Why people stop at neighbors garage sales but not mine

[debodun]

Last weekend was our community-wide garage sale. Two neighbors homes across the street had sales. I watched as time and again, people would stop and go to those sales and not come over to mine. I kept wondering why and maybe it's because the neighbor's have small front yards which are close to the street (see photo with red arrows showing those properties). My yard is large and I set the tables close to the house. It is also an uphill climb. Maybe people are so lazy they they can't cross the street and walk 50 feet up the hill? Are they afraid of the huge maple tree?

 

[Raven]

Deb, If it's not too much work it might be better if your sale tables were
closer to the street.

 

[Butterfly]

Yeah, maybe they can't see them way up there, or don't want to walk up there or something. People are lazy.

 

[SeaBreeze]

I agree with Raven, people usually stop when something catches their eye from the street, or while driving past in a car. That's the only time I would ever stop at a yard sale, if something of interest to me was there. If I couldn't see what was being sold, I probably wouldn't want to stop, nothing to do with being lazy IMO. Can you put at least a couple of your tables closer to the street? Maybe once they see the stuff there and notice more is near the house, they'll be more inclined to walk over for a looksee.

 

[debodun]

Deb, If it's not too much work it might be better if your sale tables were
closer to the street.

Ah, but you see, it is a lot of work for me when I have so many things and have to do it myself. It is a great exertion just to put a few card tables out near the porch. Most things I set up right on the porch. I like to keep things close to the house, they are less likely to "walk away".

One strange thing I am still puzzling about is two older women actually walked up the sidewalk, but when hey reached the corner of the first table, one said to the other, "Let's get out of here!". They spun around and practically ran down to the street. I felt like chasing them and asking what the problem was.

 

[IKE]

Add the words "Free Beer" to your garage sale sign and I'll bet you'll have more people stopping by than you can shake a stick at.

 

[smilingmore]

My husband and I use to do the yard sales every weekend. But now we are nearing 80 years, and we stopped doing it unless something catches our eye. Yes, it is too hard to walk up hill for any distance. And when two sales are next to each other, it is good, but to cross the street and walk up a long drive is too difficult, so we don't do it. I guess we miss a lot of good things.

 

[Camper6]

It depends who you are trying to attract.

Tools? Males.

Females. All and everthing. I couldn't believe how much costume jewelry I sold and how easy it was to get rid of it.

Males are looking for wrenches, screwdrivers, chisels, carving tools, drills, and whatever.

 

[Granny B.]

I, too, think, that maybe people couldn't see your tables from the street. I don't think laziness is the cause, but they might have been tired. Maybe if you had had a big sign out front that pointed up to your house, it might have helped. Sorry you were disappointed.