Although we want your business, we cannot say that we are the only reputable company in Greenville, South Carolina. If you want to compare offers from other reputable companies, we will be happy to recommend estate services we feel operate in an honest and competent manner. The following list is questions you should ask any company you are considering hiring them.
Do they accept credit cards?
With more people carrying credit or debit cards than checks, accepting credit cards is a very large part of any sale. Even the smallest sale can run at least 30% in credit cards and it is not uncommon for sales in Greenville to run over half the sale in credit card sales. Any legitimate company should accept cash, and credit cards.
Do they have a website?
On any given week, your sale will be competing with up to 5 to 10 estate sales, lots of garage sales, and several auctions in the Greenville, South Carolina area, and those who get the first traffic, often make the most money. Although there are obvious areas that attract shoppers more than others, a website with pictures and a detailed description is the best way to entice customers to come to your sale first. Remember, you want customers to buy your sofa before they buy one somewhere else, or run out of money; you do not want to be last on their shopping list. The lack of a website indicates a company that is a hobbyist or amateur.
How much will they spend on advertising your sale?
A good, effective ad for an estate sale will cost about $300.00 for the weekend. If a company is only spending the minimum amount on advertising, their ad will get lost in the dozens of larger ads for estate sales. Customers often judge estate sales by the size of the ad placed. After all, if the ad is small, they will not think the sale is worth attending. Do not be fooled by companies that use only Facebook, Craigslist, or street signs as a means for advertising, as you will not get enough traffic for your sale to be successful.
Do they use their name in their advertising?
We are proud of the job we do and we always place our name in every ad so our customers know the sale will meet a certain standard of cleanliness, size and conduct. Many customers tell us they look for our sales in particular because they know it will be worth attending if we hold it. However, many companies have ruined their reputations to the point they must hold 'anonymous' sales, or keep changing their names, because if they advertise using their known names, very few people will show up. Many customers will only attend a sale that lists the agency conducting the sale.
Did the company give an estimate as to how much the sale might run?
Estate sales are very hard to predict. A great sale may do very well on one week but very poorly the next, depending on weather, competition, or other local events. Even with many sales in our past, we do not like to predict how much your sale will make. However, there are some companies who will overstate the amount the sale will run to impress you, just to get the job. After the sale is over, they will offer excuses as to why the sale failed to reach the estimate; by then, it is too late. Alternatively, a company that turns down your sale, but tells you to expect an unusually high figure, may be trying to make the company you hire look bad by setting up unrealistic goals.
How many people will work during the sale?
You want a sale to be adequately staffed, but you do not want it over-staffed. A well-staffed sale should have at least 3 and up to 4 workers for a normal sized sale. Some companies dramatically over-staff, which leads to employees that are just hanging out with each other, instead of helping a customer. These companies have to charge more to cover this expense, which is an approximately $150.00 per person cost for the weekend, and this could cost you easily thousands in unnecessary fees.
What days do they do host their sales?
We have held many estate sales, and we can assure you that the best days are on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Your ideal customer is 30-55, has a professional job, and works regular hours Monday through Friday. You will notice larger, professional companies, like ours, will do two or three day sales, verses one day sales by other companies. One day isn’t enough time to sell your entire estate.
How many sales per month do they hold?
We perform 2-4 estate sales every month. This shear number of sales allows us to be very current on pricing trends and the demand of antiques and collectibles. This consistent work also allows us to maintain a full time regular work force that is trained in sales, antiques, set up for estate sales. We also collect dozens of additional names every week for our email list and this has given us a very large email list in the estate sale business.
Do they use security?
We rarely use security because we see it as a waste of your money. Over past years and many estate sales in Greenville, South Carolina, none have been robbed, Hiring security will cost about $300.00, a cost that will be passed onto you and your estate one way or another. Hiring security does not stop theft or deter shoplifting. Hiring security will, unfortunately, intimidate some customers from shopping your sale and you could see a 25% drop in sales.
Are you welcome to visit the sale and check on how the sale is progressing?
We never tell a client they cannot check the progress of our setup or to not stop by to see how the sale is the sale is doing.
What happens to the sale leftovers?
Everything left over at the end of a sale still belongs to you - refer to your estate sale agreement. You may keep it, donate it, give it away, or, if you need, we can get rid of it for you with a cleanout service. We encourage you to see the leftovers before anything happens to them to make sure you know what is remaining.
Do they do presales?
We do not host presales because we want to give everyone a fair chance to shop. Many companies do a presale to 'select clients', which is a turn off to general shoppers, who know they were not given a fair opportunity to buy. This will result in lost sales to you.
Do they have other jobs?
We do not have other jobs, as doing estates is our full-time job. We devote 100% of our time making your sale a success and we are not distracted by outside factors. Many companies only do estates for fun or as a hobby, and do not care about the true success of your sale, because they make their real money with their job. We take our job seriously, and work diligently and professionally to make sure you have the most benefit from your estate.
What is an Estate Sale?
An Estate Sale generally refers to an on-site sale where a person’s belongings are offered for purchase to the general public. It usually occurs after a passing of a loved one, a divorce or in the event of downsizing.
Why Hire Us?
When you hire Carolina Auctioneers & Estate Sale Services, you're hiring the best in the industry.
We are a family owned and operated business, so be rest assured that our hearts are immersed in this business and because of that, we are dedicated to you and value our relationship with you.
Why Have an estate sale?
Estate sales are a great option when our clients wish to make the most out of their assets. It has proven to be a very efficient way to generate cash and maximize profit. We are committed to offering the finest and most reliable Estate Sale services. We have strong standards and believe in ethics and professionalism.
Buy-out Option
We purchase entire estates, special collections, and single high value items. Our specialties include Antiques, Collectibles, Jewelry, Silver, and much more. A Buyout is a great option when the estate needs to generate an immediate income, the decedent’s residence is an apartment or an HOA or when the family decide not to have a public estate sale.
