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Grapenut Glass: The Great Experiment Part 2
November 4, 2009 - 11:03am
Obviously, I have done something wrong. After all my planning, here it is 3 hours into the sale and the only items sold have been two Fire King casseroles, to my Mother. I’ve seen almost no traffic; had four sets of browsers, all of which looked but commented under their breath (they thought) that the prices were too high. So what went wrong?? Not good enough advertising? Possibly. I hung signs in town and put an ad in the local paper and Craigslist. The newspaper conveniently left off the part about it being an “Estate Sale”, which I had hoped would alert shoppers to the fact that the prices would be more in line with, well, an estate sale. Prices too high? Apparently the few who came looking for rummage-sale prices thought so. So, how does one compromise? I have no trouble spending money; all one has to do is look around at the collection I’ve accumulated to see that. Why does it seem that everyone else has trouble parting with cash? Is it because of the fall season that no one gets out at the crack of dawn like they do in the spring and summer to hit the sales? I have no answers; if I did, I wouldn’t be writing this now and apologizing to the nice old ladies who just left about my prices being “too high”. I’d be taking money and wrapping purchases, instead of typing out a forlorn missive on what a bust this morning has been. And malevolently eyeballing the empty totes I will soon be filling back up with stock. Oh, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. At least I can inventory my stock as I re-pack everything. For Part I of the Great Experiment click http://blog.rubylane.com/node/1194 Karla Baugh |
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Comments
A tough choice
Antiques on Canaan St. Jumping in here with some observations made over many years. There is a pecking order to sales with the lowest prices expected at church sales ['cause everything was donated] >garage sales> estate sales.
However, most people in my neck of the woods expect estate to mean "dead peoples stuff". I know a dealer who runs these successfully for "live people" but there is usually a comment made about her calling it 'estate sale'. Finally, few of us can bear to price things below what we paid for them but if items are not in a shop, people are seldom enticed into parting with the money. I share your pain. Carol
Sometimes I wonder if having
Sometimes I wonder if having a longer sale (i.e. the amount of days) is a help. I know there are times when I don't see news about a sale until a day after it has been held. Perhaps having your sale for a longer period of days would have netted more potential customers.
As far as pricing, what potential customers feel is too expensive, does not take into consideration what you ahve paid for the item and what profit margin you wish to achieve. The last estate sale I attended there was a couple interested in an antique baby carriage which was in excellent condition. The price was marked on it and they deemed the price "too high." I was in the same room looking at totally different items and suggested that they make the sellers an offer as they had the house up for sale and needed to empty it. They looked at me as if I had lost my mind. They left the sale without making an offer and without the carriage. I watched as another person who had been in the room with us made an offer on the carriage and happily carted it away.
If those people who deemed your prices "too high" didn't even make you an offer then it is their loss. Most people having a sale build in some wiggle room in their pricing.
Perhaps having a sale again when there aren't so many other sales going on might serve you better.
Marge, Born Too Late Vintage