Garage Sale Savvy
Proper tactics greatly increase the garage sale
bottom line
By Rachel A. Johnson Reprinted by permission of Seasoned
Lifestyle Magazine
It’s simple really; everybody loves a great deal. That's why
people visit garage or yard sales. All those old Avon bottles
and ancient albums might be clutter to you but are pedestal
prizes to others. The success of your sale, and therefore the
amount of cash in your pocket and stuff rid from your home
greatly depends on proper planning.
There are two very important steps that need to be taken before
having a garage or yard sale.The most important step is to
advertise in the local paper. Such sale advertising is cheap and
will definitely bring you tremendous return on your slight
investment. Make sure to mention popular items in your ad such
as electronic, photo equipment, musical instruments, childrens’
toys and clothes, collectable items and
furniture. Use words such as vintage,
antique, rare and slightly used.
Secondly don’t overprice!.
People visit such sales because they understand that deal
abound. If you’re selling you stuff, it’s probably been
regulated to closet clutter that will be taken to the Salvation
Army if someone doesn’t buy it. Savvy purchasers will always try
to haggle on price and they will not buy items a fair market
worth. Do not price on the true value of an item but double the
price for which you are willing to part with it. Then let the
hagglers haggle and feel as if they have
gotten a great deal. Remember, twenty-five cents is better than
no sense. For the rest of
the tips, remember this acronym.
Sold Signs
Make your signs neat and large so that they can b read from a
block away. Arrows are important to give drivers directions.
Post signs at the closest major intersection, stoplight or stop
sign. Neon poster paper works very well. Designate the location
of th actual sale with another big sign — balloons on the
mailbox work well, too. Post your signs the night before and
take them down
immediately after your sale.
Organize
Sort clothing by size and bundle similar items. Package small
items in plastic sealed bags.Keep grocery bags handy for
customers. Have an extension cord plugged
in to show your electronics in use.
Use a muffin tin for coins and a fanny pack for dollar bills.
Have plenty of change to
break $20 bills.
Label
Mark your items with prices or descriptions.You can use price
stickers, masking tape or tags.Try using a multicolored dot
system with a large master price list where everyone can see it
— ie. red dot items are $1, green dot items are $2, etc. More
expensive items should be priced
separately.
Display
Place large items closer to the road to attract attention. A lot
of people are
drive-by shoppers. If they see something good, they’ll stop
Arrange your tables for easy access and display your items
neatly. Clean all of your items. Do you like dirty or dusty
merchandise? Give yourself 2-3 weeks to prepare: great sales are
not born two days before. Keep safety in mind by maintaining a
hazard free area and
being alert for thieves. Having 2-3 people helping with the sale
will keep things running smoothly and safely. Offering fresh
brewed coffee and doughnuts is good. Selling fresh brewed coffee
and doughnuts is better. People certainly will pay $1 for a cup
of coffee and a doughnut, combination that cost you total of
fifty cents. Think it’s too late to have your first yard sale?
Cynthia
Townley, editor of organizedhome.com shared that her 97-year-old
grandmother recently had her first yard sale. Cynthia’s advice
for seniors hosting a yard sale is to "arrange for charity
pickup at the end of the sale. Giving a yard sale can be
physically taxing, but it is worse if you have to tote any
unsold items back into the house." On her website you will find
more suggestions and
a free Yard Sale Checklist. Although having yard sale is a
little tedious, have fun and smile! Remember, you’re turning
your clutter into coins meeting new people and freeing space in
your home.
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