Stupid Yard Sale Mistakes

March 30, 2016 by Florence 2 Comments

Stupid yard sale mistakes….arggh…don’t you hate when you have to relearn stuff you thought you already knew?? Every picker knows better than to make these dumb moves… Hopefully I’ve learned my lesson!

I was at a yard sale on Friday, and it was one of those days when there weren’t a lot of sales to begin with and very important to be there early. One of the regular pickers was just loading her truck with interesting goodies when I arrived. We got a late start due to “when you snooze, you lose.” Pure and simple, I just couldn’t get out of bed.

After arrival, I saw a vintage Madame Alexander doll that just happened to be sitting on top of a shoe box full of old doll clothes. You would THINK that someone with my experience would immediately jump on her. In fact, I was surprised she was still there. But I thought I would browse a little before swooping in. REALLY STUPID MISTAKE!

I saw a guy with a ponytail come strolling up, and I thought…”oh, he’s a guy, he won’t be interested in a doll.” MISTAKE! I was a little alarmed when I saw him lingering by the dolls, but he wasn’t holding them yet. So I strolled up, and casually examined the doll with the intention of claiming her myself. It’s the old, “if-somebody-else-wants-it-then-I-know-I-want-it”syndrome. He said in the softest voice, “Ah, I’m looking at her…I’m getting her.” I’m looking at him in controlled disbelief, and I wanted to whine, “You’re NOT holding her…I SAW HER FIRST…SHE’S MINE!” WRONG AGAIN!

So, what do I stume about….stume? I just coined a new word (stew & fume)…ALL weekend, but the STUPID YARD SALE MISTAKES?

Moral of the story:

“When you snooze, you lose.”
Don’t assume ANYTHING.
Grab & Get (politely of course).

You see, I knew better. I just needed a good reminder.

Care to share yours? Oh now, you know you have ’em!

What NOT to Say in Yard Sale Ads

March 30, 2016 by Florence 26 Comments

What NOT to Say in Yard Sale Ads…these are based on real ads I’ve seen on Craig’s List, and I read a bazillion of them because I go to sales every weekend. You want to draw a crowd. How should you word your ad? Scroll down for tips at the bottom. I can definitely tell you what NOT to say! Check out commonly seen ad content below:

What NOT to Say in Yard Sale Ads:

*Ads with an incomplete address or no address..SYITF! It’s a no brainer, but you would be surprised how often this info is missing.

What in the Heck is “SYITF”?

My acronym for “Shooting Yourself in the Foot.”

*Ads with a one sentence description and no details: SYITF! Give us more than just one sentence please!…don’t just say “household” or “collectibles.” Such commonly used words are ignored. Yard sale junkies want details! Giving us an idea of what you have is a better come-on. Ads with no details like the one below don’t entice me to come if I have other choices. You may have a gold mine, but if you don’t tell me about it, I don’t bother.

*Timing of your post: Submit a yard sale ad at least 2 days in advance, either on Craig’s List or Facebook. I can’t tell you how many times I look at the list and see a new one I would have gone to had I known about it. DO NOT wait until the day of your sale to post an ad!! On yard sale day, I’m moving fast. I don’t take time to check all the sites to see if a new ad is posted. You either get me the night before or you don’t get me. Yard sale junkies plan in advance and will likely miss your ad entirely.

*Ads with no pictures is a TOTAL waste: SYITF! The more, the better. I frequently go out of my way when I see a picture with interesting junk. Craig’s List and Facebook allow lots of photos for free. Take advantage!

*Try not to make it just about clothes, baby stuff, shoes, purses: These are not big draws for a mega sale. I totally ignore and avoid these. But if you do have clothes, please hang them up or find a way to display them nicely. No one wants to paw through a bag of wrinkly clothes that look like they sat in the dryer for 3 days.

*”By Appointment” SYITF! This is a death knell…there is NO WAY I’m going to a yard sale by appointment, unless there’s nothing else, and probably not even then! Remember, you have LOTS of competition!

*NEVER say “Antique Dealers’ Sale” or Booth Owner’s Sale: SYITF! Every time I go to these, they are ALWAYS more expensive than the sale of the average joe. Instead say, “Loads of Vintage Items,” with no hint that you are a dealer.

*Don’t say it’s a clearance sale SYITF! because I know all the good stuff is gone by the time you’re having a clearance.

*Don’t say you have painted or repurposed items SYITF! Because I know you have spent time and effort fixing something up and it will be more expensive. I’m not going to a vintage market or a fair. I’m going to a yard sale!

*Don’t say it’s an Ebay sale! SYITF! I’m going to assume you’re trying to unload what you can’t sell on Ebay, so why should I want to buy that? I have seen people advertise their ebay store saying they are having a sale, but this is not a good way to do that.

*Try not to start later than 10 am like 12 Noon, 1 pm, or thereafter. Serious yard sale junkies get up early and they’re done by then.

TIP *Start at your advertised time! I go to early sales, and they’re not ready. They’re still pulling out stuff. They overslept. Whatever. But I have a list and don’t have time to stand around waiting on you to finish. I’m gone!

TIP *Ideal time to start: 7-8 am. I know I’m going to get in trouble with this one! Does anyone REALLY go to 6 am sales?? Not me! SYITF unless you’ve enticed me with your pictures or description.

I’m still in my jammies at 6 am.

I’m still trying to wake up at 6 am.

I’m having my 1st or 2nd cup of coffee at 6 am so I can wake up.

TIP *And for heaven’s sake, be ready with your change! I’ve been to many sales where mama is running around trying to find the husband or the daughter or whoever…”do you have change, do you have change?” Or they’re running in the house to get it. And I’m standing there wishing I’d never picked up your item in the first place.

NEVER Say “No Junk” SYITF! Stress how much junk you have and you will get more people. You would be surprised how many people look for junk! One man’s junk is not another man’s junk! Don’t run them off before they even get there!

*Neighborhood Yard Sales. These have their place, but consider doing one NOT with the neighborhood. Most dealers I know avoid these like the plague. Dealers are your best customers! But we’re in a hurry and fly from yard sale to yard sale. We don’t want to get stuck in a neighborhood. Cars bunch up from house to house, with people walking all over the place. Some houses participating have almost nothing to offer. You get the picture.

*Don’t itemize with prices on Craig’s List ads: SYITF…you’re running people off before they even get there with any suggestion of high prices. People will either conclude that everything is high and not come, or it looks like that’s all you have.

I’m talking about something like this below:

*Warehouse Sales, Resale Shops, Flea Markets: Having a sale ad on yard sale pages gets you quickly ignored. Not an effective place to advertise!

*DON’T use worn out come-on phrases: You tend to get skimmed, scanned, & skipped.

*Something for Everyone

*You don’t want to Miss This One

*Too Much to List

*Household items

*Collectibles (please tell me what kind)

*Everything Must Go…this one kills me. I see this, I go, and the prices are ridiculously high. Price your items cheap & they WILL go!

*And above all, don’t say “No Early Birds.”You will have them regardless.

What is a GOOD Garage Sale Ad?

Those with lots of pictures and bins full of stuff. The more pictures, the better. **Take the time to take decent photos that aren’t blurry or dark.

Ads that say “multifamily, hoarder, purging, downsizing, cleaning out.”

Ads with pictures showing interesting junk. (like the one above)

Ads with lots of smalls, meaning small items that are easily shipped

Ads that say “I’m cleaning out Granny’s house” are golden.

Ads that say “it’s a 20 year, 30, 40, 50+ year accumulation.”

Ads that say you have vintage items, even better if you say what kind.

Ads that say you have vintage oddities, all kinds of junk

**You have this kind of ad, and you will have droves of customers!

Do YOU have anything to add to my list? Please say so in the comments below!

A Dealer’s 16 Steps to an EPIC Yard Sale!

March 30, 2016 by Florence 10 Comments

15 steps to an epic yard sale — 16 Steps to an Epic Yard Sale

A Successful Garage Sale from the Perspective of a Dealer~

As a dealer, I go to many yard sales every weekend. Over the years I’ve learned what yard sales attract me, and which ones don’t. Follow these 16 steps and I guarantee I, and every other dealer in town will be making a beeline to your sale! Garage sales are irresistible to the average person too, so make all that prep work count!

Write a descriptive ad. See What Not to Say in Yard Sale Ads for do’s and don’t’s on what to write to draw a crowd. Dealers look for vintage items and junk, so if you’ve got that, tell it!

Good advertising is a must. Put your ad in the paper, Craig’s List, and Facebook with plenty of pictures. Write & post your ads days in advance for maximum coverage. You will miss interested people if you wait to post until the night before, or the day of the sale.

Timing: NOT 6 am! Best time of day to start is 7-8 am. Most estate sales start at 9 am, so have yours to draw in estate sale goers.

Signs: On the day of the sale, put out lots of signs so buyers can find you easily.

What are the Best Signs?

*Signs on Neon paper, but cut the paper down so it’s not flopped over hiding all your info.

*Signs with the date. My bad above…no date. Don’t just say “Saturday.” Passersby don’t know how old your sign is.

*Signs with humor are eye-catching!

*Signs that are legible. No cursive lettering! Write in BIG BLOCK LETTERS. Not everyone has GPS or even a cell phone, and some are out of towners looking for a sale, so your strategically placed signs are invaluable. The sign below is hard to read because the print is too small. Drivers would wreck the car trying to see and read these details!

what not to say in yard sale ads — Hard to read sign

Displaying~

Display items on tables if at all possible rather than a tarp on the ground. You will make more sales when items are within easy reach. I’ve passed up many a bag when I didn’t feel like bending over to go through it.

What if you don’t have enough tables? Make displays with ladders. Make extra room using wooden planks passed through the steps on the ladder. An old door placed across sawhorses makes a wonderful table. Or use the door on top of a couple of card tables.

Display attractively to grab attention! Hang clothes up. Make hooks out of coat hangers or paper clips for light items. Hang purses on ladders or shelving. Group like items together.

Ideally have your stuff visible from the street. Arrange your loaded tables & furniture out in the driveway, where passersby can see you. The more, the better. Have the best stuff out in the driveway closest to the street to attract more people to stop.

Clean it! No one wants to pick up an icky thing you’ve had stored in the shed. I wonder what’s going to come crawling out of it.

DON’T display your item with a page from Ebay showing what it’s supposedly worth! This is a HUGE turn-off, and not an accurate gauge of value. Having a figure in your mind of what you want to get is a better way to approach this. When I see Ebay pages at a yard sale, I pass right by.

Pricing~

Price everything! I can’t tell you how important this is! I’ve seen it over and over. Buyers are reluctant to ask the price. Even if you think to yourself, “Why price when I’m going to get hagglers?” Some people do pay full price though. You will sell more if you have items priced. I’ve paid full price many times when I thought it was reasonable.

Price to sell! You want to get rid of it? You’re moving, downsizing, making more room in your house? Pricing like retail or perceived antique value is a mistake. I’ve been to many yard sales where the prices were higher than estate sales! Your items might be worth it to you, but no one is going to chunk down $50 readily at a yard sale. At a sale recently, the seller was asking $1000 each for rolling metal toolboxes! And their ad said “Everything Must Go”!

Extra Tips~

Bring out ALL your junk! Believe me when I say dealers look for junk! I remember years ago putting out one of my old science projects from school. I figured no one would want it. Ha! It was the first thing to go!
Carry the cash. Be ready with lots of cash on your person, rather than running in the house to get it.

Friends to sell with you. Get like-minded friends who also have plenty of junk to join you. Remember, the more junk the better!

What to Expect~

Expect Hagglers. Although I’ve never personally encountered it, I’ve heard of people haggling over 50¢! I remember going to a yard sale years ago. The seller took my $20 bill, and KEPT it saying, “my item (whatever it was) is worth this.” He didn’t give me my change back & I was too timid at the time to protest.

Expect Early Birds: I remember the day I realized I was an early bird because I showed up 30 minutes early. I always thought early birds were those who came a day early, and these are annoying, I agree. I truly understand the annoyance. Here’s the reason for early birds:

We have to beat out Joe Blow and get there before he does.

We are programmed to be early birds because homeowners don’t stick to their start time. They start 30 minutes to an hour earlier than advertised, and sometimes even the day before.

I remember going to a yard sale last year at advertised start time. They were CLOSING at their start time!

If you’re still reading to this point, what are YOUR tips? Do you have any to add?

Don’t Be Burned by These Picker Fails!

March 29, 2016 by Florence 6 Comments

What are Picker Fails?

Things you buy with hopes they'll sell, but they turn into duds. 
Only experience teaches you this, so here's mine...

*Vintage scarves…For me, these only sell in lots or groupings

don't be burned by these picker fails — Vintage scarves do not sell very well individually.

*Men’s vintage electric razors….I must have been the only one that thought these old models were pretty cool.

*Beanie babies…probably another 50 years before these are valuable

Update: These finally did sell!

*Decks of cards do not do well for me…they used to sell, but not in a long time. These are vintage airline decks too, but they do not sell well if the box has been opened.

*Industrial brushes….a risky buy that turned into a dud

*Acrylic pen rest set without the pen…just one word for this….DUH

*Model railroad stuff…too much of it on Ebay already

*Handheld Scrabble…just because the big Scrabble game sells doesn’t mean this one will.

*Copper kitchen molds…there are pages & pages of these on Ebay and Etsy.

*Cute dog mug with damaged handle goes nowhere….what, you don’t want a cracked handle? But it’s such a cute mug!

*Vintage Girl Scout vest….I heard these sold, but not for me.

*Books..for me, they are slow sellers.

*Off Brand Perfumes….full name brand perfumes will sell, but not off-brand varieties

*Green stamp books…as soon as someone listed the first set, all the others in the world came out of the woodwork. Now these are useless.

Update: These actually sold to one of my readers

*Knives in knife blocks…I’ve found the best way to sell these is individually.

I have plenty of picker fails, and since I refuse to get rid of even the duds, I still have ’em because cheapskate picker who lives in a Depression Thinking world, does not throw anything away! Experienced & wannabe sellers take note…don’t be burned by these picker fails!

So Why Buy in the First Place?

We pickers buy for many reasons, and get caught up in the emotion just like you do! I buy :

…if I think it’ll sell for me…either on Ebay or Etsy.

…anything to do with the Beatles

…to enjoy for a bit, then out it goes. I keep very little because at my age, I need to get RID of stuff!

…if I can use it to decorate or repurpose something else I have.

…if I have a hunch. My hunches are not always good….LOL

…if I’m desperate! This is the “I-really-don’t-see-anything-here-but-I-want-to-buy-something” mentality.

To see more on this topic, check out 11 Things I Avoid at Thrift Stores, Yard & Estate Sales.

For tips on what to buy for resale, check out my list: Top Ten Things I Look for at Yard Sales.

Anyone have a fail? Care to share?

What NOT to Say in Yard Sale Ads:

What in the Heck is “SYITF”?

What is a GOOD Garage Sale Ad?

**You have this kind of ad, and you will have droves of customers!

A Successful Garage Sale from the Perspective of a Dealer~

Write a descriptive ad. See What Not to Say in Yard Sale Ads for do’s and don’t’s on what to write to draw a crowd. Dealers look for vintage items and junk, so if you’ve got that, tell it!

Good advertising is a must. Put your ad in the paper, Craig’s List, and Facebook with plenty of pictures. Write & post your ads days in advance for maximum coverage. You will miss interested people if you wait to post until the night before, or the day of the sale.

Timing: NOT 6 am! Best time of day to start is 7-8 am. Most estate sales start at 9 am, so have yours to draw in estate sale goers.

Signs: On the day of the sale, put out lots of signs so buyers can find you easily.

What are the Best Signs?

*Signs on Neon paper, but cut the paper down so it’s not flopped over hiding all your info.

*Signs with the date. My bad above…no date. Don’t just say “Saturday.” Passersby don’t know how old your sign is.

*Signs with humor are eye-catching!

Displaying~

Display items on tables if at all possible rather than a tarp on the ground. You will make more sales when items are within easy reach. I’ve passed up many a bag when I didn’t feel like bending over to go through it.

Display attractively to grab attention! Hang clothes up. Make hooks out of coat hangers or paper clips for light items. Hang purses on ladders or shelving. Group like items together.

Ideally have your stuff visible from the street. Arrange your loaded tables & furniture out in the driveway, where passersby can see you. The more, the better. Have the best stuff out in the driveway closest to the street to attract more people to stop.

Clean it! No one wants to pick up an icky thing you’ve had stored in the shed. I wonder what’s going to come crawling out of it.

DON’T display your item with a page from Ebay showing what it’s supposedly worth! This is a HUGE turn-off, and not an accurate gauge of value. Having a figure in your mind of what you want to get is a better way to approach this. When I see Ebay pages at a yard sale, I pass right by.

Pricing~

Extra Tips~

Bring out ALL your junk! Believe me when I say dealers look for junk! I remember years ago putting out one of my old science projects from school. I figured no one would want it. Ha! It was the first thing to go!

Carry the cash. Be ready with lots of cash on your person, rather than running in the house to get it.

Friends to sell with you. Get like-minded friends who also have plenty of junk to join you. Remember, the more junk the better!

What to Expect~

Expect Early Birds: I remember the day I realized I was an early bird because I showed up 30 minutes early. I always thought early birds were those who came a day early, and these are annoying, I agree. I truly understand the annoyance. Here’s the reason for early birds:

What are Picker Fails?

So Why Buy in the First Place?