You are not selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, where a patient seller can wait weeks for the right buyer. You're selling on Saturday morning to people who have three other stops to make and no particular attachment to your stuff. Price to sell, not to maximize.
A general starting point: price items at 10 to 20 percent of their original retail value. A shirt that cost $40 new goes for $4 to $8 at your yard sale. A blender that cost $60 goes for $8 to $12. Adjust up for items in excellent condition with original packaging, and down for visible wear or missing parts.
$1, $2, $5, $10, $25. Round numbers make transactions faster and eliminate the need for making change on odd amounts. Nobody wants to break a $20 bill for a 75-cent item, and you don't want to manage a cash box full of quarters.
Instead of individually pricing every small item, use category pricing: "All books $1," "All clothing $2," "Fill a bag for $5." This speeds up transactions, reduces price-sticker work, and makes things feel like a deal even at fair prices.
Put a blanket on a folding table with smaller miscellaneous items and a "Make an Offer" sign. It invites people to engage rather than walk past, and you'll often get fair prices while clearing inventory quickly without having to price every item individually.
If something hasn't sold by late morning, reduce the price. Half-off stickers on larger items or a "everything must go" sign in the last hour can clear a lot of inventory. Getting $5 is better than getting $0 and making a donation run.
For anything you think might be valuable — antiques, collectibles, tools, vintage items — check eBay sold listings before pricing. You might be about to sell something for $5 that's consistently selling for $50.
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