Q & A
These are FAQ from
an estate sale customer’s point of view,
if you’re interested in hiring us, check out this page of Q&A.
How do I find out about upcoming sales?
The three sure-fire ways are joining our email list, “Liking” and “Following” us on our Facebook business page, and Twitter. Otherwise, we also post on Instagram and Instagram stories when we can. We also advertise our sales on EstateSales.net
Do you conduct sales all year round?
We sure do! The only main reason we would postpone a sale is because of ice. Too dangerous.
Do you post prices online? I don’t want to make the trip only to find the desired item is too expensive for me.
We do not post prices online for several reasons. One, there is honestly no time and it wouldn’t be cost effective. Two, we sell in person and want to encourage people to come to the sale to see for themselves. Our main priority is the client, and getting the sale ready in time for the opening day. Lastly, we’d hate to rush and give out prices only to change them later upon further research or inspection.
To comment on the statement, I understand this, especially with how easy it is these days to order items online, read reviews, etc. However, in order for us to be able to sell at the low prices we do, we try to be in and out of a sale house as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to begin working on the next sale house. We are known for our fair and good prices, but do not have the time to notify everyone what we will be asking for an item on the sale day.
More insight, in order to promote a sale, we must post our social media first to advertise the sale. We do not price the house until after all social media has been posted, which takes about 6 hours on average, not including the time of taking pictures and staging. Social media day is usually on Monday or Tuesday of the sale week. As soon as social media is done, we begin researching and pricing, typically Wednesday of the sale week.
I’ve never been to an estate sale. What are your rules?
Great question, you can find an explanation of our rules here.
Do you ever sell anything early or do you allow pre-sales ?
We sell on a first come, first serve basis. That is what I find most fair.
If there is something you’d like to purchase and are not able to come to the sale, I’m sorry, we can’t. You are welcome to text during the sale and ask if it is still available, but I will not pull a tag for someone until the entire line is inside. First dibs goes to the customers who waited in line. However, I have seen some pretty creative ways around this. I’ve seen everything from a determined customer contacting a “regular” and asking if they’d pull a tag for them, a miserable teenager having to wait in line for their parents as a punishment, to someone hiring a U of I student online to wait in line for them and purchase something specific! If there’s a will, there’s a way.
I am also happy to accept phone purchases as soon as the first sale day ends, this is the safest way to explain this because sometimes I am too busy during a sale to answer texts of interested absent buyers, but it’s worth a shot!
In short, I NEVER have pre-sales or ever sell anything early. It would kill our reputation as much as I’d like to !
I would like to buy a large piece of furniture but I have no way of getting it home.
I usually encourage customers to think of a neighbor, co-worker, nephew, grandson, etc. they could call to ask for help, but ultimately, it is the buyer’s responsibility to have their items removed from the sale house. Menard’s has an affordable and easy truck rental system amongst several others also. I have a few great local movers I can recommend too.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept payments of cash, checks, and all credit/debit cards mainly. I am also able to email you an invoice for you to pay from your phone or computer if you are not able to come by the sale to pay. We have also accepted several payments from PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and Apple Pay in the past. We LOVE contactless pay with cards because it speeds up the check-out process!
I have anxiety and don’t like crowds or am on the Autism spectrum. / I am disabled/wheelchair bound/can’t stand for long.
Estate sales are just too cool of an experience to give up on. No biggie! Let’s work something out. I know it’s not ideal to shop on the second or third day, but I am happy to accommodate in anyway I can. Typically on a Sunday following a sale, I have a couple of customers contact me to reserve a private shopping time. They are able shop at their own pace, with no music and minimal sound. If you have another idea of how we could accommodate, contact me and I am happy to arrange something or a special time for you to come over and check out the house, either after the first day or on Sunday.
I’ve liked your page on Facebook, but I never get notified of your sales!
Unfortunately I hear this too often. First, make sure you actually “Liked” our page, it is easy to be distracted by all of the beautiful photographed items. Second, make sure you are also “Following” us instead of just “liking” us, that is its own button too.
All in all, the people behind Facebook base their user’s news feeds on several carnivorous algorithms, despite what you’d actually choose to see if you had say. You can check back periodically, and follow us on Twitter, but make certain you are also on our email list. These are the three main ways we announce a new, upcoming sale. Otherwise, we also post on Instagram when we can.
I work for a non-profit, local charity, fundraiser committee, school program, etc. Is there anything your company could do to help or contribute?
Absolutely!!! Our clients are usually delighted to hear their items were donated to a specific group or cause in town. Just contact Whitney and I’d be so happy to see how I can help. If your group or committee has a Wish List, this is extremely helpful and I personally like to go out of my way to provide items, sometimes even before the sale to clear up some space. I also am often working in several other houses behind the scenes that either don’t have enough for an estate sale, or I am working on a buy-out, or other various reasons in which I am usually looking for outlets to disperse items.
Do you allow negotiation of prices?
The short answer is yes. However, we do not lower prices on the first day of the sale, and do not on the second day if there is still a line of people waiting to enter. Additionally, there is almost always a half-price sale during the last hour of the last sale day. Because of the half-price sale, I do not sell anything half-price or below, before the half-price sale. Often times on higher priced items, I will allow private offers which I keep track of, and notify the highest offer right before the half-price sale. It never hurts to try!
Are children allowed at your sales?
Absolutely. It’s rarely kids that are the ones causing the problems ;) We love seeing kids at our sales, it’s also a great environment to grow up around and promotes community and sustainability.
What do you do with all of the remaining items after a sale?
We want to sell it all! If you are interested in purchasing the remains of an estate sale, contact me. Otherwise, we sell as much as we can through various liquidators and buyers, and ultimately we have a local charity organization come up pick up whatever is remaining. Sometimes I will post individual items that are still for sale on our Facebook story or Instagram story, so keep an eye out!
I purchased something at one of your estate sales, but it doesn’t work.
Oh no! This rarely happens, but it has. As nice as it would be to customers, we do not have the time to individually check each and every small appliance or electronic device. We have a very fair policy about returning non-working items, we encourage customers to test items before purchasing, but we understand “the rush”. Our policy is if you purchase an item, bring it home only to find it does not work, you can bring the item back to the estate sale or contact Whitney, within the next week for your money back. I do not want a reputation of selling broken items and would prefer repeat customers. In summary, you likely waited in line to enter, waited in line to pay, brought the item home, the least I could do is return your money and apologize.
I have some items I would like to sell, is that something I could do at an estate sale?
It depends, while we do take on “sub-sales,” there are several requirements which must be met in order to qualify. Each item must be worth at least $50 resale, as well as each item must be approved by CES. Contact Whitney if you would like to know more. We do not resell sets of china or books.