Best Garage Sale Lines

[mkulltra]

Inspired from a few threads I read recently, I'd like to know what are your favorite lines you use or have used at garage sales? Could be for negotiation, other customers, etc.

I'll be first...If I'm buying a children's item, I always say, "Oh, my kid is going to love this! How much do you want for it?" I know, I'm a horrible person.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[Beachkid23]

Inspired from a few threads I read recently, I'd like to know what are your favorite lines you use or have used at garage sales? Could be for negotiation, other customers, etc. I'll be first...If I'm buying a children's item, I always say, "Oh, my kid is going to love this! How much do you want for it?" I know, I'm a horrible person.

If looking at jewelry, my buddy's ill if someone asks what Hes looking at~ Says " my daughter has allergies so I have to cautious of what I buy her!"
When someone asks if I resell jewelry, I tell them my mom collects it! Also if my daughter goes yard sales with me, I'll have her ask of they have any jewelry!

 

[Oregon Viking]

"you know you can buy one new for that price"

 

[Rodbuster209]

I use the I gotta get something for my wife because I bought a bunch of tools for me, works almost all the time! Also one of my grandsons gets up early( on his own)and goes with me,I have taught him what to look for on the jewelry, and to counter offer. He does well for being ten. Good luck!

 

[GibH]

I used to tell this one Korean lady at the flea market I was buying perfume for my daughter. At least I did until one day my daughter was with me and when the lady asked her, she said "No, that's for him." Talk about a funny look...

 

[BigWaveDave]

How old is your house?...and may I metal detect it later?

 

[NJ Marty]

Just get a good conversation going if good stuff is to be had. If its and older house something like this " Very nice house, when did you move in"? " WOW 1962" Ill bet you paid $11000 back then" NO way holy moley only $8000 and you built it yourself" " What were the taxes back then"? this gets a good flow going and the compliments always make them happy. Then its the usual " wonder what this was for"? something like an old slide rule and I take it from there.

 

[Punatic]

"I collect to pass stuff on to my 2 year old son...."

A half truth!

 

[mjm579]

How old is your house?...and may I metal detect it later?

sounds like my husband. Does pest control and takes every opportunity to ask the same question.

 

[mjm579]

"I collect to pass stuff on to my 2 year old son...." A half truth!

Similarly, I buy to support my own jewelry habit. I keep the nicer stuff - boy, I sure hope I like at least one of my daughter in laws!!

 

[clovis97]

If I am with my wife, we often use code words so we are not so obvious.

"Should I get this for Ben?" is a code for "Should I buy this and take it to the flea market?"

"Should I get this for Annie? Do you think she would like it?" is code for "Would this do well on ebay? What do you think?"

"It would be hard to wrap up" is code for "shipping that thing would be awful."

"Maybe we should go out to the car and call" is code for "Let's look it up first."

 

[Molon Labe]

If I am with my wife, we often use code words so we are not so obvious.

"Should I get this for Ben?" is a code for "Should I buy this and take it to the flea market?"

"Should I get this for Annie? Do you think she would like it?" is code for "Would this do well on ebay? What do you think?"

"It would be hard to wrap up" is code for "shipping that thing would be awful."

"Maybe we should go out to the car and call" is code for "Let's look it up first."

That's funny because I basically have the same lingo I use. Being a young man, whenever I am looking through jewelry and someone asks or I just decide to say it, I always say Im looking something for my girlfriend

 

[giniro]

I pretty regularly tell people I've got a friend who's interested in such and such let me text him to see if he's interested. Like a set of deadbolt locks I mentioned I've got a friend who owns a bunch of rental property let me see if he could use these. Then I went back to my car, looked them up on my phone, saw the profit and went back and bought them. This is only a partial lie as I do have a friend at work who owns rental property. For me, coming up with a line is easier if there is a nugget of truth inside. It helps that I do have friends interested in a variety of things and 3 nieces and nephews.

 

[diggummup]

If they ask if i'm looking for anything in particular I tell them i'm looking for the Holy Grail but your gold, silver and priceless antiques will work have to do for today.
Or in reference to ebay... you better sell it on ebay then if it's worth that much, as I'm walking away shaking my head (mumbling idiots under my breath).
Other customers... mostly I just laugh at them because it can be a clown show at times. If they get in my personal space or forget gs etiquette, i'll remind them and let them know how I feel in no uncertain terms. Luckily that does not happen very often.

Here is a story...
Last weekend at the sale with all the glass, as I first walked in I saw a couple there whom I'd recognized from the local flea market. Real sleazy looking white trash kind of people. I started looking at the glass on one of the 6 table fulls there. All of a sudden the lady speaks up loudly, "that whole table is sold, it's mine!" I said "oh really?, did you get a price, is it paid for yet?" She says "no, we are working that out now." I said "oh, then it's not actually yours yet your just pulling a Haitian move!"
This is a technique I've seen used many times before by the local Haitian buyers, they are the only ones I have seen do it, that is the reason I said it. They say "that is all mine" then when it comes time to pay they end up not buying the vast majority of it, if any. Anyway, she more or less ignored the comments as her fidgety crackhead looking boyfriend says nothing. I went back to looking through the other tables full of glass and didn't pay any mind to these two anymore. The people holding the sale were now busy wrapping each piece in newspaper and packing it up in 2 plastic tubs for them. Long story short, they worked for about 20 minutes wrapping these items up, the total was $165 (overheard). When it came time to pay, the couple refused to pay that amount and left without buying anything (straight Haitian move). The price was very fair for what they had. I called them a couple of bums as they were leaving. I couldn't help it. The people who were doing the wrapping and packing were po'd to say the least. They had to sit there and unwrap every single piece they had just wrapped.
The people holding the sale told me they didn't know what to think when I was saying what I said when I first arrived. After the deal fell through I explained why I said what I said and told them I was familiar with the 2 that had just left and reneged on the deal. I explained the Haitian comment and the irony of what had just happened. It was like I seen it coming. They were mad as heck at those people and they loved me by the time I was done, well they loved my money anyway, lol. That was my excitement for the week.

 

[OldSowBreath]

I pretend I'm Hispanic and pick up the most expensive thing in sight and say "Dollar? Dollar?" over and over ad nauseum while waiving a dollar. I pretend I don't know English. Eventually the seller craters.

(I really don't do this but I see it constantly)

 

[Beachkid23]

I pretend I'm Hispanic and pick up the most expensive thing in sight and say "Dollar? Dollar?" over and over ad nauseum while waiving a dollar. I pretend I don't know English. Eventually the seller craters. (I really don't do this but I see it constantly)[/QUOT

lol. Hahaha. Funny stuff there!

Being male, when looking Jewelry, some will question why I am looking at it , but I just say I have three girls at home and a wife which I do. when I say that they will go out a lot of garbage and ask if I want to buy for them! Or I have this lovely beanie babies would your daughter like that! No mam. the last house already gave us all of theirs! It can be exciting to go yard sailing with four kids! Thank goodness the oldest is nine I can make them all sit in the car for some of them when it's just a couple more smaller sale! Or it can be horrible if there's a ton of toys and they'll want them but will never play with them as soon as they get in the car

 

[OldSowBreath]

Another old trick I use. You know how you often see those boxes that have old bras in them? Well, I rummage through them, and then grab one and put the cups (the bigger the better) on my eyes and look furtively around. Make sure the seller sees you. Then low-ball an expensive item and watch them accept it to get you the hell out of there.

 

[jochart]

my daughter loves gold earrings

 

[cyberdan]

I pretend I'm Hispanic and pick up the most expensive thing in sight and say "Dollar? Dollar?" over and over ad nauseum while waiving a dollar. I pretend I don't know English. Eventually the seller craters. (I really don't do this but I see it constantly)

I was just going to ask if you were a redhead with freckles? That would never work.

I was at a yardsale last year and this lady could barely talk to me in English so our conversation went this way:
me: Quanto anos in Ustado Unitos?
her: veinticinco
me: veinticinco y no Inglés?
her: nothing just an embaressed shrug.

 

[cyberdan]

You know how you often see those boxes that have old bras in them?

changing the subject a bit. How can some lady put out her old worn bras for sale. But, more importantly how can someone buy them.