Garage Sale!

So, we decided to have another garage sale this weekend. It is our 4th year in a row, and I am getting tired of them. Thankfully, I think we have now gotten rid of most of our junk, so I don't see the need for at least a couple years. We had a very successful weekend, I managed to sell almost all of my large items (thank God!) I was out of room in the garage!

I know that people make their living off of buying at sales and re-selling the items. I don't begrudge them, it's their right. But what is with the aggressive get-there-an-hour-before-it-opens-and-offer-$1-for-everything-you-see bullshit? Man i get sick of these asshats! We decided this year to advertise our sale in the paper since we had a lot of larger items I figured people don't usually look for at garage sales. Not to mention the fact that they are more expensive. It proved to be worth the ($60!) price tag. But I made the mistake of putting the ad in the paper the day before the sale. ooops!

So, my wife and I are working in the garage the night before, with the big door closed, and our dog is going nuts outside. Turns out, early birds (and I think there should be a new name for people who show up a DAY early) are knocking on our door, ringing the bell, and walking around the house looking for a way in. We didn't know most of this was going on since we were in the garage with the radio going. But then there was a knock on the big garage door. I am thinking it is my folks, who were due at any time to drop off their truckload of items. So, since I don't have windows in the big door, I open it. To my surprise, it is a woman looking to get into the sale early! WTF? Seems she read the ad and saw I had a couple guitars for sale and wanted to buy one of them. I told her, sorry, I don't even have it out yet, and the sale starts TOMORROW! I tried to be cordial, but after all, I did want to sell things. So, I let her talk me into going in the house and getting one of the guitars for her. And while I am in the house, she is asking if we are selling the tables we are setting the stuff up on!

By the end of  the weekend I started to regret doing that for her. Who the fuck does she think she is? I really wish I could go back in time and tell her politely to get the fuck off my property, and if she wants to come back the next morning at 8am, I would be happy to sell her anything she wants. Whats worse, is that, as I anticipated, the next morning the other early birders come at about 7:20. And I let a guy talk me down $25 on the accoustic I had for sale. At the end of the day, I thought "what the fuck was I thinking?" lowering my price before the actual sale even started?

I tried to price them both fair. They were just basic, entry level guitars that I thought I may have a problem selling. In hindsight, after telling a half a dozen people the first day, as well as a couple the second day that the guitars had sold, I should have priced them higher, and been more firm. At least for the first day.

So, I have learned my lesson. Next garage sale, prices will be much more firm the first day, as well as a little higher than my initial feelings. And ALL customers who show up before the starting gun WILL be politely turned away, even if I have to guard the door with a shotgun and bandolero full of shells!