Do you ever wonder if there’s a way to get a better price when you buy stuff at a garage sale. Well there is, and I’m going to tell you how I do it. Garage sales, tag sales, moving sales, and yard sales are all pretty much the same. We’ll talk later about Estate Sales.
Two important things;
- The first thing is, if you have two vehicles like maybe a BMW and a Toyota Corolla. Take the Corolla to the garage sales.
- The second thing is, don’t wear your Jimmy Choo pumps, your Marc Jacobs jeans, your Dior Cardigan, your Fendi Tote bag, or your Prada Sunglasses. You get the idea, no expensive designer clothes. Don’t look like you’re trying to keep up with the Kardashians… Even if you have some of that stuff that you bought at the thrift store, don’t wear it. If you do, don’t expect to get any real break on prices at a garage sale.
Setting up for a garage sale is hard work. The seller usually was up late the night before the sale, or he/she got up very early in the morning. A big garage sale takes a few days to prepare for, so the seller is probably going to be tired and maybe a little grumpy. It pays to be nice, and friendly toward the seller. Wait your turn to ask about a price, and try not to ask for a discount when others are close by. Smile when you speak to the seller. If they tell you something costs $20, try to look disappointed or sad, and say something like, “Could you possibly consider selling it for $10, I really can’t afford $20.” There is a good chance they will say yes and you’ll own it for $10. If they say no, and you really want the item, say will you take $12. If the answer is still no, ask “what is the least you can take for it?”
Another important thing: When you see something that you really like, don’t go nuts over it. Don’t act like you can’t live without it. If you do, it will surely affect the price.
If a seller has several things that you like, try putting them all together before you try to negotiate the price. That’s called bundling. Sellers are more apt to give a big discount on a large sale.
It’s not rocket science. Leave your $60,000 car home. Don’t dress like your going shopping at Saks. Be nice to the seller, even be a little humble. If you try these little things, you will surely save yourself some money $$$$$$$$$.
Now about the Estate Sales:
Some estate sales are conducted by surviving family members, and can be negotiated pretty much the same as a garage sale. The Estate Sales that are most difficult are those that are conducted by an Estate Sale Company. The Estate Sale Company usually has a staff of a few people that research things on the Internet, before pricing them. Many times when you try to negotiate a price they will tell you it sells on eBay for that much. Ask them if they looked at completed sales or active listings. Ask them if the price on eBay was in the color red, or green. Prices in green have sold. Prices in red did not sell. Chances are they looked at active listings and the prices they saw were asking prices, not what the item sold for. Let the seller know that you know that selling on eBay is a hassle. It’s not easy, and it’s not cheap. It takes time to take photos, write the description, and write out their return policies. Then there is a listing fee, a picture fee, a final value fee, and then PayPal takes their cut when the buyer pays for the item. Oh yeah, then the item has to be packed and shipped to the buyer. The Estate Sale seller would be better off to give you a 30 or 40 percent discount and be done with it. Eliminate all the handling and save some time. One more thing. Estate sales usually do give a large discount on the last day of the sale. Only problem is, most of the good stuff will probably be gone by then.
Happy hunting!
P. S.
If you like to see some of the things I’ve picked up at Garage Sales, Yard Sales, Tag Sales, Flea Markets, and Thrift Stores stop by my Etsy shop Antiques n’ Oldies https://www.etsy.com/shop/AntiquesNOldies
Bourbon Street Vintage 