Estate sale etiquette- Im right...right?

[GlenDronach]

Estate sale etiquette- I'm right...right?

Was at an estate sale today, number 5 in line, got there about 40 minutes early.

As time rolls by and people start lining up, the two people in line up front each have two numbers (waiting for their "friends" who didn't show up...)

So I end up basically being number 3.

Well, I studied the pictures online and made an educated guess about where the sofa was that I was looking for. The door opens, we all walk in, I make a beeline downstairs and boom, there's the sofa. I'm the only one in the room, I tell the attendant in the hall that I'll take it. She starts writing up a slip.

Woman #1 in line comes in the room as this is happening, starts complaining that she was #1 in line and she had been waiting since 7am, etc. and that she should be given priority. I told her that I was there first (I didn't buy it as she was inspecting it!) and that order didn't matter. She keeps going, and then goes upstairs to the manager of the sale and starts telling him about how she consigns, waited in line, should have been able to get it, etc. trying to get HIM to give her the sofa. I quietly pay and get my receipt and head out.



I've been first in line, I haven't been. I've been lucky and figured out where the stuff is quickly, and sometimes I haven't.

Line order has nothing to do with priority, right? She was going on and on about manners and the time she put in, etc. I have always been under the impression that if you're the first to claim it and put money up, it's yours, whether you're the first person or last person in.

I'm sure she's somewhere right now talking about that rude young man who didn't wait as long as her and got her sofa out from under her...

 

[dejapooh]

Order in line gets you first in the door. First to say, "I'll Buy It" is the person who gets to buy it. By her logic, she can just wait at the register and take things out of people's hands and buy them since she was first in line.

 

[releventchair]

Order in line gets you first in the door. First to say, "I'll Buy It" is the person who gets to buy it. By her logic, she can just wait at the register and take things out of people's hands and buy them since she was first in line.

Well put. If first means a private tour before any one else the second would need to wait at the door and so on.
The complaining lady must not shop Walmart on black friday?

 

[GlenDronach]

Exactly what I thought. Thanks both of you.

What is ironic is she was talking while waiting in line about how she's been to "hostile" estate sales where people didn't follow the rules. I wonder whose rules weren't being followed?

 

[bigcaddy64]

Her being first in line gave her first dibs on the painting...if she decided to walk straight into that room and have a ticket written up. She decided against doing that and you saw/tagged/bought it first so she's SOL.

I've been first at plenty of sales where upon entering the doorway I was faced with a choice to turn straight, left, right or upstairs. Sometimes you make the right turn while other times you see guys with cool stuff coming from every direction except the one you went. I didn't demand they hand over their found goods because I was "first" and waited the longest.

It's all part of the game of estate sales. You don't always score the best thing but that is what keeps you going for next time

I've been known to look at Google earth to figure out the houses floor plan so I can guesstimate my route once I enter the home

 

[releventchair]

The company or person running the sales may have their own rules but to my limited knowledge the reason for numbers is to control the number of people in the building, for varied reasons like fire marshals safe capacity, to protect the merchandise ect.. not to decide who claims what. An auction very different although some companies are willing to have an auction during an estate sale on big ticket items.

 

[Paleo_joe]

I've been first at plenty of sales where upon entering the doorway I was faced with a choice to turn straight, left, right or upstairs. Sometimes you make the right turn while other times you see guys with cool stuff coming from every direction except the one you went. I didn't demand they hand over their found goods because I was "first" and waited the longest.

Yeah, I zigged when I should have zagged today -- and I lost the item I waited in line for, to someone in line behind me. That is how the cookie crumbles.

 

[clovis97]

I am glad that I read this thread.

I've gone to a number of estate sales, been the first in line, and headed to the garage looking for something in particular, just to find out someone moved it to the dining room, and 4 minutes later, I see someone carrying that very item down the hall to pay for it. Feeling sick to my stomach, I'll try to make the most of it, hitting the bedrooms before heading to the garage, and see two old dudes buying the Kennedy tool box that I wanted, and then find out that someone bought the large and rare vise for a mere $10.

I thought that I was the only guy in the world that went downstairs, when I should have gone to the garage, and upstairs when I should have been on the back patio, missing out on tons of great deals.

 

[austin]

It's just a sofa, not life or death. You wanted it, you got it and that's that.

 

[Red James Cash]

Once inside you are no longer in line.What is she an idiot or maybe one of the self imposed entitled ones

 

[Tallone]

Big brass cojones on that one. Does that knucklehead really think that because she was first in line that gives her the right of first refusal on every freakin' thing in the house!? If she is first in line at next estate sale, when the door opens, I would like to see her turn around and announce to the crowd, "You all wait here while I go inside and choose all the items I want. When I'm done you can come in." I'm sure she would get an enthusiastic response. And if the company running the sale lets her get away with this, that would be the last time I would go to one of their sales.

 

[batcap]

I was in a similar situation last week. I spotted a lens that would fit my Canon EOS 650D in the estate sale ad. When I got there I was 5th in line. Nobody was chatting much and we had 15min to wait. I wanted that lens,but if someone else was here ahead of me, then I was just going stop wasting my time and move on to the next sale. So I spoke up "I saw a lens that will fit my camera, that's why I'm here. Are any of you here for a camera lens?" I was lucky; one couple was here for the artwork, one lady wasn't after anything in particular, and the guy immediately ahead of me was there for the Polk speakers.
So, when they opened the doors the couple at the front of the line asked where the painting was, the 2nd lady just wandered off, #4 asked where the stereo equipment was, and I asked for directions to the camera equipment.

If I did the same thing in your situation Accordselux, I would have missed out. Still, I will not hesitate to stop at the first attendant and say "Where's the THING?" I may even whip out a print at the front door as I'm walking in. They don't have to lead me to it, just point.

I'm just saying that the attendants are there to help you, and maybe not everyone in front of you is competition.

 

[Beachkid23]

I was at one on Friday and I walk in and there was this guy looking at the jewelry table. He picked up two bags and the ladies said five dollars apiece. I picked up one bag and it had a price tag of three dollars on it. I said I'll take this one and the guy turns the me and says" I don't think so I was here first I haven't looked at that one yet". Lol! What? I was like okay you have a whole bunch already and even the lady selling it said it's okay that I can look too and he got all offended." That's not right and he should have first Dibbs on anything there and that's how it is!"
He put his hand out and said here let me see it. I told him, hell no. Too bad! I'm 6"5 250. I'm not going to let him push me around!

I gave the lady the three dollars and started to walk around the house and he followed me the whole way. He was my little shadow. I made a pile of stuff. He followed me to the pile watched what I was buying picked up nothing along the way pretty much wasted his whole time there.

So I go up to pay for everything and he standing right there and I do what any other normal person would do... I said that this is all the stuff I'm interested in and I will be putting it in my car but this guys paying for me!! Whoa! Did the dude get ticked!! I wish he would've gotten so mad that he set the rest of his jewelry down and left without paying for it that would've been better!