Stapleton Community Garage Sale

Tips for a Successful Garage Sale

What to Sell

• To sell more, show more - do whatever is necessary to have plenty of merchandise on hand.
• Clean out your house. Combine your sale with your neighbors’.
• Large and small household goods, sporting goods, group sets, tools, clothes, furniture, baby items, toys, linens, automotive, jewelry, cosmetics, antiques and collectibles, and miscellaneous items.
• Remember, it’s not junk if someone will buy it!

Displaying your wares

• Make a good first impression.
• Have enough space to effectively display all merchandise.
• Display area should be clean (and well-lit if inside). I
• If you’re holding the sale inside your garage, cover items you’re not intending to sell with sheets or tarps so as not to confuse shoppers.
• Each item should be as clean and attractive as possible. Shoppers will buy items that are not cleaned and polished, but only at giveaway prices.
• Organize your materials so that shoppers will linger. The flow should move shoppers through items with the check-out station being the last stop.

Pricing

• Price should not compete with retail stores or antique shops. Typically, good quality items should bring 25-35% of their current replacement cost.
• Use a quarter as the lowest denomination of your pricing - making change will be simpler and more efficient.
• Leave room in price for negotiation.
• Give quantity discounts.
• Never give anything away unless it helps you sell something else.
• If you are anxious to get rid of any item, price it accordingly.
• Remember, your goal is to sell EVERYTHING and not bring it back into the house!

Labeling

• Mark prices clearly on every piece of merchandise.
• Where appropriate, provide info about the item, such as “like new”, “never used”, “works fine”, or “needs repair.” This will help reduce the questions you’ll need to answer.

Set up a "Check out station" with...

• Change box… and don’t forget to go to the bank before the sale to get some change!
• Bags and newspapers for wrapping.
• Sign-making equipment, including sign board or white paper, scissors, markers and scotch tape or duct tape for affixing signs.