Arranging Items
Similar items should be grouped together. Sales where it looks
like everything was just dumped into a pile are a big
turnoff. If you have clothes for sale, group them by size
as well.
If you make it easy for your customers to find
what they are looking for, you make it easy for them to
buy something from you.
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Dealing with Early Birds
If early birds show up at your sale you have two choices:
-
You can tell them that you will not be selling any
items until the sale's advertised start time and that
they will have to wait.
-
You can sell stuff to them right away.
Which one you choose is up to you. Keep in mind though,
that early birds can sometimes be dealers interested in
re-selling your stuff. This means that they will probably
offer less money for an item than what you could sell
it for to someone who comes later who wants it for themself.
They know that if they come back later in the day, the
item will probably be gone (That is why they are at your
sale so early).
The other thing to keep in mind, is that early birds can be
a distraction while setting up your sale. If you let them
go through your stuff while you are still bringing stuff
out for your sale, they may take up your time by asking
several questions about your stuff. This could prevent
you from being ready for your real starting time and could
cause you to lose sales of items that were not out (or
clearly priced) when a potential customer came by.
If an early bird does not want to wait for your starting
time, try to get their contact information as well as
the types of items that they are interested in. This way,
if something doesn't sell at your sale, you can call them
and see if they are interested later.
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Haggling / Bargaining / Dickering
Ah, one of the pleasures/annoyances of having a sale. Many
people are not comfortable when negotiating a price for
something. This probably stems from our society selling
most things at a firm price. If you go to the grocery
store and a bag of chips is marked $1.09, you don't take
it to the checkout person and say "Would you take
75 cents?" You would just pay the marked price without
thinking about it.
Yard sales are different. While many people don't like
to try and talk you down in price (this is why it is critical
to clearly mark prices on your stuff), many people at
yard sales expect and enjoy it. Don't be surprised when
you hear the inevitable phrases "Would you take ..."
and "I'll give you ..." It's just part of the
experience.
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Letting Customers Inside
We have just four words about letting your potential customers
inside your house during your sale - DO NOT DO IT!
While many people are honest, many people are not. The
person asking if they could use your bathroom or phone
could very well be a thief trying to look through your
house to see if they want to steal something from you
at a later date.
Unless you know the person well, we strongly discourage this.
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Protecting Your Customers
Set breakable/sharp items close to you so you can see if someone
is doing something to get hurt by them. Keep a real close
eye on children at your sale and gently encourage them
away from a potentially dangerous item if you are concerned.
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Being Comfortable
On hot summer days, sitting outside all day for your sale
can be quite uncomfortable. Set up a comfortable chair
for yourself where there is shade so you can escape the
sun's heat. Have a pair of sunglasses handy to help ease
your eyes on bright days. A good book could help keep
your mind occupied if you have some slow times at your
sale.
Drink lots of liquids throughout the day to keep hydrated.
Fill a cooler with bottled/canned drinks and ice before
your sale to keep them cold.
It is nice to have someone to help you so that you can
give each other breaks now and then.
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Socializing With Neighbors
In our area, neighbors usually come over to visit if you
have a yard sale. It is somewhat relaxing to take a stroll
down the street to a neighbor's sale and just browse on
a Saturday or Sunday. Take this opportunity to catch-up
with what is going on in your neighbor's life. You might
even meet neighbors you didn't know you had!
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Being Polite
No matter how much it irritates you that someone wants you
to cut your "giveaway price" down even further,
you must not show it. Always be polite. Give a gentle
answer to someone who is hostile. Remember, "A gentle
answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1 - NIV).
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Handling Money
Always keep your money on your person or safely inside your house. We do not recommend keeping
it in a cash box that could be stolen from when you aren't near it.
Be discreet when pulling out your money to give change. You
don't want to tempt a person by showing them that you
are loaded with cash. Put larger bills inside your house for safekeeping
as you get them.
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