Thrift Competition

[valleythriftshopper]

I have a feeling valleythrift, at least in my area with the economy that yardsales, TS etc are gonna get WAY more competitive, like you,  I noticed this year that yard sales were getting brutal. I have a couple I call my arch nemesis, they are ebay sellers....and try to get ppl to mark down prices at the MOMENT the ys starts...makes me so mad, and I usually tell the ppl..hey dont do it...your here to make some duckies! We will just have to perservere!! All in the name of thrift!!!!

There are always jerks at the tag sales here that try to get something for nothing.  Luckily most of the tag sales I attended last year did not let in early birds.  In fact many people did not even start putting stuff out until the scheduled start time.  When the sales do start though, you have to rush in & look around really quickly to find the good stuff before it is snapped up.

[Big Daddy Audio]

It's not quite the same, but there is a guy who is almost always at senior day at one of my local Goodwills who drives me nuts.  He walks all over the store and comments on what people have in the carts.  I will no longer go to that store if it's senior day (I used to go there even though I'm no where near the senior age of 50 because they give the discount to everyone).

A few months ago, I picked up a really high end electrician's ladder at this store.  It was $32 after coupon, but worth it as it was barely used (if used at all) and this type of ladder generally retails for $200 or more.  This guy told me I was crazy if I bought it because any "idiot" would know that you could buy the same ladder at Home Depot for $25.  He basically called me an idiot right to my face.  I don't know if he's trying to scare people off from buying things so he can buy them, or what.  It's definitely annoying.  I know the employees at the store hate him, too, as he argues about the price of everything. 

2 things - first - the old guy sounds like he's incredibly lonely, but this is no excuse for the play-by-play with what is in people's carts, and CERTAINLY no excuse for the name calling.  But he is badly ill-informed - I don't know how tall a ladder you were talking about, but pretty much any high quality ladder 4' or taller will be more than $25.00 at Home Depot.

second - ladders are expensive when they are new, and might be donated because there's something inherently wrong (bent step, stress crack in the fiberglass, loose fasteners, etc.) so be wary when you look at used ladders.  You said that it looked like it wasn't used much, so you're probably safe there - I just wanted to put it out there about buying a ladder at a thrift.  I've done it, and I knew what I was looking at, but want to make everyone aware about the potential dangers.  20' in the air isn't where you want to be when you learn about a problem with the ladder you're standing on....   

SYNT
BFN

[nancydr2]

I hear you on ladder safety.  I'm actually the OSHA person at work so I'm well aware of ladder safety issues and you make a good point.  The ladder I got was in outstanding shape and solid as a rock.

I've been wondering how to get rid of my old ladder as it most definitely is not worthy of donation.  I wish Mesa had free uncontained trash pick up, but even then, I'd be afraid someone would take it.  I could bust it down for the trash barrel, but I'll probaby just let it rot in the corner of my garage until I die and my heirs have to deal with it.

[Punk Glam Queen]

Since I do sell on ebay (poor college student) I have to worry about a lot of competition at my thrift stores. You learn real quick who else is an ebayer, dealer, scrapper, or not just a normal "shopper." Do any of you have the same problem of other competition to get the best stuff at your thrift stores? I know some pretty nasty cutthroat dealers out there and have seen them get to some amazing stuff makes me 

The vintage/ antique biz has always been cutthroat and the only difference I see today as opposed to maybe 15-20 years ago is that with eBay everyone -- from dealers to average shoppers -- thinks they're going to unearth the deal of the century that will make them big bucks. I used to have a flea market biz as well as a brick and mortar vintage/ antique clothing shop, so I've been in both the position of dealer and average shopper. I can guarantee that we've all made other people feel the same way as you do about missing out on finding amazing things! Its the serendipitous nature of thrifting that makes us think "if only..."

There aren't as many dealers in the thrift shops around here as the thrift shops have gotten so outrageously expensive that you can often do better in antique stores (yes, I'm talking about the good old neighborhood SA or GW. Crazy.) I ran across a lot more dealers back in the 80's and 90's, now I run across book dealers more than any other type. We seem to run across the same book dealers over and over, and they are pretty obnoxious. They are loud, will take over entire areas so that you can't get in there for a look, and take their sweet time scanning and checking on prices. Our local library had to institute a special "members" only evening the night before the book sale starts to try and combat the problem with the book dealers, as they got so many complaints (and got tired of dealing with it themselves.) On the last day of the sale, they have a bag sale and tell dealers if they want a break to come then. The vintage/ antique dealers may come through and clean out a place, but at least its fast and they're out of there, leaving you in peace to shop! Regardless of what type of dealer is around, I always manage to find a treasure they overlooked -- if I focused on what I missed it would be entirely too frustrating! The competition between dealers and shoppers has made me choose to educate myself more in the areas I'm interested in, thus making the process of finding things easier as well as lessening the prospect of making an ill-informed purchase. I do on occasion, find a dealer in a thrift store or at a rummage sale, but at this point they are just as annoying as the average shopper who stalks you hoping to swipe something out of your basket or that you'll put something back. (I had one dealer and three shoppers stalk me just this past Saturday!) When I was in the biz, I never did any of those things (I much prefer to rely on my own skills), and even went so far as to give people things if they were going crazy over something I had picked up and intended to sell. Not only did I have a stellar reputation as a biz owner, but it made me feel good to see the smile on someone's face when they realized they could have what they'd been lusting over! (People have done it for me, so I like to do the same when I can.)

[mccoysnina]

Last week was the first time I have ever had someting taken at a thrift shop.   I was walking around and found a bag of pretty feathers, marked a dollar but half off.  The really pretty kind used for decorating hats.  I put it in my cart and continued to shop.  I turned my back to look at a dish and when I turned around, the bag was gone.  I thought at first perhaps an employee might have put it bag on the self thinking it was abandoned but no where to be seen.  I walked around looking for it but saw it nowhere.  Not on any shelf or in anyone's cart, no where.  I couldn't imagine doing that over a real find, let alone a .50 cent bag of feathers.  Never happened before.  A strange feeling.
Jeannie

[Firekinghunt]

Ok the .50 cent feathers thing does sound really weird. Just the other day I was in a SA and this old guy kept following me around. I had found....? I don't remember but I think he wanted it or something. So flash forward I am waiting in the like 10 people deep line to check out and he RAMS not bumps, but RAMS into me on his way out the door. I was almost knocked over! And he was maybe late 50s? I was like HOLY CRAP! That was first time I ever really pissed off another dealer or whoever he was and for somebody as old as him to act like that? I mean Im 22 and have more social graces then to act like that!

[valleythriftshopper]

I've been wondering how to get rid of my old ladder as it most definitely is not worthy of donation.  I wish Mesa had free uncontained trash pick up, but even then, I'd be afraid someone would take it.  I could bust it down for the trash barrel, but I'll probaby just let it rot in the corner of my garage until I die and my heirs have to deal with it.

I am assuming this is a wood ladder, old wood step ladders are can be quite nice as decorative elements.  You can use them as shelving units, or mount a piece of the ladder to a wall to use as a towel rack.  I have a Salvage style decorating book that has a picture of a repurposed ladder rack & it is really cute. 

[Big Daddy Audio]

I've been wondering how to get rid of my old ladder as it most definitely is not worthy of donation.  I wish Mesa had free uncontained trash pick up, but even then, I'd be afraid someone would take it.  I could bust it down for the trash barrel, but I'll probaby just let it rot in the corner of my garage until I die and my heirs have to deal with it.

I am assuming this is a wood ladder, old wood step ladders are can be quite nice as decorative elements.  You can use them as shelving units, or mount a piece of the ladder to a wall to use as a towel rack.  I have a Salvage style decorating book that has a picture of a repurposed ladder rack & it is really cute. 

...or firewood....

SYNT
BFN

[nancydr2]

The decorative element is a good idea.  I need to noodle that for awhile.  It is a wooden ladder and a bit on the wobbly side. 

[valleythriftshopper]

Here's a pic of the ladder rack.  Also a ladder looks cute set up to dispaly plants, books, vases etc.  I could not pull it off because my cat would be trying to climb it all the time & knock everything off.

[nancydr2]

Cool!  I have to think about this.  I have tons of old, embroidered linens and have always wanted a way to display them.  You are right, however, that having a cat presents a problem!

[oceangurl]

That really is cool using the  ladder in the bathroom, never thought of that, I did however see in a magazine once using a ladder to hang magazines on, that seemed pretty neat but my 4 cats would have a hayday, and I also have a huge willow basket for my magazines!

[foutchie]

maybe my cats are getting old (5 years old now) or maybe they're just mellow, but they've never bothered my quilts hanging on an old wooden ladder by the fireplace.........course, maybe they just rather pounce at the birds they see outside the window......

[Magpie18]

an old wooden ladder might make a nice outdoor trellis for climbing plants... maybe morning glory vines or old rambling roses...

[FleaQueen]

I can't bear to look in somebody else's cart -- I've had my heart broken too many times.  That said, I've noticed now and then someone else -- almost always a dealer -- looking with disappointment at what's in MY cart.

I especially remember once in Village Thrift in Pennsauken, I found barkcloth drapes with a cowboy print.  A woman I used to see there regularly -- probably a dealer -- well, when she saw what she'd missed, her mouth literally dropped open!