Before getting started with garage sale flipping, you should do your research on eBay, Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, or wherever you choose to list your items. Spending a few hours beforehand on your specialty areas will prepare you as you quickly move through garage sales.
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Going to Facebook Marketplace and searching for keywords such as “subdivision,” “annual,” or “neighborhood,” can quickly point you in the direction of the larger sales in the area.
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Getting there the night before or too early in the morning can be disrespectful, so I tend to wait until the official starting time to show up. More aggressive garage sale veterans may disagree with my thoughts on not showing up before the official starting time.
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Shipping can be a huge pain if you run a smaller operation. Nowadays, I tend to focus on purchasing items that can fit into a large yellow envelope. For example, DVDs and video games are easy to prepare and ship.
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This goes without saying, but take advantage of your smartphone when looking for items to resell. I usually have the eBay app up with the proper filters (e.g., completed or sold items) as I browse garage sales.
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The majority of the time garage sale hosts are willing to take less than the original price. Don’t waste your time negotiating 50 cent items down to 25 cents. However, negotiating a $20 item down to $10 can make a big difference.
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