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Estate sale frustration

Mystery

Mystery

constantly upgrading...
I have never been to an estate sale before they open.
I saw a Pioneer SX-1010 listed and thought to try.
I went there 1/2 hour earlier and there were around 10 people in front; 7 women and 3 men.
Once the door was opened, I went straight to the garage. 2 men were right in front/before/with me. However, The pioneer receiver, turntable and few other items already had 'SOLD' written on a piece of taped paper. I didn't even saw the sale price.
How is that possible? Do people bring 'SOLD' stickers along with them and slap to items they want; do they just flip the price tag backwards or they were already sold internally?
So frustrating... wasted 1 hr of my time for nothing...:grumpy:
 
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Been there countless times, and it is one reason why I started paying retail. My time is too valuable to me.
 
Sounds like they sold before the sale opened. Maybe someone called the person running the sale and made a deal before it started. Not really cool way of doing businesses IMO.
 
JohnVF said:
Been there countless times, and it is one reason why I started paying retail. My time is too valuable to me.
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I just wanted to try and see.
I tried and bad experience. I should be better off just dealing on CL directly.

spartanmanor said:
Sounds like they sold before the sale opened. Maybe someone called the person running the sale and made a deal before it started. Not really cool way of doing businesses IMO.
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Exactly! And they said "No Early Birds".
The only item I wanted from that 300+ items' list was that SX-1010 and was prepared to pay up to $100. If I had seen the price tag of $150 +, I'd have passed without any regret. Since I didn't see ii, no idea if it sold for $20, $50 ???

Edit: BTW, who puts the SOLD sign? Is it the same price tag flipped backwards or buyer has to have one of the sellers do it?
 
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Non an estate kind of guy. But definitely uncool. If it's been sold it should be removed!


cnh2
 
The facilitator/administrator/manager of the estate sale would have been the party to ask.

For all anyone knows someone else just put that on there to keep other from considering it. Potentially unofficial "dibs", if you will.
 
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I went to quite a few estate sales where sold items became magically unsold if you looked like you were willing to pay a premium price on the spot.
 
I went to a sale yesterday,where the helpers at the estate sale were placing sold tags on items as people were requesting,so that the people didn't have to carry stuff while they continue to look around.
I'm not saying that's what happened in the OP's case,but it does happen.
I've also seen people tape little "sold" stickers to a bunch of items as they run through the sale,then go back and decide what they really want.......:thumbsdn:
 
it was probably the guys in front of you. these people make living off of estate sales, auctions, and thrift stores. i've been to about half a dozen estate sales, but after spotting these large group of people and realizing what was going on, i stopped going to all estate sales. they have stickers or tags with their name, phone number, and "sold" written on 'em. they go around the house as fast as they can sticking these things on anything that might have value. they come back and take a long look/research on their smart phones, and sometimes remove their stickers.

i'm pretty sure this is against the rules or at least not an ethical way of buying at estate sales, but it's been done in almost all of the estate sales i've been to.

another thing i noticed is that most estate sale people break their own rules all the time. not just by selling stuffs before the sale begins, but putting their buddies' names on the line list that they put up on the door. i know this because there was an estate sale one block away from my house with bunch of vintage audio gear including mcintosh tube amps. i had to be first in line for this sale so i woke up 4:00am took a cup of coffee and went for a jog. while i was jogging by the estate sale place around 5am, i saw one of the estate sales worker putting a number sheet on the door. i went over and took a look - there were 3 names written already.
 
I went to see some Klipsch Kg4s the other day. I was pretty sure they would sell early, but I wanted to see them.

They were going out the door when I was going in, but they told me the price: $175. These guys never negotiate on the first day.
 
It's a jungle out there!
My strategy is to do a quick walk around the house to see if there is anything of interest then I go into the basement (with my bright little cree flashlight) and look around in the nooks and crannies that have been overlooked by the sellers.
Then I check out the garage.
Good luck, think of it as sport since it's usually a long shot you'll find gold.
 
Mystery said:
The only item I wanted from that 300+ items' list was that SX-1010 and was prepared to pay up to $100. If I had seen the price tag of $150 +, I'd have passed without any regret. Since I didn't see ii, no idea if it sold for $20, $50 ???

Edit: BTW, who puts the SOLD sign? Is it the same price tag flipped backwards or buyer has to have one of the sellers do it?
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As far as the 'sold' tape. Often, people that do a lot of this to make a living have sold tags or tape at the ready and just slap it on things they want. That's why they are there at 6am for a sale that starts at 8.

You should have just asked what it was priced for on the way out. As far as being tagged sold before you reached the garage, had you asked the answer was probably been either a family member bought it - sales often give family members first rights - or someone beat you to it. If they admitted to pre-selling to 'select' buyers they would gain a poor reputation. I'm sure it happens though.
 
I sniffed some AR-3's at an estate sale the other day, but they were sold already. They only let ten people in the house at a time and I was number eleven. :thumbsdn:
 
tonyk said:
I sniffed some AR-3's at an estate sale the other day, but they were sold already. They only let ten people in the house at a time and I was number eleven. :thumbsdn:
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Today's sale was open to all as soon as door opened. May be they should limit number of people in all sales.


Thanks for comments.
I actually asked one of the sellers about the receiver and he said, "Lots of people are asking about that one but it already as a 'SOLD' sign". So it appears he didn't put the sign but since there were many from the team, someone may have done it.
I was there along with the first people, may be 30 seconds behind and can't imagine those people doing that. If I like something, I'd be carrying that out, not just put a sticker and move on.
I also was sorry to to see people running in like thanksgiving day in Walmart pushing each other. I know you get deals there but man, get a life! Pathetic! One guy was so pissed off at a lady who pushed him with the things she carried out.

I wanted to chat with the organizers and find out why there were 'SOLD' stickers on the items but channel 7 was there interviewing few buyers about Estate Sale Liquidation, so didn't want to come in the TV by staying too long. :)
 
AnalogDigit said:
I quit going to estate sales also. It starting to look like a Black Friday event at Wal Mart.
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It's a Black Friday sale without rain-check.

I think best bet should be yard sale. Every estate sale company in my area did their homework in price.
 
I've emailed the company doing estate sales and asked for the price on items of interest.
They'll tell you. One also put a hold on an item of interest before the sale just because I asked.
But - I agree about the enormous waste of time. I've stopped going.
 
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