So You've Decided To Have A Garage Sale!
By: Marjorie Malone | Posted: 26th July 2006
So you're thinking about having a garage sale. They are a great way to clean out clutter or to discard items you no longer use or can wear but there are a few things you should consider before hand. The first thing you want to do is contact your City Clerk's Office for a permit. All municipalities require that you obtain a permit. Permits are available for a small fee and are valid for five consecutive days. The City Clerk's Office should have a Garage Sale Ordinance which you should take the time to familiarize yourself with. The ordinance will include such things as the duration of the garage sale, placement of signs, signs and display of merchandise, limitation of sales, and penalties. All of these things are important because your failure to comply with the city ordinance could result in your signs being confiscated to you being found of a misdemeanor and a $500.00 fine or imprisonment in jail.
One of the things I found helpful in having a successful garage sale is advertising in a local newspaper. In your ad, even list some of your good items that you think will catch a person's eye. You might say that's expensive. Well…not really because the profit you make from your sales will cover your ad. It's worth it to get the extra advertisement rather than just counting on the garage sale signs you post in the neighborhood. You'd be surprised at the people who read the newspaper ads for garage sales. If you can find other forms of advertisement like a store or work bulletin board, this is also good.
Another thing that is important in having a successful garage sale is to have some good items. Don't just have damaged or old and stained items. If you have items that are big like a sofa or bedroom set, you can take pictures and display them or display a sign saying that the item is available for sale.
Clearly mark your items with a price. Decide if you are willing to negotiate on the price. You might have some items you are willing to negotiate on and some you are not. Having some organization to your merchandise helps also. Don't have things just thrown together on a table. Also have small change on hand. Try to avoid losing a sale because you don't have change. It's a good idea to have two people working the sale; one person to assist and answer questions from the customers and the other person to handle all the sale transactions.
Always appear friendly and interested in the people that stop by. Try to find out if there is something in particular they are looking for. You might have something in you house that you thought about selling but forgot all about it.
Lastly have fun. Having a successful garage sale does take some planning and organization. It is work but you can have profitable sale that can be fun and a way to meet some interesting people.
About the Author
Occupation: Wireless Industry
My name is Marjorie Malone. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and over the years I have been involved in many MLM networks. I enjoy people and selling quality products and services. I am currently the founder and owner of an e-commerce speciality store called Blue Angel Boutique. You will find a variety of products and services to meet your gift buying needs. You will discover unique giftwares, inspirational items, home accessories, jewelry, and other resources. We are the Home of Universal Treasures because the products and services are universal to all. There is something here for everyone. Please stop by and visit at http://www.blueangelboutique.com. Also visit http://www.northwestcofc.com
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Tags: failure, neighborhood, advertisement, duration, garage sales, clutter, consecutive days, bulletin board, sofa, imprisonment, municipalities, misdemeanor