Posts Tagged ‘Bargain’

Children outgrow their clothing so fast that it is ideal to shop at a garage sale to find gently-used items for your children. Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you are at a garage sale looking for clothing for your children.

Is it in style?

Make sure that the item you are purchasing is still in style, especially for older children. You don’t want to buy gently used pants that were in style back in the ’90s for your child now, no matter how great the price it. Keep your children in mind because if they wont wear it them it really doesn’t matter if you only paid 50¢ for it.

Choosing classic styles is a great way to avoid a wardrobe that looks “dated”.

Inspect every item

Never purchase any clothing before looking it over closely. Check for missing buttons, zippers that don’t work, tears and stains. If the area that the clothing is displayed in is dark, don’t be afraid to step into a better lit area to look over the clothing. You don’t to get an item home only to find it has a stain on it that you overlooked.

Check Sizes

Many people do their laundry differently, which can cause used clothing to vary in sizes. Ideally, if you are on the hunt for jeans for your daughter carry a pair of her jeans that fit nicely with you. Make sure that the garage sale owner knows you brought them with you before you start shopping. By having an item with you that fits well you can then hold up items you are considering purchasing to the item to get an idea on whether the new item will fit correctly. Likewise, a measuring tape can come in handy for verifying waist and inseam measurements.

Getting a Bargain

If you find several items that you want to purchase, don’t be shy about negotiation with the seller. Many sellers will give you a discount on a large purchase just to get the items out of the way. So if you find 5 pairs of jeans for $2 each ask the seller if they will take $8 (or less!) for all 5. This makes a better deal for you and it also makes them money.

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This is the first week of the automatic import of listings from craigslist. We haven’t got the whole country yet, but we’re geting there. We have over 7,000 garage sales on our maps this week.

Join in the fun! There are treasures to be found for a bargain. A remember, the hunt is part of the fun!

There’s a certain unspoken etiquette that goes along with haggling at a garage sale. Typically it is only learned by hard experience but there are a few tips that can start beginners off on the right foot.

First, always be friendly and respectful to the seller. Your chances of negotiating a bargain go down with every frown.

Second, be sure that it is OK to haggle with the seller. You could watch the seller interact with other buyers to determine how flexible he or she might be. A quicker way is simply to ask, “Are your prices negotiable?”

Third, do some research on the items you are seeking before you head out for the garage sale. If you have some sense of what the item sells for, both new and secondhand, then you can offer a reasonable lower price. Don’t forget that the seller needs and deserves to make some profit.

Consider using these phrases or something similar but remember to always deliver them in a friendly tone. Practice in front of a mirror if you usually sound too confrontational or rude.

• “Have you noticed this crack? I’ll give you half since it’s damaged.”
• “I’m sorry; I simply cannot afford to pay that price.”
• “That must be the tourist rate. So what’s the real price?”
• “No thank you, it’s just too expensive.”
• “I’ll think about it and come back later.” Be aware that this tactic could result in item being snatched up by another buyer before you return.
• “What’s your best price for this?”

Some buyers like to examine an item, put it down and then come back later. This variation on one of the above phrases can work but again you risk the item being purchased by someone else in the meantime.

Among other haggling tactics, watch out for unmarked items. Usually the seller wants you to make an offer in this case, so don’t volunteer a price. Ask the seller for his or her price for the item. Often what they are asking is less than what you would have offered.

When you find something you want that’s listed for 25 cents or less, don’t insult your seller by haggling over something this cheap. If you can’t afford something for a quarter, you shouldn’t be out shopping.

Browsing through yard sales is one of the best ways to find hidden treasures at fantastic prices. However, when you do come across just the item you are looking for, you could find that it is at a higher price than you are willing to pay.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you negotiate a better deal at yard sales:

Do your Homework

If you have an idea of what you are looking for, spend some time checking out what the piece is worth. This will help you negotiate a fair price where you do not feel like you are being ripped off.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm; the Late Bird Gets the Bargains

While it may be harder to bargain early in the day, arriving early means you will have the most items to choose from. If an item catches your eye but you think it is over priced, look it over and walk away from it; it gives you the bargaining advantage if the seller thinks you are discouraged by the price. However, if you want it badly enough and you think the price is right, make the deal right there and then. If you are just visiting yard sales looking for bargains, then it is best to go later in the day when sellers are keen to get rid of their wares and are more willing to lower their prices.

Don’t Stop at One

If the seller has several interesting trinkets that you think you’d like to buy, hold off the negotiations till you’ve checked out everything. Negotiating over several items makes the deal more appealing to the seller.

Master the Fine Art of Haggling

The hardest part of haggling is getting over that uncomfortable feeling that comes with challenging a seller; practice is the only way to do this. Approach when the seller isn’t swamped; you will have their full focus and a better shot at getting your deal. Decide a price somewhere close to half of the original tag; bidding lower causes the seller to reject your offer without consideration. Always be kind and polite; it could save you a bundle. Keep your enthusiasm for an item under your hat; or you could wind up paying too much.

Close the Deal

Thank the seller if you succeed in getting what you want. If you don’t, ask if your price might be considered if you come back at the end of the day and the item is still available.