Garage sales are a great way to get rid of unwanted items and make some extra cash. But in order to have a successful garage sale, it’s important to know how to price your items.
Pricing garage sale items is one of the most important aspects of having a successful garage sale.
Wrongly priced items usually get unsold during garage sales.
So how how to price things for a garage sale?
There are a few things to consider when pricing garage sale items. In this article, I am going to tell you the 6 best ways how to price garage sale items to make the most out of them.
So let’s begin!!
Before starting out, I suggest you read our comprehensive guide on how to have a successful garage sale.
How To Price Items For a Garage Sale (My Method)
So I don’t spend a lot of time deciding on the pricing of different products I follow the below rule to quickly price my Garage sale items.
- Good Condition: 40-50% of the original price
- Mint Condition: 20-30% of the original price
- Poor Condition: 10% is my rate but if I genuinely want to get rid of the item then whatever the customer offer I just take it.
How To Price Garage Sale Items (7 Best Ways)
Here are some of the best ways to price your Garage sale items.
You can take inspiration from them and apply them in your upcoming garage sales.
1. Follow The 10%-20% Price Rule
When it comes to pricing your garage sale items, following the 10% rule is a good starting point.
This rule suggests that you should price your items for around 10%-20% of their original price if they are in ok condition.
So for example, if you bought something for $100, you can charge $10 for that item in a garage sale if that item is in ok/working condition.
Of course, you can adjust these prices up or down depending on the condition of the item, an item with fewer signs of usage can be sold for up to 30%-50% of the original price.
If you think some items are way more expensive and are in excellent condition then just sell them on eBay or Facebook marketplace for top dollars.
2. Price Higher If Items Are Unused and Sealed
Sometimes, people are hesitant to buy items at a garage sale because they’re not sure how much the items are used before, especially with electronic items.
But if you have items that are unused and still sealed in their original packaging, you can charge a higher price for them.
This is because buyers will know that the items are almost new and unused.
If the item is something that you bought and never used, you should try to get at least 40-50% of what you paid for it. Sometimes people are willing to pay more than that, especially if it’s something they’ve been wanting or needing.
Although my personal recommendation would be to sell such items on marketplaces like eBay & Facebook to get better rates.
But, if you don’t want to get into creating accounts, clicking pictures, or putting up the listing online then you can sell them on Garage Sales as well.
3. Keep Room For Negotiation
No matter how attractive your prices are, people will always do negotiations.
You will encounter a lot of hagglers and believe me it’s really irritating.
So here, what I would suggest is to price smartly, what does that mean?
Let’s say, If you want $10 for an item, I suggest you price it at $15 because people most of the time will be going to negotiate and bring the price back to $10.
Sometimes if they do not bargain then you will be successful in selling that item for $15 instead of $10 so you will make an extra $5.
However, some hagglers are so annoying that they will say crazy prices like $3 for your $10 item, then there I follow the “take it or leave it policy”.
I really don’t like haggling for a few dollars, but yeah if the item is really trash I would love to give it away for any price.
4. Group Small Items and Create Combos
By grouping small items together, you can create a “lot” that is more appealing to buyers.
Plus, it’s a great way to clear out small items that nobody would be interested in buying!
Not sure what items to group together?
Think about items that are similar in size, shape, or function. For example, you could group together:
-Toys
-Clothes
-Video Game DVD’s/Cassettes
Or, you could create combos of items that go well together.
One more benefit of doing this is, sometimes people don’t know how much to sell clothes for a garage sale, so, if you have a bunch of clothes that you know won’t sell individually, group them together and offer them as a “lot” for one price.
5. Check Other Garage Sales
A great way to get inspiration on how to price your own garage sale items is to check out other garage sales in your area.
Take a round around your neighborhood and see what other people are selling and for how much.
This will give you a good idea of what similar items are worth and how much people are willing to pay for them. If you see an item that is priced too high, you can adjust your own prices accordingly.
Don’t be afraid to ask around for advice from friends or family members who have previously held garage sales. They may have some helpful tips on a pricing strategy that you can use.
Also Read: 10 Best-Selling Items To Look For at Garage Sales
6. Check Youtube Videos
This is kinda unique and smart way to get an idea of garage sale prices.
This will come handy if you do not have any garage sales in your neighborhood to get an idea from.
So what you have to do is go to Youtube and search for “Garage Sale Picks”, you will find a lot of youtube who create vlogs around garage sales.
They usually record everything, you can watch their videos and get a good idea about what people are usually charging for their stuff in their garage sales.
I suggest you watch recent videos not more than 6 months old to get an idea about the latest prices.
FroggyFlips is one of my favorite youtube who creates content all around Garage Sales, you can check him out.
7. Check Prices On Marketplaces
When pricing your garage sale items, it’s a good idea to check out what similar items are selling for on marketplaces like eBay.
This can give you a better idea of what people are willing to pay for similar items and help you price your own items accordingly.
However, keep in mind that not all items will sell for the same amount in your garage sale as they would on eBay because eBay is typically used by resellers who are looking to make a profit, so the prices of items on eBay are going to be a bit higher.
So make sure you take that into consideration while pricing your items.
What Not To Do With Prices At Garage Sale
If you’re having a garage sale, there are a few things you shouldn’t do with your item prices. Here are four things to avoid:
1. Don’t start too high. You may not get many buyers if your prices are too high, so it’s important to find a balance.
2. Don’t start too low. If your prices are too low, you won’t make as much money as you could have.
3. Don’t fluctuate wildly. It’s important to be consistent with your pricing so that buyers know what to expect.
4. Don’t forget to haggle. Many buyers expect to negotiate, so be prepared to haggle over prices if necessary.
General Garage Sale Pricing According To Category
Here is the general pricing structure for items category in a Garage sale. Do not follow this blindly, it is just to take an idea.
| Item Category | Price |
| Clothing | $1 – $5 |
| Video Game Consoles | $5-$50 (Charge more for latest consoles like Sony PS3 & PS4) |
| Decor Items | $1-$10 |
| Shoes | $1-$10 |
| Toys | $1-$20 |
| Appliances | $10-$30 |
| Furniture | $10-$50 |
| Books | $0.50-$5 |
| CD’s & DVD’s | $0.50-$2 |
FAQ on How To Price Garage Sale Items
Here are some frequently asked questions
1. How to price clothes for a garage sale?
When most people think of garage sales, they think of a bunch of old clothes thrown together in a pile.
However, if you want to make the most money possible, it is important to price your clothes correctly. There are a few factors to consider when pricing clothing for a garage sale.
The first factor is the condition of the clothing. If the clothing is in good condition, you can charge more for it. If the clothing is in poor condition, you will need to charge less.
The second factor is whether or not the clothing is still in style. Out-of-style clothing will not sell as well as current styles, so you will need to adjust your prices accordingly.
The third and final factor to consider is how much you paid for the clothing originally.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual seller to decide how to price their clothes.
2. How to price tools for a garage sale?
It’s that time of year again when you are cleaning out your garage and trying to get rid of all the unwanted items.
You may be having a garage sale and trying to sell some of your old tools. But how do you price them? Here are a few tips on how to price tools for a garage sale.
The first thing you need to do is figure out what kind of condition the tool is in. If it is brand new, then you can obviously charge more for it than if it is used.
But even if the tool is used, if it is in good condition then you can still charge a decent amount for it. It is important to remember that people are looking for bargains at garage sales, so don’t overprice your tools.
3. How to price books for a garage sale?
When it comes to pricing books for garage sales, it is important to consider the condition of the book and whether or not it is a popular title.
For example, a well-loved, well-worn copy of a classic novel might only be worth $0.50, whereas a new-release paperback in excellent condition could be worth $10.
Here are some tips for pricing books for garage sales:
– Check online price comparisons to get an idea of how much similar books are selling for.
– If the book is in good condition, start at half of the online price. If the book is in poor condition, start at a quarter of the online price.
– Remember that people at garage sales are looking for bargains, so don’t be afraid to haggle a bit on the price.
4. How to price costume jewelry at a garage sale?
When pricing costume jewelry at a garage sale, it is important to take into account the design, quality, and condition of the pieces.
Design: Is the piece a designer piece or a mass-produced knock-off? If it is a designer piece, it will be worth more than a mass-produced one.
Quality: Is the piece well-made or poorly made? If it is well-made, it will be worth more than a poorly-made one.
Condition: Is the piece in good condition or in poor condition? If it is in good condition, it will be worth more than one in poor condition.
Taking all of these factors into account will help you to price your costume jewelry accurately at your garage sale.
5. How to price furniture for a garage sale?
First, consider the type of furniture you’re selling. Antique or designer pieces will obviously fetch a higher price than mass-produced items from a big box store.
But even within those categories, there is a lot of variation. A well-made piece with amazing craftsmanship may be worth more than a cheaply made item from a household name brand.
Second, think about the condition of the furniture. Is it in perfect condition, with no scratches or stains? Or is it showing some wear and tear?
If the condition of the furniture is almost like new without any scratches or wear & tear you can ask more.
Before You Leave
So I hope you got a basic idea of how to price garage sale items.
Now here is the thing, even after pricing everything perfectly, you may end up having leftover items after your garage sale, now what are you going to do with them?
So I suggest you read our in-depth guide on 6 Things To Do With Garage Sale Leftover Items.
This will help you to get rid of all those leftover items that are of no use to you.
So I hope you have enjoyed reading the article, got any questions? comment down below!! I would love to help you out.
Hey there! I’m Rohit Lohia, a passionate SEO enthusiast and the proud founder of Branded Bucks. I’m all about helping small business owners achieve success online through my blog. Join me on this exciting journey as we explore ways to make money online and build a thriving digital presence.