Holding a Profitable Garage Sale

happyslob · #1 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 02:22 PM

Hi all,

It's me - the talkative newbie! Anyway, I've never held a garage sale before, but I think it's a great way for me to make a little extra money AND declutter my place all at the same time.

Was hoping some of you had some tips on how to make a garage sale more profitable. I'd appreciate any ideas!

Thanks,
Christina

scrava · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 05:01 AM

we had a 2 dayer last year
I marked everything w/ a cheap "get it outta here" price
i did not have time to haggle so this worked well for me
Have grocery bags so your customers have smewhere to put their stuff
Sign and arrows if you don't live on a main drag

LuxLiving · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 09:00 AM

Mark everything - especially if someone else is going to help you. Even if it is just you go ahead and mark it all w/prices. Nothing more annoying that waiting while SuzyGrabsItAll checks out to find out the prices!

Lots of change on hand.

Keep a sharp eye on the CASH at all times.

Preferable to have a helper so you can run to the bathroom, get a drink, answer the phone, whatever.

Put up a BIG 'Will Consider All Offers' sign.

Pack yourself a sack lunch the night before so you can grab it out of the frig when the hunger bug hits but the crowd is hopping!

*MOST IMPORTANTLY - PUT SOMETHING IN THE CROCKPOT FOR SUPPER - you will be tired and won't feel like cooking. If you have to hit the drive-thru then there go some of the profits.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!

kealina · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 02:08 PM

i'm with those that say to price cheap if you want it to sell easily and quickly and you don't want to haggle... people are less likely to haggle if they feel you are cheap or at least reasonable... don't be surprised if they try haggling anyway as it might be habit but if you don't want to take their offer politely decline... they might decide to pay full price anyway but are more likely to do so if you aren't abrasive or abrupt...
also realize there are different rates of depreciation for items...for the sake of simplicity let's call them wants and needs even though they technically aren't...
want items clothing and decorations depreciate more than need things like good cookware (pots and pans) because people like to choose their own wants and people are always selling them but items that are more needs can be sold for a bit higher...

lrjohnson · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 03:06 PM

Put clothing on hangers. Clothing in folded piles on tables, or worse, on a tarp on the gropund, just aren't conducive to browsing.

I go to garage sales a lot, and I'll always flip though hung clothing, but almost always bypass any folded clothes. I've seen people use rope; it doesn't need to be perfect. Even hung on fences is better than a pile!

Also, put things on folding tables or anything to get it off the ground. It's hard for anyone, let alone someone with back trouble, etc., to browse though stuff on the ground on a sheet or tarp.

rickatheslicka · #6 (**permalink**) 09-22-2006, 07:14 AM

Declutter like crazy - for tips on decluttering check out www.flylady.net (though she does not advocate garage sales). Include everything in the sale (with the possible exceptions of underwear and used makeup, though I have heard of doll makers buying used makeup).

Definitely price everything beforehand (with stickers and tags).

Price things cheap - for my sale, most items were $1 or less, we made $500 with no big ticket items. To move books, clothing, and toys, consider 25 to 50 cents each.

Don't bother with newspaper ads, but do make good signs (all in the same color like pink or yellow, with big BOLD letters (doubleback over your handwriting with the marker), all it really has to say is "Garage Sale, Sat 9-2, Address" and a HUGE arrow pointing the way to your house). Be sure to take down the signs later.

Have a free pile and put it near the curb so passerbys will see it, it gets them out of their cars. I put magazines, half-full bottles of shampoo and household cleaners, pens (they multiply in my house), broken appliances, fabric scraps, and all kinds of stuff in it.

Definitely have bags and boxes to put people's purchases in, it is also nice to have newspaper to wrap fragile stuff in. People really appreciate this and will buy more.

We also sold sodas and candy bars and netted a nice profit.

For lots of great tips, check out www.yardsalequeen.com

Fern · #7 (**permalink**) 09-26-2006, 09:57 AM

I had 2 sales this summer.

If you truly want to get rid of the stuff, then price it very low at the START of the day; if you wait til the sale is 1/2 over to mark it down, it'll be too late, cus most of the crowds will come in 1st half of day.

Try to limit (but not entirely) the paid newspaper ads since that eats into your profit. Do a really good job with signage the night before. I think the paid news ad is important as some people make a day of tag saling and organize everything the day before, planning the route, etc. If you rely on signage alone, you're bound to lose some of these folks

toys · #8 (**permalink**) 09-26-2006, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickatheslicka

We also sold sodas and candy bars and netted a nice profit.

That's a really good idea. I'm trying that next time. Thanks.

Quote:

Have a free pile

I always do this with coupons. Not too many shoppers look though the box, but it does seem to encourage traffic.

Also, I give discounts for bulk purchases. The more you buy, the cheaper each item becomes. Sometimes, I'll watch a shopper... watch them pick-up an item, give it a longing look, then put it back down... meanwhile buying something else. After the customer has paid, I tell them to take something for free... like that other item they picked-up twice already. I've found that 9 times out of 10, this encourages the customer to find something else to buy.

mountainmist · #9 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 07:47 AM

I encourage you to wait a year BEFORE you have a garage sale, and instead make a point of going to at least three dozen garage sales in your neighborhood before you have one.

I've been to quite a few "first time" garage sales, and some of them are really embarressing, because they are clueless as to the actual "market value" for their USED items.

For instance, in my own area, stuffed animals go for a quarter. Even the "new with tags." (NWTs)

In another neighborhood maybe the market value is higher, but not in my immediate surroundings.

Secondhand used books ALWAYS are a buck for hardbacks and fifty-cents for trade-sized softcovers and a quarter for mass market paperbacks.

Men's shirts normally are price 50 cents to a buck, occassionally something VERY nice, with very good label is marked for $2.00.

Most bluejeans are a dollar a pair, if noticably worn, then they are half that.

If Flylady is the kind of website that concentrates upon Pack Rats, then I agree with her that they shouldn't have garage sales - I've been to a few garage sales of Pack Rats and they have a very high opinion of their own junque and invariably overly inflate the value -- like $2 for a pair of USED SOX, when noone around here, IF they even put USED socks in their sales would EVER price them over a dime.

Pillow cases are a dime to a quarter; occasionally, if new or near-new, they are 50 cents. Sheets are either a dollar or a half dollar each piece.

Blankets NEVER go for more than two dollars - but in another city near hear, blankets are in high demand and the very few that appear in garage sales quickly sell at 4-7 dollars EACH.

I think it is crucial to find out about garage sales in your own area before having one.

Myself, I feel if an item is nice enough to be accepted by a consignment shop, then I'd rather it sit on their shelves for as long as it takes to sell, and it will earn ALOT more for me than the couple bucks I could feasibly charge in a yard sale.

I always use my towels up until they are given "new life" as rags, and then eventually they are totally worn out.

I wouldn't have any sheets or blankets to sell, because I likewise use them until they are worn out.

I agree with the others who said to mark everything CHEAP -- but I think you should visit as many sales as possible FIRST, to find out what is the general market price of items in your area, and also, I'd go visit ALL the consignment shops, because if you have any antiques or any art pieces or knick knacks, you may earn ALOT more with a good consignment shop than with any garage sale.

If you've never had a sale, you have no idea how tiring they are - so be sure you have a dinner in the crockpot, be certain you've got a way to keep the coffee pot going in the garage or in the backyard -- and MARK THE PRICE ON ALL ITEMS -- most people do NOT want to ask what the prices are, and people who know about garage sales and go to them already know this -- so if you have not labeled your items with the sales price, around here it means that you are new to selling and are probably a hoarder who thinks that "THEIR items" are superior to the items in other garage sales.

I'll never forget a woman answering someone else who'd asked that, "Oh, that pair of jeans is only five dollars."

FIVE BUCKS?????

She said she only wore them twice.

But they were so old and out of style, it was at least ten years since they'd previously seen the light of day.

Garage sales are alot of work, when you have yours BE SURE to put in the newspaper ad, FIRST TIME EVER SALE; Absolutely NO pre-sales also, don't forget to put an announcement in the garage sale section at Craig's List at least a week in advance.

Nowadays in my neighborhood the best day for having a sale is Saturday, but in the 80s the BIG DAY was always on Thursday.

After you go to enough sales to see what the "competition" is doing, seriously take a sober look at what you have that you want to get rid of, and honestly decide if it's even worth the label to mark it a 25-cent item.

mountainmist · #10 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 07:47 AM

I encourage you to wait a year BEFORE you have a garage sale, and instead make a point of going to at least three dozen garage sales in your neighborhood before you have one.

I've been to quite a few "first time" garage sales, and some of them are really embarressing, because they are clueless as to the actual "market value" for their USED items.

For instance, in my own area, stuffed animals go for a quarter. Even the "new with tags." (NWTs)

In another neighborhood maybe the market value is higher, but not in my immediate surroundings.

Secondhand used books ALWAYS are a buck for hardbacks and fifty-cents for trade-sized softcovers and a quarter for mass market paperbacks.

Men's shirts normally are price 50 cents to a buck, occassionally something VERY nice, with very good label is marked for $2.00.

Most bluejeans are a dollar a pair, if noticably worn, then they are half that.

If Flylady is the kind of website that concentrates upon Pack Rats, then I agree with her that they shouldn't have garage sales - I've been to a few garage sales of Pack Rats and they have a very high opinion of their own junque and invariably overly inflate the value -- like $2 for a pair of USED SOX, when noone around here, IF they even put USED socks in their sales would EVER price them over a dime.

Pillow cases are a dime to a quarter; occasionally, if new or near-new, they are 50 cents. Sheets are either a dollar or a half dollar each piece.

Blankets NEVER go for more than two dollars - but in another city near hear, blankets are in high demand and the very few that appear in garage sales quickly sell at 4-7 dollars EACH.

I think it is crucial to find out about garage sales in your own area before having one.

Myself, I feel if an item is nice enough to be accepted by a consignment shop, then I'd rather it sit on their shelves for as long as it takes to sell, and it will earn ALOT more for me than the couple bucks I could feasibly charge in a yard sale.

I always use my towels up until they are given "new life" as rags, and then eventually they are totally worn out.

I wouldn't have any sheets or blankets to sell, because I likewise use them until they are worn out.

I agree with the others who said to mark everything CHEAP -- but I think you should visit as many sales as possible FIRST, to find out what is the general market price of items in your area, and also, I'd go visit ALL the consignment shops, because if you have any antiques or any art pieces or knick knacks, you may earn ALOT more with a good consignment shop than with any garage sale.

If you've never had a sale, you have no idea how tiring they are - so be sure you have a dinner in the crockpot, be certain you've got a way to keep the coffee pot going in the garage or in the backyard -- and MARK THE PRICE ON ALL ITEMS -- most people do NOT want to ask what the prices are, and people who know about garage sales and go to them already know this -- so if you have not labeled your items with the sales price, around here it means that you are new to selling and are probably a hoarder who thinks that "THEIR items" are superior to the items in other garage sales.

I'll never forget a woman answering someone else who'd asked that, "Oh, that pair of jeans is only five dollars."

FIVE BUCKS?????

She said she only wore them twice.

But they were so old and out of style, it was at least ten years since they'd previously seen the light of day.

Garage sales are alot of work, when you have yours BE SURE to put in the newspaper ad, FIRST TIME EVER SALE; Absolutely NO pre-sales also, don't forget to put an announcement in the garage sale section at Craig's List at least a week in advance.

Nowadays in my neighborhood the best day for having a sale is Saturday, but in the 80s the BIG DAY was always on Thursday.

After you go to enough sales to see what the "competition" is doing, seriously take a sober look at what you have that you want to get rid of, and honestly decide if it's even worth the label to mark it a 25-cent item.

mountainmist · #11 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 08:05 AM

If you can get other neighbors interested in having a garage sale on the SAME DAY next spring, be sure to put ALL the addresses in the ad, so that people all over town know that by coming to your house that there are SEPARATE households also having sales.

105,108,121,122,154,199 Main Street; Sat. 8-3

OR

SIX family garage sales. SAT.4/23; in the ALLEY on the 100-200 block from Marsh St. to Thrush Av. at the intersection of Happy Blvd.

When an ad says, "multi-family," around here all that really means is, "i'm also selling my sisters and father in law's junk, too" -- so it might mean the same in your area, so be careful --- having a box of stuff from sis to sell does NOT constitute a 'real' multiple families sale -- and by the examples above, it shows that separate individual families all close in vicinity are having a garage sale day -- and this will noticably increase traffic.

Do NOT close up before the time listed in your sale.

Plenty of people do NOT like going first thing in the morning and fighting with dealers over the "good stuff," it's just not worth it, too unseemly, almost depressing to watch adults converge upon tables & racks of garage sale mdse.

LOL

Be sure to put the DATE on your signs - there are so many people who never take down their signs, and so unless the date is specified, I don't follow any signs around here. Maybe things are different in your specific neighborhood.

mountainmist · #12 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 08:05 AM

If you can get other neighbors interested in having a garage sale on the SAME DAY next spring, be sure to put ALL the addresses in the ad, so that people all over town know that by coming to your house that there are SEPARATE households also having sales.

105,108,121,122,154,199 Main Street; Sat. 8-3

OR

SIX family garage sales. SAT.4/23; in the ALLEY on the 100-200 block from Marsh St. to Thrush Av. at the intersection of Happy Blvd.

When an ad says, "multi-family," around here all that really means is, "i'm also selling my sisters and father in law's junk, too" -- so it might mean the same in your area, so be careful --- having a box of stuff from sis to sell does NOT constitute a 'real' multiple families sale -- and by the examples above, it shows that separate individual families all close in vicinity are having a garage sale day -- and this will noticably increase traffic.

Do NOT close up before the time listed in your sale.

Plenty of people do NOT like going first thing in the morning and fighting with dealers over the "good stuff," it's just not worth it, too unseemly, almost depressing to watch adults converge upon tables & racks of garage sale mdse.

LOL

Be sure to put the DATE on your signs - there are so many people who never take down their signs, and so unless the date is specified, I don't follow any signs around here. Maybe things are different in your specific neighborhood.

mountainmist · #13 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 08:48 AM

Here's a couple links to other interesting threads here about garage sales:

Freecycle or Garage Sale

Garage sale newbie - please help

There are more, if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, there's a section with links to threads similar to this one.

mountainmist · #14 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 08:48 AM

Here's a couple links to other interesting threads here about garage sales:

Freecycle or Garage Sale

Garage sale newbie - please help

There are more, if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, there's a section with links to threads similar to this one.

LuxLiving · #15 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006, 12:39 PM

Since you are wanting to review this thread I thought I'd add a note:

You can quickly price a bunch of stuff with this method.

Get a bunch of those colored dots. Make a 25 cent table w/all the items on it red (or whatever color you decide.

A 50 cent table in another color.
A 1.00 table in a third, etc.

This method really speeds up pricing!

Good luck!

dossin1 · #16 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 08:10 AM

Put something shiny out front that will catch the eye, especially on a sunny day, maybe something like those mylar balloons from the dollar store. You can get a lot of drive-by traffice that way. What I did was, I have a lamp post in my front yard, so I dressed it up in my wedding dress which had lots of sequins on it. I really didn't intend to sell it, I just wanted something eyecatching. You wouldn't believe the number of people who stopped. I ended up selling the dress anyway, to my neighbor down the street.

BCHGRL · #17 (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 01:15 PM

It is funny that I found this thread because today is the first time I held a garage sale. Actually, it was a neighborhood sale, we opened the community gate and anyone who lived in the community and wanted to put their stuff up for sale.

Anyways, I printed prices in word and taped them to the stuff. For the most part, no one asked me "how much," and on about 75% of sales I got the asking price. I set everything out on my ping pong table. There were quite a few requests for the table iteself and it was not for sale.

Make sure to have plenty of change. I had $25 and was okay. 1$5 bill, 17 $1 bills, and the rest in quarters. Also, I priced my stuff to the nearest $.50 so I didn't have to worry with smaller change.

I put my left over Halloween candy out with a sign that said "Please take some!" My customers seemed to like that but it didn't help sales. I did get rid of almost all my candy though.

One lady offered me $1 for a $4 curtain rod. I said "how about 2?" and she said no so I said sorry, it hasn't been used and i paid close to $20 for it. She stood looking at it for a few minutes but we didn't make the sale.

Overall, I sold about 50% of my inventory and made $70. I didn't have anything large which most people seemed to want. Some items were probably priced high, but I priced based on what Iwanted to part with it rather than rock bottom prices. I'm going to hold on to whatever is left over and bring it out to the yard sale again next year.