Can't read the text above?Try another text or an audio CAPTCHAText in the box:What's this?How to price garage-sale items is the biggest challenge for most novice merchants. The key in determining pricing is to fairly assess the quality and condition of resale merchandise. Start collecting your merchandise to sell by cleaning out attics, basements and closets. Pull out everything that hasn’t been used in the past year. (Chances are they won’t be used next year either.) Check that items to be sold are clean and in good repair. Store things in one central area, then separate them into categories; tools and garden, clothing and accessories, furniture, appliances, household décor, specialty items and art, and toys and crafts. Items that are broken beyond repair, falling apart or badly stained should be donated to a thrift chain that sells and recycles unsalable goods. MAKE REASONABLE PRICING DECISIONS An easy rule of resale thumb is to mark your inventory, considering it is in great condition, down to one-third of its original retail cost.
If a brass fireplace set sells for $300 retail and is still in good form, price it at $99. If the item is in just fair condition, you might consider tagging it from $50 to $10 just to move it. Tip: price your items a little above what you will actually take for them to allow for lower offers. In the end, customers will be pleased that they got a deal. Although pricing is the key component of a successful sale, customers will gladly pay a little more for pieces that are clean, in excellent condition and displayed well. Think of your garage as your shop. Arrange your treasures in groups. For example, display clothing, hats, accessories and jewelry in one area. A neat, attractive and organized environment offers customers an enjoyable experience while sellers reap the benefit of higher sales. The last sale a thriftier wants to attend is a poorly staged event littered with boxes and piles of junk. Keep in mind, most bargain hunters are not veterans; they won’t take the time to sift through scraggly boxes looking for noteworthy treasures.
Arrange high-priced items together. Items costing $20-$50 will look too expensive, despite their value, when placed next to plasticware and paperbacks. Research your big-ticket items, collectibles and antiques on the Internet. Place a copy of the listed description, picture and its selling price next to your item to show its value. Price them just below comparable items on Craigslist, eBay or other online garage sale sites. If your prices are right and your collectibles still don’t sell, place them on various Internet sites where collectors and savvy buyers are apt to shop. Tag every item with price tags on strings. Stickers, if used, should be removable and placed so as they don’t affect the value of an item. Offer a half-price sale as the garage sale nears the end or items are not selling. Only unique items can carry big prices. Items like bread- and espresso-makers will sit dejectedly at sales. However, distinctive or hard-to-find items are eye-catching and often sell like hotcakes if priced fairly (according to your research).
Lastly, don’t be fooled by the glut of “$1 sales” that flood the garage sale market. Your sale does not have to be a clearance center. There are plenty of bargain hunters who willingly pay top dollar for unique décor or useful items, whereas, true aficionados will pony up big bucks for those exceptional finds. There is also an unsound fear that shoppers will not attend high-end sales. If your price tags are commensurate with the quality of your merchandise, you will attract the customers that are looking for good-quality items. In the end, market your sales effectively. If you are having a high-end sale, market it with terms like “high-end sale,” “antique sale,” or “living estate sale.” Let customers know that your event is truly a unique affair, and not just another “dime and dollar” sale. If you are actually having a moving sale or other type of sale that warrants just simply moving your merchandise out and you are not interested in capturing a windfall, lower your prices.
Run a 50 percent off sale right out of the gate or be willing to readily take reasonable offers on your merchandise. Barb Tobias is a Colorado blogger, speaker and author. Her book, “Tossed & Found: Where Frugal is Chic” (Mile High Press), chronicles her journey from farm girl to fashion model to frugal fashionista. Women’s and men’s clothing: $2-$15 Designer clothing, winter coats and evening wear: $10-$20 Children’s name brand clothes and accessories: $3-$7 Toys: $5-$50 (Hot sellers: Disney, Princess, Diego and Dora, baby furniture, outdoor play gyms, riding toys and bikes) Small toys and stuffed animals: $1-$5 Books: paperbacks $1, hardcover $3; hot sellers/ tabletop books $5-$15 Baby items: designer clothes, cribs, linens, baby gear (strollers, walkers) $5-$50 Specialty clothing: coats, skiwear, snowsuits, accessories, designer jeans: $5-$25 Linens, bedding and bath: $5-$15 Dishes sets, pots and pans: $5-$100 Recliners, couches, desks, table & chairs, bedroom: $50-$500
TVs and DVD players: $25-$100 Attic treasures, antiques, vintage clothing, memorabilia: $10-$300 Power tools, hand tools, fishing supplies, hunting supplies: $5-$100 — Barb Tobias, Special to The Denver Post DormCo is the leading retailer for college dorm essentials! We are known as "The College Dorm Supplies Superstore." When shopping for college stuff, dorm bedding, or any accessories for your dorm room in general, you can be sure that DormCo won’t let you down. All of our dorm products are designed for college dorms and everything you see in our online college store was personally selected by people who know what college students need for comfortable and enjoyable dorm life. Our impressive selection and excellent prices make DormCo a favorite place for college students, high school graduates, parents, and family and friends alike to shop for all of the top of-the-line dorm room essentials. We have awesome Twin XL bedding: including sheets, toppers, and comforters.
In addition, we also have dorm futons and college rugs, which you should consider adding to your list of necessary dorm stuff. DormCo also carries thousands of dorm décor products, college dorm organizers, space savers, posters, collegiate trunks, dorm security items, study accessories, and much more! As if all of that wasn't great in itself, another bonus of shopping with DormCo is that we ship 99.99% of our offered dorm products from our Buffalo, NY warehouse. This means we can offer you shipping for only $2.95 on your entire dorm supplies order, and we can ship most orders within 24 hours! Thus, you receive better service, cheaper prices, and more variety of the dorm stuff you want and need. At DormCo, we hope to be your dorm store of choice over the next four years. Good luck in college and enjoy dorm life!One more thing we forgot to mention. Did you know that DormCo first began as a wholesaler of college dorm supplies? We began selling our dorm stuff to those "big box retailers".
However, with the advent of online shopping and wanting to get you, the customer, the lowest price, our company shifted gears and now makes our complete dorm essentials product line available direct to you the customer. Knowing this gives you the confidence that by purchasing direct from the manufacturer that you are getting great deals and crazy low prices (without coupons, just low costs from the start) on all of your dorm room stuff. Our prices are not only affordable, but our selection in dorm bedding (Twin XL Bedding), college decor, dorm seating, dorm room rugs, organizers, and college trunks are almost impossible to beat! The toughest question you may have while dorm shopping with DormCo might just be..."Where do I begin?" -- That's the fun part! Look around the site, pick out some great dorm supplies, and let us know if we can help make your dorm shopping easier. Dorm Trunks - Why They Work Great! DormCo's Bedding Packages Mean Fast, Easy Shopping! Dorm Bedding: Learning The Layers Of A Great Night's Sleep