Choosing prices for items at your garage sale can be challenging. You don’t want to overprice the items to the point where they won’t sell, but you don’t want to undersell your things. This is especially true if they have a special significance to you.
It is often suggested that garage sale items be priced at around 25% of their value. They can, however, be priced even lower.
If your goal is to clear out space and get rid of as many things as possible, try to price cheaper items as low as 50 cents or one dollar. The maximum price should be around $25, depending on the item. If you are attempting to sell higher ticket items, aim for pricing them under $100.
Check eBay to see how others price items similar to the ones you’re attempting to sell. Take into consideration the condition of your item (is it old, new, slightly used?), how much you paid, how much you think is fair, and how desperate you are to sell it.
If you’re attempting to sell items that are broken and/or require a significant amount of repair, these items should be listed at almost give-away prices. You must consider that the people buying your items will have to put out more money just to fix them and put them to use.
Try combining items, if possible. For example, if you’re trying to sell a book collection, list all of the books for one lump sum, rather than pricing them individually. Know what you would sell each item for in case you are asked to sell them individually.
If your garage sale lasts longer than a day, knock the prices down on the last day. If you’re having a difficult time getting rid of items, you can sweeten the deal for your customers by throwing other items in for free when they make a purchase.
Take into consideration that many people come to garage sales to find unbeatable deals. If you’re listing an item at a price that is not significantly lower than comparable new items in stores, it likely will not sell.
Advertising will boost turnout and sales at your garage sale. Try free advertising like making up flyers to post around the neighborhood before turning to a newspaper ad. You can also advertise garage sales on websites like Craigslist.
If you are not having much luck selling items at your garage sale (depending on the neighborhood, weather or time commitment), consider listing your items on Craigslist. While some things sell better individually (like furniture), it can be beneficial to bundle items like books and assorted household items.
If you’re attempting to sell clothes, keep the prices around (or under) five dollars. It can be helpful to try to sell all the clothes for one price, like a bag full of clothes for $25.
