Seller: "Ill just keep it" tactics in negotiation

[steve B]

To me that's really cool.

My mother is also pretty tough to deal with at yard sales or flea markets. One time I got back from shopping the flea market and she told me to go shop some more. when I asked why she mentioned the card vultures who were hovering at the end of the row waiting for me to leave. They figured on taking advantage of the old lady while I was gone. Bad bad choice. I had stuff marked at catalog price, and had given her the list of the 3-4 cards I wouldn't take less for. The rest I said she could sell for whatever she could get. Which turned out to be around 90% of high Beckett. I almost felt bad.

Steve B

Originally Posted by drcy

7) If you are rude to my mother or other customers at her garage sale, she will refuse to sell you anything at any price. She'll throw the stuff away before she sells to you. It has nothing to do with money or market value. At that point, trying to make those arguments with her is pointless. And before you try and be tricky and lowball her, realize that my mother is always this far (my index finger 1/4th inch in front of thumb) from giving the stuff to charity, so if sellers are rude or unreasonable or offers are low she will give the stuff away to charity. Often times she's having the garage sale to raise money for a charity.

And I can promise you that if you say to my mom "You have to sell it at market value," she will say "I don't have to do anything. It's mine."

My dad had a colleague who once asked him in the hallway if he was going to that afternoon's departmental meeting and my dad said he wasn't. The colleague asked why not and my dad said "Because I don't want to." The uptight follow rules and order colleague couldn't even fathom that as a reason for not going. "Not wanting to" as a reason fell outside his logic system. This story comes to mind when people state 'written in stone' rules such as "You have to sell at market price. That's the rule." My dad would respond "There are options other than selling at market price. One is to go to lunch. Another is to take a nap."