outrageously priced garage sale items.

[staceyfe]

can I hijack just a little here?? The thread seems to be full of experienced garage sale people! I have a nice glider that I am going to try to sell at a yard sale in the fall but I am unsure about what to price it at. I tried to sell it on Craigs List and failed....

what would be a fair garage sale price for this??

Avid garage-saler here...I'm thinking no more than $30. I would probably start at $30 and go down to $20. It doesn't have a foot stool, right? However, i'm in the midwest; things may go higher where you're at.

 

[cepmom]

Avid garage-saler here...I'm thinking no more than $30. I would probably start at $30 and go down to $20. It doesn't have a foot stool, right? However, i'm in the midwest; things may go higher where you're at.

right ~ no ottoman. DH would have a coronary if I sold it for $30
He bought it for me when I was pregnant with DD9 and I know he paid quite a bit of money for it. It's a really nicely made chair ~ I know Kmart etc sell these pretty cheaply, but this one is definately made better than those ones. He bought it at Boston Baby (now closed but known for selling only high end furniture and baby items)

I just don't have room in the house anymore for it and I'm done having babies! I tried to give it to SIL when she was pregnant but she already had one. Thanks for your input!

 

[kcrew]

! , I would rather cart my unsold stuff to Salvation Army/ St. Vincent DePaul and get and Tax deduction on my return, knowing at least (I hope) that my clothing and other items went to people who couldn't afford those items anyway.


OK, rant over, thanks for reading!!!

I totally agree. I will offer reasonable garage sale prices, but if I want to GIVE stuff away, I will give it away to charity(and yes, get my tax deduction) rather than go through the hassle of a garage sale to sell items for 25 cents. Also, as much as I love to stumble across name brand jeans for 50 cents, if they are in perfect condition I am also willing to pay $5 if it is something I know one of my kids will really wear vs. paying $40 at the store. AND if you think about it if you price things higher and only sell a portion of it you are still way ahead.(Sell all 10 of your VHS tapes for 50 cents and make $5 vs sell only 3 of them at $2 for $6 and still have 7 to donate )

 

[Angela&Kayla]

If I only made $20 for a garage sale, I wouldn't even try another one another weekend. I have to many other things to do with all my "free" time.

I know a lot of people talk about getting the tax donation by donating the items, and see that you are unable to do so. I would donate them anyway...even though you may not see a couple dollar difference in your taxes, you will know that you are providing items that will be sold to benefit many people who need it. There are so many variations on the usual goodwill/salvation army stores as well...women's shelters, foster families, etc.

Good luck! If you decide to have another garage sale, mark everything a little cheaper then you did at your first sale, make sure it is clean and organized, and just put up a ton of signs (if you do not want to advertise again).

OK, I had a yardsale yesterday. I did not even get too much traffic and, after deducting the price of the newspaper ad, made a grand total of $20, which we spent on pizza as I was too tired to cook dinner.

Almost everything was a dollar. I had a toddler bed marked for $30 including a sheet and the mattress. Someone offered $20 and I said yes. I had no illusion of making a fortune and would take any offer made. A few people just popped in and out without even looking at anything. I had everything seperated between big and little girls and boys. And then had winter and summer stuff seperated (I knew people would mainly be looking for summer.) All dresses and adult shirts were hanging. Most items were like new. I had a hand blender still in the box for $5, but would have taken ANY offer, even $1. I had a coffee maker, ice shaver, smoothie maker, child safety stuff still in packages, books (25 cents ea including chubby board books), a couple of mismatched chairs at $5 ea, etc. I even had a little tykes outside swing for $5. No takers. I really didn't think my stuff was overpriced. My dd kept saying that is way to low. I told her that my goal was not to make money, but to get rid of my stuff. We are moving in 2 wks. Yet, Is till have a garage full of stuff. We don't itemize, so there is no deduction if I donate. Not really sure if I should try again this weekend or not. It was really hot here, but it will be hot next weekend as well. I don't want to spend more money advertising and then still not sell.

Any ideas???

 

[a1tinkfans]

I love popping into a garage sale or two on a free weekend.

I have had several over the years, but none at my own home.
Stuff sells better at a relatives home because of traffic.
We usually have family members all bring their own stuff, which draws an even larger crowd due to "SO MUCH STUFF" and at days end we REALLY push it out of there.
We usually just "GIVE" stuff to them to add to their purchase. The smiling faces for free stuff is worth it. The rest gets donated at the local church. We leave the "junk" type stuff at the curb, though that generally will disappear before the trash men even comes by.
Works well for all of us!

 

[disneysteve]

what would be a fair garage sale price for this??

My general answer to this question (not just for your specific item) is that garage sale items should be priced at no more than 10% of the cost of a similar new item. You may get more than that, but if your goal is to sell the stuff, I think 10% is a good rule of thumb. We've had many successful garage sales over the years and I also worked at a flea market for many years, so I've got a fair amount of experience in the field.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

can I hijack just a little here?? The thread seems to be full of experienced garage sale people! I have a nice glider that I am going to try to sell at a yard sale in the fall but I am unsure about what to price it at. I tried to sell it on Craigs List and failed....

what would be a fair garage sale price for this??

This is defiantely something I would donate to a woman's shelter or the like. You will never get what it is worth at a garage sale and the shelter would benefit greatly.

 

[Lady V]

can I hijack just a little here?? The thread seems to be full of experienced garage sale people! I have a nice glider that I am going to try to sell at a yard sale in the fall but I am unsure about what to price it at. I tried to sell it on Craigs List and failed....

what would be a fair garage sale price for this??

25$. I sold that exact one with the matching ottoman for 25$.

 

[4greatboys]

Last time I had a garage sale I had some really nice shirts priced at a $1. Fair it seemed to me but I still had a couple of ladies who came together griping about the $1

 

[cepmom]

This is defiantely something I would donate to a woman's shelter or the like. You will never get what it is worth at a garage sale and the shelter would benefit greatly.

now that is something I never even thought of!! Thanks for the tip. I would rather donate it to a place like that rather than take $25 or $30 bucks for it. It is definately worth more than that. I mean I would like to get rid of it since we really don't have the space or need for it, but it's not like I have to get rid of it you know?

 

[mcgrawfan]

We have a garage sale every year and I usually make around $200 depending on what I am selling. Since I had my DD, I have been taking a lot of her nicer stuff to our local kid's consignment store. It is a very clean and very organized store that many people shop at. I end up making the same or even more than I would in a garge sale and have many more people looking at my stuff.

 

[bellarella]

An item is worth exactly what an available customer is willing to pay and not a penny more.

True, but in that sense, garage sale buyers need to also adjust their expectations in an eBay world. It used to be that they could demand super low prices because there was no other outlet for most people to sell their stuff. Now, through Craigslist and eBay, sellers have access to a larger network of buyers. This increases the demand for the items, and thus the price. While you can still find good deals at garage sales because some people just look at them as ways to get their junk hauled off for free; the idea that a buyer gets indignant at a price isn't well supported anymore. If you don't like the price, don't buy; but I wouldn't expect that one is *entitled* to nearly free pricing just because the item is at a garage sale.

Personally, I hate doing garage sales. I would much rather donate my items to those truly in need than nearly give away the stuff to those just looking for a deal at my expense. The tax deduction is worth close to what I would probably make at a garage sale. Even if it wasn't, I still feel better about donating.

 

[pjshaff]

now that is something I never even thought of!! Thanks for the tip. I would rather donate it to a place like that rather than take $25 or $30 bucks for it. It is definately worth more than that. I mean I would like to get rid of it since we really don't have the space or need for it, but it's not like I have to get rid of it you know?

Have you thought of selling it at a fall / winter church consignment sale? They are really big around here (Ga) and you get a % of the sale price - it's usually 70/30 (you get the 70) but I've seen some that are 90/10. They usually have them in Aug/Sept.

 

[disneysteve]

True, but in that sense, garage sale buyers need to also adjust their expectations in an eBay world. It used to be that they could demand super low prices because there was no other outlet for most people to sell their stuff. Now, through Craigslist and eBay, sellers have access to a larger network of buyers. This increases the demand for the items, and thus the price.

I agree completely that ebay has changed garage sales, but I still think the price you put on you item has to reflect where you are attempting to sell it. You can't expect to get the same price at your yard sale where maybe 200 people will view it as you would on ebay where millions of people will view it. In other words, don't try to get ebay prices at your yard sale. If you want ebay prices, list the item on ebay. If you want yard sale prices, sell it at your yard sale. More than once, I've asked the price of an item at a yard sale and when I commented that the price was too high, I was told, "That's what they're going for on ebay." That may be, but I'm not shopping on ebay. I'm shopping in your driveway where you have little or no expenses, didn't have to photograph and list the item, don't have to pack and ship it, don't have to pay Paypal fees or worry about non-paying bidders, etc.

 

[Mono~rail]

If you want ebay prices, list the item on ebay. If you want yard sale prices, sell it at your yard sale.

Exactly. ebay values are higher because the item is being made available to a wider consumer base.

 

[Feralpeg]

I used to do garage sales, but not any more. I would rather donate my old stuff to charity. It is so much work preparing for a garage sale and people just irritate me. I always spent a great deal of time pricing things fairly, yet I'd have people who wanted to bargain on everything. "Will you take a nickle? It says a quarter." No, if I wanted a nickle, I'd have priced it that way!

I'd rather get the tax right off!

 

[Angela&Kayla]

I agree completely that ebay has changed garage sales, but I still think the price you put on you item has to reflect where you are attempting to sell it. You can't expect to get the same price at your yard sale where maybe 200 people will view it as you would on ebay where millions of people will view it. In other words, don't try to get ebay prices at your yard sale. If you want ebay prices, list the item on ebay. If you want yard sale prices, sell it at your yard sale. More than once, I've asked the price of an item at a yard sale and when I commented that the price was too high, I was told, "That's what they're going for on ebay." That may be, but I'm not shopping on ebay. I'm shopping in your driveway where you have little or no expenses, didn't have to photograph and list the item, don't have to pack and ship it, don't have to pay Paypal fees or worry about non-paying bidders, etc.

At my last garage sale, I did mark a few things higher than I would have if ebay didn't exist, because I knew the going rate of the items on ebay. For example, my daughter's our generation girl dolls are selling on ebay for about $8 per doll plus shipping, so at my garage sale, I marked them $7.50 (but took $6 from children buying them). If they did not sell at the garage sale, I knew I could just list them on ebay and make more money in the end, but honestly, didn't want the hassle. I had 6 of these dolls and sold 4 without any haggling at that price.

I will be having another garage sale next week (I am moving and thus decluttering my house) and will attempt to sell the last two. If they do not sell, I will either list them on ebay or just donate them. Honestly, everything I sell/donate is in great shape, so if people think I am high priced, they can go to another garage sale and pay less for things of much lower quality (as someone else mentioned, we are also the highest quality garage sale in the area) - I believe if it is junk, it goes as junk (free or trash). If it is not junk, we sell it for fair prices.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I've stopped going to garage sales because so many people go on Ebay, then price the item at that price! With Ebay, you have millions of potential customers who can bid up items. It's just not the same at garage sales. I always viewed garage sales as a way to just get rid of stuff. Now if I can't sell it on Ebay I take it to the local auction house, and I usually get a great price there. Clothes, however, just go to Goodwill.

This is my biggest yard sale pet peeve. I saw some cute Disney Store dresses at a yard sale and she wanted 10.00 each. She said they were 30.00 new and she could get at least 10.00 on ebay. I told her that she might get that much on ebay but not at yard sale. She just rolled her eyes at me. And I was worried about charging 1.00 for Gymboree (that didn't sell on ebay of course)

 

[gottaluvdis]

can I hijack just a little here?? The thread seems to be full of experienced garage sale people! I have a nice glider that I am going to try to sell at a yard sale in the fall but I am unsure about what to price it at. I tried to sell it on Craigs List and failed....

what would be a fair garage sale price for this??

STOP THE PRESSES! If you really want to make some $$ on this, I would highly suggest a consignment store. I had a Dutalier Canadian glider rocker that I got just before DD10 was born, somewhat similar to your photo. My in-laws bought it new for around $250-$300 back in 1996. I took a photo of it and sent the photo to the local consignment store's web site They told me it was worth between $100-$150. I brought it in and they priced it at $150. They sent me a check for my share ($100) about a week later. It sold that fast and at full price. See if you can find something like this where you live. I wouldn't bother selling something like this at a yard sale. Good Luck!

 

[klj27]

I never shop at yardsales and recently participated in my first one. I priced my items before hand. When the sale started I realized I had way overpriced. I really didn't know how the prices would be. Everyone else in my family had their clothes marked at a quarter a piece. Mine were anywhere from $1-$10. I didn't sell as much but I made so much more money than anyone else. I probably sold two thirds of my items and made three times what anyone else made at the yardsale. I had a lot left but I can ebay a lot of the maternity and gymboree. The rest I will give to goodwill and take the tax right off.