I've learned from reading this forum, that estate sales can be VERY different from area to area....and from company to company.
In my area, they are all ran relatively the same...there are minor differences, but mostly the same format...just different levels of professionalism, and pricing.
My family runs the longest running estate sale business in the area (over 18 years), and we were customers of the now long gone ones for many years before that.
The average local companies have about one sale every two weeks, we have been having about two every week, and even three one weekend a few months ago. I can tell you how we handle our customers purchase piles, and give you a few tips from "the other side of the sale".
We have pretty much our regular customers at every sale, and then the occasional new customer, or occasional/seasonal customer. We pretty much know which ones will make a pile, and which ones will need their very own "shopping assistant" to walk around with them. We love our dealers and make a point of pointing out things that they can make money on...whether it be online or in their shop. We will price things where they can at least double their money if they buy at full price, and all items will usually be half price if they make it to the second day.
We only have two days to sell the contents, and it is in our best interest to price the items to sell...so we do. Sometimes our hands are tied as to pricing, if the owners want a certain amount for something, or want to keep it if it doesn't sell for a certain price.
We put up three tables at checkout, one card table for small items and jewelry, a 6ft for the registers, and another card table for wrapping and bagging. Most piles will be under, or beside those tables, and we try our best to watch them...usually there isn't a problem, but sometimes someone (usually a new customer) will try to pick through the pile. If the customer is one of the ones that buys a lot, we will have an worker follow them around and box up their purchases and gather up all the tags and take them to the register. If you become a "regular" the estate sale people should figure that out quick enough, and make sure you are taken care of. We will even call our regulars (dealers or otherwise) and let them know if something they are normally interested in will be for sale.
We don't let anyone in early, as it is not fair to our other customers, but we will be very accomodating to our regulars when possible.
Putting your own "Sold" tags on things will get you ejected from our sales! It's not "sold" until it is paid for, or at least taken to a "pile". We will put a sold tag on a large item once it is paid for, but we have to tape price tags back on items every week that people were going to buy, but changed their minds. A "Sold" tag will keep other customers from even considering an item, even if it ends up for sale again later because someone changed their minds.
People that always ask to get something below the marked price rarely do.
People that buy a lot of things from us, get deals on smaller items.
People that ask for something below the marked price where anyone (or, in most cases, everyone) can hear will never get it.
We have customers that help us load heavy things for other customers, or in some cases even deliver things for other customers...we notice that, and make sure they are always happy at our sales.
Pushy, loud, and rude customers also get noticed.................
Pople that like to point out that "you can get it at Walmart brand new for a little more than that", never get anything cheaper....but they usually draw attention to the item, and someone that knows better usually buys it as soon as they put it down.
People that complain about the fact that we are required to collect sales tax, never get the sales tax taken off. We only make 25%....it is a very close margin to be able to make any money, so there is no way to make any if we had to pay another 7% for someone elses sales tax. If someone lets a few cents or a few dollars stand between them and something they want....that's their issue to deal with.
Even at two sales a week many weeks, and other sales and garage sales as competition, we almost always sell most everything in the houses...we price to sell, and we take care of our customers. If you become a regular at your local sales they should notice and take care of you.....you just might need to "nudge" them a little to notice.
I hope some of that helps you...I know things are different in every area, but most things should be the same.
