Craigslist exchange over yard sale pricing

"I have a question about yard sales. I understand that there is alot of junk at yard sales and it should be priced at a dollar or 50 cents, but why do people think your supposed to sell everything for a dollar?

I had this ignorant lady at my yard sale try to buy a brand new version of Trivial Pursuit in the brand new shiny tin box. It goes for 39.99 at the store, and I told her it was $5. She yelled at me and told me how she wasn't paying that much. Then another lady didn't want to buy a $50 carseat for $10... Another guy told me I was stupid because my games were too expensive. I was selling Xbox 360 games that go for for $59.99 and $49.99 in the store for $15 and $30. They aren't even that cheap at the flea market. I don't understand. Am I doing something wrong? Can someone fill me in on yard sale etiquette please?"

A poster to Craigslist (Providence) shared this question (above) with other Craigslist readers over the weekend. Here are a couple of the responses:

"I have been on both ends of this. A lot of people are looking for deals when they go to yard sales. That's most of the fun of it. This can work to your benefit if you have a lot of clutter you are looking to get rid of. You make a little money and get rid of stuff all at the same time. If you sell 300 things for $1 that's $300 in your pocket and mounds of clutter out of your home. If you have things that will fetch a higher price selling another way (like consignment, selling single items on Craigslist, places like Gamestop and FYE that buy games, Ebay, etc.) don't put those items out if you aren't prepared for low offers. It will also help if you have a lot of items to sell in general. Don't focus on what you paid for the items. You won't get that price back. Focus more on what people are willing to spend. If someone is going lower on your asking price, try to throw similar items into the deal (like on a coffee maker maybe some cups and saucers or a sugar bowl or a creamer thing... things that you would only charge 50 cents-$1 for) to make the total price close to what you were asking for the coffee maker. It sweetens the deal (no pun intended) and you will sell all of it at once where they would normally not buy the cups or whatever. The other option — if you don't like the offers — is you can say no — or better yet — negotiate a price for something in between. Sometimes you have to be a little flexible. If buyers are ignorant to you and calling you names it's best that these people leave the same way they came. Empty handed."

Then, there is this point of view:

"If someone offers me a dollar for something worth more I just tell them I’ll give it to Big Sisters if i don’t get the price on the tag."

And this one....

"OKAY FOLKS, HERE IS THE LOW DOWN ON YARD SALES. IT IS NOT A STORE, NOR IS IT A FLEA MARKET (BOTH OF THOSE ARE SET UP TO MAKE A PROFIT AND DEMAND A HIGHER PRICE FOR A ITEM FOR SALE.) THE DEFINITION OF A YARD SALE OR GARAGE SALE OR JUNK SALE OR TAG SALE — CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT — IT IS WHAT IT IS — A SALE OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE WHO FREQUENT THESE SALES ARE OUT TO GET AS BARGAINS. PEOPLE DON'T GET IN THEIR CAR AT 7 IN THE MORNING AND DRIVE AROUND ALL DAY TO PAY ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL VALUE. THIS IS JUST COMMON SENSE. THE HIGHER THE PRICE,THE HARDER IT WILL BE TO SELL. Someone may pay your price, or they may not. It’s all supply and demand, and demand for a yard sale item is on the low end because you have more people wanting to pay very low for the items they buy. It's basic. As far as people being mean when you bargain with them at a yard sale, that is unfortunate. The buyer has the right to make whatever offer he wants to the seller, and the seller has the right to dictate their wanting price, and hopefully you get to deal with nice people. Because as I have learned, people are people, and that is so uncool. I have been on both ends, and I think anybody can offer what they want. And anybody can sell at the price they want. If you are mean because you don’t get what you want, that says a lot about you. Yard saleing should be fun for everyone.

So, the next time you get asked if you will take a dollar for an item, don’t get mad. Just say no.

Here is my opinion.

Yard sales are mutually beneficial. They are useful for the seller to unload and clean out their home or apartment. And, these sales are beneficial to buyers who may have a way to repurpose previously loved home items — no matter if they can use what they buy themselves, give it away to friends or relatives, or re-sell. Whatever the reason for buying, attending yard or garage sales is time well spent for the bargains that can be found. It benefits both parties.

Yard sale prices are low. That IS why the buyers come out.

As a seller, if yard sale prices are not acceptable to you, then take the extra effort required to place classified ads for individual items, set up at a flea market, or photograph and post each item on eBay and then ship it all out. If you are moving and don’t have the time, or if you aren’t computer savvy — or for any other reason — you aren’t willing or knowlegable enough to persue other avenues of selling your goods, then you may want to consider donating as an option.

Another option to look into is a buy-out. There are dealers who will make an appointment with you to go to your home (or storage unit) and negotiate a set price for everything. They’ll even clean it all out. (That’s how much of what is sold at auction gets there.) You’ll probably make less money than you would by having a yard sale — but you won’t need to advertise, set it all up, spend the time and effort, or clean up the leftovers.

It all comes down to finding the right avenue of selling to suit your immediate needs. How much money you make will depend upon how much effort and time you are willing or able to invest.