Do's, Don'ts and Precautions
When planning a yard or garage sale, think of your sale as a small business venture. Organize your sale as much as possible, set up an attractive, easy-to-see display of your wares, and provide good customer service. A smile and a helpful but not pushy approach should increase your sales and show a profit at the end of the day. Presentation of your items is also important. Are your items clean? Do they look appealing?
People go to yard sales with the hopes of finding something fun or practical and at a good price - moms looking for bargains on children's clothes or toys, people looking for furnishings for their home or apartment, antique dealers and ebayers looking for low-priced items for resale, and people who just like to "poke", hoping to find a treasure.
People expect real bargains when they go to yard sales, not prices they would pay in a store or at an antique shop. If they don't find low prices, they will either haggle you for a lower price, or just leave. Keep in mind that you are selling second-hand items, which significantly depreciates the value, even if the item has never been used.
Preparing for your sale:
Advertise. Unless you live on a main road or high traffic area, you will usually do better if you advertise. Provide street address, time, date, mention a few of your best items, include "rain or shine" if that's the case. Unless you want phone calls, don't give a phone number. Include "No Early Birds" in your ad if you don't want aggressive buyers at your door days before the sale, hoping to get the goodies before everyone else does. Usually you get just a few lines for a newspaper ad, so make each word count. You might also want to post an ad on Craigslist.
Put up many easy-to-read, brightly colored tag sale signs near your street. Include address, date and pointed arrows. Be careful where you put the signs as some towns don't allow signs on telephone poles. After the sale, remove your signs. It's bad yard sale etiquette to leave your signs up.
If you are actually holding your sale in a garage, you don't have to worry about the possibility of rain. If your sale is being held out in the yard, you may want to mention a rain date in your ad. Have some plastic tablecloths or tarps ready to throw over your stuff in case there's a chance of showers.
Have about $20-$30 dollars in small bills and some loose change handy. You want to be able to make change if a buyer gives you a $20 bill for a $1.00 item.
Price all your items before the sale. People want to know what price range you've got in mind and they really don't like to ask. You may lose some sales if you don't price your items. Deciding what to charge for items can be difficult, especially if you don't go to sales yourself and haven't a clue how to price things. Ask friends and neighbors who have had tag sales for their expertise.
If you are simply clearing out some things and want to make a little extra cash, price your items very low. For more expensive items, you can try checking on Ebay and Craigslist to see what is selling and at what prices. For little items, the cheaper the better.
Allow some leeway when pricing your items, as most people like to dicker and feel they've gotten a bargain. If you want $10 dollars for something, price it around $12.00 and tell the customer they can have it for $10.00. Offer a customer a discount if they buy several items.
If you have groups of same priced items, rather than mark each item separately, put them together in a bin or box. Laundry baskets work great. Put a noticeable sign on the bins and put 50 cents each, $1.00 each., $2.00 each, and so on.
Moms often bring their children to yard sales and give them a little money to spend. If possible, have a box of small, cheaply priced items for kids to rummage through. It keeps them occupied and hopefully they will find a treasure.
Be careful with antiques and other valuable items. If you're unsure about certain items and think they may have some value, do some research to see what the items are going for. Ebay and Craigslist are not always a sure thing, but often give you some ideas for pricing. If you're still not sure, hold off on these items for a later date. Consider contacting an appraiser, auctioneer, or other expert. Auctioneers often buy up whole estates. Just be sure you always go with reputable people, or you could get taken.
During the Sale:
Yard sales usually start around 8:00 or 9:00 am. Most of your customers will come in the early part of the morning, some showing up the minute you appear out in your yard or garage.
Try not to hover over customers or follow them too closely, as it makes them uncomfortable and they might leave, muttering under their breath. Discreetly observe and watch over your sale without being obvious or offending anyone.
Be prepared to bargain on just about every item, even low priced items. For anything priced over a dollar, I would suggest a little bargaining on your part, just to keep the customer happy and make the sale. Expect some rude customers. I have had many tag sales and had some mighty rude people who've tried to bargain me down to ridiculousness. Sometimes it's hard to keep your cool, but try. Calmly explain "I'm sorry but I really can't go any lower than that".
If someone seems interested in one of your items, but seems hesitant, approach the customer in a friendly manner, tell them you could go down on the price if they are interested. As it gets later in the day, you may want to drastically reduce your prices, especially if you don't want to haul everything back in the house.
Precautions:
There is always the chance that someone is looking for a "real bargain", like for free, and shoplifting is a possibility. If you are selling items such as jewelry, coins, etc., a case with a lid is a good idea.
Always try to have a sale with someone else and not alone. If you must do it alone, have it outside, and for obvious reasons never let anyone in your house.
If you're planning on having the sale in your basement, be cautious with difficult stairs and other hazards. You might want to check your homeowner's insurance first.
One more thought - If you have a lot of items to sell and the idea of having a yard or garage sale seems overwhelming, you might consider contacting a professional tag sale organizer in your area, who will run your tag sale for you, organize and advertise it, and handle the pricing. There is a fee for their services, but it might well be worth it, if you don't want the hassle of doing it yourself.