In the first post on this subject I talked mostly about how to make your lists. I spent quite a bit of time on pricing the last time I talked about yard sales but I still missed a couple of points that I consider important.
When buying antiques you must really be particularly careful. OK, if they have something that appears to be an antique and you know antiques a little and it's priced at $50 and you think it would be priced at $500 in an antique store, who the heck cares if it's real? Oh, well, if you do, then pass unless you're sure, but if I want something that looks like the real thing and this looks like the real thing, do I care if it's a reproduction? Not in the least. The point here is to be particularly careful when looking for antiques.
While knowing your merchandise is critical for antique purchasing, it's still important for other things as well. I've seen more than one person purchase something used she could have purchased new, in the store, for less. Even if you're paying half of the price of a new item, remember that this one has been used and probably has a shorter life span than a new item.
While you're at it, once you know the item is a good value for you, be sure to examine it extremely carefully. Once you pay for it, it's yours. Occasionally you may find a seller who will give you your money back if s/he can remember what you paid for it (uh, YOUR memory isn't going to be helpful here) but not often enough to really consider it. With clothing, check everything you can check--are all the buttons there? Does the zipper work well? Are all the seams in good condition? Are there snags, pulls, tiny holes, worn spots? With dishes or glassware (even canning jars), make sure there are not tiny chips anywhere. With the advent of eBay, people can now purchase flawless items at a reasonable price and pieces with a chip or crack will have considerably less value than they once did or they must be priced considerably below the average yard sale price.
Speaking of eBay, if you plan to buy items to turn around and sell on eBay, do your research--tons and tons of research. Get the books, look at what's selling on there right now and what the offering and winning bids were. It's generally best to specialize in one or two areas. Some people consider themselves experts in several areas but not many. It's a very seductive concept, purchase things dirt cheap and sell them for second hand store prices. Just remember, there are things selling dirt cheap on eBay and there are also a lot of things that never sell--ever. I'm certainly not suggesting you stay away--I had a friend who made a reasonably good living buying things at yard sales and selling them on eBay. That's also where I decided I would never do that because of how difficult it can be.
Don't be afraid to bargain with people. I generally ask if this is a firm price. If they say it is, I get a sad look on my face and shake my head a little and say, "that's too bad." I can generally get a little shaved off that way--sometimes not. I'll sometimes have several small items and when the owner says, $5.75, I may say, "how about $5?" or "would you take $5?" I've even been known to take the money out of my pocket and count it out (only if I know how much is in there and if it's less than they're asking. If you're uncomfortable doing that, go ahead and pay the asking price--it's still a bargain, right?
How do I know how much is in my pocket? I don't carry much cash where the yard sale operators can see it. I keep about $10 in $1 bills in my right pocket. I keep about $20 or $30 in $5 bills in my left pocket. I keep a couple of $20 bills in one location in my purse, and any other money I think I might want to spend if I'm looking for something special tucked away in another part of my purse. The reason for this is obvious. If I'm trying to bargain with someone and I get them to say they'll sell me a $50 table for $25, if I pull $50 or, worse yet, $100 out of my pocket or purse, they're very possibly going to angry enough to recall the offer.
More and more I'm going to yard sales where some or all of the merchandise is unmarked. Those are the places where the owner asks what you're willing to pay or quotes a price on the spot, possibly based on how much you look like you can afford. Stick to your price decisions and policies (you'll develop them quicker than you may realize) and you'll be fine.
Whether bargaining or dealing with a person who might be quoting a price based on your appearance, it's best to dress down for your yard sale days. I try to go with a T-shirt and worn jeans when I can. By the way, I'm old enough that worn jeans don't make a fashion statement.
OH! I almost forgot the most important thing! DON'T TAKE KIDS TO A YARD SALE. I'm not suggesting your kids aren't well-behaved, I have just seen far too many moms take home toys I suspect her children didn't need just because it caught their eye and it wasn't really all that much. If you want to try clothes on them, take along clothes that currently fit and get something a little bigger.
OK, that's up there in the top two most important things. The other one is to smile, smile, smile. There's nothing people like better than a cheerful yard saler. The people who sell things at yard sales generally aren't sales people in their professional life and this isn't the easiest "job" in the world to have. Be cheerful and considerate. It makes everyone feel better, including you. I'm pretty positive I've never paid more for something just because I was cheerful but I know I've gotten better prices because of it.
Have fun. Share your ideas--I'd love to hear what other tips there are out there that I could use and share. Happy yard saling!
Comments