Reasons why your garage sale stinks and how you can have the best garage sale ever!
Ok friends, I have been to a lot of garage sales in my days. A lot. I can throw together a garage sale in no time flat and therefore have thrown more yard sales than I can count. All of this junk hunting and garage saleing has given me more information than I should know on the subject and today I am sharing it with you. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, this list about why your garage sale stinks is meant to help in the long run!
It all started with a garage sale I went to a few weeks ago. I walked out thinking, man, that garage sale stunk and I had a list of reasons rolling off my tongue. So I decided to put them together in hopes of a glorious PSA that would help all of mankind. Or at least help you make more money, sell more stuff and help my treasure hunts go smoother!
The List – Why Your Garage Sale Stinks
- You didn’t advertise – Let’s face it, often in this world it takes money to make money. Chances are you are having a garage sale to make money and clean out your house. Maybe you think you don’t have enough cash to pay for a newspaper ad, but I can assure you, that is a BIG mistake. I know from experience. Full on marketing pays off! Hit the newspaper, put a note in Craigslist, any facebook sale groups that will let you and if you are active on social media spread the word. You can’t sell stuff if no one comes. Put signs out on the curbs, let people know where you are, LOUD and CLEAR! You can try these sites and apps for free advertising as well… Yard Sale Treasure Map, Garage Sale Finder
- You don’t price things – I know it’s a huge task, but it has to be done. Especially in large events like church garage sales. Let me explain why. There are two types of people in the world. The first will pick up an item and ask how much, the second won’t and that is where you will miss a sale. Even if you bulk price, put pricing out there, for example: all shirts $1, all toys in this bucket $1, etc. Then have a price list next to the items and at check out!
- You judge people – This is a harsh one, but it’s true and I know from experience. It has happened to me way too many times. You don’t price items, then when someone goes to check out or ask how much you give a price based on what you think they can afford. Garage sale purchases have a lot to do with what people can afford, but they also have a lot to do with what people are willing to pay. I have asked how much on an item, been told a high price, set item back down because I wasn’t going to pay that and then overheard a lower price quoted for the next person. On the flip side, I have also heard a price quoted to another shopper, watched that person put the item down and walk away, then I have asked how much and been told a higher price. It really happens and makes me mad and sad all at the same time. It’s just wrong, follow #2 and this will be a non-issue! Plus, we aren’t supposed to judge.
- You are asking original price – I will never understand estate sales and garage sales that ask crazy amounts for the things they are selling. Often when I make a face that screams, “wow – that seems high” the quick response is, “well, it would cost X amount to buy at the store.” Dear garage sale host – you are missing the point, everyone is here to get a deal, not pay retail. If you want to make cash and sell out then put a smoking hot price on your junk! After all we are buying used items and whatever you don’t sell you will have to load up and haul off to donate or haul it back into your house (which is against my personal garage sale rules! If it goes out for the sale it can’t come back inside!) Do you know how many thrift stores are filled with items that didn’t sell at a garage or estate sale…tons! Isn’t the point to get rid of stuff? This is the place in life to be cheap, you will make it up in volume. Nobody cares what it sells for on eBay and if you cared that much you would be selling it there, but you don’t…it’s sitting on your driveway, so get rid of it. I’m a little passionate about this point, can you tell?
- Your flow is off – This is about large multi family or church sales mainly, but applies to all. You need to have a good traffic flow that will accept all the traffic you get from advertising (see #1). People don’t want to wait in line to check out and they will often leave before they wait for long. Have a bunch of people prepared to check out if you are hosting a large event. Pricing items also helps the check out process go faster! Move the check out lines from the shopping area so shoppers can move freely and not get discouraged by the long line they are going to have to wait in to buy a $2 item.
- You didn’t display. At all – I am all about digging for treasures, but most of the time at a garage sale I will only glance over the tables or goods that I can see without touching. You don’t have to make your driveway look like a store, but take things out of boxes, spread them out and don’t just throw things in a pile where a potential buyer can’t see them. If you have the ability to hang up clothes they will sell better and for more money. If you make it look like trash in heaps on the floor, that’s exactly how people will treat it. Perception is reality, give a good impression if you want to move merchandise and make money.
- I don’t know if it works – Are you selling lamps or electronics? Have an extension cord with a place to plug in and test electrical items. Have batteries on hand for toys, etc. Don’t be scared to tell people something doesn’t work, just be honest and price accordingly, you never know what people are looking for. If they are like me they aren’t buying your old lamp to use as a light, they are making a candlestick or something and will gladly pay close to nothing for a broken lamp!
- You don’t have change – You have to have change. Lots of it, all sizes and denominations. End of story.
- You put all the baby stuff out front – Unless all you have is baby stuff, put your big and generic type goodies that attract everyone out front. I rarely stop at garage sales that scream baby stuff and pink unicorns. I don’t have any babies and don’t need baby paraphernalia, unicorns maybe. You have to be attractive to the masses and things like furniture and other large or unique items tend to make people hit the brakes instead of driving by.
- Your customer service stinks – I walk up the drive, you are face down in your phone and never acknowledge me. I know it’s a yard sale, but kindness goes a long way, especially early on a Friday or Saturday morning. Say hi, greet your shoppers and offer to help. Be flexible and willing to budge on price if someone asks. Have extra bags or boxes on hand for people to carry all their finds home in. If you are able have a strong arm handy to help load big pieces and carry items to the car for your “customers”. None of these things are 100% necessary, but I’m a lot less likely to leave your sale thinking it stunk. 🙂
Most of all have fun and don’t stress, garage sales are a great way to earn some extra cash, get rid of things you don’t need, get the whole family involved and hopefully make someone else’s day with a great find! Let me know if there are any other things I forgot to mention to help make your garage sale more successful and less stinky! Oh – and if you live in my town let me know when you have a sale, I will be there with bells on. Happy hunting friends!
Excellent advice! This is so true! Everyone should know this. Great article Kim!
thanks, I am hoping this goes viral in my town, lol!!!
All true! Great reminders. Love, love the title of your post 🙂
aww thanks, unfortunately it was the thought I had after the last sale I went to 🙁 I walked out irritated!
Great tips Kim!
thanks friend!
What a timely post! I plan on having one in the next month……I was wondering why people don’t price their stuff. Come on!! I don’t like to “make an offer” it is yours price it and then we will discuss,how much I am willing to pay. Also have like things together…toys with toys, kitchen with kitchen etc. Come to mine in Greenville S.C. Would love to have you stop in:)
yes – I love to have departments! I wish I was in S.C., I’d be there for sure! good luck, hope it goes well!
Keep your signs simple with your address in LARGE print! Sometimes just driving down the road, I spot a sign trying to list items for sale-can’t read all that when driving! And if your address is in small print or light print, I’m less likely to try to find your sale. You never know who might keep driving down the road and not attend your sale if you make the above mistakes.
great advice, I totally agree, big, easy to follow signs are a must
All spot-on advice. I will usually walk away from a sale that doesn’t have items marked, unless there is something I really, really want! And here’s another suggestion to add to #10: make sure that the folks holding the sale are recognizable and approachable. I once went to an estate sale where nothing was priced, and no one could find who was hosting the sale…worst sale I’ve ever been to.
That is awful…how are you going to buy anything. Estates sales are some of the worst overpriced things…and they end up donating SO MUCH stuff they could have sold if they were so crazy on pricing! Drives me nuts!
That’s why I wait until the last day when everything is 50% off.
Great advice!!!!!!!!
thanks, glad you enjoyed it!!!
My pet peeve is yard sellers or Craigslisters selling dirty filthy items. You’ll get more of my dollars if the item is clean!
right! I am all about a hidden treasure, but I have my limits too!
I couldn’t agree more with every point. I haven’t had a yard sale in ages, but we’re doing a community sale in a few weeks. Spent the last 2 days pricing my junk. Ha, cheap, cheap, cheap. I want it outahere! Thanks for this, Kim.
man – I wish I could shop your sale, I bet you have some good junk 🙂
hi .. I’m like you .. I have at least a sale once a month in summer..have been doing this for 18 years..have a small town…I love to redo furniture is why I have them..and its fun except after ( putting things away) I always have tables with white sheets covering them..and everything organized like a shop…I’m terrible about pricing tho…I always have so many things..but will try to from now on…thanks so much for article.
Glad you liked it Lynda, sounds so fun, wish I could come by. Pricing really helps for those who aren’t fond of haggling or even asking! Hope your next sale is awesome
AMEN! Great advice!
yay – glad you agree, feel free to add to the list!
All great points, but I have to add one more. Uniform signs that are simple as possible. If I am following green signs that suddenly turn to pink, how do I know it is the sale I was originally looking for. When driving I don’t have time to look at the address, and more than likely the address would mean little to me anyway. Just direct me to where I need to go. Big letters, Big arrows that point the right direction, and all the signs being uniform. My daughter and I used to say we were going to give out blue ribbons to people that had excellent signage.
yes – everyone has noted how big of a deal good signage is! I agree completely, especially for out of towners. I love to shop if I am on an extended vacation or visiting family somewhere!
Great advice!!
Great post! You hit all the reasons I don’t stop, especially the baby stuff. I would add…put your address on your signs in big lettering so it can be read from a car and use black marker, not pencil.
amen, who can see that tiny chicken scratch when going 30 MPH!?
I love estate sales but a lot of them are WAY over priced. And like you said, it drives me nuts when ppl say well it cost $$$ new or on eBay! I’ve lost total interest at that point.
On the last point #10, I have to say I don’t mind sometimes if their glued to their phone. I’ll take that over someone who follows me around trying to make a sale.
lol – so true, but I have never had a pushy garage sale salesperson! that would be a new one for me!
Thank-you Kim, I never had a garage sale, as an international flight attendant I’m on the road more than at home. I’ve had things in storage for over 20 years. Some good stuff, some outdated stuff. I just want to get unstuff, and get rid of this stuff.
I really don’t want to have a garage sale, but I see woman of India, trying to make it for their children, my junk might be treasure to someone else.
I in turn, can give it to the woman of India, who beg on the streets to make $2.00 a day.
So, I’ll do it for them, thanks for the good advice, I’m going in……
What a special idea. I love the idea of purging for other’s benefit. Hope your sale goes well and the funds go far! blessings
My husband and I have been going to garage sales for 47 years and still love the thrill of a great deal. We have some terrific stories, met great people and even bought our first house at a sale where it wasn’t even up for sale! We do have our own sale every year and have established a reputation for good stuff cheap. We have pretty much followed all your suggestions and would like to add to them: Take your signs down in a timely manner (just hate following signs with no date to find no sale); and when cancelled, post a “Cancelled” sign, so we can drive on.
Great points, and all true. My pet peeves: no prices and stuff in heaps or boxes–and: TAKE YOUR SIGNS OFF THE PHONE POLES, ETC., when the sale is over!!!
Great article! Very timely…I’m in the process of rearranging a whole lot of stuff that needs to be sold! Thanks for the inspiration. My pet peeve at garage sales (or any place of business for that matter) is not being acknowledged … I don’t want people to fall all over me, just a quick “hi” and a wave is enough.
I would mention that some people are after the baby clothes & not the fancy decor or furniture so I suggest having the “flashy” stuff up front to draw most customers in, but to also have large signs mentioning other sections you have inside, such as toddler boy clothes or pet supplies, & etc so that people looking for specifics see you have more to offer than just the big (& possibly expensive) items in front.
yes – great tip…again it is back to marketing and making it easy for people to want to buy from you!!!
This is great! Especially the parts about overpricing and being judgmental of customers. I’d like to print them out and hand them to people who are guilty of it, or leave it for them to find later, lol! I make part of my income from buying and reselling and it makes me fighting mad to hear the people talk about looking up all their prices on Ebay. And usually basing them on unrealistic “Buy It Now” prices. I want to scream at them, telling them that if they WANT Ebay prices, they need to go to the trouble of starting an account and selling the junk there and not in their driveway.
yes your driveway is not the same as ebay, a store or any other sales place lol!
Great ideas. I have nice things, not junk. Not sure how to price things for a yard sale. Just wanting to down size, I don’t wanna give my things away. Any suggestions?
I would suggest to sell things on Facebook Marketplace if you are trying to get a higher dollar. Garages Sales people excpect to get a realllllyyy goood deal. So you will work harder to sell your stuff individually if you want to sell at a higher price or you can go the sell more for less at a garage sale. That’s how I think of it! Hope that helps
I’ve been going to garage sales and having my own garage sale for 40 years. All the point stated are exactly correct. When having a garage sale put all your stuff in a box that is set in the corner, over a time frame of months. These items are all priced before going into the box. When one box gets full it is stored away. So much easier than scrambling a day or two before the garage sale to price stuff out. Day of garage sale put all my items on the driveway. Too many times people use tables and they stack stuff on top of other stuff. It refers back to point #6, you didn’t display at all. For people having garage sales on a Saturday start time should be 8.00 am. FYI – Most people are finished going to garage sales by noon. I only follow garage sales advertise on social media. People don’t remove their signs after the garage sale is finished. When you see a sign, was it from 2 weeks ago? I program all the garage sales into my GPS Friday night and that’s what I follow. My last point I can do 40 garage sales on Saturday morning (likewise, other people I see every week). On a normal week might buy one item per 10 garage sales so spread your stuff out.
wow – you really are an expert thanks for the extra insight!!!
How do you feel about color dot prices? I have used color coded dots and posted the “key” to the amount for each color in two different places for the customers to use. The price items not within those prices.