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How to Determine the Sale Value of Used Goods

Whether you are thinking about having a yard sale, opening a thrift store or wanting to sell your old boat, you'll want to consider pricing very carefully. Although you don't want to just give your things away, you don't want to charge too much either, as either situation could create shopper resistance. Take the time to do some research and aim to make a fair transaction that can still generate some profit.

Instructions

- 1
  Conduct research in the marketplace. Find out what similar items are being sold for, where, and by whom.
- 2
  Check online marketplaces such as eBay, which lists thousands of used goods for sale.
- 3
  Look over newspaper classifieds if you are selling something that is commonly found there.
- 4
  Go mystery-shopping at thrift stores and price the same or similar items that you want to sell.
- 5
  Use price guides (See Resources) for more expensive items such as cars, boats or recreational vehicles.
- 6
  Back up your asking price for higher-priced items by getting a professional appraisal (real estate, jewelry, antiques and collectibles). Make sure to figure the cost of the appraisal into your price calculations, as they can be expensive.
- 7
  Eliminate any confusion by creating a sliding-condition scale for pricing your items. (See Reference 1) Price items in perfect condition at a certain percentage of the original cost and those in a less desirable condition at a lower percentage of the original cost.

Other Collecting