People who come to garage sales are looking for bargains … period. They aren’t going to buy anything used that they could pay close to same price for and get brand-new. When pricing your items, look at each thing and ask yourself what you would be willing to pay for something like it. To get an idea of the going rate of used items, shop around at thrift and consignment stores and price your items at 60 to 70% of what those types of stores charge for similar things (or you can hit up a few garage sales in your town to see what everybody else is charging).
If your sale is going to include items that belong to other people besides you, make sure that you have an efficient system of keeping track of whose is what. Putting the prices on different-colored tags – red for you, blue for your sister and green for your neighbor – can help eliminate confusion as to how much money someone is owed.
It’s a good idea to make sure that absolutely everything has a price on it, and that things are clearly marked in a visible spot. That way you won’t have to spend excessive amounts of time answering questions about how much something is. It should stand to reason that a sizeable item should have a sizeable price tag; nobody wants to spend twenty minutes searching for a teeny sticker on a floral-patterned couch. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to mark every single item you’re selling, you can price things in groups: all books for fifty cents or three pieces of any clothing for a dollar.
Haggling is a big part of any sale. If your prices are firm and non-negotiable, don’t forget to put up a sign clearly stating so. If you’re unwilling to bargain, however, you may be cheating yourself out of potential customers. Some people frequent yard sales simply for the thrill of negotiating the best deal. Price your items on the high side of what they’re worth and let your customers know you’re open to bargaining. That way, they’ll get the satisfaction of talking you down and feel like they’re getting a great deal, and you’ll feel like you’re still getting a price you’re entitled to.