You win some, you lose some

[valleythriftshopper]

I have been finding some good stuff lately at the thrifts & yard sales.  However the really big finds are still pretty scarce at the thrifts.  Yesterday I blew what would have been a major find!  I was psyched to find a brand new printer to replace my dead one, so I think I was a little distracted.  I saw an interesting aluminum & crystal footed compote marked Kensington, I wasn't familiar with it.  It was very striking & looked new, so I wasn't sure of the age.  The store was almost at closing time & hardly anyone in there so I figured I'd look it up when I went home.  Well, looked it up- major collectible, also comes with matching candlesticks.  I was back at the store about 1/2 after opening today- compote gone!   But there were the candlesticks (.99 cents each, oh yeah & the compote was $1.99!)  The girl at the register made me feel a little better though, as she said it must have sold yesterday as she had not sold it that morning.  So I guess someone snagged it before closing.  Here's a pic  http://tri-stateantiques.com/metalwork/13097kensington.html

At least I got the candlesticks- so I am not totally depressed, but you'd think I'd know better by now!  Did get a box of English blue willow for $3.99 today though, small consolation.

[Magpie18]

I suspect the day will come soon where we will all do our research in the store.

More & more people have those web browsing cell phones.  & then there is the tag team approach --- a camera phone with email & a relative at home in front of a computer.

[mccoysnina]

Ouch, I feel your pain.  I have done the same thing.  Bt to be honest, if I were looking at something that was marked $1.99, it would have come home with me and I'd have researched it later.  Life is too short to regret not spending $2.  Ask me how I know:)
I am surprised the candle sticks were still there.  I would have thought the buyer would have wanted the whole set, especially since they wre less than $4 for everything.  Well, good for you though.
Jeannie

[valleythriftshopper]

I suspect the day will come soon where we will all do our research in the store.

More & more people have those web browsing cell phones.  & then there is the tag team approach --- a camera phone with email & a relative at home in front of a computer.

I almost called my daughter who was at home at the time.  She would not have found anything like it on Ebay though, she would have had to spend some time on google like I did, but I have called home before to check on other things.  If I would have bought the compote that night I would not have bought the candlesticks because I did not see them at the time.  The next day I found them on a different shelf.  Who knows if they would have been there the next day at the time I normally go into the store, which is in the afternoon.  So no matter what scenario occured I proabaly would not have bought the whole set.  But just knowing a rare set like that was sitting at my local SA for 4 bucks kills me!

[valleythriftshopper]

Ouch, I feel your pain.  I have done the same thing.  Bt to be honest, if I were looking at something that was marked $1.99, it would have come home with me and I'd have researched it later.  Life is too short to regret not spending $2.  Ask me how I know:)
I am surprised the candle sticks were still there.  I would have thought the buyer would have wanted the whole set, especially since they wre less than $4 for everything.  Well, good for you though.
Jeannie

I know, but I hate buying stuff & then donating it back or just selling it to recoup my investment.  I have knick knacks & decor items up the ying yang here so I only buy stuff that I know is a homerun, it doesn't backfire on me too often, but I should definitely make sure I have my cell phone charged up & with me at all time & check at the store from now on. 

[Jay2TheRescue]

Ouch, I feel your pain.  I have done the same thing.  Bt to be honest, if I were looking at something that was marked $1.99, it would have come home with me and I'd have researched it later.  Life is too short to regret not spending $2.  Ask me how I know:)
I am surprised the candle sticks were still there.  I would have thought the buyer would have wanted the whole set, especially since they wre less than $4 for everything.  Well, good for you though.
Jeannie

That's why I I have my Windows Mobile PDA phone with unlimited internet.  If something is questionable I can put it in my cart, then look it up on my phone.  I can most often determine if something is worth messing with in a few moments.  Its saved me on numerous occasions.  Once I was at an estate auction and I saw 2 TV lamps that last time I saw one sold for $200 each on Ebay.  Well, that was 2 or 3 years before, so I decided to check the current closed auctions on Ebay.  Several closed with no bids, and the ones that did sell went for under $20.  I gleefully passed and watched another dealer spend $50 each on them. 

-Jay

[valleythriftshopper]

In this case there were no Kensington items in this style on Ebay & some of the other Kensington aluminumware in more common styles do not sell for alot.  I had to spend several minutes with Google searches to find this pattern.  Is the internet service on your phone good for Google searches?  Maybe I should look into it, I have tried browsers on other people's phone & was not impressed.  I do have a browser on my phone, but it is an older phone & expensive to use.

[Krisathome]

I do the same thing Jay does.  I have internet on my cell phone.  My techy son told me about Opera mini for cell phones and handheld devices.  I get the same picture that is on the internet, just smaller. 

[SeSo_Says_So]

I have been finding some good stuff lately at the thrifts & yard sales.  However the really big finds are still pretty scarce at the thrifts.  Yesterday I blew what would have been a major find!  I was psyched to find a brand new printer to replace my dead one, so I think I was a little distracted.  I saw an interesting aluminum & crystal footed compote marked Kensington, I wasn't familiar with it.  It was very striking & looked new, so I wasn't sure of the age.  The store was almost at closing time & hardly anyone in there so I figured I'd look it up when I went home.  Well, looked it up- major collectible, also comes with matching candlesticks.  I was back at the store about 1/2 after opening today- compote gone!   But there were the candlesticks (.99 cents each, oh yeah & the compote was $1.99!)  The girl at the register made me feel a little better though, as she said it must have sold yesterday as she had not sold it that morning.  So I guess someone snagged it before closing.  Here's a pic  http://tri-stateantiques.com/metalwork/13097kensington.html

At least I got the candlesticks- so I am not totally depressed, but you'd think I'd know better by now!  Did get a box of English blue willow for $3.99 today though, small consolation.

I think these are great! Congrats! You've got a great eye!!

[Big Daddy Audio]

If YOU like something and would have it in YOUR house, then buy it.  I would have bought those because they look so darn cool. 

If I decide to one day sell them, so much the better. 

I gave up on trying to profit outright from thrift stores long ago.  I've got to have an inherent need or aesthetically like something in order to buy it.  I could find a packing case of MINB Beanie Babies (only using them as an example - I have no idea about the market for these, nor do I care) and walk right past it.  The market seems to change very rapidly, and YOU don't want to get stuck with something YOU don't like because YOU thought there was a market on eBay.

That's the way I have to approach it, or I'd never get anything done.

See you next time
Bye for now.

[valleythriftshopper]

I find alot of great resale items at my local thrifts and I do have a good eye for it but I am fairly conservative about buying unknown items.  In this case though it was a "What was I thinking?" moment which I have every once in a while.  With so few people in the store at almost closing time, I figured I had time to think about it. 

[loveit]

Where do you sell these items from thrift stores? On ebay? I'm just curious.

[valleythriftshopper]

Unfortunately I do still deal with Ebay.  I don't like their policies, but their auctions do get the most exposure, including the most international exposure.  Since I pay so little for most of the items I put up, I start my auctions usually at 9.95 with no reserve.  People love those type of auctions & the bidding can go much higher than I expected in some cases, especially when you have international buyers.  I would like to do some business on Etsy, too, when I have some time next month I am going to look into it.