Garage sale prices

[angie r]

Help! I don't know how to price a few things I am putting in my garage sale this weekend. Does anyone have a "method" in pricing? I have a 4 year old round "kitchen nook" table and 4 chairs. It also has a leaf with it. It was $500 new and is in great condition. What price do I put on it?? I also have a shaker style coffee table that needs a little touch up paint? Another coffee table that is white "stucco looking" with a matching end table. I don't know where to start!

[KarlaB]

I have no answers for you, but am in the same boat. We are going to have a sale before we move and I have no clue either what to put on half of the stuff! :tearhair: Good luck and I hope someone can offer you some advice! :)

[RCT]

I'm not the one to answer this either....I always lowball things and dh gets mad...LOL....hope someone can come to your rescue here soon, I know there are lots of ladies who do the garage sale thing alot....where are they now... LOL....

[Melody]

I think somewhere I heard 1/3 of the price you paid.
I always tend to ask too much (or so dh thinks) and he tells me its to get rid of things and make a bit of cash in the process, not to actually make the cash. What I end up doing is pricing things down as the day goes on and have a sign somewhere that tells people to offer a price even if something is marked. When I go to other sales, I'm never shy about offering a price and if something is not marked and they tell me to make an offer, I low-ball and usually get it because they either want to just get rid of it or don't know what to ask. Anyhow, to answer your question, what about 1/3 of what you paid?

[SMB]

I've heard about a third to a half of the original price. For some items I've asked for 75% of the original price if it was a "in demand" item.( like my bike stroller) The only way to go with prices is down, so ask for what you want and negotiate if you really want to get rid of something.

[Lynda/WA]

Prices can fluctuate alot depending where you are. I'd say the price depends on how much you want to get rid if it. The last garage sale I had was prior to moving. I knew that none of that stuff was going with us except for maybe the spare car seat. Wouldn't you know that was one thing that someone tried talking me down on. Even after I told her I wasn't going down ($5 for a 5 point car seat in very good shape) she argued with me! She ticked me off when she said she would come back at the end of the day and buy it for what she wanted ($3). Didn't happen! One friend put out a painting at what I thought was a high price. She said that was how much she wanted otherwise it was going back on her wall. It did go back on her wall. A couple of things I put sold signs on after someone bought them and people tried to convince me to sell it to them anyways by offering more than I had origionally asked. I sold a 12 drawer waterbed with a queensize regular mattress and mirrored/ shelved headboard for $5 just because I was determinded that I wasn't moving it any farther than my front yard. For that sale I sold nearly everything but didn't make as much money as I could have. this next sale I am going to ask for more but still take anything left to Goodwill.

I rarely check out furniture. I bought a solid oak bunk bed set with 2 dressers (the type where they can attach to the bed or be seperate) for $50. The local Goodwill way overprices furniture to my mind but you can go down to yours and see what kind of prices they are asking or look in the ads for something comparable. I think I read that Goodwill tries to go at 1/2 the price. I'd go for 1/3 though on the furniture. Things like Little Tykes stuff 9in good shape) is higher demand and can go for more. If you are willing you can try to sell it for a higher price and if it doesn't sell take it down to Goodwill/ Salvation Army for a tax deduction.

[angie r]

Thanks for all the advice! My garage went great and we got rid of just about everything. Even the table and chairs I overpriced because I would have been happy to hang on to, sold for what I asked. I sold all the coffee and end tables from $5 - 15. The patio furniture was first to go and the guy made three trips picking it all up. Another thing we did that made a little money was load up some big totes with cokes on ice and sold them for 50 cents. A 24 pack was $4.88 at the store, not a bad profit margin and everyone loved it! I didn't get the chance to sell many toys this time so I will be ready when the September sale comes around!

Thanks again!!