Nine Ways to Make the Most Out of Garage Sales

Anybody can toss a few items out in the driveway and pronounce a garage sale in progress, but if you want to maximize the effort and profit from proffering your possessions, much like a real estate deal, you’ve got to set the stage. GetRichSlowly.org has some great advice on prepping for that all important day of the sale:

1. Be clear on the purpose of your sale. Are you selling things to make money or to get rid of them? This question affects everything you do, from how you price things, to how willing you may be to negotiate. Surprisingly, you can often make more money (and get rid of more junk) by pricing things low. If your goal is to get top dollar, you should really be selling on eBay or Craigslist.

2. Advertise. Stick an ad in the newspaper. Put up a notice on Craigslist. Post simple, effective signs around the neighborhood. It’s best to use big bold text like “HUGE SALE” with an arrow pointing the right direction. Make sure your sign is readable.

3. Get cash for change. Get a roll of quarters, a stack of 25 $1 bills, and a few $5 bills. Do this two days before the sale, so that if you forget, you can still get the change on the day before.

4. Prepare your staging area. People will be more inclined to stop if you set up shop in your yard or driveway. Some people are reluctant to enter a dark and dreary garage. Make your sale inviting and easy to browse. You can lure customers by placing highly-desirable items near the road.

5. Think like a customer. As soon as you’ve opened and fielded the initial flood of shoppers, walk through your sale as if you were there to buy something. How does it feel? Are things clearly marked? Is it easy to move around? Are your books on the ground in boxes? Or are they placed neatly on shelves or tables?

6. Display items to their advantage. Carry a bookshelf out to the garage. It takes more work, but you’ll sell more books if people can see them clearly.

7. Play background music. It’s a little uncomfortable to visit a garage sale (or to host one) when there’s complete silence in the yard or driveway. But don’t play offensive music either — play something appropriate for your audience.

8. Promote expensive items. Big-ticket items can be tough to sell, but you can do it with a little extra effort. For example, print out a website page from a business still selling the item that shows the original retail price and all the features.

9. Make it easy for shoppers to test electronic items. If you’re selling electrical items, make sure you have an extension cord handy so that people can test them. No smart person is going to just take your word that your television “works great.” Also, have some batteries on hand so a prospective buyer can test hand held electronics.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.