What the heck?

[superiorgirl]

Sailing last weekend, as my niece calls going to garage sales, I ran across several folks that had a note attached to an item with the jist of it being "I googled this and it's worth $45, my price $35" - this being on a  well used cook book. I've also run into things marked like this with a notation that the item was priced at such and such in an antique shop.

My instant reaction is, so, sell it on google, or open an antique shop then! I think even if I was strongly desirous of the item I would put it down and walk away. How do you feel about this?
 

[SeSo_Says_So]

This has been happening to us here since the late 90s. But I will tell you that over the past few months, more and more thrifts have marked up their prices and have become more internet savvy about "collectibles" and things.  And yes, your answer is standard.

I believe JaytotheRescue could tell you many stories of his experiences as a seller, when people say things to him such as "O, this is going for this price on eBay or online" or, the opposite side of what you are experiencing as a buyer.

The best way to show comtempt for those high prices is not to buy the item. Let somebody else get stuck with it. Save your $$$ do your research, and buy low, sell high.

We've had many dialogues here over the past year talking about the glut of ebayers out there now. The market is glutted. Unless you are getting something that is unique and you know has resale value because of it's condition/demand/rarity, a lot of stuff in thrifts just isn't resalable any more.

Discernment is the key. Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

[Jay2TheRescue]

This has been happening to us here since the late 90s. But I will tell you that over the past few months, more and more thrifts have marked up their prices and have become more internet savvy about "collectibles" and things.  And yes, your answer is standard.

I believe JaytotheRescue could tell you many stories of his experiences as a seller, when people say things to him such as "O, this is going for this price on eBay or online" or, the opposite side of what you are experiencing as a buyer.

The best way to show comtempt for those high prices is not to buy the item. Let somebody else get stuck with it. Save your $$$ do your research, and buy low, sell high.

We've had many dialogues here over the past year talking about the glut of ebayers out there now. The market is glutted. Unless you are getting something that is unique and you know has resale value because of it's condition/demand/rarity, a lot of stuff in thrifts just isn't resalable any more.

Discernment is the key. Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

I got a mention, I feel special... 

Yes, I get that a lot.  I can buy that for X amount at Y location...  I tell them to go ahead.  Everything I sell is guaranteed to be genuine, and is guaranteed to function for 1 year.  I go through and polish, inspect, adjust...  whatever needs to be done so it works like new again.  When you buy on Ebay you are buying sight unseen, and you are trusting the seller knows what they are talking about.  Then you have to pay $15 or more to ship it.  I position myself in that market as more expensive, but worth it for the quality, service, and knowlege I bring.

-Jay

[valleythriftshopper]

Sailing last weekend, as my niece calls going to garage sales, I ran across several folks that had a note attached to an item with the jist of it being "I googled this and it's worth $45, my price $35" - this being on a  well used cook book. I've also run into things marked like this with a notation that the item was priced at such and such in an antique shop.

My instant reaction is, so, sell it on google, or open an antique shop then! I think even if I was strongly desirous of the item I would put it down and walk away. How do you feel about this?
 

I run across that sometimes at yard sales.  Sometimes people will print out a listing on Ebay & put it next to the item.  Usually they quote the high end listing from an Ebay store rather than what the typical auction is going for.  I never see anyone buy those items.  Maybe they figure they'll try selling it at their yard sale first before they try Ebay.  People around here are not going for that though, fortunately there are still lots of good bargains, this area is not quite so hip to Ebay/reselling so i am trying to make the best of it while it lasts!

[SeSo_Says_So]

This has been happening to us here since the late 90s. But I will tell you that over the past few months, more and more thrifts have marked up their prices and have become more internet savvy about "collectibles" and things.  And yes, your answer is standard.

I believe JaytotheRescue could tell you many stories of his experiences as a seller, when people say things to him such as "O, this is going for this price on eBay or online" or, the opposite side of what you are experiencing as a buyer.

The best way to show comtempt for those high prices is not to buy the item. Let somebody else get stuck with it. Save your $$$ do your research, and buy low, sell high.

We've had many dialogues here over the past year talking about the glut of ebayers out there now. The market is glutted. Unless you are getting something that is unique and you know has resale value because of it's condition/demand/rarity, a lot of stuff in thrifts just isn't resalable any more.

Discernment is the key. Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

I got a mention, I feel special... 

Yes, I get that a lot.  I can buy that for X amount at Y location...  I tell them to go ahead.  Everything I sell is guaranteed to be genuine, and is guaranteed to function for 1 year.  I go through and polish, inspect, adjust...  whatever needs to be done so it works like new again.  When you buy on Ebay you are buying sight unseen, and you are trusting the seller knows what they are talking about.  Then you have to pay $15 or more to ship it.  I position myself in that market as more expensive, but worth it for the quality, service, and knowlege I bring.

-Jay

That's 'cause you ARE special, lambie!! 

[superiorgirl]

Well, I hope the lady enjoys her $45, my price $35, tattered old cookbook. I don't even remember what it was exactly because when I saw the price I instantly set it down. I will continue to do so.

[mccoysnina]

Well, I hope the lady enjoys her $45, my price $35, tattered old cookbook. I don't even remember what it was exactly because when I saw the price I instantly set it down. I will continue to do so.

  I thik my reaction is the same as yours.  If you can get $35 for something on e-bay, then sell it on e-bay.  I'm not going to buy it.   It would have to be one very special banged up old cookbook to be worth that much.  I was at a church rummage sale last week-end and they had some interesting cookbooks for sale.  But at $4 each, I passed them by.   No way would I spring $35 for a cookbook.
Jeannie

[loveit]

Last week I bought a large wall hanging at an estate sale. I paid too much for it, I think, but I wanted it. Anyway, I had already said I would buy it, and the guy running the sale must have known I was paying too much. He started what I call the ebay crap. He said that's a steal, those go for $1200 on ebay.I can only thnk that he was feeling a bit guilty about selling it to me at such a high price and that was his way of making HIMSELF feel better.

The estate sale people do the ebay crap all the time. As you are looking at stuff, they are shouting "this goes for XX on ebay."  One time, I countered with "Oh yeah, well is that after you pay listing fees, ebay fees, Paypal fees, etc.?" That kind of stops them. It's just a sales technique, like when I was considering buying a car one time, and the salesman told me I would look really good in the car! Sales people use flattery, comparison, you name it, to close a deal.

[Big Daddy Audio]

"This goes for $XXX on eBay."

"So sell it on eBay and don't waste my time."

Set it down and leave.  I do the same thing with yards sales that have NO prices on the items.  I refuse to play the game of "sizing me up" before stating a price.

See you next time
Bye for now.

[Undead Molly]

I've found this too, but more often at flea markets than yard sales.  They either don't understand variables like condition, edition, market fluctuations, the inherent riskiness and expenses of online auctioning, etc., or they're hoping that their buyers don't understand them.

What's super funny to me is when they say they saw "something just like this" in an antique store or on Antiques Roadshow estimated at $____.  Well, I can buy "something just like" a $5,000 antique Limoges box at the SA for 99 cents!  "Like" does not mean "equivalent". 

[akbjr]

Hi Molly, I love the "saying" that you have under your comment, the "Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance". I wrote it down to put up next to my computer. It's great, & a great reminder. Thank you. barb