Although I don’t want to advertise much on this
in case the word gets out and it becomes too popular, I can’t help but blog
about it because it is the best place to go antiquing! It is
also one of my favourite things to do on a beautiful Sunday morning. Aberfoyle is near Guelph about an hour
drive outside the city. Parking is
free and the 2$ admission per adult is completely worth it. There are a couple of parks on the premise
to keep the kids entertained and a decent but little pricy spot to get your
usual burger, fries and ice cream. 
I love the
idea of finding unique pieces to fill my home and I love it even more when I
know I got a good deal on them. I
know it’s crazy but I feel this sort of great satisfaction in me when I can
negotiate a better price for something. I feel as though I can not be fooled by
the pricing game and that I will get what I want at my price. Perhaps it is the competitive
side of me that enjoys it so much.
Nevertheless, there is still an art to it and I am still working on
bettering my bargaining skills.
Here are some tips I have learnt along the way:
1) Never act like the item you want to
buy is so unattainable or that someone else will snag it. Keep your cool and do take the time to
think about the purchase. This
will make you confident as a buyer and may make the vendor want to ease on his
price (without you even saying anything)
2) Always have cash on you. When dealers see money, they know you
are serious and they will be more likely to lower their price knowing you are a
serious buyer not wasting their time.
3) Dealers will always say great things
about their stuff (of course, they are salesmen!). Just remember to take it in with an open mind. For instance: ‘Yes, I realize this is
very old and valuable but it also needs a lot of work which will take me too
much time. I can pay xyz amount
for it.
4) Walk away from the deal if your
reasonable offer is not either negotiated back again reasonably or if they are
too firm on their high price. The
items are unique but chances are that you may see something like it again.
5) Remember what you are willing to pay
for something before even starting to negotiate a price. It’s only worth as much as what you are
willing to pay for it. A good way
to know if it’s a good price is to compare what you would normally pay for the
item brand new in retail then evaluate from there if it is worth it.
6) The more you buy, chances are better
the price ;-)
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| My finds: Large white antique frame - 20$, small antique frame from 1800's - 5$, brass hardware - 5$ |
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