Greet The Seller - Garage Sales 101 - Step 1

The most important part of going to garage sales (or any other secondary market buying outlet) is greeting the seller.  A simple but genuine "Hello" or "Good Morning" as you walk up to the driveway is critical for the later stages of negotiation.  You've got to think about them (The Seller), put yourself in their shoes.  They've worked hard to set up their garage sale, in some cases very hard, to set up their things, price their things, put up signs and get enough singles and fives to make change for people.  Depending on the size of the sale, it can take days of preparations, many, many hours of time.  They are social people.  They like people, and talking with them.  If they didn't, they sure wouldn't take the time to set up a sale, and try to direct complete strangers to come to their residence to buy their goods.  Now, I speak in generalities and while there are always exceptions to the general rules, this one has very few.

They also woke up early that day to set up, earlier than you did most likely.  They are finally ready and prepared, half an hour before their scheduled start time.  They are already tired.  They normally would have much better things to do with their Saturday than this.  Oh, and here's a little secret that I've found to be more true than not; They do not think their items will sell, especially first timers.  They do not think their sale, no matter how high the quality of their items, or the steal of a deal prices they marked things with, will be successful.  They fear this.  They loathe the thought of lugging everything BACK in from whence it came.  But as the first people show up to their sale, they soon forget, and this is why...

If you've ever hosted a garage sale, you'll notice that not too many people greet you, or even acknowledge your presence for that matter, as they rummage around your stuff.  Many times they are disrespectful, make a mess and treat you as if you are only there for them IF they need you.  They touch all of your stuff, buy or don't buy, then get in their car and leave.  If you should be so lucky to have several people at your sale at once, its even worse.  Now you are being talked to.  You're being pulled in several directions at once and well, people forget their manners...  This person is asking if your vacuum cleaner works, another is offering $2 on something you have marked at $5 and another is asking how much this, this and that is...  Car doors are opening and closing, people are coming and going and yet, there aren't very many greetings.

Now, you show up at this sale, lets say its 930am.  The sale started at 8am and as you walk up, you see the seller in a very visible state of stress.  They don't like being pulled in that many directions at once and wish that guy who smells and the lady messing up the nice pile of folded clothes would leave already.  As you approach the premises, they are collecting money, making change, answering questions and briefly, there is a lull in activity. 

Now.

Now you greet the seller. 

"Hello", "Good Morning" "Hi there".  The seller, especially the first timer, will immediately like you better than anyone else they are dealing with.  In fact, I've been met with a response of surprise or mild shock many times upon greeting the seller.  Think about that, they are actually SURPRISED that someone walked up to their house and greeted them.  Finally, they think, finally some semblance of humanity in this zoo of the secondary market (and trust me, it can be, complete with animals...).  It shows a level of respect to the seller.  You are validating them as a person and, if ever so slightly, showing a sign of respect by announcing your presence as you walk onto their property and gauge your interest in their possessions.


First impressions are all you have when you go to a garage sale.  Very rarely will you go back to a sale you have already been to (or at least you shouldn't) and being the most liked at the moment, whether consciously or subconsciously, can mean the difference between getting the "yes" to the offer that has already gotten a "no".