garage saling

my grandpa loves nothing better than getting a deal on something he didn't really need or bargaining just for the heck of it.

i'm all about deals, not so much about bargaining.  i learned to do it well enough in taiwan to amuse night market vendors and get small discounts, but i never stopped dreading it, and it took a lot of rehearsal and general mental preparation.

you see, i often decide if i want something or not based on price.  so if uncertainty is introduced about how much something costs, i get all anxious. i really hate bargaining because if you have to ask about the price and it's way more than what you're willing to pay, it just feels like you can't go anywhere from there except to quit, which is awkward, because usually if you ask you're supposed to be genuinely interested in the item. 

and so, california garage sales make me nervous.

in ohio, garage sales go something like this:

you gather all the stuff you have to sell, then you carefully consider its garage sale value, then set up tables and organize everything neatly by category in your garage. nicer clothes are even hung on makeshift clothes racks. but the most important thing is that you mark everything.  you put little stickers stating the cost and the initials of the owner of said item, so whoever in the family is on cashier duty at the moment of sale can dutifully record who made how much and fairly distribute the earnings in the end.
garage sales in ohio are well-organized, stuff is neatly categorized and displayed, prices are clearly marked, and the whole thing is like a temporary home-made storefront.

in california, as best as i can tell, garage sales seem like poorly-organized, last-minute affairs. they tend to look as if someone walked around the house randomly gathering stuff, then dumped it all on the yard.  clothes are strewn over fences.  but worst of all -- nothing is marked!

this is a big problem for me.

let's say, as a garage saler, i'm looking to buy a lamp to put in my room.  my biggest concern is that it's cheap and doesn't look like hell. if it meets those criteria, i'm sold.

in ohio, it would go something like this:

me thinking: oh, there's a lamp.  it doesn't look like crap.  and it's only $3!  i kinda like it, and it's so cheap.  alright, i'm gonna buy it.  ooh, maybe i can get a little discount.  i'll ask if they'll take $2.50, wait, no...i better say 2 that way they can offer 2.5.  and if they won't give me a discount it's still really cheap.  no wait, i hate bargaining. it's only $3. 
me: "hi, i'd like to buy this lamp."
(hand over $3)


in california, i don't even bother, because it could go something like this:

thinking: oh, there's a lamp.  it doesn't look like crap.  i wonder how much it costs.
me: "excuse me, how much is this lamp?"
californian: "oh, that's....like $15"
thinking: $15! shit, it must be fancy.  or they're just making up a number at this minute.  i don't even want to pay 10 for it. i'd pay $5, but that's too low and they'll get insulted or offer it to me for 10 and that's still too much. it's not that great.  oh well, i'll just keep looking or never buy a lamp.
me: "ok, thanks."
(go to leave)
california: "or, well, how much would you give me for it?"
thinking: oh no, now i'm going to tell them i only wanted it if it were like, really cheap, like $3, and i can't even say 5 because i already decided against that plan. and maybe i could get it for 10 but i might not and i really don't want to pay even that much.  crap, what do i say?
me: "uhhh, i'll think about it. i'm really just looking."
californian: "i can give it to you for [amount over $6]"
thinking: shit
me: "nevermind. that's ok. thanks!"
(run away awkwardly)


so really, it's best to avoid garage sales all together. not buying anything at all = much easier. getting stuff abandoned at dumpsters = better yet.