Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Sofa and Chair Sold at Lightning Speed

Last Sunday I posted a blog about the need for some upholstered pieces and how hot the sales of such items had been. I found a 1950's sofa and chair by accident at a rare Sunday garage sale while on my way to Gypsy Lea's. Because I was late in getting to the shop, the sofa and chair were relegated to the back room until space on the floor opened. We finally got them out at about 2 PM today.

Kris and I were carrying the chair past the front door to an open spot. Two young women were walking in and followed us to the chair's resting spot. Kris told them that there was matching sofa still in the back room. She took them on a sofa tour of the storage. The girls hemmed and just couldn't decide. Kris told them that we were open until 4. She also told them that it had just hit the floor and that it may be sold if they wait. They took all the info and said that they would call.

20 minutes later a second young woman with her sister and mother found the chair. Another trip through the storage area, more hemming and hawing and eventually she decided to take the chair. She paid and then her mother came to the counter. She asked if we could rip up her daughter's check and let her pay us instead. No problem. Then another trip to the sofa, with test sittings, test layings and even test drivings (the sofa was on a dolly). Finally, mom said that she'd get the sofa too. 10 minutes later the first young woman called and said that she wanted the sofa and chair. I want more upholstered furniture.

I do not know how to explain it, but I believe that a piece starts to generate some energy when it is time to sell. We have had pieces there on the floor for the entire sale, generating no real interest and then someone will get really interested. It seems that 2-3 more people become interested and if the 1st dahdles, it will be gone before she gets back. Today a woman walked to the other side of the shop to get her husband to look at a piece that she found. As they are walking back the piece was being carried to the counter by another shopper. It was generating its buy energy.

The sale at Gypsy Lea's was wonderful. We sold and sold and sold. Gypsy works so hard, she talks to every customer, she schmoozes, she consults and the customers love her. I swear she could sell freezers to Eskimos. The results at the shop reflect her style, her energy, her vision and maybe even a bit of her freezer.

Mr. Flannery

3 comments:

ann at greenoak said...

sofas scare me....you can get so stuck....but i want more upholstry too...for just your reasons...

red.neck chic said...

I hate it when that happens to me, but I love it when it happens to someone else over some piece that I have for sale!!! LOL

I just scrolled ever so slowly through your shop pictures (a couple of times LOL)...there are so many things I could have loaded up and brought home with me...

;-) robelyn

Jaybird said...

That is exactly right!! My Dad used to sell boats, motors and trailers. A boat could sit on the lot for months, and no-one would look at it. If someone DID express an interest in it, there would be three people who wanted it right then!
If you have a garage sale, the best way to sell things is to have the entire family looking at things and moving them around. Stuph sells twice as fast!!