Old Fashion Ebay
One way to rake in some extra cash is to sell your items you no longer want or need. You COULD list each item individually on an e-site or in the classifieds. A better option may be to have prospective buyers come to you, leave you with cash and tote off your excess items.
Call it what you want—tag sale, garage sale, rummage sale, yard sale—but whatever you call it, a successful sale can leave you with a pocket full of cash. Don’t be misled, however—you can’t have a successful sale just be throwing everything out in the yard or garage. Preparation is key in holding a lucrative sale. It can make the difference between cleaning up monetarily and having to clean up, and no one wants to have to lug all of that stuff back in the house!
Your first step is to check with your local municipality regarding any requirements they have for holding a sale. Some cities require a permit, others limit numbers of days you can hold a sale, many limit where you can post signage—you want to know these things first because you don’t want to violate any ordinances or laws.
Your next move is to cull the merchandise you want to sell from your home. This sounds easy enough, but it can be very time consuming, so be sure to do this well before you are ready to hold your sale. Also, make sure anything mechanical is in good working condition or is labeled otherwise—you don’t want to mislead buyers. Clean up your items—launder clothes, hose off lawn equipment, wash old dishes or whatever it is you need to do to make sure your items are going to be attractive to buyers. Clean, fresh-looking items are going to make your sale look more inviting and will bring in more cash than those that look worn and dirty.
Once you have decided what to sell, you need to choose a location. If your home is in a high traffic area with ample parking available, then you have a perfect spot. Otherwise, you may want to consider teaming up with a friend who has a more accessible spot.
Choose a date that doesn’t conflict with other community events. If your area holds city-wide or town-wide sales, you may want to try to piggyback onto that. Not only will you be available on a date when folks will be out and about in your area, ready and willing to spend, you’ll also be available to take advantage of any marketing the municipality is doing for the event.
Speaking of marketing, advertising for your sale is incredibly important. If no one knows about your sale, it doesn’t matter how wonderful your merchandise is or how beautifully it is displayed. If no one sees it, no one can buy it.
Take advantage of all opportunities to get the word out. Post notices on local grocery bulletin boards or the laundromat, put up an ad at your place of employment, post on any free local sites you have available and place an ad in the garage sale section of your local newspaper. When creating your ad, try to begin with an eye-catching headline: “Great Stuff, Even Better Prices,” “20 Years of Accumulation,” “Treasure Sale”—whatever you can think of that accurately describes what you have but will also grab attention is a great headline for your ad. Make sure you include where your sale will be (including days and times), where it will be held (including any pertinent directions or parking information) and a listing of the types of merchandise you have for sale, especially any big ticket or unusual items.
You’ll also want to make sure there are a few things you have on hand before the sale. Dealing in cash is best, so you’ll want to be able to make change. Have plenty of coins and dollar bills at the ready so you aren’t stuck selling something for less or losing a deal because you couldn’t make change. Note how much cash you started out with before the sale so you can determine your profit at the end of the day.
A few hard core garage salers will bring their own sacks or reusable bags, but it’s helpful to have plenty available before the start of your sale. Instead of recycling grocery sacks, hang onto them before your sale so you can bag your customers’ purchases.
Make sure all of your merchandise is labeled clearly. Masking tape and Sharpies are a great combination for making tags. If you have more than one person involved in your sale, using different colored Sharpies on the tags will help keep track of who benefits from each purchase.
Have a ledger available to track the purchases your customers make. Record as each sale is made. This will make divvying up the profits at the end of the day go much more smoothly.
It’s also helpful to run an extension cord to your sale area so any electronic items can be plugged in. If you have items run by batteries, it’s also nice to have batteries available to try in the items to be able to show folks that these items are in working condition.
Display your merchandise as neatly as possible. If you have access to clothing racks, use them to display nicer clothing. Fold and arrange clothing by size so it’s easier for customers to look through. Try to arrange like items together. During down times, straighten up your merchandise.
Be sure any signage you have is easily read from the street. Make letters large and neat so everyone can read them. If your municipality allows, place signs near high-traffic intersections so drivers will notice them while stopped at stop signs and stop lights. Balloons tied to your signs will also help them stand out. Don’t forget to have a large sign in front of your sale so no one misses it! Remember not to post any signs on utility polls—this can pose a danger to you or any utility worker who comes into contact with the poll and is generally not legal. Also, take down signs at the end of the day. Too many times, signage is abandoned after a sale, creating an eyesore and causing confusion.
It’s also a good idea to have at least one other person with you to run the sale. Not only is this a good safety measure, it also helps to have one person who can take care of the exchange of money while another is available to answer questions. It also makes it much easier if you need to take a restroom break!
Last but not least, be prepared to deal! People like a bargain, and they feel like they’ve gotten a real deal if they are able to talk you down from your original price. If you really want to sell your wares, don’t be so attached to them that you aren’t willing to haggle on the price.