Secrets To Garage Sale Bargains… and Finding Inventory
May 5, 2008
I’ll be the first to admit that I am a garage sale addict! I’m not quite as bad as my mom (love you mom!)… but, I have a hard time passing up those colorful signs with ‘SALE’ written all over them.
I haven’t always been like this - it started after when my first born was a newborn. We had moved to Oregon from California to be closer to my parents… and then we were unemployed for 18 months… my mom was eager to ’show me the light’ - and we went out to garage sales every Friday and Saturday looking for treasures for this new little addition to our family.
By the time I was pregnant with my second child I was a garage sale PRO! I knew the best neighborhoods to scout out… I could tell just by driving by if there were going to be treasures for me… and I always found the most amazing deals!
(Like my sit and stand stroller - $15…
or entire Gymboree/Gap wardrobe for my daughter for $20…
or incredible Pottery Barn bedding for $10…
A Medella Pump-In-Style, Like New - for $40!
Or, one of those beautiful round cribs - with a mattress and complete bedding for $100…
I could go on and on…)
But, I really got the bug once I started selling on eBay. That Sit-And-Stand stroller I found for $15… I sold it on eBay for over $100! Or, the round crib I mentioned I picked up for $100… I sold it for over $500 on eBay.
Not only are garage sales a great place to pick up used baby gear and clothes for your own personal use when funds are tight… they are the perfect place to pick up eBay inventory.
Below I share 4 tips to keep in mind when you are out and stumble on something you think might be a nice seller for you…
But… before I get to them, I am very excited to share a special treat I was able to work out with Sherah over at www.Auction-Moms.com.
I just finished reading Sherah’s ebook, Secrets To Garage Sale Bargains - man, every year I read it and find a new tip to apply to my yard sale shopping. It is full of great ideas…
Learn things like:
- Which weekend is the best to catch hot moving sales
- Tips for getting a good deal even if your best offer is refused
- Why saying, “Will you take $1 for this toy?” is a no-no.
- Find out the magic words to seal the deal… almost every time!
- When the best time is to hit the sales for the best deals
The ebook sells for $17.99 - but, I was able to work out a special deal with her to offer it to for only $10. This special price is only good through Wednesday, May 7th… so you will need to act quickly.
You can read more about Secrets of Garage Sale Bargains here (don’t order it from that page though!).
But, DON’T ORDER IT FROM THAT PAGE or you will be paying too much!
Sherah has set up for my readers to get a very nice discount HERE:
Now… about those tips…
eBay is the best place to research in order to learn what sells and what doesn’t sell; however, applying these tips will help you find inventory without even opening a web browser.
1. Watch for retired or out of production/print items. I have found that VHS videos can resell very well… especially if it is out of print (OOP) and not yet available on DVD. Other items that are no longer available new are perfect for reselling on eBay.
2. Pay attention to movies that are coming out that are remakes of older tv shows or series’ and watch for items that are related. For example, Speed Racer is about to be released… but, it was a cartoon series long before the movie was in the works. Watch for toys, videos, anything related to the original series.
3. Look for things that have replacement parts. Games and toys that are popular but are likely to lose parts easily. These pieces can resell very well.
4. Talk with kids - or better yet - take a child shopping with you and pay attention to what excites them. Every Christmas I have found that some of the best predictors of the best selling toys are KIDS!
These are just a few tips to help you find inventory… but, I have to say - yard sales are great when money is tight… you can get some amazing deals on children’s items - and they are usually not very used because kids grow so quickly. The season is just starting and whether you are an avid garage saler… or just looking into the idea - the Secrets To Garage Sale Bargains is a must read for getting the best deal!
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My mother-in-law is such a bargain shopper, hitting the yard sales, garage sales, and consignment stores on a regular basis. The woman has more clothes than anyone should have, but she’s rarely spent more than $5 for really nice clothes.
However, she keeps buying, which I think is wasteful. I believe she should sell some of the older clothes she doesn’t wear anymore on eBay and make back some of her money. She refuses to learn, however, and I don’t have the time to do it for her.
My husband’s aunt did that for a while - buying items at yard sales and then selling them on eBay. She did quite well with it for a while, but then stopped. I don’t know why.
The possibilities are definitely out there, I’ve just never been able to figure out the “secret” to selling on eBay. Maybe I’ll give it another try.