Tag Sales The Place To Find Good Bargains
When I first moved to Connecticut more than 20 years ago, I had never heard of a tag sale. To be sure, a few neighbors in my hometown of Nutley, N.J., had held small garage sales to rid themselves of unwanted accumulations - mostly junk.
But I was totally amazed and delighted to happen upon the Starring Mansion tag sale around the corner from our newly purchased house on Turkey Hill in Westport in the early ‘70s. An entire family’s belongings were tagged for sale at prices that, even to me, a complete novice, were tantalizingly cheap. I bought so much, and to this day wish I had bought even more.
My purchases included a few pieces of 19th-century Paris porcelain dinnerware (decorated in gold and blue with “S” monograms), a wonderful pair of carved beds circa 1850, tilt-top tables from 1800 and some other dishes and glassware that I still use and love. After that I was hooked and started attending as many estate tag sales as I could, devising my own methods for coping with the crowds, the pushing and the shoving.
As I decorated my home with my purchases, I relayed to my envious friends the bargains I had found and the treasures I had discovered.
My enthusiasm for tag sales has not waned over the years even though, as their popularity has increased, they have become much more crowded and competitive.
Good sales today are usually cleverly advertised in local papers in a section called “Tag Sales” or “Estate Sales.” Sometimes, if the sale includes a lot of antiques and collectibles, there will be ads for it in specialty publications, including newspapers about antiques.
In my area, there are two or three pre-eminent experts who price, tag, advertise and sell a home’s goods for a percentage of the profits. Sales they run are usually advertised with attention-getting headlines such as: “Superior Scintillating Selection Sure to Seduce.”
Over the years these sales have maintained a quality that continues to attract the premier tag-sale shoppers from the area. There are probably similar experts and sales in your town. Check your local paper for ads. If you find a sale that you’d like to explore, here are some tips to keep in mind:
If something you really covet is advertised, try to get to the sale early enough to be the first in line. I have arrived at some sales at 4 a.m., only to discover 10 people already ahead of me.
Dress appropriately for outdoor sales and take gloves, bags and wrapping paper.
Check beforehand about the accepted mode of payment. Some sellers will take only cash.
Carry little “sold” stickers with you and write your name on them. Stick them on objects you want that are too heavy to carry to the cashier. You should also let an attendant know that you want the object so someone else doesn’t take it away.
Don’t talk about what you want. That often encourages others to go after the same items. I lost a beautiful mirror and a pair of candlesticks that way.
If the house is large, ask an attendant for the location of the items you’re looking for. That way you won’t be distracted by other things.
Tag sales are usually first-come, first-served, which is why it’s important to arrive early. However, being the last shopper is also good, because real bargains can often be found at the end of a sale. Sometimes the larger pieces of furniture - or the most expensive items - are not sold, and they can be bartered for with success.
Don’t bargain too hard. I once tried to get a better deal on a beautiful antique Chinese rug, and while I was whiffling away at the price, another person came up with cash in his hand and bought it. I have regretted that ever since because the rug is worth many, many times what they were asking for it.
MEMO: Questions should be addressed to Martha Stewart, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is: mstewart@msl.timeinc.com.
This sidebar appeared with the story: 10 TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A WELL-RUN TAG SALE Getting rid of things just because they are no longer wanted or needed is not the only reason for holding a sale. A well-run sale will indeed rid your home of extraneous odds and ends, but it can also help you dispose of furniture that no longer fits your lifestyle - or raise money quickly if you need to do so. Holding a tag sale is less complicated than trying to dispose of not-so-valuable things through auctions or consignment shops, both of which may take large commissions. If what you are trying to sell is really valuable, however, you should consult a good auctioneer or dealer. Here are 10 tips for running your own tag sale: Accumulate a good quantity of merchandise before you hold a sale. If you have a small amount of things, hold the sale with a group of friends to increase the number of items to be sold. A crowded sale is better than a skimpy one. 2. Advertise - in a clear and honest fashion - the week of the sale. Use a catchy headline, like my daughter did: “Five Groovy Chicks Consolidate.” Indicate exact time and place, rain date, and time when numbers will be handed out to early birds so that a line doesn’t form too early. 3. Check with your town to be sure you are in compliance with rules pertaining to such sales. Some towns require permits, while others do not allow signs to be tacked up in the neighborhood. Some require a policeman to control traffic and parking. 4. Inform neighbors of the date and time so they are not surprised when the crowds appear. 5. Rent tables if you are selling a lot of “smalls” or dishes so that they are clearly displayed. Wash and polish things so they look as good as they can. 6. Corral people in a line and have someone greet them so they remain orderly. 7. Set rules in advance for bargaining, price-reduction times and such. Good will is part of the tag sale, and without it you may be stuck with that broken Rolodex file forever, when if you had been flexible on the price, it would have gone right away. 8. Set up a payment table with a sign indicating accepted methods of payment. Locate this table near the exit. Always have only one exit so that goods do not leave without being paid for. 9. If running a group sale, mark goods with different colored tags and keep separate cash boxes. Or, if possible, set up individual tables and staff them separately. 10. Open promptly, remerchandise as the tables empty, and discount late in the day. Provide boxes and wrappings to aid the customers. Keep smiling as you watch your discards become others’ treasures.
This sidebar appeared with the story: 10 TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A WELL-RUN TAG SALE Getting rid of things just because they are no longer wanted or needed is not the only reason for holding a sale. A well-run sale will indeed rid your home of extraneous odds and ends, but it can also help you dispose of furniture that no longer fits your lifestyle - or raise money quickly if you need to do so. Holding a tag sale is less complicated than trying to dispose of not-so-valuable things through auctions or consignment shops, both of which may take large commissions. If what you are trying to sell is really valuable, however, you should consult a good auctioneer or dealer. Here are 10 tips for running your own tag sale: Accumulate a good quantity of merchandise before you hold a sale. If you have a small amount of things, hold the sale with a group of friends to increase the number of items to be sold. A crowded sale is better than a skimpy one. 2. Advertise - in a clear and honest fashion - the week of the sale. Use a catchy headline, like my daughter did: “Five Groovy Chicks Consolidate.” Indicate exact time and place, rain date, and time when numbers will be handed out to early birds so that a line doesn’t form too early. 3. Check with your town to be sure you are in compliance with rules pertaining to such sales. Some towns require permits, while others do not allow signs to be tacked up in the neighborhood. Some require a policeman to control traffic and parking. 4. Inform neighbors of the date and time so they are not surprised when the crowds appear. 5. Rent tables if you are selling a lot of “smalls” or dishes so that they are clearly displayed. Wash and polish things so they look as good as they can. 6. Corral people in a line and have someone greet them so they remain orderly. 7. Set rules in advance for bargaining, price-reduction times and such. Good will is part of the tag sale, and without it you may be stuck with that broken Rolodex file forever, when if you had been flexible on the price, it would have gone right away. 8. Set up a payment table with a sign indicating accepted methods of payment. Locate this table near the exit. Always have only one exit so that goods do not leave without being paid for. 9. If running a group sale, mark goods with different colored tags and keep separate cash boxes. Or, if possible, set up individual tables and staff them separately. 10. Open promptly, remerchandise as the tables empty, and discount late in the day. Provide boxes and wrappings to aid the customers. Keep smiling as you watch your discards become others’ treasures.