If your past garage sales have rendered disappointing results, maybe you ought to consider trying a few new techniques. To get rid of a lot of merchandise and bring in a fair amount of profit, here are some ideas to make business bustle.
1. Start early. The typical garage sale opens about 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning. Try opening at 7:30 to get a jump on the competition.
2. End later. Many garage sales close up by 6 p.m. Stay open to 7:00 for those last-minute straggler shoppers looking for a final markdown on remaining stock.
3. Advertise widely. Post ads in the local and community newspapers to appear the weekend before your sale, especially in the Sunday edition, which many people read even if they don't take the newspaper the rest of the week. You may want to run the ad for three days for a common newspaper special rate. Or you may want to post it Sunday and again on Wednesday before your sale.
4. Have your sale on Friday and Saturday. With enough items, a two-day sale can double your profits. Friday is the most popular and profitable day of the week to run a garage sale, and many folks go out driving around looking for them. Others read the ads the preceding Sunday and mark their calendars for specific stops.
5. Have cash on hand for change. Some customers may drop a sale if you can't make change for a twenty dollar bill. Sure, it's inconvenient, but if you can sell another $15 worth of items, why not? Customers will show their appreciation with repeat business.
6. Replenish your stock. As items get sold, bring out the reserves. You might be surprised by the kinds of things that people are willing to buy. Chipped dishes, stained sheets, or torn blankets can be used for camping supplies or pets. Raggedy clothing will serve as patching or quilting fabric. Even tattered potholders can be used to stuff pillows. Price items low enough to sell if you want to clean house and clean up profits as well.
7. Be friendly and available. Smile, greet customers, and be ready to answer questions. If people have to stand around waiting for your attention while you talk on the phone, they may give up and leave. Have change, bags, and answers ready.
8. Offer quality merchandise. Clean, organize, and package items to look attractive and usable. For example, you can wash up an unwanted salt and pepper set and nestle them in a tissue-paper filled shoebox for display. Polish silverware, wash dishes and tools, and dust off things taken from the attic or basement. No one is likely to want something that looks as though it has sat around for years.
9. Price fairly. The rule of thumb is to ask a third of the item's original purchase price if it is still in good condition. But be prepared to go lower if you really want to sell something. It's better to sell dirt-cheap and get people to carry things away rather than face the chore of returning them to storage or hauling them to the thrift store, with empty pockets yet.
10. Make it festive. Post balloons at the driveway with a sign in the yard. Use banners, ribbons, or more balloons to decorate around the outside of the garage. Have a freebies box for magazines and other odds and ends that someone might be able to use; customers will appreciate it.
Having a garage sale can be a great combination of fun and profit. Plan ahead with steps like these to maximize potential returns on your investment of time and cost.
