Haggling for a good cause

I roused myself at 5:30 a.m. on a recent Saturday morning. A few minutes later, my wife, two of my boys and I were headed toward our church. Before the sun had even awaken, we were on our way to work at the church yard sale. Twelve of us from my church will venture to the Dominican Republic this summer for a week-long mission trip. The yard sale was a fund raiser to aid us in that effort. The whole thing sorta reminded me of the three times my wife and I sold our unwanted stuff at flea market booths back before we had children. A true flea market is rocking way before sunrise as the veteran dealers sniff out the newcomer amateurs and snatch up the valuable stuff before you can even set up. On one occasion, we watched in amazement as people picked through our collection while my truck was still moving. Had I kept it in reverse I would have run over two or three folks. Eventually we just gave up and got out and observed as the veterans held out dollar bills and unpacked our stuff for us. By 10 a.m. that morning, the feeding frenzy had subsided and we were bored stiff. A half-interested couple happened by and I offered them an unusual deal. “Back your truck up to my booth,” I said, “And we’ll give you everything that’s left- no charge.” The deal was sealed with a handshake. Our church yard sale was a little different but I gotta tell you, most of the good stuff was gone in the first thirty minutes. The cliché “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” applied in our case. We sold a giant stuffed Spongebob Squarepants, the 80s version of Trivial Pursuit, and a rocker nobody would even look at until two of my fellow church members shined it up with Old English polish and replaced a screw in the left armrest. I once had an economics professor in college say that the flea market/yard sale venue was the purest form of a true market. People give what they are willing to give and not a cent more. Sellers accept the minimum they are willing to accept and not a cent less. (Until 10 a.m.- then the deals get better and better.) I learned some things last Saturday from a few of my salesmen church brethren. First, don’t put prices on everything. Then you know they’re interested if they ask. Sneaky but effective. Next, if they look at it for more than thirty seconds, they’re going to buy it so hold out for a decent price. True 90% of the time. And finally, if you put items on display outside, it will most certainly rain. But I also discovered the rules change a little when people find out you’re raising money for a mission trip. Somebody bought a canned drink from my son for $5 when the sign said 50 cents. Most people don’t haggle you as much and everybody walks away feeling good because all benefit in some way. Later that afternoon, an umpire caught a glimpse of me yawning during the game I was coaching. When I explained, he laughed a little and lamented the fact that he couldn’t have been there to haggle us for the stuffed Spongebob. (After 10 a.m.)