Hints for Sellers

General

  • It is a good idea to have a helper at your table. This will allow one of you to shop during the pre-sale while the other stays at the table. Also, during the day you may need a quick break, and you want to have someone at your table at all times. And if you get really busy, it’s nice to have extra hands helping!
  • The seller pre-sale will be from 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM.

Setting Up and Tearing Down Your Table

  • Sellers should plan to set up their tables on Friday evening.
  • Sellers must stay for the entire sale from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
  • Please do not start packing up more than 15 minutes prior to the end of the sale.
  • Make sure that you arrive at the sale in plenty of time to allow for set up. Sellers that arrive after 8:00 AM the day of the sale will not be allowed to participate.
  • You are responsible for leaving your area clean. Please take all boxes with you. Trash cans will be available for small items.

Pricing and Selling

  • We strongly suggest garage sale pricing. In this economy people are looking for great deals, not resale store pricing.
  • Drop-side cribs are no longer be sold in stores as of June 2011. Kits can be purchased to retro-fit existing cribs to make them safer. We encourage you to check with your crib manufacturer for availability of a kit. Please visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission site for more information.
  • Place an ad on Craigslist for special items that you are selling. Be sure to include your first name and how your table can be found, such as purple table cloth with pink balloons.
  • You will be offered a lower price at one time or another. It is completely up to you if you want to bargain. But remember you are reselling used items and will not get retail price for them.
  • If you are not willing to barter on the price, you may want to post a sign stating that all prices are firm.
  • If you are willing to bargain, you may want to post a sign stating that no reasonable offer refused. Many people won’t even consider going down in price for the first hour or two. This is completely up to you!
  • Clearly label each item with price and size. It also helps to sort your items by size.
  • Bring enough bags (plastic or paper) to offer to your shoppers for the items they purchase.
  • Make sure you have plenty of $1 bills and change!
  • Don’t leave your money accessible to the general public. A hip bag or apron with pockets is a good idea.
  • If you have items under the table, have signs and make sure the items are easy to see and get to.
  • Have signs to let shoppers know what size and gender your items are. Also try to sort them accordingly.
  • Make sure that your items are clean. Do your best to get out all of the stains. If you are selling large items, make sure they are clean as well. People are more likely to buy items that look newer than ones they would have to clean before using.
  • Hang clothes on a rack to make them more visible and likely to sell.
  • If you have a rack, make sure it fits within the space you have reserved and that it is secure. Take a few socks full of sand and put them over the bottom legs of the rack to make it more stable.
  • Make sure your multiple-piece items are connected together with safety pins or put in a reclosable bag. A single run-through with a needle and thread tied off will also do the trick.
  • If you are sharing a table with someone else, make sure that you have different tags to collect as you make a sale to assure both parties get their rightful monies.
  • Be selective when deciding which clothes to bring. People will be looking for quality clothes in good shape – no stains or broken zippers – and will pay accordingly.
  • During the sale, try to keep your table organized. Shoppers don't want to dig through piles of items.