leftmay98
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posted on August 15, 2003 10:12:18 AM new
this will always be a cutthroat biz and will never change..now to the antique dealers..how do some even pay their taxes or their bills? Looks like their stuff has been sitting there for 10 years or more collecting dust. And also have those clever signs like "you break it, you pay", gotta love those and the camera is watching you, etc. Just doesnt make sense to me..how do they make any money?
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 15, 2003 10:20:39 AM new
Look, folks.
You can't control what other people do. Some folks will use means fair and foul to get to the good buys before you, and some other folks will allow them to.
If it bothers you to the point of damaging your hobby or business, you need to get another hobby or business.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 15, 2003 10:23:43 AM new
Just doesnt make sense to me..how do they make any money?
Three words: cheap long-term lease.
We had one of those stuff-sitting-for-10-years antique dealers in our town. He didn't care if anything sold or not, as long as he had enough cash to pay the rent. Finally the lease ran out and he had to close down.
I think some antiquers get that way over time. They can't admit to themselves that they made buying mistakes, so they hold onto the junk until it disintegrates or they do, whichever comes first.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
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kiara
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posted on August 15, 2003 10:41:31 AM new
And other dealers have lots of customers they really need, just waiting on the sidelines while the dust gathers around them.
When they get an item in they know exactly who to call and who will pay the price and who will appreciate it.
Then they don't have to go through all the hassle of displaying it, fearing it may get broken or having to haggle an already good price way down to nothing.
I am a dealer and I have a pretty good reputation. I seldom go to yard sales. I don't rip people off.
And each and every person that buys just so they can resell, is also a dealer whether they want to believe it or not. Maybe they don't need a license or a big building with lots of overhead like some of us do, that's about the only real difference I see.
Good. Bad. They are all out there.
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stopwhining
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posted on August 15, 2003 12:34:41 PM new
ebay has leveled the playing fields.
similar items can be found on ebay for less,instead of paying sales tax,you pay shipping.
of course you dont have the pleasure of feeling,touching and close examination of the item.
but the price discrepancy is large enough for many of us to take the risk of buying in cyberspace.
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 15, 2003 12:43:05 PM new
When they get an item in they know exactly who to call and who will pay the price and who will appreciate it.
Yeah, my former flea-market partner was one of those dealers with a rolodex full of names and phone numbers. He was a real salesman, loved to do the spiel and all that. Since he was a female-identified gay, he seemed to know what women wanted almost before they did.
Me, I'm an unrepentant curmudgeon. Definitely not a people person. Holding 'em at arms length on eBay is just fine by me.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
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neroter12
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posted on August 15, 2003 03:06:11 PM new
It usually depends on what you are a buyer of too! I like the estate sales because most on the 2nd day go half price. Granted there wont be any McCoy or signed jewelry left, but I always manage to find a few things I think are worthwhile.
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NearTheSea
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posted on August 15, 2003 03:55:49 PM new
Well the biggest complaint? I have with the garage/yard/patio/estate sales are the ones where you are just driving, and there is a sign, with arrow, you turn, you follow the arrows, there is no garage sale, it was last weekend, people TAKE DOWN YOUR SIGNS, they are really bad around here, they are tacked up and down the on the busy corner lightpost, seems no one wants to go back and take them down when there sale is over.
I had one garage sale, 2 days, each night would go out and take the signs down, then next morning go put them back out... but never left them up.
There should be a law!  wait! I think there is.....
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
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annekila
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posted on August 15, 2003 05:33:12 PM new
Because we bought a smaller home in the country, I had two major house sales...both within 3 weeks of each other...just to get rid of 25 years of accumulation. At the first sale, I had many dealers show up at my door the day before the sale. I reluctantly let them in. When I had my next sale, I put in the ad..."A $10 fee will be charged to earlybirds." No one showed up early...
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ahc3
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posted on August 15, 2003 07:34:14 PM new
I don't understand the aversion to early birds from a seller's point of view. I want as many customers as I can get. While I've never showed up the day before the sale, I wouldn't send them away if people showed up (nobody ever has for any sale I have run) - Yes, they are most likely dealers, but if they want to buy at my price, then fine. I don't understand when people get annoyed if they find out you are selling on ebay. If I am paying your asking price, what should you care what I do with the item? If you are afraid dealers will hammer you down, don't let them! I was recently helping my wife's family at an estate sale for her grandmother (she was a pack rat with LOTS of older stuff, really neat stuff too!) - Someone tried to hammer me down on an item, then walked around for a minute or two, then went to my wife to try. I raised the price on her. Nobody forces you to sell lower!
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kiara
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:10:39 PM new
The whole irony of this thread is that the person who started it is in actuality, also a dealer. He is buying so he can resell on ebay. He is venting because some other person who is most likely also selling on ebay or in his shop is maybe getting the goodies before he is.
Please get past the mentality that all those items on garage sales are just for you to pick from first. Believe me, there is hardly any possible way that you can be first to each and every sale. And if you run to enough you will score some good things.
ahc3 makes a good point. What do you care what the person does with the item he buys? If he can get to it faster and market it better than you can, that's just the way it goes. He may not be too polite but I've seen little old ladies and fellow ebayers acting even ruder at those same sales.
In fact, when I do run to garage sales on occasion I go with a buddy and him and I come down the driveway singing this song real low.......... "Here come the dealers........ here come the dealers" ........ and usually we are the most polite people at the sale. We are usually late also.
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Roadsmith
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:11:02 PM new
Nearthesea--I agree with you on the clutter on poles from old signs. Sometimes you can tell if it's an old sign by the rain damage or fading, but many times you can't.
The last city we lived in, where I was a city councilmember, would not enact a littering ordinance for that particular problem. Said it'd be too hard to find who did it. WELL! I said. The address and/or phone number are ALWAYS ON THE SIGNS! (Then a Nazi guy defeated me after 6 years in office, and all bets were off.)
I cannot imagine an easier crime to pinpoint whodunit!
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AuctionAce
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:13:07 PM new
Maybe there's a parallel between getting to a garage sale early and getting to the flea market early.
If you are part of the first wave of buyers at the flea market it is possible to get some great deals that probably will be gone later in the day.
The drawback is that many of the newbie sellers are full of optimism and want high or unrealistic prices. As the day wears on and the sales are few they come to realize that they may have to take most of their stuff back home and the become more reasonable in their pricing and bargaining.
Near the end of the day some newbie sellers dip into a 'desperation mode' where it all goes dirt cheap or free. That same type of thing must happen at garage sales too.
-------------- sig file ----------- He who angers you controls you
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kiara
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:25:54 PM new
micmic66, I am being kind when I say this but maybe you truly need a reality check. 
This is you, only a couple of weeks ago. WoW! Like I should be this lucky? LOL !!
http://www.vendio.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&id=521923&thread=521621
You wrote this:
It all started Friday morning with an antique Marx Train set and a vintage HUGE greenleaf dollhouse kit right out of an elderly couples driveway at 7am. Stayed hot today with some wonderful vintage motorcycle helmets and several very valueable old board games among many other things. Tommorow morning I hope to ice the weekend while I do a careful and calculated run/walk through my favoriate flea market where I have made 100's of dollars a week. I think I just had my first $1000 weekend if all goes right. I don't think I have spent $75 yet. Lets here those treasure hunting stories!
[ edited by kiara on Aug 15, 2003 08:29 PM ]
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trai
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:40:54 PM new
LOL....
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CBlev65252
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posted on August 15, 2003 08:51:03 PM new
I'm fortunate in that the flea market I attend isn't dealer packed. I try to get there by 8:00 a.m. and still find some great bargains. There are still sellers setting up at that time. I have been finding that jewelry (even junk) is rather high-priced. Thanks, Antiques Road Show and all the other shows that have made everyone an "expert".
Cheryl
Power to the people. Power to the people, right on. - John Lennon
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micmic66
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posted on August 16, 2003 12:45:13 AM new
kiara, this isn't the first time you have "called me" Well I guess the sonsofbitches can't ruin every weekend!!
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kiara
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posted on August 16, 2003 01:18:14 AM new
Go get 'em. Up early and fly at it! Come back and brag because we really do love to hear about your scores.
Best of luck to you! You have attitude and that has to count. LOL
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micmic66
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posted on August 16, 2003 02:20:55 AM new
kiara
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do wear my emotions on my sleeve....as you can probably tell by now. Oh, I will never quit. Why else would I be up at these foolish hours looking through the posts. I am on my way to a NOT SO CLOSE city wide sale....lol....I will let ya know how I did later!
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Libra63
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posted on August 16, 2003 09:47:35 AM new
I guess we have to be patient but persistant. About a month ago I went to a garage sale and asked if there was any jewelry. He said yes but he won't have it out until next week. Well he had some nice things so I bought some. Next week same story but he still put out new items and I bought a couple. The next week the same. Well I will give him one more week and today was the day. I got to the sale he said come back in an hour I did and good thing I was the only one their when he put his jewelry out as there was some fantastic buys. It pays to wait. Very nice gentleman and I even gave him extra for his trouble.
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kiara
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posted on August 16, 2003 05:02:21 PM new
micmic66, how did it go today? A few years back I was just like you, getting up very early and heading 80 miles or so down the road to garage sales and I had lots of DEALER rants.... I still do. But I had a lot of fun too.
I did learn at times that "dealer" had eyes glazed over with so much greed he missed some good buys right in front of him. Or while he was wasting time dickering on a dollar item, I was heading out the driveway to beat him to the next sale.
In that mad mob of people sometimes a tiny polite voice in the ear of the homeowner really does stand out. If I have junque jewelry in my hand that adds up to $2.50 I give them $5.00 and leave my card and tell them I will pay lots for some pieces and to also let their friends know that I buy.
Like Libra said, patience and perseverance can bring the treasures. Try to be the polite one in the crowd, because you may stand out. Once again, good luck.
Oh ya, keep the attitude! Luv it! LOL 
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micmic66
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posted on August 16, 2003 06:28:40 PM new
kiara
It could have gone better. I think I will stay in my home range for the rest of the season....The old alarm is still set though, the Sunday morning flea market has bailed me out of more than one stale Saturday. I think it's time to whip a few bucks out of the Paypal account and head to the beach befor fall sets in. Maybe I can find a few good garage sales in Ocean City MD....LOL....just kidding!
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dodobird
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posted on August 16, 2003 07:01:40 PM new
THIS IS A VERY BORING THREAD!!!!!!!!!!
all the talks about garage sales,i am allergic to mildew and fungus and yeast spores.
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kiara
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posted on August 16, 2003 07:11:44 PM new
lol dodobird, stopwhining.
I love the "garage sale finds" topics here. I like to see the treasures that micmic66, Toasted, Libra, Cheryl and Roadsmith and all the others find.
While they are running to the sales I am usually "the dealer" down in my shop sliding trays of jewels out of the safe, getting my showcases ready for when I open the store a few hours later. During the summer I work Sundays also.
I used to love running to the garage sales and flea markets and I miss them now.
HEY! I have an ocean and lakes and beaches all around me but no time to even get to them.
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wrightsracing
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posted on August 16, 2003 08:47:55 PM new
While I like to go to the yard sales, love them. I just may quit for awhile, as I went to my 1st auction today. Yes I said 1st LOL. Don't laugh, I'm just starting out, and have alot to learn.
I love the auctions tho. I was there ALL day. Had a great time, and best of all, I got some great buys.$5.00 for big boxes of assorted glassware.Vintage linen's, some great Xmas pillows and decorations.I am doing the happy dance.I will be busy tomarrow unpacking it all.
Thanks to everyone on this board for all of your help and great idea's.
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Salgal48
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posted on August 16, 2003 09:14:40 PM new
It's dangerous for the homeowner. Why would they open their door to a stranger looking for a garage sale. I wouldn't.
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cantwin
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posted on August 17, 2003 04:00:21 PM new
Dealers are nothing but scum sucking low life liars back stabbing dirt bags out here in New jersey, i would like to round em all up and drop them in the pit with lawyers and realtors..............
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micmic66
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posted on August 17, 2003 04:02:12 PM new
cantwin!!! LOL!!! Yeah BAAAABBBBYYY!!
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kiara
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posted on August 17, 2003 04:11:56 PM new
I'm so glad I live out West. 
[ edited by kiara on Aug 17, 2003 04:15 PM ]
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cantwin
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posted on August 17, 2003 04:21:15 PM new
Those same dealers out here after they rip off the homeowner then bring there goods to there shops, and when you go to buy something there and ask for a break on the price they look at you like your from venus!
scum sucking low life liar dirt bags
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