- Nothing should be priced under $1. Small items can be grouped together in a baggie for $1. The see through grab bags always catch my eye at the thrift stores. If I spot at least one "gotta have" item in the bag plus all that other stuff, I am a buyer. Taking small change out of the equation as much as possible makes so much sense.
- No discounts before noon. Having clear boundaries keeps things running smoothly during the sale. A schedule for markdowns is a good idea. $1 is much easier to markdown than 25 cents. Advertise the markdown schedule too.
- Think about the questions you know the shoppers will ask and have responses ready. Can we use your restroom? Bulk sales? Discount?
- Keep items organized as the sale goes on.
- Play music only during the slow times.
- Two people should be manning the sale at all time.
- Keep the peace. Don't argue in front of your shoppers. If everyone wore the same color during the sale, they would be easier to find when it gets busy.
- All clothes should be hung up for easy access.
- Nothing on the ground. Only a few exceptions.
- Books stacked where the title on the spine is visible. I have put the books in smaller boxes, so they won't be so heavy once full, with spine up and found this useful.
- Make sure everything is priced. The bigger the item, the bigger the size of the price tag should be. Prices should be visible. People do not want to hunt for a price.
- Keep running totals for each seller involved.
- Keep an assortment of change on hand at all times. You don't want to risk losing a sale because you don't have change.
- Expenses should be divided evenly among all sellers.
- Have plenty of bags, boxes and packing for purchases. Helps to start gathering these way before the sale is set to begin.
- Always have a table or box full of free items.
- Group like items together and have a sign for the grouping.
- Put decent sale signs with arrows on every possible corner in your neighborhood. Main roads with lots of traffic are great assets for your sale. Don't underestimate their power. Bright pink or white is more noticeable.
- Brainstorm about ways to make money during the sale. For example: drinks, baked goods, or plant starts.
- Advertise your sale on line. Don't forget the pictures. Gsalr.com, yardsales.net, yardsalesearch.com, garagesalefinder.com, garagesaletracker.com, craigslist.com. This is just a few places that come to mind.
- Tell your neighbors you plan on having a sale. Give them enough time to put out a sale of their own. The more sales in the same area will attract shoppers.
- Have a plan in place for left overs. Donate to thrift stores. Giveaway?. Throw away? You will be tired after making all that money, having a plan will make closing the sale stress free.
I found a great widget on the gsalr.com website. It's free and available for anyone to place on their website. Mine is displaying a map with the local sales in Springfield Missouri.
Leave a comment and tell us your garage sale success stories. Love to hear from you!
