How to hold and price for a rummage sale
The probable result of a thorough spring cleaning is a pile of stock for a summer rummage sale. A sale is a good way to recoup the investment made on quality items and give the opportunity to others to use what you no longer want. Planning and organization can do wonders to increase your sale's visibility and the attractiveness of your wares. When the sale is finished and you still have stuff remaining, pass the leftovers on to a good cause.
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Things You'll Need
- Change
- Cash box
- Poster board
- Permanent markers
- Masking tape
- Balloons
- Price tags
- Colored dot stickers
- Power cord
Instructions
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Visit other rummage sales in your area in the weeks leading up to your own sale. Note the asking prices of items so you have an idea of what is reasonable where you live. The tour also will give you a sense of what you find attractive as a garage sale patron so you know what might appeal to others.
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Check your city ordinances. Rummage sales might be commonplace, but some municipalities have rules against them. Beverly Hills, California, for example, only allows garage sales in the backyard of a residence. Check for regulations regarding noise and obstruction of sidewalks. If your sale draws a crowd, it might be disruptive enough to prompt a neighbor to complain.
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Go to a bank to get change. Rummage sales are cash only and not all customers will have exact change.
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Advertise with signs and online. Free classified sites are an excellent way to get the word out about your sale. Walk-by traffic is also important. Use large, brightly colored signs to direct drivers and pedestrians to your sale. Balloons near the sign let people know the sign is not old and the sale is taking place that day.
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Clean your yard. Think of your front lawn as a retail store space. If your property is tidy and attractive, buyers will have more confidence in the quality of the goods you have for sale. If your garage door will be open, take the time to organize the items inside of it. Lay your items out in a way that makes it easy for buyers to walk through your sale and look at everything.
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Price your items before the garage sale. If you are caught during the sale with an item that is not priced, you might be offered an amount that is unreasonably low, or customers might simply pass the item by. According to organizer Louise Kurzeka, in a June 2011 article appearing on MSN.com, items sell at garage sales for approximately 12 percent to 15 percent of their original price, although items such as glasses and linens can go for 30 percent to 35 percent. Keep this guideline in mind when pricing.
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Place price tags clearly on the top of each item so customers don't have to search for it. You can also use a colored-dot pricing technique: red dot items are $1, yellow dot items are $2, blue dot items are $5. You can also put smaller items in a box or crate and use pricing that encourages multiple buys: CDs $1 each or five for $3, for example.
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Greet buyers but give them the freedom to look at your wares without interruption. A hard sales pitch can arouse suspicion, especially at a rummage sale where items are sold without a guarantee. Offer a power cord to test if a buyer looks interested in an electronic item.
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Reduce prices later in the day if some items are not selling. If you go through several waves of traffic and a good deal of your stuff remains, cut the price.
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Donate leftover items to charity. At the end of the day, don't put what remains back in your basement storage. Take it to a charity drop off location where it can be put to good use.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
