Garage Sale vs. Antique Store prices

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
Why is it that an item can be priced $50 in an antique store and sell, but the same price on the same thing at a garage sale would look ridiculous. In other words, why would the same thing in a store be worth more than at a boot sale? It seems to me that an item would have the same intrinsic value no matter the venue.
 

It probably does have the same intrinsic value, but often the person holding the garage sale is an amateur who has no clue as to what the item really is, or its value, whereas the antique dealer is a professional, expert in their period and product. It can happen with anything from books to furniture to guns -- experts occasionally find a real treasure at a garage sale, from first editions to, well, whatever. People holding garage sales don't always have the time, or the knowledge, or the money, to get someone to come in and do an appraisal. So a dealer can hit a garage sale, maybe find one item of value, buy it for a song, and sell it for a good profit to someone who will appreciate it and maybe hand it down. Think of Toy Story 2 (fiction based on factual models). I have been reading a great fiction series set in Savannah where one of the characters, an antiques dealer, often picks up valuable pieces at garage sales and then sells them on. Again, fiction based on fact.

So, yeah, you get what you pay for, if you recognize the garage-sale item for the treasure it is -- you pay peanuts and get a valuable item.
 

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When having a garage sale in this area, the first customers are antique dealers/resellers--especially if the ad mentions furniture, antiques, glassware. So I've always marked those items really high (for a garage sale), then have a "make and offer" sign to dicker after the dealers are gone.
 
jnos said:
When having a garage sale in this area, the first customers are antique dealers/resellers--especially if the ad mentions furniture, antiques, glassware. So I've always marked those items really high (for a garage sale), then have a "make and offer" sign to dicker after the dealers are gone.
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That sounds like a good idea.
 
Guitarist said:
It probably does have the same intrinsic value, but often the person holding the garage is an amateur who has no clue as to what the item really is, or its value, whereas the antique dealer is a professional, expert in their period and product. It can happen with anything from books to furniture to guns -- experts occasionally find a real treasure at a garage sale, from first editions to, well, whatever. People holding garage sales don't always have the time, or the knowledge, or the money, to get someone to come in and do an appraisal....
Click to expand...

Yeah, that.
 
Around here the terms are yard or garage sale, house sale, antiques sale. At the yard or garage sale it's informal and the most you'll pay is maybe around $100 for really heavy furniture. Most things are $15 or less. A house sale and it's actually in someone's home and it's a bit of haggling but always more expensive. An antiques sale means the sellers know the value and you best be prepared to pay as marked.
 
Probably one reason is a yard sale is quick. A day or two. Stuff can sit in an antique store for years until someone may buy it.
 
There are treasure hunters hoping to find a bargain at a garage sale hence the antique dealers and ebay sellers. The anitques market is ify right now, not as many people appreciate the craftsmanship that when into old furniture, things, lamps, etc. Theoretically the antique or collectable market is a nostalgic person what wants stuff from the past sometimes for memories and some even for function/practical use.

I notice with a lot of yard sale and thrift shop sales of late they only want/sell usable stuff, no antiques or collectables, harder than they have been in the past. It must be functional what ever you are trying to sell. I noticed kids clothing for example draws a crowd at yard sales now, not like that in years past. Those in need of actual stuff to use and not resale/collectors are starting to dictate many a flea, thrift and yard sale sales. Here I see the same people hit the yard sales first thing I guess because they are going all over the town or they want to get first dibs.
 
My partner and I have a booth in an antique mall. We mostly sell vintage and collectible things. Lots of times we've tried to sell some of the items at a yard sale and could not, but then we'd put it in the booth and mark it up considerable and BAM it would sell quickly. Cannot explain this.
 


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