H O M E Savings
you’re selling, like your pediatrician and playground if you’re ofering kids’ gear, or gyms if you have exercise equipment. On sale day, attach balloons to outdoor fyers to draw motorists’ eyes.
4
PRICE IT RIGHT
“Charge too much and you’ll scare of shoppers. Charge too little and you’ll be pestered by hagglers who realize you just want to get rid of things,” says Woroch. How to hit the sweet spot: Know your market. For helpful valuation guides, sites like Goodwill, Salvation Army and garagesalestracker .com are a good place to start, though their numbers tend to skew low. As you evaluate your items, take their condition into account; if you can, check out local yard sales beforehand to get a sense of what’s reasonable in your area, too. At your sale, you may want to post a printout showing the current retail price of a product next to your price tag. This
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illustrates the value of the item and the deal you’re ofering buyers. Keep your cool. Many yard salers come to negotiate. If you have a fgure in mind for an item, price it a few dollars higher. That way, when a buyer makes a low ofer, you can drop down to your desired price and still come out on top. For the things you’re willing to try selling elsewhere later, decide ahead of time on your bottom dollar. Otherwise, you may grow fustered in the heat of bargaining and sell lower than you’d intended to. Ofer combo deals. Buyers love the idea of getting more for their money, so fnd ways to sell items of lesser value that might not have moved otherwise. If books are $1 each, sell six for 5 bucks. Or bundle small toys and mark them at a lower price than you would have asked for each one separately. Try collecting your smallest goods in a bin labeled Only 50¢ or Free! Or put up a sign that says 1 freebie with purchase—patrons are more likely to buy something just to
score a giveaway. “A great marketing technique is to place the freebie box out by the curb because passersby will see it and be more likely to stop,” says Novak. Do discount. Start slashing prices as soon as the afternoon approaches. To do this, have a sign ready that says 25% of all items! Carry a calculator so you can do the math on the fy.
5
SET UP SHOP
“The way you arrange your sale can determine whether or not people get out of the car and buy,” says professional organizer Rachel Rosenthal. Make every efort to transform your yard into a high-end store, and it can inspire sales and earn you more money. Hook the browsers. First, clean or wipe down items so they look their best. If you still have the box or manual, include it so the product feels like new, which allows you to charge more. Then place the most attractive pieces near the street so people see them right away.
July/August 2015
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