Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Learn how to price garage sale items for maximum profit in Canada. Get tips on what you can and cannot sell, and make the most of your decluttering.
Pricing for a garage sale can be hit or miss, so buyers keep their eyes open for a great deal.
It’s that time again when yard signs are popping up all over the neighbourhoods.
If you plan on hosting, please be aware of the garage sale health Canada warning.
Today, I want to discuss how to price garage sale items to get the optimum return.
The guide details what you can and cannot sell at a garage sale.
Summer Garage Sale Downsizing
A garage sale might be on your summer to-do list to downsize what you no longer use at home.
We go by the theory that if we haven’t used it in 6 months, we discuss selling or donating.
Pricing is one of the most challenging tasks for having a garage sale if the end goal is profit.
We have also been to garage sales and talked to sellers who get items for free using coupons.
Products such as shampoo,deodorant, laundry soap, body, and toothpaste that the seller gets for free are resold for profit.
Don’t dismiss used products, as we’ve found partially used or expensive body products.
Someone will sell it if it can sell, especially if they need money.
Store closings are also a popular way to get products to sell at garage sales for reduced prices.
We once went to a dollar store sale where products that were once $1 were now $0.10 each.
As a seller, you might want to consider whether your selling price is a price you would pay.
Planning A Garage Sale
If you want to have a successful garage sale, planning at least two months is ideal.
Essential items to plan for in advance are what many sellers forget to do.
- Pricing items in advance by researching the current value
- Advertising on utility posts, newspapers, and online groups on Facebook or Kijiji.
A common mistake is advertising a garage sale online and forgetting the address, time, or date.
Below is an ad example that is easy to market and will potentially get you traffic.
Don’t be shy to add a bit of humour to your garage sale sign or online listing.
A catchy advertisem*nt means that more people might read it and share it.
Garage Sale Ad Example
Wonderville, Ontario – Huge Garage Sale, Saturday, May 19, 2013, rain or shine, from 7 am to noon on Dovey Crescent.
Please see the attached Google Map to help with directions.
Items For Sale Include:
- Baby Boy and Girls clothing 6 months to 5T.
- Gardening Tools
- Home Decor
- Books
- Oversized Rugs
- King-size Bedding
- Mechanics Tools
- Winter Tires
No early birds or I’ll have to cage you and sell you for a negotiated price!
Our children are holding a Bake Sale with chocolate chip cookies, coffee, water, and orange juice.
Bring your appetite.
Everyone Welcome!!
Who Goes To Garage Sales?
Garage sales are for everyone, and the“poor people” stereotype we sometimes hear is the wrong attitude.
Remember, you can’t judge a person from their clothes, their car, or where they shop.
You get the odd, snotty homeowner who looks down at you, but who cares?
It’s not like you will ever see them again.
I don’t care what anyone thinks, primarily if they sell me something reasonably priced.
People of all ages and incomes are going house to house to grab the good stuff before it’s gone.
Home designers, homestaging professionals, and frugal people visit garage sales for deals.
No Early Birds At Garage Sales
There will always be at least one when a homeowner has “no early birds” for their garage sale.
Not all early birds want first dibs, as some buyers tend to scope out what the seller has for sale.
Some people get free stuff on the side of the road or from free-cycle and resell it at garage sales.
The theory is if the original homeowner didn’t want to sell it, someone else would if they could earn cash.
Garage Sale Pricing
No garage sale pricing guide is available online, as prices vary per item.
It’s up to sellers to make their garage sale pricing list based on the items for sale.
Price garage sale items reasonably by researching the article if you’re unsure.
When pricing a garage sale item, consider the condition and whether all pieces are in the box.
People don’t host a garage sale hoping a buyer will pay retail prices because they won’t.
They won’t, even with a valuable vintage item, so try selling it online instead and not at a garage sale.
Negotiate Your Way To SOLD!
When someone goes to a garage sale, they want bargain basem*nt prices, so discount.
If that means you haggle (which is almost 100% going to happen), negotiate towards a price you are comfortable accepting.
No one says you must accept an offer, but you don’t want to lug stuff back into the house.
Negotiating doesn’t sound so bad after all, now does it?
In the last hour of a garage sale, sellers will deeply discount items to move them faster.
Be realistic about the items you sell because you know how the product was usedor handled.
The seller also knows the age and how much they paid for the item or if they are the original owner.
If you sell ancient history items (no longer manufactured), consider a reasonable price, especially if parts are no longer available.
The ideal price tags for a garage sale are coloured round stickers from the Dollar Store.
You can also colour code the items with the stickers using blue for $1.00 and red for $2.00.
Using a marker, write a price using masking tape, a paper sign, or a master list.
How To Price Garage Sale Items In Canada
If a seller has a master list of garage sale prices, how did they determine them?
Product pricing differs worldwide and, in some cases, city to city, province to province, and state to state.
Some people pay taxes on items. Others don’t, so prices are up to the seller.
If one person values an item, another won’t see its worth; better yet, they may, and you might not if you aren’t on top of your game.
How To Find Average Garage Sale Prices
1. Research Garage Sale Prices
I would suggest that if you are concerned about a specific item, do your research.
For example, if you have wedding gifts that are brand new and you want to sell them, see if you can find them online.
You likely have no idea what they cost because you didn’t pay for the wedding gifts, so any price is a starting point.
Search Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Craigslist, or eBay to see what other sellers list the price.
Related: 6 Tips To Sell Yourself Fast On Kijiji
You can average your garage sale prices if it makes you feel more comfortable.
2. Price To Sell
When hosting a garage sale, if you want to get rid of the stuff, you need to price it to sell.
If you think about the money you are losing is when you are hauling stuff back into your house.
We sold flowers last year, and that money goes toward our landscaping project.
Everyone knows businesses will market products to customers, so they think they are getting a better deal.
An example would be 2/$1.00 or 1 for $0.75. Immediately you would say, hey, I’ll take 2 then, it’s cheaper.
Use the same marketing as the big guys with items you have to move out faster.
If you paid $20 for an item and it is used, sell it for a reasonable percentage of the original price.
There are no hard, fast, and steady rules for pricing. It’s your choice.
You can use the percentage rule selling garage sale items at 10% of the original cost.
Again, garage sale prices are based on quality, brand, used or new, and current retail price.
- Research the current product price.
- Sell for a fraction of that price whether the item is used or new.
3. Consult With Friends and Family Or Online Communities
Don’t hesitate to ask if you aren’t sure where a product has come from or don’t know what it is or its age.
I’m sure there are many online forums you can take a picture of the item and post it for feedback.
It doesn’t hurt to ask because you never know what you hold on to and if it’s worth the money.
How often have we heard buyers who find a great deal only to find out it was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?
Sellers don’t want to make that mistake if they sit on a gold mine and sell it for a dollar or two.
Garage Sale Season
When is garage sale season in Canada?
Garage sales tend to start the May two-four weekend until October, when most pack it in for the season.
Negotiating Prices At A Garage Sale
We picked up a few items this past week, including the cover photo!
The Rules of Wealth finance book was $2.00, and I negotiated for $1.00.
A one-dollar price tag was remarkable, considering the book price is $19.99 and brand new.
I could have borrowed the book from the library, but I considered time and gas in the equation.
Buying the book allows me to read it without worrying about late fees.
The plant stands cost us $3.00, which I haggled the seller down from $5.00.
I paid $0.50 for the dish cleaning products, such as a pot scrubber and sink plugs.
A Succulent Money Tree for $0.50 for Charity
Money Tree 2022
Update 2022: Since purchasing this tiny plant, I’m happy to report that it is alive and MASSIVE.
Large Wicker Basket
Vintage Bowl and Candle
This vintage bowl and candle cost us $4.00, with the candle sticker at $9.99 underneath, but who knows what they paid for it originally.
It’s still a good deal if you ask me, as we couldn’t buy this for $4.00 anywhere new, and that’s what it is, unique.
Stick To Online Selling For Vintage Or Expensive Items
If you are unsure how to price items, don’t sell them until you know.
If you won’t be able to sleep at night knowing that you sold an item that might be worth money, keep it indoors.
Sometimes, it’s better to sell on Kijiji, Craigslist or eBay if you have a set price, as you might get what you want for the item.
Take your time, plan it out, and smile because every customer likes a friendly homeowner ready to conduct business.
If you have kids, involve them by making and selling baked goods to help build an entrepreneurial mindset.
Discussion: What other tips do you have for pricing garage sale items?
Other Garage/Yard Sale Posts
- How To Flip Garage Sale Purchases
- Ways To Host A Successful Virtual Garage Sale
- Garage Sale Food And Drink Ideas To Sell
- Do You Have A Garage Sale Permit?
- How To Sell Used Kids Clothing At A Garage Sale
- The Ultimate Garage Sale Guide To Prevent Theft
- Should There Be A Garage Sale Return Policy?
- 20 Garage Sale Tools To Attract Buyers
- How To Host A Community Garage Sale
- 5 Garage Sale Staging Secrets
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