Pony Hunting Tips and Secrets 1-10 #9&10 UPDATE... IT WORKS!!!!

[Diamond]

So far all of what you said it basic common sense and been around for ages, all aspects any of us old time pickers have been using.  Heck just watch an episode or two of American Pickers and they cover most of it.   

But I must agree with the slug, good manners and being polite and playing it forward are the best way to go.  Got to pay so the pony gods smile on you down the road. 

Oh and be nice to retail workers, be rude and we will tell you we did not get a truck.  Be nice and we will go get a box from the back for yeah. 

[BigHicks1977]

Most of what I have said is for people NEW to the hobby of toy collecting and like I said in the first post if this helps just one person it was worth it.......BUT THX FOR YOU OPINION 

[Pandora]

Great tips! Thanks a bunch! 

[Artemesia's Garden]

Hello there, tub digging is really embarassing! But from now on I shall have no shame. Or maybe I need to borrow a 6 year old kid from somewhere to help me =)

[hathorcat]

Oh and be nice to retail workers, be rude and we will tell you we did not get a truck.  Be nice and we will go get a box from the back for yeah. 

Lol - I love this tip! And yes its why I am always lovely to staff at my TK Maxx, I wanna know what bags have come in

[Aquarel]

Another tip: When there's smoke there's fire... find a fakie at a flea market, there are bound to be some actual mlp around!

And I have to agree, I have often found some mlp items or mlp's in a giant box of barbie dolls

[BigHicks1977]

I went out today hit two flea markets and about three yard sales......and found......DRUM ROLL........NOTHING!!!!! LOL but tomorrow is another day and I will go out and do it again...STAY STRONG my pony brothers and sisters

[Aquarel]

I went out today hit two flea markets and about three yard sales......and found......DRUM ROLL........NOTHING!!!!! LOL but tomorrow is another day and I will go out and do it again...STAY STRONG my pony brothers and sisters

I found a bunch of G2's, a G2 playset for a buck, one g3 and my very first G4 Some random merch as well, keep diggin!

[BigHicks1977]

I went out today hit two flea markets and about three yard sales......and found......DRUM ROLL........NOTHING!!!!! LOL but tomorrow is another day and I will go out and do it again...STAY STRONG my pony brothers and sisters

I found a bunch of G2's, a G2 playset for a buck, one g3 and my very first G4 Some random merch as well, keep diggin!

AAAAHHHHHGGGG lol your killing me smalls CONGRATS!!!

[Primrose]

Thanks for the tips!  I was dubious about finding ponies at garage sales in this area, but recently went to two and found nothing at the first one, but found several baby G1's, and two g2's at the second place I almost passed on the second garage sale! I'm so glad I went. Garage sale convert, over here 

[Tap Dancer]

Most people have their yard sales on the weekends since a lot of people have weekends off from work and there's no school. However, what isn't sold might get donated. Soooo, try checking thrift shops on Mondays and Tuesdays if you can.

[BigHicks1977]

Most people have their yard sales on the weekends since a lot of people have weekends off from work and there's no school. However, what isn't sold might get donated. Soooo, try checking thrift shops on Mondays and Tuesdays if you can.

GREAT TIP I am adding that to my weekly routine THX

[RavenWolf]

Hello there, tub digging is really embarassing! But from now on I shall have no shame. Or maybe I need to borrow a 6 year old kid from somewhere to help me =)

That's what I do I take my nieces with me and pay them a quarter for every MLP they find, you should see them dig, they practically dive into those bins head first. lol 

In my opinion, The tip on asking if they have any MLPs is the best one you can follow! I get told they don't have any a lot, but when they do, it has really paid off. there have been numerous yard sales that ended up having ponies they hadn't put out yet or didn't think anyone would want. It works at thrift stores as well, but usually in a different way. 95% of thrift stores will say something to the effect of 'what's out is what we have' however if you ask every time anyway... Because I go into the local thrift stores so often and always try to ask the same employees if they've gotten any ponies in, being polite and friendly and building up a rapport with them. I have three places that now hold ponies for me.

Another tip if your lucky enough to get people/thrift stores to find/hold MLPs for you, smile say thank you and buy the fakies! They where nice enough to go to the trouble for you, its to much to expect them to know the difference. If you react with the attitude oh that ones just a worthless fakie, their less likely to go to the trouble again. Several times I've had happy thriftstore workers proudly present me with a bag of fakies, I reacted the same as if they had given me a bag of rare G1's I got excited, thanked them, paid the 2$ and latter gave the fakies to my young nieces. that happened a few time in a row, the fourth time they had a box of G1's and a couple Dream Beauties. Which I'm positive I never would have gotten if I'd reacted negatively to the bags of fakies. To me the few dollars spent on fakies is well worth the money if it keeps a place holding MLPs for me!

Just the other day I went in to a thrift store I frequent a lot, they didn't have any MLPs but the one employee came up to me and asked "your the one that likes the ponies right?, well we just got in a box with some toy horses in it if your interested" Turned out it was a box of 6 vintage Breyer Horses.   So yeah always ask, and get to know the people that work in your local thrift stores.

[StoryDreamer]

I've actually carried a pony with me in my bag to demonstrate what I want.

[Marigold]

I'm not very good at finding ponies. I think where I live the thrift shops don't accept toys because they rarely have any.  Every time I stop at a garage sale it is only ever clothes and broken end tables.    Of course I don't go often enough so maybe it's a matter of not trying hard enough.