Virtual Garage Sale Tips

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

07 Sep 2007 08:45 AM

Yesterday, I introduced the concept of having a virtual garage sale. What did you think? Pretty easy to get started with one, isn't it? We talked about how to set up a virtual garage sale, as well as how to get the word out to potential customers. Now we will explore the special concerns for having a virtual garage sale, as well as some tips to ensure success.

One of the biggest concerns about having a virtual garage sale is in getting the items to your customers; that is, physically. Decide what you are willing to do among the following options.

Pickup only? Most people buying locally online assume that they will be picking any purchased items up from your location. So, this is really the default option.

Deliver items for a fee? If you are selling large items, such as furniture, you might want to give the customers the option of a paid delivery. You load up the items and deliver it for a small fee that covers your time and your gas.

Deliver the items for free with bulk purchase? If you don't mind making a delivery, you can entice your customers to purchase more by offering the option of free deliver for anything over a certain dollar amount.

You can also offer to meet your customer half-way between your location and hers. Your buyers may really appreciate this.

Now here are some additional tips.

Do what you can to be available as much as possible for customers coming over to look at your stuff. If you know that you have certain commitments, then put a list of days or hours you are available in your advertising.

Be safe. Never list your home phone number or home address in your advertising. Instead, provide an e-mail address or a cell phone number until you feel comfortable letting someone into your home. You can always meet them outside on the front lawn, instead.

You can probably price things just a little bit higher in a virtual garage sale compared to a traditional garage sale. People buying online are used to higher prices with the auction sites. Aim for pricing your items somewhere in between.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Have A Virtual Garage Sale

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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