Yard sale
July 17, 2005 1:19 PM Subscribe
So we're having a yard sale...
We're having the yard sale in a couple of weeks. I don't know that either of us have done this before. Basically, I want to know what to do. What not to do would also be helpful. All general info is appreciated.
Most of the things we are selling are women's clothing (lots of Old Navy, Gap, Limited, etc) and books. How do we fairly price this? What can we do to get strangers to buy our stuff?
We're having the yard sale in a couple of weeks. I don't know that either of us have done this before. Basically, I want to know what to do. What not to do would also be helpful. All general info is appreciated.
Most of the things we are selling are women's clothing (lots of Old Navy, Gap, Limited, etc) and books. How do we fairly price this? What can we do to get strangers to buy our stuff?
Be ready very early. Hardcore garage salers will start arriving at about 6 am or earlier. If you say you will be open at 6am, they will be there at 5. Be ready an hour early.
Clothes should be cheap. Nice shirts, dresses, 1-2 dollars. Jeans and nice pants, 2 bucks. 25-50 cents for t-shirts. The clothes should be clean with no rips. If there are spots or holes, toss it.
Display your stuff as best you can. A lot of times you'll see a box of clothes with a sign "$2 bucks each" and they don't sell. Folks don't want to dig through boxes. If want to sell the clothes, put them on hangers and hang them from some kind of clothing rack, even if it's a broomstick between two ladders.
Spread the stuff out where people can see it.
Books sell. 25-50 cents on paperbacks. 1 dollar for hardcovers.
If you really want to clear the stuff out, be ready to wheel and deal. If someone seems reluctant, make them an offer - 2 for 1, etc...something.
Have lots of change on hand!
Watch closely. Hate to say it, but there are those who will steal, especially your money box. Keep bills in your pocket.
posted by wsg at 2:01 PM on July 17, 2005 [1 favorite]
Clothes should be cheap. Nice shirts, dresses, 1-2 dollars. Jeans and nice pants, 2 bucks. 25-50 cents for t-shirts. The clothes should be clean with no rips. If there are spots or holes, toss it.
Display your stuff as best you can. A lot of times you'll see a box of clothes with a sign "$2 bucks each" and they don't sell. Folks don't want to dig through boxes. If want to sell the clothes, put them on hangers and hang them from some kind of clothing rack, even if it's a broomstick between two ladders.
Spread the stuff out where people can see it.
Books sell. 25-50 cents on paperbacks. 1 dollar for hardcovers.
If you really want to clear the stuff out, be ready to wheel and deal. If someone seems reluctant, make them an offer - 2 for 1, etc...something.
Have lots of change on hand!
Watch closely. Hate to say it, but there are those who will steal, especially your money box. Keep bills in your pocket.
posted by wsg at 2:01 PM on July 17, 2005 [1 favorite]
My wife and I have done quite a few garage sales with our family members over the years. Here are some suggestions:
1) Unless you have a lot of stuff to sell, find some friends, neighbors etc. to either do a huge, multi-family sale. The more people contributing, the better I have found, just make sure everything is labelled. The more stuff, the more people will come, the more of your stuff that will sell.
2) Make sure you advertise. We always list in the paper, which is cheap, and then do up about 15-20 signs on top of that, placed in high traffic areas.
a) Make sure your sign can be read from a passing car, remembering that 1. The address is the most valuable piece of information 2. Times are secondary 3. the fact that it is a garage sale should not take up the whole sign.
i.e. 123 1st st
GARAGE SALE!!!!!!!!!
and not
GARAGE SALE!!!!!!!!!
123 1st st
3) Make sure you have a float.
4) Pricing is key. I always priced my own stuff, and in the past, I always would price it based on how much I felt it was worth. My wife's stuff is priced based on how much people would be willing to pay for it at a garage sale. Before I figured this out, None of my stuff would go. At our last garage sale, I figured it out, and priced things fairly low, from the perspective of getting rid of it, and not necessarily getting its full value. There are other avenues for that.
5) Be flexible. People (especially hard core garage sale people) like to talk you down in the price, let them. But don't be a doormat either. If you think something is worth $100, and you have it priced at $50, think before hand the "lowest" price you will part with it so you can go from there. So if you set that point at $35, and someone offers you $10, say the lowest you will part with it is $40.
6) Make sure everything is well displayed, off the ground if possible. We rent 4 banquet tables for $5 each per day, and it makes a big difference.
7) Make sure everything is visibly priced. Masking tape works, or you can buy little price stickers.
8) Constantly re-evaluate your items throughout the day. If something isn't sold 1/2 way through the day, and you really want to get rid of it, drop the price.
9) Consider doing it Friday night, Saturday, and if you have the time or the stuff, Sunday too.
10)The lowest price-point is .25 cents. Don't want to be messing around with nickels and dimes.
posted by Quartermass at 2:11 PM on July 17, 2005
1) Unless you have a lot of stuff to sell, find some friends, neighbors etc. to either do a huge, multi-family sale. The more people contributing, the better I have found, just make sure everything is labelled. The more stuff, the more people will come, the more of your stuff that will sell.
2) Make sure you advertise. We always list in the paper, which is cheap, and then do up about 15-20 signs on top of that, placed in high traffic areas.
a) Make sure your sign can be read from a passing car, remembering that 1. The address is the most valuable piece of information 2. Times are secondary 3. the fact that it is a garage sale should not take up the whole sign.
i.e. 123 1st st
GARAGE SALE!!!!!!!!!
and not
GARAGE SALE!!!!!!!!!
123 1st st
3) Make sure you have a float.
4) Pricing is key. I always priced my own stuff, and in the past, I always would price it based on how much I felt it was worth. My wife's stuff is priced based on how much people would be willing to pay for it at a garage sale. Before I figured this out, None of my stuff would go. At our last garage sale, I figured it out, and priced things fairly low, from the perspective of getting rid of it, and not necessarily getting its full value. There are other avenues for that.
5) Be flexible. People (especially hard core garage sale people) like to talk you down in the price, let them. But don't be a doormat either. If you think something is worth $100, and you have it priced at $50, think before hand the "lowest" price you will part with it so you can go from there. So if you set that point at $35, and someone offers you $10, say the lowest you will part with it is $40.
6) Make sure everything is well displayed, off the ground if possible. We rent 4 banquet tables for $5 each per day, and it makes a big difference.
7) Make sure everything is visibly priced. Masking tape works, or you can buy little price stickers.
8) Constantly re-evaluate your items throughout the day. If something isn't sold 1/2 way through the day, and you really want to get rid of it, drop the price.
9) Consider doing it Friday night, Saturday, and if you have the time or the stuff, Sunday too.
10)The lowest price-point is .25 cents. Don't want to be messing around with nickels and dimes.
posted by Quartermass at 2:11 PM on July 17, 2005
Yes, be very early. People will be waiting on it starting, so stick to whatever time you decide. Expect some hardcore bargain hunters and a bit of a frenzy at the start.
Advertise it in the local paper. If it is going to be busy then tell your neighbours and make sure you have parking space.
If all goes according to plan the cream of your items will be gone in the first 20 minutes. If you have a few items of comparitive quality (stereos, exercise equipment etc) then hold out for top price on them for at least the first hour. If after that time nobody is biting, then begin to lower the prices. Do the same on all items as the sale wears on.
Engaging people will sell items, as will having clearly displayed prices. If labelling everything is not feasible then be sure to strike up conversaton with buyers as they browse, inform them of the price and add some chat.
Clothes and books (unless they are real quality) are probably the two hardest things to shift at this type of sale, so see what else you can get.
Make sure there are at least two of you manning it. Makes the whole thing easier, especially if there is a bit of a scramble early on. Also allows cover for breaks.
Have change on hand, silver and notes. People will also probably want carrier bags.
As noted above, beware of criminals. Not only people pinching paperbacks - criminals casing your property and the calibre of your household goods. If you have anything really special then save it for an auction, don't advertise your wealth.
Basically common sense. Have fun!
posted by fire&wings at 2:17 PM on July 17, 2005
Advertise it in the local paper. If it is going to be busy then tell your neighbours and make sure you have parking space.
If all goes according to plan the cream of your items will be gone in the first 20 minutes. If you have a few items of comparitive quality (stereos, exercise equipment etc) then hold out for top price on them for at least the first hour. If after that time nobody is biting, then begin to lower the prices. Do the same on all items as the sale wears on.
Engaging people will sell items, as will having clearly displayed prices. If labelling everything is not feasible then be sure to strike up conversaton with buyers as they browse, inform them of the price and add some chat.
Clothes and books (unless they are real quality) are probably the two hardest things to shift at this type of sale, so see what else you can get.
Make sure there are at least two of you manning it. Makes the whole thing easier, especially if there is a bit of a scramble early on. Also allows cover for breaks.
Have change on hand, silver and notes. People will also probably want carrier bags.
As noted above, beware of criminals. Not only people pinching paperbacks - criminals casing your property and the calibre of your household goods. If you have anything really special then save it for an auction, don't advertise your wealth.
Basically common sense. Have fun!
posted by fire&wings at 2:17 PM on July 17, 2005
Don't sell anything that is worth something at a garage sale, eBay it instead. Garage sales are generally useful for stuff you'd give or throw away.
Hold your ground. If you don't want your sale to start until 7am, gate your drive and write a note. Don't let anyone in before that time. If you want $1 for that shirt, don't get talked down. As always, remember that junk is junk and it won't sell, but can be included with other sellable items as a lot.
Luck.
posted by sled at 2:28 PM on July 17, 2005
Hold your ground. If you don't want your sale to start until 7am, gate your drive and write a note. Don't let anyone in before that time. If you want $1 for that shirt, don't get talked down. As always, remember that junk is junk and it won't sell, but can be included with other sellable items as a lot.
Luck.
posted by sled at 2:28 PM on July 17, 2005
If you have a lot of women's clothes, make sure your ad says so, and also the brands and sizes. Have an extension cord where people can test electrical items. Have everything spread out so people can see it. Lots of signs with arrows on surrounding streets, sidewalk chalk arrows are good too. After noon, go to half price on everything, or start offering clothes at $2 a grocery bag. Lots of change ready. Greet people with a warm "Good Morning! How are you today?" as they arrive.
posted by LarryC at 3:03 PM on July 17, 2005
posted by LarryC at 3:03 PM on July 17, 2005
If half way through the sale you still have a lot left (or even a little), try a 'bag' sale - all they can stuff in a plastic grocery bag for $2 or $3. That's assuming you really want to be rid of it.
Clothes don't sell very well, so price low.
Yes, have lots of change for big bills first thing in the morning. And two or more people helping (you'll be mobbed first thing & can't leave the cash box), and lots of grocery bags.
posted by LadyBonita at 3:09 PM on July 17, 2005
Clothes don't sell very well, so price low.
Yes, have lots of change for big bills first thing in the morning. And two or more people helping (you'll be mobbed first thing & can't leave the cash box), and lots of grocery bags.
posted by LadyBonita at 3:09 PM on July 17, 2005
Be ready at the time you say it starts. Last yard sale I had, we were just getting the bagels out for a nice slow morning when the "Yard Sale People" arrived, and they are SERIOUS! They will have read your ad. They will be ready, even before the appointed time.
My main observation for yard sales is that people think their stuff is worth a lot of money just because it still has a little sentimental value. Recently, I sat with some friends having a yard sale, and there was this rusted roto-tiller that his dad used to use, and he was just not willing to bargain. He wanted $60. Someone offered him $30. He said no. It didn't sell that day! It's a yard sale. Expect to sell lots of stuff cheaply.
Also, look at this.
posted by abbyladybug at 3:31 PM on July 17, 2005
My main observation for yard sales is that people think their stuff is worth a lot of money just because it still has a little sentimental value. Recently, I sat with some friends having a yard sale, and there was this rusted roto-tiller that his dad used to use, and he was just not willing to bargain. He wanted $60. Someone offered him $30. He said no. It didn't sell that day! It's a yard sale. Expect to sell lots of stuff cheaply.
Also, look at this.
posted by abbyladybug at 3:31 PM on July 17, 2005
This runs fairly contrary to what's been said, so your mileage may vary: a friend of mine has ridiculously good luck with not pricing anything--especially the crap he doesn't expect to sell.
"How much are you selling this for?"
"Well, how much would you want to pay for it?"
and it works!
The guy's a yard sale beast...
posted by hototogisu at 4:19 PM on July 17, 2005
"How much are you selling this for?"
"Well, how much would you want to pay for it?"
and it works!
The guy's a yard sale beast...
posted by hototogisu at 4:19 PM on July 17, 2005
I'll second hototogisu, but I'll note that it really seems to matter where you are.
I've done it both ways. I made $750 on what I though was not a lot of stuff (no pricing) and I made $400 when I was just trying to get things sold prior to moving cross country ( pricing the things I cared about). I considered them both wildly successful.
If you feel you must price things, prepare stickers the night before. Prepare more than you'll need and write out the prices: .25, .50, $1, $2, $3, $5, $10 and so on. Try to group things logically and then you can just run through your things and slap the stickers on.
Absolutely engage people you see showing interest in items, especially mutliple items. Let them know you will give them a deal on multiple item sales.
Had a small asian fellow who spoke next to no English spend 30 minutes combing my considerable book stash at my last sale in Chicago. He picked out nearly every GLBT/Women's studies book I owned. Easily 30 books. I had told him I'd give him half price on anything over 10. He went for it. Still don't know what he did with them, but glad he took 'em.
posted by FlamingBore at 5:26 PM on July 17, 2005
I've done it both ways. I made $750 on what I though was not a lot of stuff (no pricing) and I made $400 when I was just trying to get things sold prior to moving cross country ( pricing the things I cared about). I considered them both wildly successful.
If you feel you must price things, prepare stickers the night before. Prepare more than you'll need and write out the prices: .25, .50, $1, $2, $3, $5, $10 and so on. Try to group things logically and then you can just run through your things and slap the stickers on.
Absolutely engage people you see showing interest in items, especially mutliple items. Let them know you will give them a deal on multiple item sales.
Had a small asian fellow who spoke next to no English spend 30 minutes combing my considerable book stash at my last sale in Chicago. He picked out nearly every GLBT/Women's studies book I owned. Easily 30 books. I had told him I'd give him half price on anything over 10. He went for it. Still don't know what he did with them, but glad he took 'em.
posted by FlamingBore at 5:26 PM on July 17, 2005
Write the brand names of the clothes in your newspaper ad. They will be a draw! Have a mirror out so people can check out their look. Also a radio on with something fun makes people want to hang around more.
posted by slimslowslider at 11:04 PM on July 17, 2005
posted by slimslowslider at 11:04 PM on July 17, 2005
You also want to make sure that you date your sign. I love going to garage sales, but will not follow signs that say "GARAGE SALE TODAY" because I don't know when the thing was put out.
posted by richmondparker at 4:30 AM on July 18, 2005
posted by richmondparker at 4:30 AM on July 18, 2005
The latest issue of Real Simple magazine has a special section on how to host a yard sale, complete with a tear-out sheet to help you keep track of your items. It's VERY thorough. Worth the $4.
posted by picklebird at 5:20 AM on July 18, 2005
posted by picklebird at 5:20 AM on July 18, 2005
I am a "yard sale person" and I have also had quite a few yard sales myself--the one thing I want to stress that someone else brought up is that clothing does not sell well. Whoever suggested 8 dollars for a dress is nuts--unless they're very high end brand name dresses in perfect condition. If you have items like that, ebay is definitely the way to go. In summary--price clothes low if your goal is to get rid of them. I also think it's a great idea to get more people involved--the bigger the sale, the better. I admit that I have just "passed" on sales that look too small from the street.
posted by fabesfaves at 6:07 AM on July 18, 2005
posted by fabesfaves at 6:07 AM on July 18, 2005
I'm thirding the clothes-don't-sell comment. We sold cool clothes very cheaply *and* some tommy hilfiger sheets but no one cared... I guess it's just the sketchiness of secondhand?
On a more optimistic note, don't think too much about it. We were pretty low-key about the whole thing, and we made $400 bucks!!! About 100 times what I expected--totally worth it. For advertisement, we designed an eye-catching flyer with happy comic and map to our house, and posted it near thrift stores and everywhere else within a mile radius. Books, comics and toys did really well. (p.s. we're in a college town)
Other than the cash, the experience of letting go of all your crap to people who visibly appreciate it was key. We ended up giving a bunch of indie comics to this cool guy for like $30 (at least $100 value) and no regrets. This teacher visiting from somewhere in the rural south bought up all our stickers, stuffed animals & kids books and told some really great (and sad) stories--I charged her like $20 bucks for $100 worth. We gave everything else away, and 3 years later we still have too much shit--yay!
posted by ibeji at 7:58 AM on July 18, 2005
On a more optimistic note, don't think too much about it. We were pretty low-key about the whole thing, and we made $400 bucks!!! About 100 times what I expected--totally worth it. For advertisement, we designed an eye-catching flyer with happy comic and map to our house, and posted it near thrift stores and everywhere else within a mile radius. Books, comics and toys did really well. (p.s. we're in a college town)
Other than the cash, the experience of letting go of all your crap to people who visibly appreciate it was key. We ended up giving a bunch of indie comics to this cool guy for like $30 (at least $100 value) and no regrets. This teacher visiting from somewhere in the rural south bought up all our stickers, stuffed animals & kids books and told some really great (and sad) stories--I charged her like $20 bucks for $100 worth. We gave everything else away, and 3 years later we still have too much shit--yay!
posted by ibeji at 7:58 AM on July 18, 2005
Watch out putting stickers on stuff. No one wants the hassle of getting them off -- especially you, on the stuff that doesn't sell. (We still have a box of eighties toys with five-year-old price stickers stuck to them.)
posted by smackfu at 8:03 AM on July 18, 2005
posted by smackfu at 8:03 AM on July 18, 2005
We had a garage sale last Friday and it went fairly well. One thing to beware of is antique dealers. They are ants at the picnic of life. Don't fall for the "aw shucks, I was hoping for fishing tackle. Oh, what's this? Depression glass?" schtick. They know exactly what your stuff is worth.
Stick to your guns on the hours and prices (assuming, as others have said, that you're stuff is priced fairly). And the more stuff you have out, the more people will stop.
That said, you'll meet some pretty cool people during the day who will make up for the antique dealers.
posted by Atom12 at 8:20 AM on July 18, 2005
Stick to your guns on the hours and prices (assuming, as others have said, that you're stuff is priced fairly). And the more stuff you have out, the more people will stop.
That said, you'll meet some pretty cool people during the day who will make up for the antique dealers.
posted by Atom12 at 8:20 AM on July 18, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
But keep it low; you can get new stuff at Old Navy for not much more, and all the other stuff turns up in thrift stores for low prices. Personally, I'd rather browse through piles of stuff with a fixed price, so I can figure out how much I am spending.
posted by carter at 1:57 PM on July 17, 2005