One man’s garage sale leftovers can be another man’s paycheck. North Idaho Pickers was cruising a garage sale held by a local golf professional, one of the pros at the Coeur d’Alene golf course and resort, when something caught the picker’s eye: a row of golf bags. Before leaving, the picker handed the seller a business card with a simple pitch. If you cannot sell these here, call me, and maybe I will make you a package deal for everything.
The call came, and the picker returned to make the offer.
Why the Bags Mattered
These were not ordinary bags. The seller explained that some were staff bags used during the four major championships, the kind tour pros carried their clubs in. They are placarded, with some dated 2011 and 2012, and still have their tags, although they are a little shop worn from moving. The seller had looked online and said most were selling for $400 to $500, with one close to $800. The picker confirmed that: he knew these as roughly $500 bags and one $800 bag on eBay.
The seller was hoping the bags would help make up for other things that would be hard to move. That is a common story. At most sales, the garage fills with items that nobody wants, and the one good category carries the whole sale.
The Offer, Item by Item
This is where it gets interesting, because the picker was open about his math. He said he does not base his offers on eBay numbers, since eBay prices assume you list high and wait. He said he cannot store it all forever. Roughly, he explained that some items sell on eBay, but anything unsold in 90 days gets its price lowered until it goes. This is how he makes a living, so his offers have to leave room to profit.
He also pointed out that eBay charges about 20 percent in fees, so a $400 bag nets around $300. On an $800 bag, the fees would be higher still.
His numbers started like this:
- $100 for the general household items, taking all of it, good and bad.
- $200 for the clothes and shoes. He knew that was less than the seller wanted, but said he has to sort, list and sell them.
- $150 per golf bag, since he has to take the risk, tie up money, ship the bags and still make a profit.
- Around $175 for a wine cooler that retails for about $410 to $450 open box at retailers. He said he would have to list it at about $175 to profit, so half of that was his number.
The seller pushed back a little. The bags were what he was hoping to profit on, so he could let the picker take the rest off his hands. Eventually the picker said that if he could get ten more dollars out of each bag, he could make it $160 a bag, and with five bags that comes to $800. Add $200 for clothes and $100 for household items and the package reached $1,100, without the clubs. The clubs would need to be looked at separately.
There was one wrinkle. The wine fridge belonged to someone else in the house, who was set on a higher price because it was new and she had looked it up. In the end, the picker accepted $175 for it, and that got him the small items on the table too, including a pile of koozies. A rocker was staying put. The picker loaded his pickup, planned a trailer trip for the rest, and the sellers told the neighbors the garage sale was closed.
What Sellers Can Learn From This
It is a useful look at both sides of a deal. If you are the one clearing out a garage, a garage sale, or a house, here is what this story suggests:
- Know what your best items are worth. This seller had checked sold prices before the picker arrived.
- Expect a pro to pay a fraction. A reseller who must pay fees, ship and wait will offer much less than the listing price. That is not an insult, it is the math.
- Consider a package deal. Taking everything saves you time and the headache of hauling leftovers to a thrift store. The picker said estate sales typically net the owner only about 25 to 30 percent of an item’s value, since a lot goes unsold and gets donated, and that is the range he tries to offer in.
- Negotiate the strongest items separately. The seller kept the wine cooler decision open and sold it at a price the household could live with after some back and forth.
- Make sure you are comfortable with the deal. If you would rather sell the bags yourself, you can.
- Get help moving. The picker brought a truck and trailer, and the household offered boxes.
The picker also said that he likes to show everything he picked up, what has sold and what the rest is listed for at the end of the video. The lesson stands either way: a polite card, a patient follow-up and a fair number can turn a closing garage sale into a clean sweep.
More Stories You May Like
- Picker Shows What Sold Online in Just Two Days and Which Items Moved the Fastest
- Mom Paid a Local Baker in Advance for Two Birthday Cakes and Even the Baker’s Own Dad Could Not Get Her to Deliver Before the Party
- Woman Thought She Found Her Dream Leopard Print High Heel Chair at a Garage Sale Until She Learned the Shopper Before Her Already Bought It