worth that much but it draws in people like flys.  1 in 4 will then see something they want and buy.  Before I had it people would do the quick glance as walk by.  I use my US/World coins now to draw people in.  Make more sells but not as many comments as the buddah....really need to find where I hid that thing.

@ craig that is how I will sell stuff.  box of stuff for $5.

Had one of those huge ziploc storage bags (used) filled with a few matching lids and bowls the rest was just misc, lids a mix and match sold for $2.00.

I call my husband a thief when we go to yard sales. He will throw out a price I would not even consider, he usually gets it.  If not he just walks away.

@ Cobia I got a price reduction because I knew what something was. 

Husband had told me about his parents use to can there food , metal cans and seal them in a 55 gal drum full of boiling water. We went to an antique / art sale and I saw the caner. Guy was impressed I knew what it was, husband did not know what it was.. Anyway he knocked $10 off. Sure he was tired of lugging it around pretty heavy. 

We have a SS bait bucket, it gets lots of looks. Asking $10 (cheap) lady offered me $5. No thanks. Worth having on the table, people stop and look.

Whats an SS bait bucket? Is that what Hitler used to go fishing with?

Yep, Cobia - those people are out there.  I've had people offer to buy 10 $2 bills for $15.  Um - sure let me pay you $5 to take this stuff off my hands.

Now, at yard sales I'll try and get a good deal.  I will lowball something if I think I can get it.  Or if I'm buying for the thrift store.  We roughly pay 1/2 of what we think can get back.  I get told NO at times, Yes a number of times, and a few times will haggle.

Case in point this past saturday - guy had 4 nice wood chairs at $20 each or all 4 for $60.  Now, that is what my buddy can get at his store, around $15-20.  I told her up front I may be interested in them for the store but I don't think he would go for the price.  While I waited for a response I checked out the yard sale right next door (love twofores).  Buddy came back with $30, she asked her hubby who said $40.  Now, she had also told me about a 5th chair out back and went to get it for me to see.  While waiting hubby mention that a) they not sold anything yet that morning  b) they had a sale last weekend  c) really didn't want to put this stuff back.  So I offered $35 for all 5 chairs and they took it.  Didn't have change so I tried to get a little tikes picnic table and a dora trike for the $5.  He said $10 so I settled on the picnic table...which sold less then an hour after I delivered it for $12.99.

Different yard sale had a tent (no instructions, pita) for $5.  Had a 10 yr old 5hp shop vac and a newer 1.5hp shop vac for $20.  Had a pair of ok bar stools for $15 or $20.  Now stools go for 7-10 bucks, not had any vac's to sell and tent was iffy.  Offered $30 for it all.  He said NO so I walked away and headed to the next sale which was above.

Some of these people just want stuff gone...specially late in the day.  I've picked up whole boxes of random stuff for $5 many a times.  It's like a small version of a storage unit.  I rummage real quick - see 5-10 bucks worth of stuff and offer $5 for the box.

I don't mind the folks who are gonna resell for profit. We have several come by and we know they own thrift stores or sell at the flea market so we tell them go ahead and round up everything you want and we will make you a bulk purchase deal. It's the ones who think we are dummer then them and theyre gonna pull a fast one on us. (Yea buddy, you had no idea what that thing was or how valuable it was, but now that I have educated you, you are going to try to low ball me? Think not!) I also don't do well with agressive types. Usually guys but sometimes gals who come up and bark a price at me real agressive like, like "take it or leave it, and if you don't accept my price im gonna yell at you or come over the table and kick your a$$!" I shut down real quick when somebody tries to use intimidation as a way to negotiate a price.

Whats an SS bait bucket? Is that what Hitler used to go fishing with?

Woops Galvanized...

Kinda like this one

Thought I would update with some yard sale info/data.

My wife estimated that approximately 70%, yes you read it right 70% of our yard sale customers were re-sellers. All day (both days) people kept asking her to go lower (on already great prices) on items because they are going to re-sell it. About 5% of our customers were neighbors, so only 25% were retail customers driven by our advertisements.

It seemed in past sales that Fridays were mainly re-sellers/pickers and Saturdays were retail customers, but what does it say about the re-sale business in general when the vast majority of the customers are other re-sellers or would be re-sellers?

I don't think I like the market dynamics of having 3 sellers to 1 buyer.

You forgot to add

(7) Think outside the box 

I appreciate the starter advice, but I've been doing this a while so I know it takes more then common simplistic ambigous statements to be successful in business.

Natalie does have two things that can never be said enough cause seems 90% of yarders don't....

Advertise!  I'll look up Friday night and see a dozen or so.  Driving around Saturday and signs are all over!
If I didn't "jut happen" to be in the area I'd never of known.

Other is "piles".   Hate that.  I'm not a digger.  I don't want to touch your stuff. Lay it out.
And organize.  All clothes here. Kitchen stuff here.   I don't buy clothes so m not even going to head to that spot.    Want to get technical?  Organize it out so jems are towards back nd easily viewable from street so I'm forced to walk by table I'd normaly not approach.

Thing I don't agree with.  "do away with junk"
You don't know what's junk.  That box of old, stained, empty butter containers with no lids might be just what I'm looking for!   Just separate all you consider junk to one corner.  don't have in mingled in with all the rest so all I see is crap. (back to organizing). "free" boxes lined up towards back will get me to stop and walk all the way thru your sale items.


And the "price it right"
I think most will agree that is subject. Some here are an exception cause they research everything and run sales as a store..
But most...we are guessing what things are worth to others.  Some are more educated than others so they are educated guesses.  We have an idea, sometimes a very good idea of value. I know what I've sold items for in the past, what they sell for online.....but that's the price a customer can get anywhere so why drive all over when you can get it from the comfort of your own home.
So drop the price you say?   Well that's priced right for buyer.  But why would I have a yard sell if I can sell item for more by sitting on couch with laptop......


It's really hard to get close to retail while still moving mass inventory.  Why I love to pick yard sales. People are to overwhelmed with stuff to research every item.