The Village Tag Sale: A Love/Hate Story

Last time, I forgot to mention that this is also the season of Westchester's village-wide tag sales.  In other words… It’s the worst of times. It’s the best of times.
First, because it’s Monday and I’m listening to Tom Waits’ Nighthawks at the Diner…

The village-wide tag sale at its WORST:

For the Seller:

This was taken at the St. Barnabas Church
sale in Irvington, NY, last weekend,
but you get the idea.

1.     Shoppers Have Too Many Options.
It’s the worst of all possible days to hold your tag sale, and for the same reason that Match.com is the worst way to find a lifelong mate.
They just might decide to hit the ATM to come back and commit to your 15 year old speakers, but they’re just as likely to Follow Their Inner Squirrel and get distracted by the next pretty face—um, tag sale.

2.     Traffic Is Not As Heavy As You Hoped.

Why? There are too many sales happening at once, all over town, so people save time by doing drive-bys. Unless you physically halt their progress, they're never going to revel in the awesome stuff that they can't see from the car window.
Also, in the case of Tarrytown's sale this year, it was stunningly pretty outside. Folks went for walks. (I know this is true.) I called family members in California to brag that I live in New York, it was that pretty.

In the end, Sellers are left with Too Much Stuff.

For the Buyer:

1.     Everything is Expensive.

Village-wide tag sales inspire too many people to raise their prices. I see the same shocked expressions from house to house when shoppers ask the seller, “How much for that bag of mismatched Tupperware?” and get the response, “$20—I bought them from Bloomingdales.”

I know that these shoppers are thinking the same thing I am: I have $100 cash in my pocket, and nineteen more sales to hit. I don’t care what eBay says it's worth. It’s gotta be $5, Tupperware Hawker, or it’s not happening.

And, for the same Match.com reason, Sellers will refuse the $5. So many Shoppers out there, right? Someone’s bound to see the inherent value in that bag of mismatched plastic.

2.     Burnout!

It’s no different than daring your nine-year-old-self to eat the whole bag of Halloween candy. Two hours later, even I want to barf, and I have an enormous capacity for both candy and for tag sales.

In the end, both Buyer and Seller are left feeling a little disappointed, a little misunderstood.

The village-wide tag sale at its BEST:

Sellers, especially in the wealthiest corners of Westchester, have one fascinating habit…

They Kick It To The Curb.

After they charge too much and no one buys, most just walk back in to the house at the end of Sale Day, leaving the goods with the price tags still on them. I know garbage collectors get a bitter laugh out of this phenomenon; I've asked them.

But, for the Late-Comer and Curb Shopper, it’s like a happy dream, and you can get a giggle while you haul these overpriced goodies away to your lair.

The After Village-Wide Tag Sale shopping spree has only two limits: 

1. Physics. Can I lift that oak desk by myself? WHY did I put glass Christmas ornaments under a rocking chair?

2. Guilt. My Van is now full: Is it wrong to borrow or steal my neighbor's? If I don’t take that box of hardcover college Lit Class favs, will anyone else? Shouldn’t I be home with my family, enjoying a lovely walk in the woods on this stunningly pretty day?

 

This load is actually from a friend's attic,
but again, you get the idea.

So, Sellers…Buyers…. What do you do with The Excess?


Copyright 2013, Tanya Monier