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Messages - Cobia

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616
General Storage Auction Talk / Re: Kids at Auctions
« on: July 13, 2012, 07:11:52 AM »
Yea, we've discussed this before. Little kids following the lookie-loos & newbies are a pain, but I bring my kids too so they can appreciate how the food the eat gets on the table.

My favorites are the ones between the ages of 7-12 who yell out everything they see in the unit.

"Mom, mom, a playstation! a flat screen TV! Mom, they got a go-cart!!" Too Funny!  :D

617
New to Storage Auctions? / Re: High End Funiture
« on: July 13, 2012, 07:05:13 AM »
We have a high-end furniture & home decor store that caters to the wealthy in our city. They will do consignment if the piece meets thier standards. You might have such a store in your area too. If not, there is probably a high end antiques auction house within driving distance. We have two in my city, but they can still be hit or miss since I am dependent on who shows up for the auction and what they want to pay.

Try to look at it this way. Yes, the furniture retails for $15,000, but you only paid $XXX for the unit. $7,500 or $5,000 is a HUGE payday from that one unit. Don't get stuck on the $15,000 figure.

618
New to Storage Auctions? / Re: Noobie Question about Metals, Silver, and stuff of unknown value...
« on: July 12, 2012, 07:16:53 AM »
Yes, use the acid tests kits for any jewelry you find, just to be sure. Sometimes "Silver" can actually be white Gold or plated 10K Gold or if you can't tell the difference Platinum.

I would recommend going to some high end antique shops and auction houses so you get a feel for what truly rare and/or expensive antiques and collectibles look like. For the most part, you are not going to find candle holders & vases & collectibles worth more then $100. Most things that are really valuable will actually stand out even to the untrained eye. Yes I know there is always some kind of goofy stuff that is not high quality but is hugely collectible and valuable, I just mean to say, for the most part, you don't need to run to an appraiser for every unique thing found in a unit.

Novice test for getting more information: Answer yes to these questions, seek out an expert.

1. Does it look valuable?
2. Does it appear to be in mint, like new, or near perfect condition?
3. Does it appear to be made with high standards or specialized techniques?
4. Is it the first time you have ever seen something like this?
5. Do you and everybody who looks at it go "WOW"!?

Don't know how things are in Australia but TV shows here in the US, especially American Pickers, have turned basically junk into valuable collectibles so you need to educate yourself into what collectibles are popular in your region/country.

619
General Storage Auction Talk / Re: How bouta sum inspiration..whats the best thing uve found lately
« on: July 11, 2012, 08:02:31 AM »
$900 worth (retail value, not resale value) Pampered Chef cookware. The wife kept it. Came out of $300 unit.
Jerry Rice #80 San Fransisco 49ers throwback jersey. Came out of $30 unit.

Hey Movieman, interested in the jersey, I'll make you a killer deal!  ;)

620
What's it Worth?? / Re: Port Wine? (Oporto, Portugal)
« on: July 11, 2012, 07:53:14 AM »
Quote from: calcoastgal on July 10, 2012, 04:58:05 PM
Alias is right on this one. If wine isn't kept at the optimum temperature and lying on its side so the cork stays moist it goes bad. Once the cork dries out air can get to the contents and spoil it.

I live in wine country so I have found wine in several lockers. I open the bottle dump the wine out and recycle the glass. I'm not gonna chance a bad bottle of wine. 

Thanks for the tip about wine. We mostly find MD 20/20 so..... :P

621
Craigslist / Re: Are CL buyers really nuts or what?
« on: July 11, 2012, 07:46:02 AM »
Quote from: MovieMan on July 10, 2012, 01:17:03 PM
Yep, they do stretch the limits sometimes, one way or the other. Those back seats on some little cars may fold down and give you access through the trunk, but fitting a rectangular shape into an oval hole can be a problem.

More power to them though if they get it done....and the not helping is always a smart move imo for a number of reasons.

That's why I don't like the styles of the newer SUVs. They are wider & taller towards the front and shrink like a Willie Wonka room towards the rear door/hatch. I know it's all about styling & aerodynamics, but it's a pain in the you know what when a piece of furniture will fit in the interior dimensions but won't fit through the rear door itself.

622
Stories about Storage Auctions / Re: Auction Scene #7...July, 2012
« on: July 10, 2012, 07:35:46 AM »
Quote from: the teacher on July 09, 2012, 10:23:36 PM
I'm guessing around 2k to $2300!

6 months ago, I would guess $2000, today I would guess $1250.

623
General Storage Auction Talk / Re: Storage auctions meets pawn stars.
« on: July 10, 2012, 07:31:33 AM »
I would put them on Ebay with a Buy It Now of $299 and a caption that said "As seen on Pawn Stars. Rare TMNT Comic collection. Professionally appraised AT $400."

624
Garage Sales / Re: Little traffic, but those that showed.....bought~
« on: July 10, 2012, 07:27:37 AM »
Quote from: craiglstauction on July 09, 2012, 06:57:12 PM
Ok Movieman - you piked my interest so I had to go check my excel sheets.  I started to keep track of my sales (what and how much) to do some trending.  Not much for stats but I have had the following avg per sale at the flea:
2.54
4.46
4.19
2.84
3.52
6.49
2.55
6.77
4.78

avg total: 4.24 per sale

At the yard sale I did 10.03 per sale avg.

I only deal with smalls at the flea / yard.  All my big items are sold via CL, ebay, or thrift store.  So I'm sure many people will go "dang that is low" but it works for me.  Keeps my cash flow going and inventory going to the door.

WOW! and I thought I was a data/statistics nut! Never occured to me to count how many transactions I had to determine average transaction value per customer at the flea market or yard sale. I do track the larger items, mainly furniture, so I know what the average sale price for piece is when I see them in a unit.

That $4.24 per customer at the flea market sounds pretty good. I would have assumed for me the average is around $2 - $2.50 per customer.

625
Garage Sales / Re: Are Yard Sale Customers Really That Crazy?
« on: July 10, 2012, 07:14:21 AM »
Quote from: craiglstauction on July 09, 2012, 05:13:51 PM
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.

626
Garage Sales / Re: Are Yard Sale Customers Really That Crazy?
« on: July 10, 2012, 07:04:10 AM »
Quote from: money4nothing on July 09, 2012, 06:33:20 PM
@ 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.  ;D

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?

627
Garage Sales / Are Yard Sale Customers Really That Crazy?
« on: July 09, 2012, 08:42:36 AM »
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?

628
Garage Sales / Re: Held my first yard sale today in over a year......actually kind of fun!
« on: July 09, 2012, 07:53:43 AM »
Great story about doing your own yard sale and great sales to boot!

629
General Storage Auction Talk / Re: Damn yall.. its hard out here for a storage pimp
« on: July 06, 2012, 09:13:04 AM »
BigBizz,

THe old adage of sales & re-sales use to be "Buy Low, Sell High!" but now I am starting to here another adage, and not just in the re-sale industry but other industries aswell.

"Buy Low, Sell Low!" This might be the new reality in this country for business, atleast for the forseeable future, especially in the re-sale industry.

Which tells me volume sales is going to be more important now and in the future, especially in our industry.

Don't know what you mean by "never have enough for what im lookin for" I think you will have to elaborate in your own elegant way.  ;)

630
General Storage Auction Talk / Re: Clothes- how does everyone do?
« on: July 06, 2012, 09:03:11 AM »
For me, selling clothes successfully is really about three things, 1.Quality, 2.Customer base, & 3.Exposure.

1.All clothes with any kind of holes, rips, & stains get donated.
   Only name brand, department store quality clothes are sold (Wal-mart, K-mart brands get donated).
   No undies, socks, jammies, wife beaters, or sweats at my sale.

2. Atleast in my area, you got to find a place where the immigrant community is shopping, or get them to come to you. At the flea market we get 
    a lot of foot traffic but also a lot of competition. Try to find a way to be around large crowds with little competition.

3. How often are you trying to sell clothes? Once a month yard sale, you will sell X amount of clothes, twice a week flea market (depending on      traffic & competition), you will sell X more clothes, find a way to have your clothes for sale everyday of the week, and you will move even more clothes.

I left out price because frankly you just can't beat the marketplace on price. There is always somebody at the flea market or at a yard sale selling off their personal clothes for .25 cents .50 cents, all you can put in a bag for 1 dollar, etc. I have tried the mass pushing of product on customers & it really doesn't work, they are going to buy exactly what they want or need, and it doesn't matter if you are selling them for .25 cents each or 2 dollars each. I have NEVER seen someone start grabbing up piles & piles of clothes just because I was selling them for .10 cents each, just doesn't work. What works is getting MORE individual BUYERS in front of your clothes.

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