5) During The Sale
Welcome buyers as they come to the sale. Just smile and say "Good Morning, Thanks for stopping". Don't ask them what they are looking for. Most buyers are looking for bargains and not just one item. If buyers are looking for an item, they will ask you "Do you have ...". Don’t hover over them as they shop or they will leave or buy less. Let them look in peace and take their time. More time usually means more purchases. Be approachable.
Handout maps for the neighborhood sale to buyers who don’t have a copy. You can also point them to other sales in your block or near by.
Plug in electronics and turn them on, so buyers can try them out and see them work. Have a sample CD or record available to test electronics. Keep the volume low. Example: Computers, radios, TV, clock radios, lights, etc.
If someone has an armful of items, offer to hold them at your checkout table so they can continue shopping. You can then start to total up their purchases to make the checkout faster.
If a large item is purchased, label it immediately as "Sold" and move to the side if possible.
Move and refresh items as they sell and fill in empty spaces moving items from the ground to a table. Consolidate and take down tables if all items are up.
Don’t take checks unless you personally know the buyer. If you don’t know them, tell them you will hold the item for an hour while they go to an ATM or bank to get cash. Do not hold indefinitely, they may not come back.
Being able to take credit cards with an Smartphone/Tablet App like Square, Venmo, or Zelle can be a real plus for your sale. PayPalMe is also an option for people to send you money. Stay near your checkout table so buyers know who to ask questions of or try to haggle down the price.
Never let your cash box or change out of your sight. Store bills $20 and above in your pocket, fanny pack, or in your house. Many sellers have had cash stolen while they are distracted and away from the cash box.
If you have no one to help with your sale, be sure to take your cash box into the house if you need to use the bathroom or to make lunch. Use a fanny pack or apron to make sure you are never far from your cash.
Watch for shop-lifters or buyers changing price tags to a lower price. When checking a buyer out, if a price has been changed, kindly say to the person that somehow the item got mismarked and the correct price is $20 if they want to buy it and not the $2 on the tag. Never accuse a buyer of changing prices, it will never end well. Just say a mistake was made and that they can buy it for $20 or leave it. You do not have to sell an item where the tags have been changed for the lower price.
At the checkout make sure smaller items are not hidden in larger items they are buying. Check all boxes, cases, pockets, bags, cooler, or many others to make sure they are empty and not hiding other items.
Be aware that there are buyers who try to pass counterfeit $50 and $100 bills. If something looks strange about the bill, you do not have to take it. You can buy a counterfeit detection pen for $5 or check the web for tips on how to spot counterfeit bills.
Watch out for distraction scams where a group of people show up at once or ask for help putting purchases in a car. To avoid this, have friends help with the sale.
Get the money in hand before you help a buyer load their car. Thieves distract and take off before paying.
Don’t let strangers into your house to use the bathroom, try on an item, or make a phone call. It can be a scam to steal pills, valuable items in the house, or check out your house to break in later. Send them to the nearest store or gas station with a bathroom. Keep the house locked and off limits.
Haggling is common place at yard sales. People try to negotiate on everything from $200 dollars to 50 cents. Know the minimum price you will accept for each item.
If buyers offer less than the price during the first 1-3 hours of the sale, tell them to come back at the end of the sale and you will give them a deal if it has not sold. For larger items you can write down their offer and contact information and will get back to them at the end of the sale if their offer is the highest.
Buyers sometimes will expect to pay less in the last hours of a one day sale or the second day. Have a price or discount in mind that you would be willing to take. The most I discount is 20-25%. Sometimes I would rather donate the item and write it off on taxes than to sell it for almost nothing. You ultimately decide to sell or not to sell. Don't let a buyer intimidate you knock the price down.
If a buyer is buying many items I will frequently round the total down to an even number. Example: Total of $23 rounded down to $20. They will feel like they got an even better deal and also means you do not have to make lots of small change back.
When a buyer hands you a bill and you need to make change, put the bill partly under the cash box or calculator until after you hand the buyer their change. Do not put the bill into your pile of other bills. Sometimes dishonest buyers will say "You gave me change for $5 when I gave you $20”. If you had put the $5 into the cash box or your apron, you cannot prove they gave you $5. Only put the buyer’s bill into the cash box or your apron after you have made change and the buyer is leaving.
Move items around and take down tables as you sell items. If you have items on the floor or ground, put them up on tables when you have room.
Make sure to point buyers to your neighbor’s sale and handout maps if it is a neighborhood sale. Make sure to have 30-50 copies of the maps to handout.
For clothing on hangers, keep the hangers when you make a sale for your next sale.
Don't act as if you're operating a museum. Buyers touch things at garage sales.
Don't smoke.
Don't talk about how much money you are making.
Don't take people's comments about your stuff personally.
Say "Thank you" to all buyers, whether they buy something or not.
Smile - Have fun.
