Would you go to a yard sale like this?

[phorsenuf]

So I'm cleaning out the house in preparation of a move. I have a lot of stuff, and I mean a lot of stuff, I just don't want or need anymore. I had a yard sale last month and it was so-so. Getting ready for yard sales stinks by the way. So since I really just want the stuff gone I had a thought.
Instead of pricing everything I would advertise it as a 'name your own price' sale. I really just want it gone and truthfully even if I make even a little at least it's better than nothing and it's gone.

Do you think this kind of sale would work? Would you go to a sale like this?

 

[powellrj]

I don't think I would go to a sale like that. I hate to barter with people and I would be afraid that would be what was expected.

I will tell you what I did for my last sale. I just had a fill the sack sale. I had grocery sacks and you could fill it for a few dollars. The price went down as time ran out. I ran the sale from 8 till noon and dropped the price a dollar each hour. At noon whatever was left I took to Goodwill. Made several hundred dollars and cleaned out everything. It was pretty quick and painless. I had a new baby and wanted to have a sale before I went back to work.

My DDIL had a sale last weekend and did this for all the clothes. She priced the clothes at .25 each piece or fill a sack for $3. She said it went great!

 

[ORMom2Four]

You run the risk of someone backing up their truck to your yard and getting most of your stuff for free. If you say, "Name your price" someone could tell you they want your most valuable item free. I have seen a lot of weirdos shopping at yard sales, and have seen more than one theft.

I would not advertise it as that, but maybe set everything out without prices.

Dh and I yard sale a lot during the summer. We don't really like those yard sales (with no prices), but will take the time to ask how much the person wants for something if we like it. They often say, "What do you want to pay for it?"

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No. They don't work.

Let's put it this way, the message it sends is that your stuff is not desirable since you cannot put a price on it.

Plus yard sale buyers "want the deal". It cuts off their fun.

Make everything 5, 10, and 25 cents, for clothes, trinkets, etc....

Only mark a decent price on things that are desirable. What are your big ticket items?

 

[CathrynRose]

YOu could always mark the big stuff - then have $1 / 25 cents (or whatever) tables - kwim?

 

[phorsenuf]

No. They don't work.

Let's put it this way, the message it sends is that your stuff is not desirable since you cannot put a price on it.

Plus yard sale buyers "want the deal". It cuts off their fun.

Make everything 5, 10, and 25 cents, for clothes, trinkets, etc....

Only mark a decent price on things that are desirable. What are your big ticket items?

Yeah, I get that It's just such a hassle pricing and trying to figure out prices. As for big ticket items I have a canoe, some antiques but mostly just household type of things. The clothes all went to Goodwill.
I just want to throw it in the driveway and get it gone. I suppose I could put it all out there for free, but even a little is better than nothing.

Downsizing after 25 years is not an easy thing to do. LOL

 

[JR6ooo4]

our one and only garge sale did not go so well. It was 9-15-2001. the first saturday after 9-11!!! I don;t think one person stopped by. Well except the neighbor...

we had already advertised so we set it up anyway.

Mikeeee

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I would separate the big ticket items and mark them separately. Then put everything else together with a big sign that says "Everything's $1.00". Even if there are things that you think are worth less, a buck is cheap, people will look, then you can always say "you can have two (or 3 or 5) of those for a dollar", if you see someone looking at some stuff that you think is really worth less.

Good luck.

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

maybe you could make up different price tables like $1 $5 $10 and so on to make it easier...

 

[Piglets Mommy]

We usually mark "big" things, and ecerything else either have on a $1 table, or just say "make an offer" this works best for us..and saves time pricing everything.

 

[johnsontrio]

I recently saw some garage sale lady guru on the Today Show. She advised not pricing items at your garage sale. Her theory is that people wanting the item will value it more than you do and offer you a decent price. Sort of letting the market determine the value.

That said, we recently had a garage sale and did very well. Some of the bigger items I priced if I knew I wanted a certain price for it or if there was a fall back plan for that item. Other items I placed on the $1 or $2 tables. I didn't have anything priced below $1 and I didn't have any coin change.

I had all books priced at $1 and gave discounts if they bought many. No one complained about my pricing. Everyone was respectful and we had a good time running the sale. My 15 yo DD worked 2 days of it by herself, with us around helping as needed, and made herself some good money. She sold most of her toys and games from her childhood, Barbie, Fashion Polly, Legos, Bratz, Groovy Girl, the list goes on and on...

 

[Boo'sMom]

Hey Neighbor....
Let me know how much you want for the canoe, and if you have a treadmill and/or stairmaster you're looking to get rid of

 

[Chicago526]

I wouldn't put things unmarked on tables labled .25, .50, $1 etc. only because you could easily become mixed up about what is priced for what, or have people say "I found this DVD player on the .25 table".

But, you can get different colored dot stickers, and assign a price to each color. Yellow is .25, green is .50, orange is .75, blue is $1, etc. Then just put the stickers on the items and put up posters explaining the what colors are what price. If you have a lot of like items, say books, vhs/dvd's, clothing, etc. you can just say ".50 for all books, $1 for all clothing items". It won't take you very long to price things this way and it will make for less confusion at your sale.

 

[phorsenuf]

Hey Neighbor....
Let me know how much you want for the canoe, and if you have a treadmill and/or stairmaster you're looking to get rid of

Hey there!
Hubby wants $325 or BRO for the canoe. It's a 17' Peter Pan by Mad River. Has a nice shallow bottom. Have the 2 paddles and 2 life vests.

I do have an older treadmill in the garage. The on/off switch is busted but you can still turn it on with a pencil. LOL

Great ideas on the pricing.

 

[JPN4265]

The absolute best yard sale we ever had cost us $250.00. We called for a dumpster, filled it up with all of our unwanted stuff, and waved as it went down the street.

 

[phorsenuf]

The absolute best yard sale we ever had cost us $250.00. We called for a dumpster, filled it up with all of our unwanted stuff, and waved as it went down the street.

Already have one of them lined up.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yeah, I get that It's just such a hassle pricing and trying to figure out prices. As for big ticket items I have a canoe, some antiques but mostly just household type of things. The clothes all went to Goodwill.
I just want to throw it in the driveway and get it gone. I suppose I could put it all out there for free, but even a little is better than nothing.

Downsizing after 25 years is not an easy thing to do. LOL

You will make alot more money marking household items at 5, 10 and 25 cents.

I priced my sisters garage sale after she had failed many times at it.

She made triple what she ever made. Price the household stuff low, have "free boxes" and mark the big ticket items decently.

The goal is to keep people in your garage. The longer they are there, the more you make. They tend to stay when you price low. It makes others stay and so on.

Yes it is a pain, however it isn't that bad.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I wouldn't. I hate the yard sales where prices aren't marked. It's a hassle having to ask each time and then I feel weird if I decide I don't want it after I hear the price. I'd rather just look at the item, look at the price, and then decide.

 

[sbell111]

We hate 'unpriced' yard sales. They are irritating.

 

[merryweather20]

I recently saw some garage sale lady guru on the Today Show. She advised not pricing items at your garage sale. Her theory is that people wanting the item will value it more than you do and offer you a decent price. Sort of letting the market determine the value.

That wouldn't work for me. I wouldn't want to ask the person for 12 different things, and I don't feel comfortable haggling.