- Post your signs around the neighbourhood with arrows, not everyone knows your neighbourhood - make them big enough for people to read from a distance...and put a date on them... nothing is more aggravating than chasing down a sale only to find out the sign is an old one... when the sale is over remove the signs
- Be prepared... have smaller bills and change... don't forget your bags and boxes... save your newpaper to wrap fragile items
- Don't have a garage sale unless you go to them (okay not really... but it sure helps)... haggling is all part of the game... don't take it personal... a sufficient yes or no is fine... if you can handle this rule you will most likely have a successful sale
- Remember why you are having the sale... to get rid of stuff you no longer want or use... if it is still sitting there at the end of the day your prices were probably too high... remember you are not going to retire on your profits
- Don't sell high ticket items at a garage sale... chances are good you will not sell it... people are looking for bargains... put FIRM on the ticket if must
- If you are really undecided about selling something don't put it out there
- Just because it is old does not make it valuable... research...remember that it is only worth what someone is willing to pay you for it
- Price your items accordingly and leave a little wiggle room to haggle... nothing makes me leave a garage sale quicker than when people just throw the stuff out there and don't bother to put a price on it... know what you want for it ahead of time... don't make people tell you what it is worth...and re-read rule #3... I can't tell you how many times I have purchased something I didn't need or want but came home with it because it was a bargain
- If you are asking top buck for it clean it and display it
- Don't be offended if someone doesn't like your prize possession... if you like it that much keep it
- Do NOT leave your money on a table... keep it with you at all times (I encountered this at a sale this weekend... a woman had a bundle of money in a clear zip lock bag sitting out in clear view on a table and she was no where to be found... with her front door propped open I might add) which brings us to the next rule...
- Do NOT leave your front door wide open... people have been known to walk into your house and shop
stealyour personal belongings - Do NOT let people use your bathroom... they are scoping out your house... tell them where the closest washroom is (we have witnessed this first hand...an older lady with no help...allowed a man to use her washroom without assistance when she went to check on him...she found him going through her cupboards... as she was inside his female partner loaded up their trunk)
- Have help to carry out large items if possible
- Enjoy your day... make it fun... get the kids involved, have them sell lemonade or bottled water or their toys they no longer use... get a few friends to bring their stuff and join you... initiate a block sale... buyers love to go to one location... they are usually my first destination
Rules for attending garage sales...
- If the ad says "NO EARLY BIRDS" respect it
- Be polite... address the host
- When haggling be fair... if you know an item is worth a lot give them a decent price
- Don't mess up their displays... if you take it out of boxes put it back how you found it
- Take small bills and change
- Don't forget your hand sanitizer and bottled water
- Turn your cell phone off... no one wants to listen to your conversation while they are shopping
- Put a box in your trunk for small items
- Wear comfortable shoes and dress in layers
- Most importantly... have fun
No comments:
Post a Comment