Would this irk you? Re: Selling items

[muttleynfelix]

I am selling a bunch of our baby things. Mostly through a facebook swap group.  Yesterday a gal posted "LTB boppy pillow".  I posted my boppy with cover for $5.  She said, no I think I'll pass.  I'm just irrated by what she wants. Did she want it for free?  Did she pass because of the cover? Did she pass on the location I wanted to meet?  I don't know what it is bugging me about it, but it is.  

It might be that I'm a little predisposed to be ticked off when I have everything priced reasonably - about 30% of retail price for gently used items, less than that for used items and people are asking me how low I can.  For example, I have a framed backpack that was a gift from my office to me for DS, but it turned out I have never used it, preferring a soft pack.  It retails for $100. I have it listed for $30.  The day I listed it someone asked how low I was willing to go.  I said $25 and never heard back.  I get that the demographic of this group is young, (comparatively) lower income, but what are they looking for?  I don't get it.  

Anyway, so far I am making progress getting rid of stuff and making a few bucks that will be designated for Christmas.   

[zibazinski]

Always price higher than you're willing to sell for. People want a "deal."

[ArchietheDragon]

Nice job on selling old crap you don't need.  

Don't let it bother you.   

[sarcasticgirl]

kudos to you for dealing with these people. i am part of 2 "garage sale" FB groups for my area and the first time someone flakes or asks me to come to them, I just get pissed and remember why I hate dealing with this BS in the first place. sometimes it is just easier to donate stuff than deal with people. I don't have the patience! 

[Shooby]

I hate selling stuff. People are annoying. I find it much more pleasant to simply deposit everything at Goodwill. Or, I give stuff away. But, if I give something away, I have a couple hard and fast rules. If YOU want it, then YOU come over when it is a convenient time for me and YOU will load it and transport it to your home. I don't do deliveries. When I was younger, people would say they want something, then I would bring it to them and then all of the sudden they didn't want it. Or, they wanted ME To deliver it to them on their schedule. I no longer trust someone who says they want something.
For instance, I am getting a new washer and dryer this Sat. I found 2 people who said they would be interested to take them. I said fine, if you want it, you may have it for free (it still works) but it MUST be picked up by Friday or when my new ones come, they installers can take the old ones away. I don't "save" things. If you want it, come and get it or it is going out.
So, anyway, they picked up the washer. I gave it to them. I dont' sell things. I don't care, if I no longer need it, you can have it.
But kudos to you if you are good at selling things cuz I am not.

[hoops902]

I always respond to "how low would you go" with "I'm asking $xxx (listed price), but I'll consider reasonable offers".

[muttleynfelix]

I hate selling stuff. People are annoying. I find it much more pleasant to simply deposit everything at Goodwill.

On baby clothes, I've mainly been giving it away to my friends that all had babies after me.  But things like a car seat that expires next year, selling it for $10 didn't hurt me and that is $10 I can use to put towards Christmas presents for my gazillion nieces and nephew.  The baby swing we used is in great shape and selling it for $30 gives us $30 for Christmas money.  Our budget isn't so tight that this is the only way we are going to fund our Christmas, but it is going to help a lot.  I don't mind giving clothes away because most of it I bought second hand or was given to me.  But if we spent money on buying baby gear new (yes I'm looking at my husband spending his birthday money to buy DS a baby swing new), then I would like a few bucks back to spend on Christmas this year.  

[Deleted]

Sept 4, 2014 12:45:16 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Always price higher than you're willing to sell for. People want a "deal."

My Mother is one of those people that will dicker on a 25 cent garage sale item.  It's embarrassing as hell if I'm with her, but it's just how she's wired.  It's not even that she needs to get this stuff for cheap, she has plenty of money and half the time just gives stuff away afterwards, but she simply HAS to get them down from what they were asking.  

[muttleynfelix]

It is a fine line though. I don't want to price it so high that people don't even ask about it. 

[Plain Old Petunia]

I posted some river rocks on Craig's List once, for FREE.  I had somebody ask if I would deliver them.  You just can't please some people.  Let it roll off your back.

[Deleted]

that's why I only ever had one garage sale.  people were bitching about $1 price tag on a pair of OshKosh shortalls - in great shape worn only by my kid.  I decided I would rather donate for the tax deduction than sell them for 25 cents.

[violagirl]

I don't bother trying to sell things. Around here people are pretty comfortable going through garbage. You should see the people trolling the streets in the fancier neighbourhoods on the 3 general cleanup days in the year.

I figure if I can't use it and someone else can they are welcome to it. I live on a busy street and have a fairly long driveway, last time I put something out  - don't rembmer what it was a little table or something - I didn't even get 10 feet back up the driveway and someone had pulled in my driveway and was fitting it in their trunk. I stopped to talk to them and turns out they were looking for something exactly like it and planned to refurbish it - they were ecstatic and i was happy it had a new home instead of the . I threw in some gently used luggage that I wanted to get rid of that they hadn't seen. 

Once on general clean up day I looked out and my Dad was going through the stuff and putting useful things in his trunk. I should have offered him dibs. 

[The Captain]

Sept 4, 2014 13:52:50 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

that's why I only ever had one garage sale.  people were bitching about $1 price tag on a pair of OshKosh shortalls - in great shape worn only by my kid.  I decided I would rather donate for the tax deduction than sell them for 25 cents.

A friend of my folks has three granddaughters who are younger then DD.  Their mom has a sister with three daughters about  the same age.  They get all of DD's clothes, toys and stuff.  I've had pictures sent to me of all 6 girls wearing the same cute dress at different points in their lives.

Now I know most clothes aren't gonna last through 6-7 kids, but it's nice to know they're getting as much use as possible out of them.  DD is an only child so she always has more than any kid needs, so it's always very gently used. 

Non kid items go to goodwill or Habitat for Humanity restore.  I don't need the money from garage sales and would rather donate to someone who needs a hand anyway.  That said, I totally respect people who can organize a good sale and generate extra cash for the family.

[justme]

I read an article recently suggesting not putting prices on items. Hash it out once the person decides to buy it - asking them first how much they want to pay for it. 

[emma1420]

I think there are some people who are hoping that you'll just tell them that they can have whatever item it is for free.

[midjd]

Now you're making me feel bad for not offering more for the sleepers!  I always end up pricing stuff about 30% more than I'll take for it because I don't like to spend forever haggling, and people usually seem happy when you knock off 20% or 30% right off the bat.
 
DH has been on a mission lately... there are several people on the local garage sale pages who have been posting live (wild) reptiles for sale. It is illegal to sell wild animals in Indiana.

One girl was trying to sell tadpoles she found in her kids' swimming pool. She said that they were bullfrog-treefrog hybrids.
DH asked her how such a biological impossibility could occur.
She said that she saw a bullfrog in the swimming pool and then a few days later there was a treefrog hanging out in there.  
Then DH posted the DNR link to the law against selling wild animals.
She said she was just trying to save them, because she was about to drain the pool and they would die.
DH said that if she was concerned about saving them, she would have posted "free to good home" (which would have been legal).
She called him a frog-killer and deleted her post. 

Then there was someone trying to sell a regular box turtle, claiming it was a snapping turtle... 

I think it's sad that people are so hard up for money that they are trying to sell random critters they find in their yards. But I am enjoying DH's stint as a volunteer conservation officer.

[muttleynfelix]

Now you're making me feel bad for not offering more for the sleepers!

I listed a price and we agreed. Nothing to feel bad about.   You rock to deal with and I love sending things to your DD.  Besides, I got a deal, if you didn't buy them, I would have just sent them to you whether you wanted them or not.    

I always end up pricing stuff about 30% more than I'll take for it because I don't like to spend forever haggling,

Hmmm... maybe I'll take everything down and relist in 30%higher next weekend and see what i get. 

H has been on a mission lately... there are several people on the local garage sale pages who have been posting live (wild) reptiles for sale. It is illegal to sell wild animals in Indiana.

That is crazy.

[Deleted]

Sept 4, 2014 14:09:57 GMT -5 violagirl said:

I don't bother trying to sell things. Around here people are pretty comfortable going through garbage. You should see the people trolling the streets in the fancier neighbourhoods on the 3 general cleanup days in the year.

I figure if I can't use it and someone else can they are welcome to it. I live on a busy street and have a fairly long driveway, last time I put something out  - don't rembmer what it was a little table or something - I didn't even get 10 feet back up the driveway and someone had pulled in my driveway and was fitting it in their trunk. I stopped to talk to them and turns out they were looking for something exactly like it and planned to refurbish it - they were ecstatic and i was happy it had a new home instead of the . I threw in some gently used luggage that I wanted to get rid of that they hadn't seen. 

Once on general clean up day I looked out and my Dad was going through the stuff and putting useful things in his trunk. I should have offered him dibs. 

You've met us then. Where we are now, not so much but back in Beverly, it was awesome!! It's also a college town for an art school and next door to another college town so the pickings were somewhat decent at the end of the school year. Church next street over from where I lived would have a yard sale twice a year and then whatever didn't sell would get dumped to the curb afterwards. I got some AWESOME stuff. Didn't need 99% of it but it was pretty and made me happy.

[zibazinski]

I remember the lady from a consignment shop just scooping everything off the table that was DDs! Being the first and only girl on her dad's side, she scored in the clothes department. I had someone want me to "donate" my crib, mattress, changing table to some poor unwed mother. I laughed in his face. Which probably was rude but seriously? I got $700 for the set a few hours later. Considering I paid nothing for it, whee!!

[Abby Normal]

Sept 4, 2014 14:13:18 GMT -5 The Captain said:

A friend of my folks has three granddaughters who are younger then DD.  Their mom has a sister with three daughters about  the same age.  They get all of DD's clothes, toys and stuff.  I've had pictures sent to me of all 6 girls wearing the same cute dress at different points in their lives.

Now I know most clothes aren't gonna last through 6-7 kids, but it's nice to know they're getting as much use as possible out of them.  DD is an only child so she always has more than any kid needs, so it's always very gently used. 

When I had DS, I received a ton of clothes.  My sister would always send him designer clothes.   When he out grew them I saved them all.  About 5 years later, my niece had her first which was also a boy.  I packed up all the clothes, sorted them by size and mailed them down to her.  She loved all the "really nice clothes" that she got. Every time her son out grew a size, she pulled out the next box to see what cool stuff she had now.  She had her third son last year and he's now rotating through some of those clothes.  So I have pictures of all four boys in the same outfit.  My sister (niece's mom) loves it because a bunch of them she bought.

[Firebird]

I'm glad I read this thread when I did, as we have a community yard sale tomorrow and DH and I spent a large chunk of last weekend going through the house.  We have almost a whole room's worth of stuff to sell.  I don't really care how much we make (my goal was to declutter and I'm super happy that the community yard sale thing came up because no way would I bother organizing it on my own) but obviously more is better.  I was planning to put any money we made into Babybird's ongoing toy fund but I might take a leaf out of your book and put some of it toward Christmas.

We haven't priced anything yet but I'll remember the 20-30% rule so we have room to dicker.  I hope a lot of expectant mothers attend the sale because 90% of the stuff we're selling is Babybird's and it's all in great condition. 

I was also planning to go to Costco tonight for some juice/brownies/cookies - I figure I can offer them free with any purchase to drive traffic in our direction.  Any other suggestions? 

[zibazinski]

Don't let them use your bathroom. Don't let anyone into your house. Make sure your doors and windows are locked and curtains closed. Perfect time for robberies to occur.

[Firebird]

Oh, I definitely wasn't planning to let anyone into the house.  For one thing, I'm not planning to clean until after the sale is over

Actually, one thing I am worried about is selling space.  We have two tables that we can use, plus the bookshelves that were in Babybird's room (I'm selling almost all of my books, we're only keeping the kid books).  But we have so much stuff to sell that I doubt that will be enough.  I'm not sure where we're going to put everything - maybe on blankets?