|
History of the Garage Sale
All through history people have bought, sold, traded, looked for bargains, sales, good deals and other perceived great values. For necessary items one must pay what one must pay. If one thinks a barrel of olives, a bottle of wine or an artists painting was of a certain value then one would pay what the asking price was. One could always offer a price and if the seller accepted the deal was done. Buyer and seller were usually both happy with the transaction. Such is the nature of commerce since the world began.
Then came the 20th century. Cars were invented and transportation methods were revolutionized. As cars became more popular so did the need to store and protect them. The Garage was invented. The garage became an important extension of the dwelling and a place to store other items and belongings. Over the years and long before the Internet and b.c.( before computers) there was trade of all kinds as usual. however there had never been a garage sale.
At that time Jeff was 17 and lived alone in the city’s downtown. He had just broken up with his true love and was devastated. He was brokenhearted, broke, lonely and next to homeless. He got to the point of actually being hungry for days. Then at last he called his mother, he had left his fathers house years earlier, and now his mother came and rescued him. He got saved.
His mom treated him good, food was plentiful but he was broke and felt like a loser. He needed to make some money. He noticed the garage was full of stuff packed away in old box’s but most of it was nice and still in good shape. The was good furniture, some electronics, a few things that may pass for antiques, clothing, pots, pans, and just a lot of great general merchandise that was no more to be used by his mother or anyone. He then had a bright idea. He asked his mom if he could clean up the garage and sell the stuff. She said yes thinking the garage would get cleaned. How her son would make any money was a mystery to her.
| The following Saturday Jeff went out early in the morning and put up signs saying “ Garage Sale “ with arrows pointing in the direction of the house. It seemed that almost immediately and out of nowhere people began dropping in and looking. When they would ask a price Jeff would just name a cheap one which he felt they would pay and be happy about. It seemed Jeff had a natural tact for this because they all started buying. The people were happy. There was conversation and commerce. Jeff stuff the dollars into his pockets and fast as he could while the people carried away what they bought and more arrived. It was awesome. Jeff began giving some of them the greatest deals they ever had. Things went fast and furious. He sold a nice piece of bedroom furniture to a man for only $5.00. The mans eyes almost popped out. It was all over about noon. Jeff had a pocketful of cash and though there was nothing left some people were actually returning a second time.
Jeff had to tell them maybe next week. It was over and he had sold all the stuff.
It couldn’t be proved but it seemed Jeff had the first garage sale ever. He had never seen a garage sale before and before long it seemed like they were popping up all over. In the following years garage sales became more and more popular. The art of buying and selling became perfected. People rich and poor love garage sales. You can find real deals and even some treasures. Jeff had many garage sales in those years.
At garage sales people are not solely interested in buying and selling but in the negotiating and social networking and that is why the garage sale represents the best of sales. It is not an impersonal thing but a platform for meeting others and making good deals. These two things always make people happy.
With the advent of the Internet sometimes called “the world’s biggest garage sale” Jeff’s garage sale went global.
This is commerce, e-commerce and a form of true happiness. Give good deals, be more than fair, love people, talk, bargain, ask, be true to your word and live in the spirit of letting go, giving and receiving. Then you will be a true garage saler and a happy person.
Long Live the Garage Sale now evolved into the www.USGarageSale.com
Jeff
|
