The Put Down/Walk Away

The Put Down/Walk Away, for lack of better name, is a technique I use when I assume a seller's initial price is too high.  After garage saling for a while, you will get a feel of when an item's price will be too high.  Easy ways to tell are to simply listen for when others ask the seller how much the item costs or to look at other, marked prices.

This technique can be risky in that you allow other buyers the potential to take the item you intend to buy.  I suggest you try this technique only when there are no people nearby who you don't know.  I also suggest telling your partner(s) what you are doing before you do it.

This technique is intended to make the seller believe his or her price is absurdly high, whether it is or not.  All you have to do is ask the seller the item's price; when he or she does so look at him or her and quickly put the item down and walk away.  If the seller wants to get rid of the item more than he or she wants to get money for the item, he or she will then make you a better offer.  All you are doing is trying to force the seller to name a price twice in a row.

I have found this technique works maybe fifty percent of the time.  When it does work I would say it takes fifty percent off the seller's price.

The good thing about this technique is that you do not hurt negotiations as long as no one else grabs the item when you walk away.  If you still want the item after the seller hasn't fallen for the trick, simply walk over, grab it, and begin bargaining as usual.