posted on April 12, 2004 06:18:54 AM new
It seems more and more going out to sales hearing : " well we looked it up on ebay and thats what its going for " where three years ago you could walk up a driveway and get merchandise for a song and dance, iam seeing print outs from ebay with the crap right on the driveway. Anyone else come across this and will you have to go to 20 sales to get one decent item?
posted on April 12, 2004 06:36:28 AM new
I know what you mean. It's gotten to where here in Tennessee, all the Estate Sale and Garage Sale prices are based on "eBay price".
Most of what we see at the Garage/Yard Sales nowadays is what didn't sell on eBay.
posted on April 12, 2004 06:40:33 AM new
Yes the estate sales are a joke you used to get up early in the am to get in the house early, now whats the sence you can buy the same stuff in a antique store for the same price, and gas prices going up some times the end dosent justify the means
posted on April 12, 2004 06:56:57 AM new
Hi cantwin,
I find this to be true of all collectibles. I have been selling a few postcards that I pick up in my wanderings. I used to be able to go into an antique shop and get postcards for $.50 to a $1.00. Now the dealers have discovered that the cards are averaging $5.00 on Ebay so all the cards are jacked up to $5.00 or more. But here's the flaw in their thinking.
If I am traveling across the country and decide to stop into a shop in podunk South Dakota and I see some cards that I think will sell I am willing to risk a dollar. but I can't take a chance on $5.00 so they sit there. And they will sit there forever. What they don't think about is that on Ebay there is one thing present that is not available to them. Millions of customers every day. Just one well placed search and all the cards a collector collects is at their fingertips. What are the chances that this same person is going to end up in the Podunk shop? Probably none.
If the shops want to move the cards they need to keep the prices low. Most people will not impulse buy a card for $5.00 and even collectors will think twice. On ebay, it's a different market. We card sellers on Ebay become the personal card shopping assistants for the card collectors. Some collectors only buy two or three cards a year and they would have to drive thousands of miles and spend years to find the card we have up on Ebay. They'll gladly pay $5.00.
You used to be able to go to Antique shops and fine the collectible you want, maybe not at a steal, but at a reasonable price. Now it seems more and more that the prices are being governed by the top dollar price they see it go for on Ebay. Which in many cases is the result of a bidding war and is way over inflated.
posted on April 12, 2004 07:01:23 AM new
they sell on ebay-
they take the most promising items and try them on ebay first
they clear on ebay to meet rent
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on April 12, 2004 07:09:05 AM new
If I go up to a garage sale, or into a collectible store, and hear the word "eBay", I leave. I figure if the item is worth anything, the vendor would have sold it on eBay themselves.
posted on April 12, 2004 07:13:38 AM new
Been going on in my area for years.
It's really hard to find a bargin at yard sales for personal use, let alone for resale.
I was going to sales long before ebay or the internet exsisted. I was already at the sales buying for myself, so it seemed logical to buy things for ebay, too.
Yard saling was a great hobby in those days, I really enjoyed it. Now I've actually started to hate going to sales.
There is so much junk and what isn't junk is priced way over ebay prices. I'm finding more and more things at yard sales that are priced higher than I could buy them new in a store.
I also hate the new attitude of many of my fellow buyers. Years ago every one was friendly and relaxed.
Now other buyers are pushy and hostile. They grab every thing in site, go off to a corner and take their sweet time cherry picking and them dump 90% of what they grabbed in heap and leave.
This has gotten so bad that some estate dealers have set up rules that if you take something and hold on to it, or remove the tag off a large item, you have to buy it.
I'm strongly considering getting out of ebay after this year.
cantwin-- "estate sales are a joke you used to get up early in the am to get in the house early, now whats the sence you can buy the same stuff in a antique store for the same price"
That's for sure! Years ago I had to get up and get out the door by 5 AM to be in the first 15 or 20 admitted to a numbered estate sales.
Now I can arrive as little as a half hour before a numbered sale opens and be in the first 20.
The last estate sale I went to only 23 people showed up in time to be issued an entry number! Everyone else just came a little later and walked in the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.
Woody Allen
[ edited by greatlakes on Apr 12, 2004 07:17 AM ]
posted on April 12, 2004 07:19:31 AM new
Hi greatlakes , your words are like a breath of fresh air, eveything you said is what goes on here same crap, also i forgot to mention even the people who are having the sales look down at you like you are low life
scum and they play games before the sale opens
posted on April 12, 2004 08:25:04 AM new
This is a great thread right now. I am planning a yard sale this weekend for stuff that didn't sell on EBay and am pricing it so that those who are shopping for things to sell, will buy it. The ads even say antiques and collectibles as just another hook to snag them in.
I sell alot of very different items as a fundraiser for the local Historical Society. Those items come from the annual yard sale (before the doors open), members who are cleaning out or from deceased members estates. It is so hard to judge, sometimes, what will sell. So these leftovers are going to get another attempt at being sold, on a different venue, then they go to Goodwill. Louise
posted on April 12, 2004 08:47:22 AM new
I'm not seeing that here.
Of course, I don't buy to sell on eBay. I need a steady and copious source of merchandise; garage sale finds are serendipity, not part of a sensible business plan. I buy things for home and office, mostly office.
Two weeks ago: 1930's solid walnut desk formerly used by the homeowner's dad, who was an insurance agent who worked from home. $20.
Lots and lots of interesting books, dirt cheap.
Nobody has even referenced eBay so far this year.
--
posted on April 12, 2004 09:22:03 AM new
I think people have forgotten that the original purpose of a yard sale was to get rid of stuff that was no longer wanted, but still in good condition.
Having a yard sale was easier and cheaper than having stuff hauled away. Someone could use your old stuff, paid you for the privilege of hauling it away, and you made a little mad money in the bargin.
It was a win, win situation for everyone.
Now people look on a yard sale as a money making venture and every unwanted item is now a highly valuable, collectible treasure.
I can't tell you how many 100mhz, 32 Ram computers I see at sales priced at $400, $500 even $600. The people always say, "well I paid over a $1000 for this computer."
They never seem to make the connection that their computer is outdated and a new one can be purchsed for less than their asking price. All they know is what they PAID for it 6 years ago when it was a state of the art machine.
People have all sorts of stories about why their item is so "valuable."
"Aunt Mable gave me that toaster and I could never part with it for less than $40. Sentimental value you know."
"I paid $20 for this moldy shower curtain 5 years ago, now this color is hard to find. I don't think $35 is out of line, I should be asking more."
"I saw a beer can sell on ebay for thousands. My used Bud Lite can is a bargin at $50."
"I looked this up on ebay last night and one "like" it sold for $150."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.
Woody Allen
posted on April 12, 2004 09:36:59 AM new
greatlakes
"I paid $20 for this moldy shower curtain 5 years ago, now this color is hard to find. I don't think $35 is out of line, I should be asking more."
posted on April 12, 2004 10:31:10 AM new
We don't have that problem here...prices usually run by the neighborhood you buy something in. Middle class neighborhoods have good to ok prices ,the low end has great prices and The prices in the high end neighborhoods are off the charts lol....the high end had this neighborhood sell last weekend (like 12-16 house joined in)The same name brand clothes I just bought for a dollar or less in another middle class neighborhood they wanted 10.00-15.00 for.One lady wanted 6.00 a yard for some tapestry material ...I'm thinking well go open a material store then sheesh.Needless to say they had a ton of stuff that didn't sell.
posted on April 12, 2004 11:06:17 AM new
Hello All,
Its getting harder and harder for the part time hobby sellers to find anything to sell at auctions, garage sales, estate sales, etc. Ebay has set a nation wide price structure. Worst yet is the road show and antique book prices. I got a call today from a gal having a garage sale, she is calling all the dealers in the phone book to promote her sale. I asked if she had fixed prices marked on her items. She said she had priced everything about 1/2 of the antique book prices and that I should be able to make a lot of money. I wished her good luck with her sale.
1. "Going for $___ on Ebay" usually means *starting* at that price, and how many actually sell???
2. Here is a letter I sent to our local paper a year ago. There's a whole paragraph, a little ways down in the letter, just on the Ebay thing. I did get it out of my system!
Here's my letter:
Our yard-sale season is in full force. May I offer a few suggestions to sellers from a yard-sale devotee?
* Get up early enough the morning of your sale to put all your merchandise out in time.
* No matter when you list a starting time, most buyers consider that you are OPEN once you’ve posted signs on street corners and in your neighborhood. Please don’t be surprised if we show up earlier than you’d specified in a newspaper ad. Some of us won’t have seen your ad, and most street signs don’t indicate starting times.
* If you don’t want buyers to arrive early, specify “no early birds” in your ad.
* And, if your ad reads “no early birds,” mean it! There’s nothing more frustrating than to arrive obediently at the stated time only to hear that several early birds have skimmed off the good stuff. This goes for the dealers who come the night before with the convenient excuse that they won’t be in town the next day. Put some steel in your spine! All we ask is a level playing field.
* “Book value” doesn’t mean diddly at a yard sale.
* Ditto for “you can sell this on Ebay for $200" or “this is going on Ebay for $200.” If that’s true, go ahead and SELL IT yourself, then! Go through all 13 steps to launching one simple auction, including using a digital camera, editing photos, researching categories, deciding shipping method and starting price, writing and uploading the auction, answering buyers’ questions, notifying successful bidders and sometimes begging for payment, shipping the item, paying Ebay’s seller fees. If YOU don’t want to do this, recognize that you are wholesaling, not retailing, to internet sellers.
* If you’re selling books with dust jackets, do NOT place price stickers on the jackets! This can ruin the value of an otherwise fine book.
* If you’re postponing or cancelling your sale at the last moment, put a sign to that effect by the roadside where it can be clearly seen from an automobile. Don’t make potential buyers park and trek to your door to read a small sign.
* When your sale is over, remove your signs from street corners and neighborhoods. Besides unsightly littering, you’re also misleading buyers in future weeks.
posted on April 12, 2004 11:33:20 AM new
Last 5 or so estate sales I've been to I haven't bought a thing. As said they want ebay prices. Two consignment/thrift stores in my area even mark their prices by ebay. There are two thrift stores that have decent prices but the pickins are slim. Garage sales are a joke. Used to be most things were marked .25 to $1 but now they charge $3 for a tiny little brooch or pair of earrings etc.
I think people will wise up soon about the prices when nothing sales at estate, garage or thrift stores. If they realized that most of the buyers sell on ebay they can't buy it for that price and make a profit. They will have to realize what is going on when their sales drop off to a drip. The last estate sales I've been to I see most people leaving empty handed so they have to figure it out you would think.
I'm getting into new merchandise now instead of collectables.....too frustrating!
One guy I do consignments for though seems to find things and he know what he's doing because he has a 98% sell through with multiple bids. He has me start most of his auctions at $9.95 and they end close to $100 or over. He has connections and a real nose to find his items. He finds collectable cowboy boots for $10 and they sell for $150 and other great items with the same outcome. I'm trying to learn all I can from him.
posted on April 12, 2004 11:41:07 AM new
based on the above comments it seems clear to me that this is widespread and will only continue to be a down trend in garage sales ,
and estate, here in new jersey as little as a few years ago we used to pick up saxophones and other nice musical instruments, now if you see them in a sale you can say for sure when you read the sticker shock amount that it was priced off the net,
posted on April 12, 2004 11:55:38 AM new
With all due respect, Adele, why should any householder pay attention to your admonitions?
Your letter is a bit like the fox telling the hens in what order he'd like to eat them, so ladies, line up please. The tenderest and juiciest right up front here. Thank you.
The householder has nothing to gain from making their garage sale easy for you. You're not offering more money than the next scrounger. In fact, your interests are inimical to the householder's. She wants to make money and get rid of a lot of stuff, you want to spend as little as possible and take only the gems.
If you want to scoop the other scroungers, make it easy for the owner. Run ads promoting garage cleanouts. "Call us, we'll take it all and pay cash." Anyone who's had a garage sale knows how much backbreaking work it is for a relatively small amount of money. Save 'em the effort.
posted on April 12, 2004 12:17:06 PM new
I haven't posted the Fluffy Rules for Garage Sales in a while, so here goes.
When I have a sale, I have someone put the signs out at the last minute. Sometimes I advertise in the local rag, but I never include a street address, just the line "....follow the signs from Foo St and Bar Ave".
That takes care of early birds.
My sales are open to my neighbors just as soon as I start setting up. Anyone else has to wait until the official open, which is 9 am. The sale is gated to enforce this.
The action is over promptly at noon, whether or not people are still coming. I have a life, and it doesn't include standing in my driveway all day Saturday fending off 5 cent offers from the latest batch of Tongans. How they get a dozen in one car is still a mystery.
I don't put out junk. You will not find empty margarine tubs, National Geographics, broken slide projectors, or anything I got for free from my HMO at my sales. You will find collectible china, old glassware, interesting vintage fabrics and laces, fun surprises like jars of old beads, jewelry new and old, that sort of thing. Just ask Paloma. I may drag down my collection of old picnic baskets from the attic for the next sale. Two dozen is probably too many to be hoarding.
I know the old-time scroungers and what they're after and I don't let them do nasty things like crouch in a corner with all the jewelry so they can go through it slowly a piece at a time. Fair's fair.
I price everything real low, so I don't haggle. I don't do clothing. I don't do kid's stuff. And I don't put out everything at once. What's worse, I tell people that there's more coming out, stop back in a half hour. I love the look of consternation ( "should I stick around or go?" ) that ensues.
--
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Apr 12, 2004 12:18 PM ]
posted on April 12, 2004 12:26:15 PM new
Hi Fluffy
My sales are open to my neighbors just as soon as I start setting up. Anyone else has to wait until the official open, which is 9 am. The sale is gated to enforce this.
let me ask you if your goal is to sell your stuff and i come to your sale at 8:30 am and i have a pocket full of money which iam dying to spend, why would you send me down the road because you want to open at 9:00 any other retail business buying a new car or furniture they will bend over backwards to keep you at your sale ? this is the only business i know where the customer gets treated like crap
posted on April 12, 2004 01:19:12 PM new
Well maybe iam wrong here but , the main goal
in a garage sale is to sell your stuff and me personally i dont care who buys it as long at the end of the day its out of here,so why are people so fussy who they sell there stuff to? with there rules and regulations for there sale its worse than motor vehicle
posted on April 12, 2004 01:48:56 PM new
cantwin and all others:
What you just don't get is this:
It's a seller's market.
Literally.
You can write cutesy letters to the editor, you can come on here and whine about how people "think" their stuff is actually worth something now, but it all boils down to one thing:
You want to buy something good -- for cheap -- from someone who doesn't know what it's worth.
I just think it would be lovely if y'all could be honest about it.
posted on April 12, 2004 01:50:55 PM new
Come to my sales. Most everything is priced at a quarter. Nothing over $2.00. I want to get rid of not keep or donate. There is clothes and baby items as my daughter is in on it to, as it is at her house. I sell any time. I open early, sell when setting up. When I have a garage sale I plan nothing else on that weekend because after the sale whatever is left has to be packed and go somewhere.
Speaking of postcards. There was a estate sale 2 weekends ago. Prices were from 25 cents to $2.00 and the $2.00 priced cards were really great and money could be made off of them. They were all postally used from 1900 - 1913. All in prestine condition. I can't imagine postcards in such great condition that went through the mail. This would not happen now.
I haven't been to any yet as the weather hasn't been good. I can't comment on the prices until I go.
posted on April 12, 2004 01:57:24 PM newlet me ask you if your goal is to sell your stuff and i come to your sale at 8:30 am and i have a pocket full of money which iam dying to spend
You'd be turned away.
Look, everyone has money...some, at least. And where I live, many people have quite a lot. That doesn't make you special. You have already demonstrated (by showing up at 8:30 when the signs say 9:00) that you don't respect me or the terms of my sale, so why would I want to sell to you?
Sure as Ghod made little green apples, you'll want to argue every price with me.
posted on April 12, 2004 02:10:39 PM new
Fluffy, your garage sales sound like fun. Too bad you live on one end of the country and I on the other. I like your rules.
The same can be said for flea markets. We are coming on the flea market season here in Ohio and from experience, I know that most sellers will be over-priced. I usually wait until Sunday when everything is priced extremely low. Last year I was admiring some cups and saucers an elderly woman had out because my daughter collects them. She wanted $35 per set. I asked her if she was kidding and, of course, I got the eBay remark. There is also another seller who had some Galle. Like I carry $500 with me to the flea market. Not surprisingly, the stuff did not sell. I should tell you that this flea market is in a lower income bracket neighborhood.
The only resale type shop I go to is St Vincent's. They are priced reasonably and their store is always clean. I think about 25% of my wardrobe has come from their store.
Needless to say, I don't do garage sales anymore. If it weren't for the fact that I can still get laundry detergent and cleaning products cheaply at the flea market, I wouldn't be going there anymore either.
posted on April 12, 2004 02:18:28 PM new
Fluffy you need to loosen up i feel alot of anger coming from you, you know in the towns around here the town concil members who run the town think they are greater than god , basically its a power trip for them and i think it crosses over in to garage sales as well a power trip!
I was with Texaco for 13 years i was the number #1 Reatailer In the country in 1984
and one thing i learned is to treat each person with respect as a potential
customer,
Now when i walk up a driveway and get a attitude i will spend my money elseware i dont need to be talked down to when iam going to buy your unwanted junk
posted on April 12, 2004 02:33:49 PM newi feel alot of anger coming from you
Then you are reading anger into it. I'm not angry at anyone. I simply refuse to let someone else dictate to me how and when I must sell. That's all.
Took me years to work up the backbone -- I was raised to be "nice" -- but it has served me well on eBay.
Look, guys, you have correctly perceived that the scrounging game is changing and that you can no longer play it the way you once did. Okay. Time for new strategies. Adapt or die.
