I already shared my Top 10 Tips for Garage Sale Success, today I want to share more on how to Negotiate. Lots of friends have mentioned that they’re afraid or are just not quite sure how to negotiate. It’s something that I’ve got a LOT of practice at so I want to share my 10 Tips For Garage Sale Negotiating.
- Be Friendly. Say Hello when you walk up. No one wants to negotiate with a jerk.
- Bring small bills. If you’re asking someone to drop a price from $10 to $5, the last thing you want to do is have to have them give you change from your $10 bill.
- When items aren’t priced rather than asking, “How much is this?” offer a specific amount. What you offer may be less than they were thinking, but it is easier for them to say yes to you than for you to try to negotiate their price down.
- When items are priced, simply ask, “Is this the lowest you’ll go?”. Often they will offer a lower price.
- If you’re buying clothing with assorted prices, ask if they would take the same amount for each item. For example if you find clothes marked $.50 and $1 ask if they would take .$50 for each item.
- Mention why you want the item, “My grandma had one of these I loved”, or “This would make my son so happy”, or “These pillowcases will be awesome for the pillowcase dresses I make for a charity”. Recently after mentioning this the lady came out with even more pillowcases and gave them to me for free!
- If it’s the last day of the sale ask if they’ll go half price on everything. Most people would rather sell their items for something than have to load them and bring them to donate.
- If you’re buying a few things, ask if they’ll “throw something in”. Just this weekend I purchased $4 of kids clothes and asked if the would “throw in” the two $.25 toys my boys were getting. It was a simple request that saved me $.50!
- If you notice something is broken, torn, stained, or dirty politely point out the imperfection and offer less.
- When you find something that is a great deal, ask if they have any more! This weekend I found a cheap fan that I liked and asked if they had another, they then ran into the house and came out with a $100 antique fan that they sold me for $2.50!
If you liked these tips, you’ll love 10 Tips for Garage Saleing Success, How to Garage Sale for Name Brand Kid’s Clothes and The 5 Do’s and Don’ts of Garage Saleing (from my blogging buddy Amber)!
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I’m loving all of these garage sale tips! I really want to start going to garage sales this year. I have some furniture I want for the house but don’t want to buy it full price. I’m hoping to find something cheap that I can fix up. Thank you for sharing your tips! I hope to start linking up to your linky party once I make it out. 🙂
The dresser is awesome!
what a steal on that fan – but oh, that dresser!!! swoon! i’ve been looking for one like that for months!! $5 is such a steal!!
Seriously. I think the conclusion I’ve come to is that people in DIckinson don’t know “mid-century” is back in, and they all think it is just junky! That was the second day the dresser was out for $5!!! I love it!
I think I’m with everyone else, and that dresser is amazing! Can’t wait to see what you do with it! Or who you gift it too 😉
Way to go! You scored big time!
those work lights are a great steal too – i bet your conclusion is right – everything mid century goes so fast here…
i was super excited about your linky party, but all i ever get out of garage sales are a bunch of kids clothes, toys, and books 🙂 there were 3 huge neighborhood garage sales last weekend and our neighborhood sale is this weekend. however, i did hit a church garage sale last weekend and left with some fun vintage finds which was fun – nothing too exciting, just a granny square afghan, embroidery hoops, and a framed crewelwork piece. i’m going to have to hunt down some more of those church sales!
These are such great tips… I need to get back in my garage sale summer mode! I do feel weird asking for a discount; but notice that people never feel weird asking ME for one! I’m gonna do it! xoxo jules
Thanks, I think if you are polite and friendly it is a lot more comfortable and easier for them to say yes! Go for it at the next sale and let me know how it goes! I love hearing about a good deal!
Love these tips! I don’t hit up garage sales very often, but I’ll know how to handle myself now if I start. Thanks! ~M.
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