Ethical Limitations at Garage Sales...

[THE_BEYONDER]

Buy the book for 25 cents. If it's an Action 1...return to the sellers home after you sell the item & hand them a suitcase full of cash.

 

Everyone's happy

[jaeldubyoo]

Interesting question but I buy it for what it was offered and then run. I don't see anything of value anymore at Garage Sales and Flea Markets. I was having this conversation with a boardie a little while ago. I feel that at this point that, at least here in NY and the Long Island area that most people are savvy enough to take their valuable stuff to eBay and everything else that is left over is found on Craigslist and at Garage Sales.

 

Yea I haven't seen anything valuable at a garage sale in years. People are smart enough to check things out. The internet and media has made everyone a genius.

 

Not entirely true. There are those who are truly clueless.

[jaybes]

Interesting question but I buy it for what it was offered and then run. I don't see anything of value anymore at Garage Sales and Flea Markets. I was having this conversation with a boardie a little while ago. I feel that at this point that, at least here in NY and the Long Island area that most people are savvy enough to take their valuable stuff to eBay and everything else that is left over is found on Craigslist and at Garage Sales.

 

Yea I haven't seen anything valuable at a garage sale in years. People are smart enough to check things out. The internet and media has made everyone a genius.

 

First of all, thanks for weighing in everyone. Secondly, I disagree with this, there are still good finds to be had at garage sales and flee markets. It depends on what your definition of valuable stuff it, but I've found several great books this summer, some I've kept and some I've flipped. I'm guessing location has a lot to do with it. Its mostly wooded or farm country here for miles, so the garage sales, usually "barn sales" tend to be great spots for antiques and collectibles. Not like inner-city garage sales that I've been to where you can purchase anything from Rolex to house insurance

 

 

[sharkbait]

I found an X-Factor #6 for a dollar today and did not hesitate to finish the transaction. Flea market comic dealer with overpriced books in poor conditions.

[FineCollector]

I haven't found any earthshattering deals at flea markets in my neck of the woods, most nice things are overpriced.

 

I'll pay the asking price on stuff I do want, and afterwards, inform them of the value of things I didn't take. I don't resell, so I only take what's for me, and leave plenty of juicy goodies behind. The seller sells for more than he expected, and the 2nd guy in line still has a shot at good stuff. I think that's as fair as it can be for everyone.

[Dr. Balls]

My wife and I routinely go to garage sales to buy cool stuff, usable items ($1 for a 1950's wafflemaker that beats out the $149 one I bought my wife for Mother's Day) and to spy the occasional item that I can resell on Ebay for more than what I've paid.

 

I don't think I've ever been put into an ethical situation, as there never seems to be something like a Van Gogh or Hulk 181 to ever surface for a fraction of it's value.

[jaybes]

My wife and I routinely go to garage sales to buy cool stuff, usable items ($1 for a 1950's wafflemaker that beats out the $149 one I bought my wife for Mother's Day) and to spy the occasional item that I can resell on Ebay for more than what I've paid.

 

I don't think I've ever been put into an ethical situation, as there never seems to be something like a Van Gogh or Hulk 181 to ever surface for a fraction of it's value.

 

Agreed , no Van Gogh's or Hulks, but still the occasional key that I can flip on eBay or random book im missing makes my day at garage sales. I still think theyre worth going to...you never want to be the comic fan who reads in the morning paper that an AC1 or Batman1 was sold at a garage sale down the road from where you live

 

 

[Bills Comics]

Nowadays its easy for anyone to research an item before they sell it . If they sell it too cheap than thats their fault for not doing some work.

[lemonman5]

There was a nice old man at a flea market last year that sold all of his comics for the 10 and 12 cent cover prices. I didn't buy anything (he told me everything was sold), but it looked like people had no ethical problems buying from him.

[That Ron Dude]

Remember the Sermon on the Mount.

[MagnusX]

[font:Book Antiqua]

Every Comic Book that I found in a Garage Sales

its 90's drek way overpriced...

[/font]

 

[FlyingDonut]

I'd just pay their asking price and take the books. They aren't asking for an appraisal, they're setting a price and you're agreeing to the price.

 

(thumbs u

 

This is a stupid discussion. It was a stupid discussion eleven years ago when I joined the boards, it was a stupid discussion five years ago, and it is a stupid discussion now.

[catrick339]

If they ask, I always tell them. If they set their own price and don't ask I pay it and move on.

[THE_BEYONDER]

There was a nice old man at a flea market last year that sold all of his comics for the 10 and 12 cent cover prices. I didn't buy anything (he told me everything was sold), but it looked like people had no ethical problems buying from him.

 

That bums me out....

[Aweandlorder]

I'm sure subjects like this have been brought up before, but since I'm relatively new to the forums I thought I'd bring it up again

 

I'm curious about whether or not you have ethical limitations when buying comics at garage sales/flea markets?

 

Example: Say someone is selling something insanely valuable for 25cents...do you tell them? Or do you buy it and say nothing?

 

Where's your personal limit? Do you have certain books or monetary limits that you hold to? If someone has something of that predetermined value, do you tell them, rather than let them sell it to you for next-to-nothing? Or do you look at it as their fault if they didn't spend 2 seconds looking something up on the internet?

 

Looking for your input here.....to settle a small debate with the wife. We go garage saling almost every weekend in the summer, and I've had a better-than-normal summer for finding garage sale comic scores. She and I began talking about whether or not I should go back to a particular garage sale and give them more money for a couple books I bought......obviously, the debate got deep.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

I always tell them the true value of the book and pay them its real price according to the milehigh catalog.

 

I also always tell my wife that she is right in all our arguments

[Axc3]

You guys would be surprised how many older people don't know how to use a computer. I think its also that a lot of people are lazy.

 

But I would buy it for the asking price, and keep them in my collection for almost forever.

[MedicAR]

I picked up an FF #10 in a comic shop for 10¢. The store was having a sale and back issues were 10 for $1. The shop didn't do much to protect their high end books and while going through the boxes, I found FF #10. It even had a $100 price tag on it. I pulled with with the intent of letting the clerk know, figuring someone had pu the book there with the intent of coming back during the sale (they advertised for about a month before the sale started).

 

I took the book, along with my other finds to the counter. FF #10 was on top and the clerk just started counting. I pointed out that I didn't think that book was supposed to be in the bins and showed her the price tag which was clearly $100. You couldn't even squint and make it look like something else. She asked if I wanted the book. I told her that I didn't have enough money and she just laughed and asked, "you don't have an extra dime?" Like a fool, I argued with her, I told her there was no way that book should have been in the with the 10/$1 stuff. She said, that may be the case, but it was in there so if I want it, it's the same as the others. I suggested that if the boss found out she might get fired and even a deal this good wasn't worth someone's job to me. She said the book was in with the others, so it is priced like the others. I told her it belonged on the wall or in the case and she told me that if I left it, she would put it back where it came from.

 

With that, I purchased a nice copy of FF #10 at 99.9% off of the asking price. She didn't get fired and I got a heck of a deal. I never lost a moment of sleep, as I tried to do the right thing and was told not to worry about it.

[thehumantorch]

I picked up an FF #10 in a comic shop for 10¢. The store was having a sale and back issues were 10 for $1. The shop didn't do much to protect their high end books and while going through the boxes, I found FF #10. It even had a $100 price tag on it. I pulled with with the intent of letting the clerk know, figuring someone had pu the book there with the intent of coming back during the sale (they advertised for about a month before the sale started).

 

I took the book, along with my other finds to the counter. FF #10 was on top and the clerk just started counting. I pointed out that I didn't think that book was supposed to be in the bins and showed her the price tag which was clearly $100. You couldn't even squint and make it look like something else. She asked if I wanted the book. I told her that I didn't have enough money and she just laughed and asked, "you don't have an extra dime?" Like a fool, I argued with her, I told her there was no way that book should have been in the with the 10/$1 stuff. She said, that may be the case, but it was in there so if I want it, it's the same as the others. I suggested that if the boss found out she might get fired and even a deal this good wasn't worth someone's job to me. She said the book was in with the others, so it is priced like the others. I told her it belonged on the wall or in the case and she told me that if I left it, she would put it back where it came from.

 

With that, I purchased a nice copy of FF #10 at 99.9% off of the asking price. She didn't get fired and I got a heck of a deal. I never lost a moment of sleep, as I tried to do the right thing and was told not to worry about it.

 

You're 100% honest and ethical. I would have pointed it out to the clerk but wouldn't have argued with her.

[Arkham]

I picked up an FF #10 in a comic shop for 10¢. The store was having a sale and back issues were 10 for $1. The shop didn't do much to protect their high end books and while going through the boxes, I found FF #10. It even had a $100 price tag on it. I pulled with with the intent of letting the clerk know, figuring someone had pu the book there with the intent of coming back during the sale (they advertised for about a month before the sale started).

 

I took the book, along with my other finds to the counter. FF #10 was on top and the clerk just started counting. I pointed out that I didn't think that book was supposed to be in the bins and showed her the price tag which was clearly $100. You couldn't even squint and make it look like something else. She asked if I wanted the book. I told her that I didn't have enough money and she just laughed and asked, "you don't have an extra dime?" Like a fool, I argued with her, I told her there was no way that book should have been in the with the 10/$1 stuff. She said, that may be the case, but it was in there so if I want it, it's the same as the others. I suggested that if the boss found out she might get fired and even a deal this good wasn't worth someone's job to me. She said the book was in with the others, so it is priced like the others. I told her it belonged on the wall or in the case and she told me that if I left it, she would put it back where it came from.

 

With that, I purchased a nice copy of FF #10 at 99.9% off of the asking price. She didn't get fired and I got a heck of a deal. I never lost a moment of sleep, as I tried to do the right thing and was told not to worry about it.

 

Found this picture of you having a swim down the beach:

 

 

I don't mean to offend any religious boardies with what could be construed as blatant blasphemy, but MedicAR sports moral fibre of the highest calibre!

[jaybes]

I'd just pay their asking price and take the books. They aren't asking for an appraisal, they're setting a price and you're agreeing to the price.

 

(thumbs u

 

This is a stupid discussion. It was a stupid discussion eleven years ago when I joined the boards, it was a stupid discussion five years ago, and it is a stupid discussion now.

 

Cool, thanks for sharing.