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Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 8:53 am
by cesariojpn
So one of my buddies is gonna have a garage sale next week, and i thought of an idea. Lemme get some feedback on this.

The idea I had is that for a discount off (thinking 25% off), one could pay in pennies. I figured getting a cheapo coin counting machine or those red tubes from Office Max to use in counting. Think this idea could work?

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:30 am
by Snake42
zincs or coppers?

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:39 am
by NDFarmer
If you figure the biggest percentage of pennies will be zinc I think you are better off just going to a bank and getting pennies. After you give the discount you won't be gaining anything and probably will loose money.

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:49 am
by TheJonasCollegeFund
Better idea....when they try to bargain down your price....and if it's close just tell them to add whatever pennies they have in their pocket/purse to it and it's sold!

Just a thought by someone who has NEVER done that! I swear I haven't! 8-)

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:58 am
by cesariojpn
NDFarmer wrote:If you figure the biggest percentage of pennies will be zinc I think you are better off just going to a bank and getting pennies. After you give the discount you won't be gaining anything and probably will loose money.


Interesting you pulled that up, and there is a reason for my discounting plan:

It's a given that with garage sales, people will try to lowball you like mad. I'm trying to play upon this idea abit by saying to the people "Okay, i'll give you this price (or the discount), but......pay me in pennies." Plus, there are a few cultural reasons as well (i've been hearing alot that Filipino's lowball like crazy. Supposedly they flock to garage sales to send back goods to the motherland.)

Like I said, I've thrown up the idea, see if it's viable or not. Good responses so far.

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:26 am
by Oakair
Most people wont know they can acquire that many pennies...

You will need to direct them to a bank and inform them about prices/box...

May be more hassle than its worth, considering you can just take the proceeds to the bank yourself and pick up some boxes/bags...

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:53 pm
by rulesforrebels
Creative idea so props for that but I think it's more trouble than its worth for you and them.

First off your ad space is generally limited, do you really want to waste 2 lines of your ad saying if you pay pennies you get 25% off.

Also, are you actually going to give a discount or just quote a higher price and then take 25% off? If your really giving a true discount I think you'd make more money charging more than you will giving a 25% discount, having to buy a penny machine and then only getting a % of coppers adn the rest zincs.

I just don't think it's practical. Lots of garage salers have kids with tehm, now they gotta haul the kids and a bag or box of pennies around plus who's to say they even want something from your sale.

I think it's easier just going to the bank. Props on a creative idea though.

Re: Garage Sale Payment....

PostPosted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:22 pm
by Tourney64
Don't think it work. Had a garage sale a few weeks ago after I bought a storage unit. It would have been way too busy trying to deal with pennies.