If you know anyone that has this addiction, then you may know what I am talking about. These people, both male and female, cannot drive pass a garage sale sign without stopping.
In recent studies, it was determined that a garage sale is 72% more addicting than nicotine. Quitting cold turkey is difficult for nicotine users but is impossible for the garage sale addict.
These G S As (garage sale addicts) are a much focused group of people. When they get close to the location of the sale, they begin to think about getting out of the vehicle and getting that one item that they must have. The truth is, that one item can be anything and they probably do not know what it is until they see it.
Garage sale is for the most part a misnomer. Very few people allow strangers into their garage and these so called, “garage sales” are really “yard sales”, or more accurately, “drive way sales”.
This morning, as I was driving up our street, pulling a trailer loaded with limbs, I was approaching a corner. At this corner there was three vehicles parked on the right side of the street, probably too close to the intersection. I had to drive in the middle of the street to get past the parked vehicles. At the intersection to my left was an SUV that was driven by, “a garage sale addict”.
This female addict could not wait until I had safely passed, instead she started around the corner. I am not sure she even knew I was there, as she was focused on the, “two”, yes two yard sales one house apart. Her SUV actually ran over the curb as she tried to get around the corner and to those yard sales.
It can be fun to watch these addicts, as they dismount their vehicles. They don’t care where they park and they don’t care if other vehicles can get past, they are just focused on the junk that is sitting in the driveway. This is the same type junk that they have probably tossed out years ago. Now it is no longer junk, it is now a collectable item.
They also want to purchase this, “collectable item”, for half of the marked price. These addicts enjoy negotiating over the price of a $1.00 item.
There are also a group of these addicts that go to the garage sales for the purpose of visiting. These addicts travel for the most part in pairs, and it is often a husband and wife team, but it can be two or more friends. They look through the items for sale but their main objective is to visit with anyone that will talk with them.
Some of the addicts even bring their children / grandchildren with them. These so called prospective customers are much less serious about purchasing anything of value, but they may be talked into an old toy that the kids happen to see.
There is also the group that are basically not addicted to the garage sale, instead they are hoping to remove item/s from your sale without paying. These shoppers come in larger groups 5 or more and often have children with them. The plan is to have part of the group distract you while others remove items without paying. Children normally get the attention of adults so when the seller is watching the kids the adults may be removing things without paying.
The best garage sale I ever went to had valet parking. They put you on a golf cart and drove you up to the house where you could shop in the shade of large trees. They had free soft drinks and free hot dogs. When you were finished shopping they would drive you back down the long drive way, and a fellow would get your car for you. (That is just a dream and did not happen.)
This information has been provided to you without charge. I hope your next drive way sale garage sale, is a big success.
Happy shopping.
Don Ford
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