Buyer Tips from Tom Kreuzer
Night Before the Sale:
Look in the local newspaper like the Highland Villager, St Paul paper, and online sites like:
FaceBook (Neighborhood sites)
Other sites can be found at: www.yardsalequeen.com
Figure out a route that is most efficient to hit the sales you want to at the times they open. You can use a copy of a map of your area that you can put dots on with the order you plan to go and when they open up.
Go to the sales that open on that day first. You can go to the sales that opened the day before after the sales that open today.
Ask a friend to join you, it's always more fun.
Look for church, school, block or neighborhood sales. You can park your car and walk to several at once.
Day of the Sale:
Go to the bathroom before you start.
Pack snacks and drinks in the car.
Carry a tape measure in case you need to measure something.
Wear comfortable shoes.
Carry cash in small bills.
Keep a list of things you are looking for that you know you need or want. If you have a collection, have a list of the items you have.
Keep a list of clothing sizes you are looking for.
Keep a list of dimensions if you are looking for rugs, desks, etc.
Keep photos of rooms or items you are trying to match colors with.
You can store you information on a notepad or on your smartphone. You can use an App like Onenote or even eMail.
Bring a bag to carry your purchases.
In your car have straps or bungee cords if you plan to purchase large items.
If you have an expensive car, use a different one for garage sales. If you drive up in an expensive car, or wearing flashy jewelry and expensive clothes, you may not be able to negotiate very well.
Before you go down an alley for a sale, see if it might be quicker to park at the end of the alley and walk in.
At the Sale:
Shop early for the best selection. Don't wait until Saturday. If the sale starts Friday, go on Friday.
Don't show up earlier than the established times of the sale.
Supervise your children while shopping.
Make fast decisions. If you need to think about it, you probably don't need it. It's ok to NOT buy something at a yard sale.
If you are buying an item to resell at your own garage sale, be sure that you can make at lease twice what you pay for it.
If it is an expensive item, search eBay or a price shopper to know what currently the retail price is.
If the item uses batteries, open the battery cover and make sure it is not corroded or damaged.
Inspect your treasures and make sure they work and don't have marks or chips or other blemishes.
Plug in electrical items. Never trust what the tag may say unless it is a sealed new item.
When taking your kids, have them actually pay for their items. They often will get a discounted price and it gives kids practice with handling money.
Take off the price tags of your item at the checkout table. The tag may leave a sport or be hiding a problem.
If you buy something too big to take with you, have the seller write a receipt and sign it. Write down the seller's address and phone. Put a sold tag on your purchase, including your phone number in case the seller needs to reach you.
It never hurts to offer a lower price, just be prepared if the seller says no. Only do this on prices larger than $10.
For large items where you can not haul in your car, ask if the seller could deliver (you will of course pay them extra for the delivery). Ask them before you commit to buy. If the seller can not deliver, they my know a friend who has a truck. Worst case you can rent a truck for an hour or two from places like Menards for less than $25.
After you get home:
Take off the price tags of your treasures shortly after getting home. Most times the longer a sticker stays on an item, the harder it is to remove.
Clean and wash everything you bought. Even if it looks clean, it's better to be safe than sorry.
If you bought an item to resell at your, price it now for your sale and put it away.
Update your list if you found a collectible or other items on your lists.