New Yard Sale Tactic

[Home'scool]

Just recently my sister and I had a yard sale. We had a TON of stuff from my mother, who passed away.

 

We had dish sets and glasses and decorative items, two sets of golf clubs, cupboards and hutches (yes, plural), clothing, books -- all the stuff that usually goes fast.

 

For some reason no one was buying anything! They would poke around and then maybe buy one thing. We had things priced within yard-sale reasonableness, but no bites.

 

Finally we hit on the idea of saying to people "We are clearing out my mother's house. She just passed away. Everything is FREE, but if you would like to give a donation to help offset costs that would be fine."

 

All of a sudden people would pick up a set of dishes, say they wanted them and then give $10 - $20 dollars! People would feel bad about just taking stuff and would overcompensate I guess. I am sure some people took stuff and just left but most were quite friendly and way more generous than if they bought it at the labeled price.

 

In the end we got rid of everything (yay! no loading up the car to go to the dump). Once people hear "free" they start to look at things differently and are more willing to take stuff they normally wouldn't. Then they would feel good about giving $1, $2, $5 or $10 for stuff because it was their choice what to give.

 

 

[scrapbookbuzz]

Good for you two for thinking outside the traditional yard sale norms!

Sales-wise, I think it was the weekend. Honestly. I worked at a trade show this weekend 

and it was S-L-O-W. I talked with other vendors and they even said it was slower than usual 

this year for this particular show. But changing up the marketing can make a difference, too!

[Rebel Yell]

I had about a dozen very large boxes (laundry basket size) of homeschool books that no one would buy for a dime. I stuck a FREE sign on them, and sold $1.00 hot dogs and water bottles, and $0.50 bags of chips or cookies... every dang box of books was gone and we made over $100 from about $10 worth of food.

 

Still makes me laugh that no one would buy an ABeka book for $0.10, but they'd pay $1 for a ten-cent hot dog. :lol:

[Erica in OR]

Our church ladies' group changed to this rummage sale style a couple years ago. Before that, we had spent hours pricing everything. It all evens out—some will give less than you may have hoped, and some will give more than you thought you would get.

 

Erica in OR

[Guest]

That's genius! Way to go :)

[creekland]

Brilliant idea!  When the time comes, I just might steal it from you...

[Guest]

I had about a dozen very large boxes (laundry basket size) of homeschool books that no one would buy for a dime. I stuck a FREE sign on them, and sold $1.00 hot dogs and water bottles, and $0.50 bags of chips or cookies... every dang box of books was gone and we made over $100 from about $10 worth of food.

 

Still makes me laugh that no one would buy an ABeka book for $0.10, but they'd pay $1 for a ten-cent hot dog. :lol:

That is an amazing strategy!

[Guest]

Just recently my sister and I had a yard sale. We had a TON of stuff from my mother, who passed away.

 

We had dish sets and glasses and decorative items, two sets of golf clubs, cupboards and hutches (yes, plural), clothing, books -- all the stuff that usually goes fast.

 

For some reason no one was buying anything! They would poke around and then maybe buy one thing. We had things priced within yard-sale reasonableness, but no bites.

 

Finally we hit on the idea of saying to people "We are clearing out my mother's house. She just passed away. Everything is FREE, but if you would like to give a donation to help offset costs that would be fine."

 

All of a sudden people would pick up a set of dishes, say they wanted them and then give $10 - $20 dollars! People would feel bad about just taking stuff and would overcompensate I guess. I am sure some people took stuff and just left but most were quite friendly and way more generous than if they bought it at the labeled price.

 

In the end we got rid of everything (yay! no loading up the car to go to the dump). Once people hear "free" they start to look at things differently and are more willing to take stuff they normally wouldn't. Then they would feel good about giving $1, $2, $5 or $10 for stuff because it was their choice what to give.

That is brilliant!

[crazyforlatin]

Savvy!

[barnwife]

I went to a church rummage sale this weekend. I only went the final day of the 3 day sale. On the last day, this church does "name your price", essentially what you did.

You pick up a bag (you must use a container of theirs...they pass out anything that hasn't sold that could be used: reusable shopping bags, suitcases, baskets, whatever) and fill it up. When you leave, you give them whatever amount you want. They don't even blink an eye at those who give nothing. 

They just want less stuff to pack up and haul away. 

It was so nice to not have to think about prices.