Why not just use a smartphone? An iPad is just a big iPhone anyway.

I believe you assume the following:

1) that I have a smartphone (or could get one).

2) that I would be able to effectively use ebay and google on the smartphone.

3) that I would be willing to pay in the neighborhood of $50 a month or more for a smartphone (2 year contract).

The FACTS are:

1) I have a basic cellphone which costs me $10 a month and I hardly use it..

2) The screen and interface for eBay and Google on the small screens don't do it for me (maybe for you),
     where the iPad screen is easy to read and the two interfaces are beautifully executed and intuitive.

3) I pay $15 a month for cellular data from AT&T and it's month by month (the wifi is free).

 

Went to three auctions the other day by same auctioneer.

First one only had 2 lkrs both 10 x 10s.  First one looked pretty good and I thought it would go high...it did...ended at an even $1K.  A lot of big stuff and not that many visible  boxes so I didn't even bid, and wouldn't have paid more than $400 for it. The guy who got it was one I had beat out at $1K about a month ago; THAT lkr came out good netting $900 so far with some goodies still left.

The 2nd at this first facility went for $375...a decent price for this one but I am still pretty well full of stock so let one of the 6 month regulars get it.

*****

Second facility had 7 or so and most were small and not worth bidding on. One 10 x 10 was showing a couple of antiquey things in front of the door (a regular "pedestrian" door). They were tagged with prices from a local antique shop. I think these were "set up" by the property mgr. The rest of the locker was good looking boxes and a year ago this would have gone for around $400 or so. This month it went for ....drum roll.... $1,375. Now here's the kicker !

At the end of the auction a woman approached my friend and I and I forget the question she asked us, but anyway it turns out she was a friend of the woman who owned the $1,375 lkr. She said all the boxes contained was PAPER WORK !.  I can hardly wait to talk to the new owner of that stack of boxes. Obviously there must have been some small antiques in there, but if woman is to be believed, he'll take a huge loss on this one. OH, he was the one who got the good one for $375 at first location.

Another regular got a 5 x 10 for $750..Showed a good flatscreen, but that was the only standout. Looked break-even or less to me. This went to an hispanic couple who are known for high bids...they have been in Mexico for last couple of months, and now they're....baaack!.

*****
Third location had 6 lkrs. First one looked good at $400 with washer dryer, etc and looked clean. Second one was a 10x20 showing an old maple bedroom set and a nice hutch and maybe 100 boxes (I liked that) but I didn't like the fact it sold for an even $1k. That seems to be the going price in my area now for anything of size and quality. They can be break-evens or make $1k in profit, but it's truly a gamble at that price. Having been lucky twice in 8 weeks on such buys, I opted out on this one.

Second and third lkrs here went for $500 and $375 (they were 5 x 10s !)....looked break even to me. Found out from the $500 lady that the golf bag and guitar case were empty. She got a good receiver and a nice small Fender amp though.

Last lkr here was another 10 x 20 and this one showed antique type furn and maybe 50 boxes. It went for a slightly better $700 but it was only about 2/3 full.

So, nothing for me that day, but I was happy to gather the info and pass the time with a friend of many years who also bought nothing. Crowd grew from about 15 at first auction to about 50 at 3rd auction.

Yeah, it's fake. I was working on the crew, helped load the stuff into the rooms for them to act like they were bidding on it.

 it just supposed to be fun to watch, nobody in their right mind would think it's real.

I knew it was fake, but this was a nice REVEALING post on just HOW fake !  Thanks for posting.

As to "nobody in their right mind would think it's real" we have living proof that there are a LOT of those people around.

I wish your post could appear in every paper and on every network in the country.

The little city next to mine passed a new ordinance stating that a person or address can only have a flea market  or yard sale once every 30 days?

Anyone ever heard of such a thing?

Sounds ridiculous to me, why would there bea ordinance for this?

Thank your lucky stars !  In my area (and others around the state and country) the ordinance reads 2 yard sales a YEAR !

I think this is tried for several reasons:

1) to protect neighborhoods from "blight" and traffic.

2) to protect merchants (who pay for brick and mortar places of business).

It may not be enforced, but it is enforceable, and it is usually neighbors who will turn you in if you do it 52 weekends a year !

Episode #2 in the great Texas Take-Off with a crew designed to be “just like” the original SW guys and gals (too bad it didn’t work out that way…maybe they’ll grow on us).

The “Barry” character shows up in colorful shoes and a colorful car. Let the rip-off continue.

The Smith accent….like fingernails on chalkboard.

At least the production values are good…same narrator, same camera work…too bad the main players are losers (IMHO).

Bubba takes up ¾ of my screen !

I liked seeing the “no name” bidder carrying a baby…now that’s REALITY TV auction style !

A trash unit come ups and they all bad-mouth it….Victor gets it for $20. I predict it will produce a $500 plus item ! He ditches the auction and checks out his lkr…they don’t let us do that !

A black bag…has a goodie…after the commercial !  OK, we’re back…item is… INCREDIBLE Swiss Army Knife about 1 foot wide...this is so SET UP it's RIDICULOUS!

***

Ok, NEXT one has an old Kirby….almost a dime a dozen in my neck of the auction woods.

Moe and Lesa go at it….”Oh my god, who knows where that hand’s been?”

“Bring it !” she says…to which we suggest “Get out of here you wart hog !”

Moe gets it at $750. We know he won’t regret it.

**

Now Bubba and brother find….fencing foils (probably used by Louis XV).

Bubba finds some “originable” Star Wars figures…even Webster never heard this word!

Moe puts on surgical gloves (says he’s a podiatric surgeon)…finds a new sewing machine to go with his old fabric. “fabulous”.

Wooden box…”that’s a good sign”. Give me a break…it could contain junior’s first lost baby tooth but on this show it would be grandpa’s gold teeth taken out before he was buried ! Nope, old playing cards which have “maintained their level of brightness.”
A crystal ball to go along with the brass balls they all exhibit.

Victor’s display Swiss Army knife…found in a crap locker…not in any of our lifetimes !

Moe’s crystal ball….Oh yeah…I found one of those in the 3rd locker I bought 8 years ago..of course it came from the 99 cent store…his good for $100 and the antique fortune telling cards…valued at….$350.  I found those too, but they had pictures of pandas and elephants….my value… $1.50.

Star Wars collectibles for the bubbas …. $3,000 or so for just ONE of the 3 they took to a dealer. Total for that batch….$9,000 plus.  Storage Wars Texas aims for a new low in REALITY tv …. And they succeed.

And regarding a buyer paying retail, remember this, the fact that an item showed up on a TV show adds to it’s ‘provenance’!

Isn't that a city in Rhode Island ?  

Have used the Ipad at 4 flea markets now and have bought two items based on that use. The 2nd item I paid $20 and think it will only sell for $40 to $50 because the ones on eBay ARE NOT selling at $80, but worth a shot and want to work the Ipad for its intended reason.

I also had a DUH ! moment when I realized that it also would help me RULE OUT items I might otherwise have taken a chance on. This seems like a NO-BRAINER now that I think about it, but it just hit me when I looked up a tool I thought would be worth $125 plus retail and found out that perfect specimens were going for $40 or so on eBay, and the one I was looking at was marginal at the flea. I also found a second intriguing item that wouldn't pay off....SO, not spending money foolishly is also of course a way of MAKING money.