Tonight in the Tulsa County Garage Sale group on Facebook, items up for sale ranged from designer bags to baby clothes, prom dresses to furniture, and even live goats. Yes, goats! All sorts of listings had been posted over the last 24 hours, and many of the items sold quickly for the full asking price.
The Facebook garage sale phenomenon is relatively new, but scores of groups have sprung up across the country over the past several months. Lots of moms are now earning extra cash by selling unwanted items on Facebook instead of in old-fashioned garage sales. I talked with Dana Combs, a middle school teacher from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, who has been selling on Facebook for a while to find out more about how this works.
A better option for online selling
The biggest benefit to selling on Facebook as opposed to other sites, according to Combs, is the fact that you can list small items and sell them locally without listing fees or shipping charges. Combs said selling on Facebook is easier than eBay, which she had used before, and she has not encountered any big problems while participating in the local garage sale groups. Combs cross-posts items in multiple groups for the best exposure, and has earned approximately $150 a month selling used items online. She did mention that some people in her groups have complained about buyers not showing up at meeting places to complete transactions, but she has not run into that problem.
Learn the rules
The garage sale groups each form their own rules, so it is best to learn the ropes before diving into the action. Here are a few of the most common rules.
- Don’t bump your posts more than once a day.
- Keep all communications on-site until a bid has been accepted.
- Don’t post the details of your meeting place and time on-site.
- Place multiple photos of a single item or lot in an album.
- Don’t make a deal to sell or buy and then back out.
Learning the rules specific to the group you will be using will help you build a positive reputation within the group and increase your sales.
Convenience and safety
Facebook garage sale groups allow you to sell your items conveniently and in many ways more safely than a traditional garage sale. To hold a normal garage sale, you usually have to get up early, often before dawn, open your house up and get your items out onto your driveway. People come to your home, they see your open garage, they get a good look at all the items you are selling and some you are not. When selling in a Facebook garage sale, you can meet your buyer in a neutral location and the buyers see only what you choose to post online. Of course, people can still learn a lot about you by the things you sell, but with Facebook you are at least in control of how much information you choose to share.
If you have a lot of used items to sell, especially kids’ clothes and toys, I would suggest giving the Facebook garage sale groups a try. All you need is a digital camera and a Facebook membership to get started. You might end up with clean closets and a pocket full of cash, and that’s not a bad way to start the summer.
More from Tavia:
Preparing Children for Competition
Managing Extracurricular Activities without Losing Your Mind
Teaching Your Child to Overcome Fear
