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I have an acquaintance that recently opened a second hand/antique type store. We're not friends, but I know her. I've been to her store because it's a local business and I like to support small businesses within the community.
So! I've also bumped into this woman at a couple of estate auctions, yard sales as well as Goodwill. She's been selling jewelry and some other items she's purchased from Goodwill in her store at a steep mark up.
Is that shady?
There has been some bickering on FB about it. My thoughts are that she is bringing items to people who might not have an opportunity to look for them elsewhere. Does it matter where she buys the merchandise that she sells in her store?
Replies
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Ooh that's a tough one. I'm leaning towards shady.
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I thought all antique shops did that. We always knew which shops around here were at garage sales. Honestly, they acquired the merchandise and are free to price it how they want. As customers we aren't required to buy it.
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I say shady. Especially with a steep mark up -
No...thats good business IMO.
She has a store that sells things...she acquires things to sell. Whether she bought it from an estate sale or goodwill it doesn't make a difference. I think of the mark up as a finders fee. If you don't want to pay it, locate the items on yourself.
My sister paid for christmas by purchasing stuff on clearance the selling it for retail price on Ebay.
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Does she clean the item up? Polish it, refinish it, etc?
If so, I think she's "flipping" it, much like people do with houses.
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Quoting wickedfiress:
Does she clean the item up? Polish it, refinish it, etc?
If so, I think she's "flipping" it, much like people do with houses.
I'll bet she has to clean and repair a lot of the stuff.
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I say smart. Where else would she get her Merchandise -
I don't think it matters where she gets her merchandise from, as long as she purchased it legally and isn't representing it as something it isn't. For example, is she buying a cubic zirconia necklace and selling it as diamonds? Or buying a cheap lamp and calling it a vintage Tiffany? If not, then I don't think she's doing anything wrong. -
Quoting Veni.Vidi.Vici.:
Quoting wickedfiress:
Does she clean the item up? Polish it, refinish it, etc?
If so, I think she's "flipping" it, much like people do with houses.
I'll bet she has to clean and repair a lot of the stuff.
:) Then I don't see how it's shady. She puts time and work into the pieces, and is pricing accordingly.
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Why would it be shady...often people give away or sell things cheap because they don't know the value. It would be shady if she was claiming they were something more than they are.