VarageSale: sell your stuff in San Antonio with ease

This post is sponsored by VarageSale. Thanks for supporting the brands and organizations that support San Antonio Mom Blogs!

Ah, garage sales. They seem like an easy way to clear out clutter and make some extra money, right? But the reality never lives up to the hype. You’ve got to: buy a city-approved permit, create signs to advertise your sale, price every single item, haul it all outside on the day of the big event, and haggle with customers over your prices. And all of that work doesn’t even include standing around for hours (possibly in crazy heat or rain or wind), waiting for potential customers to drop by.

But, y’all, this is the digital age! It’s time to sell your stuff from the comfort of your home, on your time schedule, with people you can trust. Let me introduce you to VarageSale: your virtual garage sale.

Created by former elementary teacher Tami Zuckerman and her programmer husband after they became frustrated with other online selling and buying experiences, VarageSale’s unique appeal is that every member is vetted by local admins and moderators. And, you can join communities close to you within your city so you’re practically selling to and buying from your neighbors. VarageSale is available for iPhones and Android and you can use it online.

Earlier this week I gave VarageSale a whirl. I posted my leather camera bag for sale on VarageSale and cross-posted it on my Facebook timeline. Within a few hours I had three people interested in my item and in less than a day I’d sold it for my asking price. There was no sun to battle, no hard work to do, nor any haggling involved. Heaven!

The app (and the online version) are easy to use. Just snap a photo of your item, upload it along with a title and a detailed description, and post it. Members contact you through the app to indicate interest in your item and/or ask questions. You decide who to sell to and where to meet. And, when your transaction is complete, you can use the app to leave “praise” for the buyer or seller with whom you worked, to let future buyers/sellers know which members are trustworthy.

After spending some time on VarageSale, I’ve come up with a few suggestions.

San Antonio Mom Blogs’ Tips for using VarageSale:

Download the app and sign up for your free account ASAP
Because transparency is a big selling point of VarageSale, community administrators personally review and approve each account. It can take up to 24 hours for your request to join to be approved. The sooner your account is approved, the sooner you can start selling (and buying!) items on VarageSale.

Pick your very best photo to accompany your listing
At this time, the app only allows one photo to be posted with each item. Pick your best photo to showcase your item. Then, if you have additional photos from varying perspectives, you can add those photos in the comments section for your item.

Consider meeting your buyer/seller at a designated Safe Zones in San Antonio
Safe Transaction Zones, located in six San Antonio Police Department substations, provide safe places to exchange goods and money.

Here’s how it works: There are designated parking spaces at the substations that are monitored by camera. Exchanges can also take place in a substation lobby. All you have to do is show up.”
– from an October 23, 2015 article in the San Antonio Current

VarageSale just opened two brand new communities in San Antonio:

East San Antonio and Central SA/Alamo Heights

New VarageSale sign-ups who join one of these newly launched communities will earn $5 for every item they list for sale (up to 25 items). That’s potentially $125 up for grabs! Just click the links above to sign up for free.

And every time any VarageSale member lists an item, they’re automatically entered into a state-wide contest for a chance to win a family vacation (up to 5 people) to Disney World!

Happy selling (and buying!), y’all.