Question: How should the seller determine the price of items at a garage sale?
Answer: Most items should be priced at 10 to 15 cents on the original dollar value of the item.
Q: How much should the seller be willing to negotiate?
A: Very willing. No matter how low a price is marked, most buyers will try to negotiate a lower price. Taking anywhere from 10 to 25 percent off is standard depending on the item and marked price. Sometimes the more they buy, a better price can be negotiated. Remember, don’t be emotional regarding the item. The objective is to have the stuff go away.
Q: What items are typically the best sellers at a garage sale?
A: Kitchen items, musical instruments, small pieces of furniture and toys are most desirable. You may have people hunting for old vinyl records and concert posters. Most important, items to be sold should be clean and in workable condition. Electronics are the hardest to sell unless you have an electrical outlet to prove they work.
Q; Are garage sales worth the time and money?
A: As part of a downsizing and cleanout process, garage sales serve a purpose. Sorting, cleaning and pricing can take hours. Some clients have been disappointed with the amount of money they make for the time and energy it takes to set up and pack up leftovers.
Q: What is the best way to advertise for a garage sale, how far in advance should it be advertised and how many hours should the sale last?
A: Putting an ad on Craigslist, which is free, is always a good place to start. With most sales being held on Saturday or Sunday, ads should be posted by Wednesday or Friday. Newspaper ads are helpful though sometimes expensive. Putting signage on the street the night before is also helpful. Don’t forget to remove the signs after the sale. Typical hours are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will always be early birds looking for the best bargains, so either state NO EARLY BIRDS or be ready for people showing up one-half hour to one hour early.
Q: Although every garage sale is different, what is the typical range in money that someone could expect to make from their household items at a one-day garage sale?
A: In my experience, I have had people make anywhere from $100 to $1,000. It all depends on the condition of the items, quantity and variety of items being sold. It all depends on what you have to sell. The things you can’t control are the weather, amount of people showing up and what those people are shopping for.
Q: How can one guard against shoplifters at a garage sale?
A: Have family or friends help you. Make sure you have one trusted person handling the bank, and have others there to help answer questions or bag items. Stay alert and watch.
Q: On the other side of the equation, what advice would you give garage sale bargain hunters?
A: Bring small denominations of cash. Don’t expect to have the seller break a $50 or $100 bill for small purchases. Bring your own shopping bags. Sometimes sellers don’t have enough. Respect people’s property, and if you break it, you buy it. Know what you’re looking for, ask a lot of questions. Sometimes people have collectible items they have not put out, unless someone specifically asks about them.
