Is There Pony Thrifting Etiquette?

[retrogradenova]

For the last 7 months my husband and I have come up empty whenever we go thrifting for ponies. I got to the point where I was starting to thinking that people just weren't donating their ponies down here. This week my husband heard of a good lead on ponies, but when he got to the thrift store he found they were sold. To be sweet he hit up a few more thrift stores on his way home for me. No ponies anywhere to be had, but he did get the same story from multiple thrift stores.

The Story: A woman and her mechanic husband make often trips down from upstate to buy up ponies.

The Question: What's the etiquette when pony hunting outside your home area? What do you do when you find a specific person is picking your local hunting ground clean on a regular basis?

It seems odd for someone to travel all the way to the nearly southern part of South Carolina for ponies. If I wanted to I suppose I could spend the 3-4 hours a day going to all the thrift store in my area, but I really don't have the time or gas money to do that. Honestly, I prefer not to go thrifting more than every other week if I can help it, since I usually go with my husband, and he's got other stuff he has to do on weekends. Its really disheartening trip after trip, month after month to not find anything at all. 

If I could figure out who this person is than I'd ask about maybe becoming pony hunting buddies. I'm sure my husband is tired of looking for ponies with me anyways. 

Anyone have any thoughts on it?

[Baby Crumpet]

I work in a charity shop in a very small town, with mostly children visiting. There are very few adult collectors about, and seeing as my little pony is pretty niche, I don't feel bad about taking most of them. I don't take doubles, those get left behind and put out for others to enjoy. I don't know how thrift stores work, but I know in my charity shop you can phone ahead and ask if they get ponies in and they can keep them behind for you. That's what they used to do for me. I only go to this one shop, though, so the rest is easy pickings for anyone else 

[retrogradenova]

I've put my name down at a couple places today, hopefully they will call me.

It's just always so frustrating, you go to a good dozen stores in one day and there's nothing in any of them. Other than one G3 I found at the flea market, I've never really gotten to have that joyous feeling of finding some in the wild. It's just not as fun getting ponies off Ebay.

[Taffeta]

Ponies really don't come up that much when I'm looking. At least, I see G3 sometimes, but I don't collect them, and so buying them would just be really selfish of me. I saw kids buying them at the toy fair, and also I've seen them at the carboot sales I've been to recently, but nothing G1 at all for a very long time except at the toy fair. I picked up a couple of cheap ones there that need a proper cleaning, but a lot of them were overpriced commons (ie £9 for Galaxy, sigh).

I'm also looking for MH dolls, though.  I've been beaten to the punch by kids on a few occasions, but in a sense, I am ok with that. I let a kid choose her dolls at one stall first at the toy fair, because, well, they're for kids and they are out NOW, so popular with kids NOW too. And they are expensive for little kids new.

I don't think among collectors there is a formal etiquette. I know that the area sister and I grew up in got stripped of G1 by us in the late 1990s, both for our collection and for trading, so I really don't expect them to come up there anyway. But even then they didn't show up at second hand stores.

I don't have an issue with other collectors picking up stuff. I think that hoarding everything in a wide area is a bit mean, but its not like anyone's going to stop you doing it. I'm sure there are other ponypeople going to the same sales I go to, and its a case of first go, first find. I wouldn't ask a store to hold my details or hold ponies for me. If they're really in the wild, then getting them is also a stroke of real luck, and I wouldn't want to take that from someone else.

On the flip, sister and I having already taken  so many out of the local area, maybe I feel like I've had my share xD.

But my policy is it ought to be first come, first served. That's part of the thrill of the hunt, and it means it's open and fair opportunity to all.

I hate the ebay dealers who grab everything not knowing the difference between a fakie and a real pony, but if it's collectors, then fair game

[Broken Irishwoman]

That's a tough one. I personally don't actively go to other areas to hunt for ponies, I just stick to my own region. If I am elsewhere and there's a fleamarket or I spot a second hand store, I will definitely look for ponies though.

However, I am aware of this issue. Otherwise I wouldn't keep it a secret to which fleamarkets I always go on kingsday, since I always find ponies there...

[Sunset]

I almost never find ponies at thrift stores, to the point where I rarely go anymore.  I've had more luck with flea markets, but those are the kinds of places were it really is first come first serve.  The stall that is here today may be gone tomorrow.

[Wardah]

I'm also looking for MH dolls, though.  I've been beaten to the punch by kids on a few occasions, but in a sense, I am ok with that. I let a kid choose her dolls at one stall first at the toy fair, because, well, they're for kids and they are out NOW, so popular with kids NOW too. And they are expensive for little kids new.

I honestly have no qualms about beating a really young child to the punch when it comes to MH. They really are not meant for very young children with all the fragile and removable pieces. (I know they are starting to come out with less articulated versions but I'm talking about the older ones mostly). I can't tell you how sad I get when I see a toddler carrying around a lower armless MH doll shoved into a Barbie dress.

[Aliyahbetd]

I never see ponies at the thrift store, but I assume that's because of how rare g1's are, and I know some stores have started selling collectables online. I really hope my local thrift store isn't holding all the ponies for some other person and not putting them out for everyone. That would be really unfair and disappointing. It just seems really rude to me. I don't mind missing out because someone else went to the store and got them off the selves first though. That's just part of thrift store hunting

[Leave a Whisper]

The only ettiqiette I guess would be not to do stereotypical black friday behavior or ninja snatch stuff.

[CloudyGlow]

The only ettiqiette I guess would be not to do stereotypical black friday behavior or ninja snatch stuff.

Exactly. It feels so bad when we lose out, but as long as someone isn't snatching it from your hands then there is nothing we can really do besides accept our rotten luck. Maybe have a cry or buy something on ebay instead.

[chaosprincess]

Have you tried looking at yard sales? today my cousin and I found generation 1 and 2 ponies at a yard sale they belonged to the sellers daughter so you might have better luck at yard sales, bazaars and flea markets it seems people sell their ponies more then donate we had no luck with thrift stores or goodwill when looking for older generations I know yard sales may be limited and they may not have older generations, but its worth a try.

[retrogradenova]

I would have to agree with Taffeta, if it's kids scooping them up than I'm all for it. But the nice people at the thrift stores told my husband specifically it was a woman from up state who had bought them out of ponies several times. And as far as I know I'm the only collector in my area. Though of course there are plenty of reasons why I might not know of other collectors here.

In terms of yard sales, I'm really bad at finding yard sales in gernal. My husband has found a few but they didn't have any ponies.

[chaosprincess]

Sorry about that I do hope you have better luck with finding ponies ya never know you may get lucky really soon just keep searching and your bound to find one.

[gabumon]

I almost always leave G3s and fakies for other people, esp little kids, but it's fun to see them!  and if they are cute I get my phone out and take a pic.  (see my tumblr and you'll know what I mean)

If you're only going out every other week, I wouldn't feel bad for grabbing what you find.  Especially if it's G1 or G2 (yes I've seen G2), because that grade of plastic is no longer kid safe, and honestly I don't think kids should be playing with them - especially with the availability of G3 and G4.

And going every other week gives other people plenty of chances.  When you go.. it's Your Chance!

I guess my only other piece of advice is to try going a different day or a different time of day.  Maybe you'll see something new?

Good Luck!

PS Your local newspaper or local city news web page may specifically have a section for Yard Sale listings.  I sometimes scan the listings looking for "TOYS".

[lovesbabysquirmy]

They ARE a finite resource...    Eventually they stop turning up so much at thrift stores, but you have to step up your game and go more often usually to find more...