Hosting a garage sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted junk, but do you know how to hold a profitable yard sale? Here are 14 tips from an experienced yard-saler:
Advertise
Optimize your yard sale traffic by placing an ad in the newspaper the day before your sale. Lots of people like to plan their yard sale routes, and this will ensure that you earn a spot on the coveted list.
Price everything
Yard salers don't like to have to ask for prices, so take some time before your sale to price everything. Your efforts will be rewarded with fewer questions and more sales.
If you don't want to take the time to individually price all of your little knickknacks and do-hickeys, set up tables and group your items by price. Have a quarter table, a dollar table, etc. Then you can save those price stickers for the big items.
Sign it
Yard sale signs help to direct people to your sale, so be sure that yours are doing their job. Use bright colored paper when possible, and keep the text bold and to the point.
Price it to move
The whole idea of a yard sale is to make money, but you don't want your prices to be so high that you scare away potential customers. Try to establish a fair price for each item, and then make it clear that you're willing to negotiate-better to lower your price than to haul all of that stuff back into your house.
Clean up your stuff
Want top dollar for all of your stuff? Then spend a little time cleaning it up. Not everyone has the vision to see the gem that's hidden underneath that layer of dust.
Package Things up
Neat packaging adds to the value of an item. Take the time to track down all of the pieces to things, and then package them neatly in a storage bag or container.
Another tip: Are all the pieces to that puzzle accounted for? Then, make a note of it on the box-and you'll increase your chances of a sale.
Make a note of new merchandise
It's no secret that yard salers are in search of a bargain. To point them in the direction of your best bargains, be sure to mark all of your new items with the word new. Often this is all it takes to get full asking price for your cast-offs.
Organize
Make it easy for shoppers to find what they're looking for at your sale. Group like items together, and separate clothing out by size.
Have lots of stuff
Lots of yard salers do a drive-by to evaluate whether a sale is worth stopping at. To ensure your sale merits a stop, be sure you have lots of stuff to sell. If not, consider waiting until you do or selling through another channel.
Place a few large, interesting items by the street, and you'll net even more stops.
Offer a deal
Yard sale customers love a good deal. Offer clothes at a by-the-bag price, run buy-one-get-one-free deals, or offer discounts for volume purchases-10 for a dollar, say. Nothing says "good deal" like a sale.
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Garage sales are a great way to make money and empty your closets. |
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