A great way to make money is to have a yard sale. Yard sales are amazing and fun. They are also a great way to declutter your home and make money in the process. Hosting a good yard sale requires planning and hard work, but it is possible, and I encourage people to do it.
In order to have a successful yard sale, you must avoid certain mistakes. When I hosted my first yard sale a few years ago, I learned the hard way; for these reasons alone, I wanted to share with you these yard sale mistakes to avoid this season.
Depending where you live, some locations require you to have a permit in order to host your yard sale. Before you even consider having a yard sale, please make sure you check with your local municipal/city if a permit is required or what other restrictions (if any) do they have for your area. Some cities or counties may have restrictions regarding how many yard sales you can host through the year.
Items not priced
Let me put it this way, when you are shopping and you find an item you want and can’t find the price of it, it’s very frustrating. Imagine how your yard sale customers will feel when they want to purchase an item from your yard sale only to find out that it has no price. Many people will ask, but others will skip it if they see that you are busy and just leave. Don’t miss on these opportunities with no pricing.
Always make sure that every item is priced, this will prevent confusion and will help your yard sale run smoothly. You can always find printed price stickers at any local store so this is possible. If your are using a marker to price your items, please make sure that it’s clear and understandable to your customers.
Priced too high
You want to sell your items, right? I know you don’t want to give it away, and if you are looking to sell items for book value, then a yard sale is not the place for it. Yard sale customers are looking for deals and bargains, they are not looking to pay book value or retail price for yard sale items.
To have a successful yard sale, make sure that your items are priced to sell fast. If you have an item that is brand new, or in excellent condition, then your choice may be to try selling it online, rather than your yard sale.
Dirty items because it’s a yard sale
Ugh Is all I can say if you think this way. If you want to make a sale, and have a successful yard sale, please take the time to at least clean your items. I’m not saying they have to look brand spanking new, but take some time to make it look presentable. If you are looking to have a successful yard sale, a dirty item would most likely sit there; or you will lose money when someone offers you a lower price. If your items look presentable, chances are that it will sell faster and at the price you were asking.
Messy Yard Sale
Nothing annoys me or a customer more than arriving to a yard sale and having everything for sale inside boxes and not organized. Please take the time to organize your yard sale. Place toys with toys, books with books, and so on. This will help your customers get through what they are looking for and, therefore, buy your stuff.
Another important thing to remember is safety. You are inviting people to your home, make sure your yard sale is organized with items safely accessible to your customers. You don’t want a huge pile of toys to fall down on a toddler if they bump in to it. Also, please make sure you keep your money in a safe place as well.
Having an emotional attachment to the items
This might sound harsh, but if you are not willing to part with the items you are selling in your yard sale, then maybe it’s best if you just don’t sell them at all. To have a successful yard sale, you have to make sure that you have a goal, and that goal is to make sure you sell all your stuff for money.
We have yard sales to make money, yard sale customers are there to get a deal; they do not want your life story about the item (usually). For this reason, I’m telling you that it is best to understand that maybe this might not be a good thing.
Not advertise your yard sale
More than ever, it is so easy to advertise your yard sale. You can advertise your yard sale for free online on some sites. You can also advertise your yard sale in social media. Facebook is your best friend when it comes to selling items, if done correctly.
If you want people to come and buy your stuff, you have to advertise your yard sales. If you are making signs, please make sure that your address is visible. I hate going on a hunt to look for a yard sale with a vague arrow, when an address would of made it so much easier.
Make sure your signs are clear and contain your address, time of your yard sale, and the dates. Write big and use pastel signs to draw attention to your sign. Another good idea is to continuing to use the same color for all your signs, this will help guide your traffic. Hang your signs in high traffic areas so it can be seen. Don’t put signs in people’s yards without their permission though.
Not paying attention to your customers
I know sometimes it can be boring, or you might want to check your social media; but if you are hosting a yard sale, please pay attention to your customers. Treat your customers with respect. Greet them and thank them for spending their hard earned dollars on your stuff. Be professional.
Not being prepared
Don’t you just love going to a yard sale and having the host is still setting up? This can be so frustrating and can lead to loss of sales. People only come to your yard sale one time. They don’t come back, they have other yard sales to visit. Remember to have everything set up and ready before the start time you have listed for your yard sale. When you set the start time, people want to get in there, get what they want, and be on their way. They don’t want to wait. Some even show up a little early to try and grab the best deals before everyone else.
Not having change
This is something you have to remember because it is very important. You need to have money and change available for your customers. Not having change will cause loss of sales and upset customers. You can even use some of your loose change jar, just make sure to sort the change to make it easier. Make sure you do this the day before and be ready early in the morning.
Not having bags
I know you are trying to keep your cost down, but if you are planning your yard sale, why not save those unwanted plastic bags from the grocery store or boxes from around the house to help your yard sale customers with their items? If you want to sell the things in your yard sale, it’s a very good idea to have bags or boxes available for customers to carry their stuff.
Conclusion
To have a successful yard sale, you must treat it like you are running a business. Make sure you take care of your yard sale customers’ needs and always remember that great customer service will bring your back customers. They may even call their friends and have them come to your yard sale!
If you are planning on hosting another yard sale, because you did a fabulous job taking care of your customers, they will come back. Avoiding these mistakes will surely help you have a successful yard sale.
What other tips do you use to have for a successful yard sale? Please share it with us!
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