Garage sales (called, in various areas, rummage sales, tag sales, or yard sales) are as much a sign of spring as melting snow and green leaves as people do their spring cleaning and sell off unwanted or surplus items.
The sales last well into the fall, making them a pleasant summer pass-time for folks cruising for a bargain.
Plan Ahead for Yard Sale Shopping
- Find the sales – check the local paper, which usually has a garage sale section, with a map. Many municipalities ban yard-sale signs but offer community bulletin board where sale notices are posted
- Plot any bulletin board sales onto the newspaper map (many sales are not advertised in the papers)
- Take note of those sales which offer items (Furniture? Baby toys? Clothing? Collectables?) in which you are most interested
- Throw a couple of boxes or shopping bags into the trunk (sellers do not always provide bags)
- Stock up on small bills and coins if you plan to buy small items.
- Note those sales that start on Friday evening. There is a common feeling that "If you don't get there on Friday, you'll miss the best stuff."
- Map the best route – and decide the most efficient way to travel to the ones of greatest interest. While en route, watch for other unadvertised sales.
Garage Sale Etiquette
For many people a yard sale is a chance to chat with neighbors and socializing a bit.
- Observe the start time. It's just courtesy. If you arrive early, wait quietly until the posted time and don't bother the seller.
- When you arrive at a sale, give a cheerful greeting and if the sale's not too busy, take a few minutes to make small talk.. At one sale, a buyer mentioned her new grand-daughter. "Oh, you might like these," replied the sale host. "We were saving them to put out tomorrow." "These" turned out to be new teddy bears priced at $2 each, a bargain that would have been missed if not for a few minutes conversation.
- Part of the fun of a garage sale is bargaining over the price. In some areas, though, haggling over low-priced items is considered discourteous. And there are ways of haggling that are boorish and rude; see below for some haggling tips.
- It's considered insulting to call the items for sale "garbage" or "junk". Even if it is.
Buying Tips for Garage Sales
- The older the neighborhood, the better the sales (people renovate or move up more often).
- New neighborhoods are the best source of good-quality baby goods (but not a good place for furniture)
- A particularly attractive item should be either picked up and carried, or given to the seller to put aside. Otherwise it may be snapped up by another shopper.
- Carefully examine prospective purchases for damage, cracks, missing pieces, stains etc. Electrical items should be plugged in and tested. If the item is reparable, point out the flaws and offer a fraction of the asking price.
- Garage sales are often a source of good gifts, so keep upcoming birthdays, holidays or other special occasions in mind while browsing.
- Out-of-season items, such as Christmas ornaments and decorations, are usually a bargain at yard sales.
- Occasionally, a seller may be offering something at a low price that is worth purchasing for resale on eBay or at another sale. Some people make a living at this.
How to Haggle at a Garage Sale
Some sellers overvalue their possessions, price accordingly (barely below retail), and won't budge. Another common ploy is to label older items as "vintage" or "antique" or "collectible" and raise the price. For folks like this, try suggesting, "Your prices are pretty high compared to other sales in the area. Is there room to move on these?" If they say no, simply head to the next sale.
On the buying side, be courteous. Offer a lower price but do not demand one. Accept a refused offer with good grace. Work with the seller towards a compromise - seller wants to get rid of this stuff, buyer is willing to take it off their hands for the right price. Have fun with the process.
- If you find an item of interest, but it seems too expensive, ask for their "best price." "I'm interested in this, but not at the marked price. What will you take for it?" Or make an offer. "If you'll take $50 for it, I'll buy it."
- Offer to combine two or more items for one price. For two items that come to $14, offer a $10 bill, "Will you take this for the two items?"
- Another method, favored by John Fischer of Philadelphia, is to "examine the item - lift it, turn it - make sure the seller sees that you're interested. Walk away. In a couple of minutes, go back and do the same thing again. Often the seller will come and offer to sell it to you for a lower price."
- It is usually acceptable to ask that an item worth less than $2 be "thrown in" with several other purchased items. The amount of the "throw in" will go up if the overall value of the purchase is higher.
- Some sellers mark items as "open to offer" or will price it "OBO" (Or Best Offer). Offers are generally higher than what the seller would have asked. For the best price, open with a low offer.
- Consider using a "dutch auction" approach. Leave a card containing contact information and offer and ask the seller to call if the item is still available at the end of the sale.
Yard sales, tag sales, rummage sales, garage sales – by whatever name, they're popular with bargain hunters. Careful planning, courtesy, careful buying, and judicious haggling can all add to the fun of shopping at them.
 |
 |
