Rummage sale ...how to pick the buyer?

[daisy2jae]

Question: If there are multi people interested in someone at your rummage sale how do you pick who to sell it to if both/all of them are standing there at once asking to buy it?

We're having our annual/community wide rummage sale May 7th and 8th. This will only be our 2nd year for it (we moved in Nov 2008). We were SHOCKED last year. We had a Little Tykes Climber paid apx $150 new and it was 2 yrs old. We had it sitting in our front lawn for the sale. When we opened at 5PM we had over 40 people standing in the driveway waiting to get in. It was crazy. We had people angry at us that they wanted to buy the Little Tykes piece. My DH at 5PM went out to the the item and place the price tag ($60) on it. Someone took it off right away and came up to pay. They had been sitting on it since 330PM waiting for it.

This year I have a Little Tykes 6 in 1 (paid apx $450 with shipping and tax). I'm thinking of putting $125 on it. I'm affraid what will happen this year. How do I go about it so I don't have the same problem this year? I thought about leaving it in the backyard and having a post board posted on the wall with photos and a price. I thought about putting it on the outside of the garage door so people can see it and the price before the sale starts. However either way if more than one person is interested how do you pick who gets it? Assuming both have the cash on hand and ready to give it over.

Has anyone been through this as a buyer or as a seller? I don't want to do anything unfair but OMG with 40 people I can't discuss things with buyers I need to be at the cash table. There is 30+ sales in our neighbor that they want to get to. (I know it's not many but for our town we usually have no more than 20 on a saturday and that's through out the entire town)

PS - We're getting rid of it since we built a playhouse in the backyard. (1 1/2 story with electric/cable/etc... No need for the Little Tykes 6 in 1 it's killing my grass and I hate moving it every 3-4 days.)

 

[pearlieq]

Whoever offers you the most. You can put a tag on it that says something like "$125 or best offer".

If multiple buyers are interested at the same time, you can tell them they're welcome to make you an offer.

 

[Disneylush]

I just sold one of these on Crigslist in St. Paul for $250 and had 40 emails in the first hour. I felt like you. First look and see if there is anyone "looking" for one on Craigslist ... you might be able to get it sold ahead of time and save yourself a headache

 

[daisy2jae]

I just sold one of these on Crigslist in St. Paul for $250 and had 40 emails in the first hour. I felt like you. First look and see if there is anyone "looking" for one on Craigslist ... you might be able to get it sold ahead of time and save yourself a headache

I've never used Craig's list. Maybe I should have my DH look into it for me. It's not something you want to move from the back yard to the front yard and not sell it. I'd love to get it off my hands before hand. Plus not hear "I'm didn't think you sold that fairly and you could have been a better person. I wanted to buy that and I didn't get to" Goodness...I just want to get my extra stuff out the door and get something for it. Plus it's going to help pay for our WDW trip in September....the more we make the more fun we get at WDW

 

[a1tinkfans]

Throw it ion Craigslist, you'll get more $$, its easier and people either come, offer and take it or the next does...Good Luck! l

 

[Poohbug]

I agree with the Craigslist idea. It is really easy to do. Sounds like you have priced low. Go ahead and ask for more money. You can always lower your price if you need to.

If you do decide to sell at the rummage sale, I would just leave it in the backyard and have the picture with the price. Everyone who goes to rummage sales knows that it is first come-first serve. The first one who asks you about the item, has the first chance at it. I miss out on alot of stuff because I will not come before opening time and other people do. I don't think early sales are fair but thats the way it goes. I would never blame the seller for actually selling things at his/her rummage sale. Sorry you had so many crabby people.

 

[mamaLori05]

I agree with Craigslist. The first one to email you gets it (check the time). Just make sure you tell them ahead of time you are firm on the price because you have several interested. I have had people come and try to barder with me, which I find annoying and often tell those people I'm firm on the price take it or leave it. Letting them know ahead of time will save you the time. There are pleanty of people out there willing to pay your full price, trust me!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Raise the price! You can always come down to your current price if someone is interested, and if a bunch of folks really want it you may get more for it!

On "Clean House" when they have more than one person interested, they start a little auction going between the buyers.

 

[delmar411]

I would have told those people that the person with the highest offer was going to get it.

Same with the other playhouse. $125 is a steal and you need to price it higher.

 

[kelleyrn2000]

I would do the Craig's list. Price it higher, and you will have room to negotiate if you want. Some people put their offer in emails, so you may get one person offering you more. If you just want it gone, then the person who is able to get there, pay you cash, and get it out of there is the lucky buyer!

 

[surfergirl602]

you could do like a silent bid thing, that the person with the highest offer gets to buy it.