OK, so I previously posted Garage Sales – Part One. This left off with setting up the sale. Now, we need to get ready to actually have the sale and what you need to do on that day.
1. Advertise your sale with signs. Be sure to set up signs with directional arrows to help guide people to your sale. I recommend to start with a larger one at the busiest intersection closest to your house and then set them up every so often to help guide people to your sale. If you don’t advertise, people can’t find you. I even will put one in my yard so that it helps to just really draw people in.
2. Don’t forget your change. Be sure that you have enough ones, fives, quarter, etc. so that you can make proper change for your customer’s purchases. I usually get $75 – $100 in change to have handy. But I do NOT put it all into my container at once. I keep the additional change in the house and as I run short of any denomination, I can just run in and get what I need.
I also recommend to keep your money in a cash box or even a carpenter’s apron. Never let it sit in the open as it is just too tempting for the wrong person to grab it and run.
Another recommendation I have is that when you start to get a large sum in your box, take some of it into your house so that you don’t have as much available for others to see. Even the person who seems harmless could try to grab and go, leaving you hanging.
3. Will that be cash or cash? When accepting money for a transaction, stick to cash only – no exceptions. That last thing you want to deal with is a $25 – $50 charge from your bank for that $3.75 check that someone wrote you that is no good. I always hang a sign at my check-out table that reads: No Checks. No exception.
If someone is making a very large purchase, I will have them make a deposit on the item and they can go and get the cash and then come and complete the transaction. Usually, by them putting down a deposit, they will come back and purchase the item. Otherwise, if they say the want it and I say I won’t sell it, but they never return, I don’t miss out on selling it to someone else.
4. Be ready to start when you say you will. When you advertise your sale will begin at 8:00 a.m., be ready to open your doors BY that time. Many times, people arrive early so that they can find the best deals and if you don’t open on time, you could lose someone who is willing to part with many of your “treasures.”
5. Negotiate. Negotiate. Negotiate. Be willing to talk with someone about the price of an item. Always know how much you MUST get (or really WANT to get for the item) so that you know how low you are willing to go. That way, you have wiggle room and come across as someone who is willing to wheel and deal with people.
6. Mark it down. The last few hours of your sale is a GREAT time to help get rid of those last piles of junk that you really don’t want to have to box up to cart away. I will offer a 50% off all marked prices deal during the last 1 – 1 1/2 hours of my sale. It is amazing what you can unload when you say that it is marked down….even something that someone can pay .25 for vs. .50 is a deal to many and after all, .25 in your pocket is more than you’ll get to have to get rid of it later on.
These are my rules for how I run my sales. I am normally very successful. My sale begins tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. – ???; Friday at 8:00 a.m. – ???? and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. If you live in the Kansas City area and are interested in coming on down to my sale, contact me and I’ll tell you where you can come to find some great deals!
By the way, I am selling: Baby Girl: NB – 9 mths; Baby Boy: NB – 24 mths, baby/children items, toys, furniture, housewares and misc — in case you are interested, of course.
Oh — I did forget to post a couple of pictures of the clothing display the other day, so here they are, so you can see what I am doing in hopes to sell more items. Enjoy!!
$7.50 for $15 in food; Quinton's Bar & Deli (Waldo)
Tracie is a stay at home mom to three young children; ages 2, 4 and 6 in Raymore, Missouri.