sj3339sta
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Post by sj3339sta on Jan 16, 2011 17:18:23 GMT -5
In the spring, I'm planning to have a MASSIVE yard sale. Any ideas on how to make it as profitable as possible?
Also, one of the "items" we are selling is a TON of river rock in the backyard. It is in a huge pile, but how would you suggest I sell it and for how much?
Thanks!!!!
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Post by bobbysgirl on Jan 16, 2011 17:25:17 GMT -5
River Rock is extremely expensive. I would check local and online sources for prices. Put it on Craigslist and watch them come. My neighbor made quite a bit doing this. I think she sold it for 50.00 a 5lb bucket. But the stores were charging hundreds of dollars.
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Waffle
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Post by Waffle on Jan 16, 2011 18:28:36 GMT -5
Make sure you know your community rules. Around here people have had their sales shut down because they didn't get the necessary permit.
ADVERTISE: If they are allowed - post lots of signs so you get the people that are just driving nearby. Put an add in the local paper. Put an add online - Craigslist and/or any community online service.
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Peace77
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Post by Peace77 on Jan 16, 2011 18:48:19 GMT -5
Advertise Advertise Advertise Post notices on Craigslist, your local library, grocery stores and your local Patch.com Put the most desirable & expensive items in the ad such as the River Rock, sports equipment, baby and kids things.
Post signs at nearby intersections and busy streets (and take them down afterwards)
Price your items. Some people are just too shy to ask.
Borrow as many card tables and hanging racks for clothes as you can. People won't linger to look at things stuffed in boxes or on the ground. Similar items grouped together and nicely displayed on a table is best.
If clothing doesn't have a size on it, label it with your best estimate.
Have plenty of bags and lots change on hand. People will pay for a 50 cent item with a $20.00 bill.
If you are selling electrical appliances have an extension cord or plug handy for people to try it out and see that it works.
Increase your profits by selling baked goods and coffee, water, soda, etc.
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rubyslippers
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Post by rubyslippers on Jan 16, 2011 19:18:39 GMT -5
If you have a place to post ads around your town, take pictures of your bigger items. I've always done this whenever I've sold any furniture, and I didn't have to drag it out in the garage. It sold before the sale ever started. Always have someone working with you in case you need to go make change or to be your extra set of eyes. I've had people switch tags on items. I'm willing to sell things pretty cheap but if I wanted to give it away, I'd donate to the thriftstore.
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donnafreedman
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Post by donnafreedman on Jan 16, 2011 19:58:25 GMT -5
Try to get as many people as possible on your street to join in and/or get your friends to bring their stuff over (although that can get nutty, too) so you can advertise it as a "multi-family yard sale." Definitely advertise on Craigslist. That's how DD and I found all the sales we attended in the past few years. I miss doing that with her. :-( Toward the end of the day, consider the "everything you can fit in a grocery bag for $2" school of clearance sales. Unless you want to pack it all back up and store it, that is.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Jan 16, 2011 20:12:27 GMT -5
Don't over-price things. A mistake people make around here is pricing things as if they are better than new. You want the most you can get for your items, but overpriced stuff just won't sell. Yes, an antique store can get $400 for something, but it might sit in their store for months before someone willing to pay that price comes in.
I second having the extension cord at the ready, I'll only buy something electrical if it is super cheap (cheap enough that if it doesn't work I don't have problems tossing it) otherwise, no way.
I've seen people put numbers on items along with the price. They do a quick lookup in a spreadsheet/cross reference on that number to make sure the tag wasn't swapped. Much more time consuming, but an idea if you are worried about tag-swappers.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jan 16, 2011 21:32:16 GMT -5
I second the idea of selling the river rock in the newspaper or Craisglist ~ just be safe and always deal in cash. Otherwise, I think the above suggestions are great!
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Agatha
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Post by Agatha on Jan 17, 2011 0:34:48 GMT -5
Just a suggestion for us weak-visioned types: When you make signs to post in the neighborhood please be aware some color combinations look pretty close up but just aren't visible as you drive by at 20-30 miles an hour. And make sure the words are large enough to be recognized from the middle of the road.
I wonder sometimes how many garage sales get missed because folks have trouble reading the sign!
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suziq38
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Post by suziq38 on Jan 17, 2011 1:52:23 GMT -5
Check with your local City Hall. Many times, you need a permit, and sometimes they cost money.
Our city doesn't charge a cent, but are only allowed once every 3 months.
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sj3339sta
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Post by sj3339sta on Jan 17, 2011 11:30:42 GMT -5
We don't need a permit. I live in a small rural town so I'm not really sure how well craigslist is going to work. We do have a newspaper, so I'll be sure to advertise there. We also live on the main road, so traffic should be good too.
I'm excited. Now I just need the snow to melt so we can get this thing going ;-)
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jan 17, 2011 12:16:49 GMT -5
Sometimes grocery stores and churches have bulletin boards where you can post things like yard sales ~ you might check around your small town to see if there's anything like that!
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Jan 17, 2011 13:01:35 GMT -5
Another tip - clean up your items! Taking a wet rag & wiping down something that has sat in the garage for months can make a big difference. And please, wash the clothes so they dont smell musty. It will help them sell a lot faster too.
DH and I had a big garage sale the summer before we got married. We borrowed my grandpa's truck, and drove around through the neighborhoods on trash day. We picked up tricycles, chairs, coffee tables, bookshelves, etc. We took the items home, and I spent an evening washing everything down. Those items all sold in the garage sale, and netted us an extra $200!! All for things someone else thought were trash.
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Post by marjar on Jan 17, 2011 17:01:47 GMT -5
Craig' list for sure. I took scads of photos, particularly more expensive items, and did a link from photobucket to the Craig's listing. Amazing how many folks those photos pulled in. Well worth the effort.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jan 17, 2011 22:43:47 GMT -5
(cute penguin avatar, marjar!)
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sccdf
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Post by sccdf on Jan 18, 2011 17:51:32 GMT -5
Invite your neighbors to throw a sale as well. Have a three family yardsale will bring more traffic. Have an exit strategy. At noon start discounting.
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