- MickMac
Why Hire An Estate Sale Professional? Better Returns!
Updated: May 13, 2020
The urge to conduct a DIY estate sale is often driven by the desire for higher returns. All too frequently, the opposite is the the reality. The reasons are many.
Network of Professionals
Most estate sale companies, including ours, maintain a trusted network of third party professionals that can be utilized to maximize sale returns. On the sale side, these include professional appraisers, wholesale liquidators, specialty collectors and consignment store operators. These networks are either directly interested in the things for sale, or know someone this may be interested.
On the process side, estate sale companies also know many trusted professionals who can assist the client. These include realtors, down-sizing specialists, financial planners.
Pricing
Pricing is an art: Price an item too high, it won't sell. Or price too low and you lose revenue. Additionally, it is critical to know what the local market will bear with regard to pricing. An estate sale company's knowledge of antiques, collectibles, furniture and household items, insures merchandise is appropriately priced in order to maximize the value of an estate. We can access experts who can advise us on jewelry, artwork, specialty antiques, electronics and book values.
Merchandising and Marketing Expertise
Marketing and merchandising are critical elements of a successful sale.
Professional photography. High-resolution photos are key element in the marketing mix.
Advertising platforms form the backbone of the sale promotional mix: We use both estatesales.net and the Wichita Eagle. Estatesale.net is online, while the Eagle has online and print editions.
Email is another excellent platform to drive traffic. Christy Mac Estate Sales utilizes email to target customers from our own proprietary list. Our list, numbers hundreds of customer’s who actively seek out our sales.
To drive foot traffic, directional signs are placed throughout the neighborhood and on major streets. Professionally produced signs DRIVE traffic.
Merchandising is a critical, yet often overlooked by DIYers. At our sales items are merchandised on draped tables and similar items grouped together to create an appealing presentation. Locked display cases are used for high-value items. Furniture is re-arranged in order to allow for good traffic flow throughout the house. We provide all display racks and tables.
Conclusion
Conducting a DIY estate sale is certainly possible. But for maximum returns, employing a professional company will yield better results.