photo courtesy of Yard Sale Bloodbath
I went to an estate sale last weekend - like a lot of you, it is something I do every weekend. I have gotten to know the companies in my area that organize and run estate sales, and I have my favorites, for various reasons. I also have my Do Not Shop list, mostly for one reason - the prices are too high.
The sale I went to was put on by what I think is a fairly new company - I have only gone to one other sale hosted by them, and that was a month or two ago. I walked out empty handed - everything (and I mean everything) was priced way, way out of my price range. I was actually slightly shocked, if you want to know the truth. But, their next sale sounded good, and wasn't far from my house - so I decided to give them another try.
Once again, most things were priced way too high. But, there were a few things that would be reasonable once everything was half off. This was a change from their last sale - so I was happy, but at the same time just as frustrated... there was so much great stuff that I couldn't even come close to considering.
I went back on half off day - I drove up at 9am on the dot, and there was no one outside. I looked around, checked my directions to make sure I had the right start time, looked around some more... I couldn't believe there wasn't a single person at the door. I decided they must have opened the doors a few minutes early, so I grabbed my box and headed inside.
No one was there. It was unreal - half off day is ALWAYS busy at these sales. I had never in all my years gone in on half off day and had not another single person there shopping! After I got over the novelty, I enjoyed myself grabbing the few things I could, and a few minutes later a couple other shoppers arrived. Just a couple, though.
photo courtesy of Yard Sale Bloodbath
There was another estate sale at half off that day, so I headed over there to check it out. I hadn't been to it earlier in the weekend, so I had no idea what kind of stuff was inside. I could see the sale from halfway down the street, there were a lot of cars and a long line at the front door. My little universe was back to normal!
It turned out to be a very run of the mill sale - if there had been anything interesting there, it must have sold at the beginning. Yet there was a huge crowd - and the other sale had a ton of great stuff and no one there to buy it!
So, Dear Estate Sale Organizers:
Price is everything.
Price is everything.
Price is everything.
You can have the best stuff, the most organized and well run sale, and if your prices are too high you aren't going to sell anything. I think what you need to realize, if you haven't already (which you probably haven't if you are pricing too high) is that a good chunk of your customers are dealers. Another good chunk are folks who are looking for a deal. If you cut those people out of shopping with pricing that is way beyond reach - well, your half off day is going to be empty. And that is a sad, sad thing to behold.
