Uncommon or Unique Items, Part 3

Just what constitutes a fair price for unique items?  It really boils down to gut instinct and willingness to pay.

If you've read this blog for a while, you've probably noticed that different people's idea of a good deal varies wildly.  I'm notoriously cheap; I always laugh about the "great finds" that people post to Reddit, such as the recent $5 moon landing headline newspaper that was clearly a reproduction post.  Perhaps that wasn't the best example; authentic moon landing papers, despite me never having seen them, are supposedly quite common (a quick eBay search confirms this).  My point is that the buyer thought it was a unique item and that $5 was a great deal; he or she was willing to pay $5.

My willingness to pay is determined by a few factors, most importantly condition.  If an item is heavily scratched or otherwise damaged I won't pay more than a few dollars.  If it's simply dirty I may be willing to pay a little more (dirt can be cleaned, after all) but cleanliness is a good bargaining point.  Mention the "bad condition" (the dirt) to try to knock the seller down by a few dollars.  However, dirt that may harm the item's functionality (such as dirty electronics) will decrease my willingness to pay.

Another factor affecting my willingness to pay is whether I have a use for the item.  I buy some items on a whim because I think they look good or may prove useful in the future.  If I don't have a specific use in mind for an item I won't spend much on it because it will likely end up being sold at my own garage sale in a year anyway.  On the other hand, if the item is something I've been looking to purchase because I actually need it I may spend a few dollars more than I normally would.

Finally, gut instinct takes an important part in all my garage sale purchasing decisions.  Over my years of garage saling, I've obtained a pretty good sense of what is a good deal and what isn't, not to say I don't make mistakes.  I can now judge fairly well whether an item is of any value or use to me, and, perhaps more importantly, if the item will continue to be of use to me in the future.