People expect dirt cheap so they either are getting a good deal, or can resell for a profit. Just like the guy told you. people don't go to garage sales to buy used crap at retail or close to retail prices.
You think you are some kind of antique dealer. My brother who is an experienced tag saler would give you 50 cents to a dollar at most. If you want exorbitant prices for your junk you need to put it up at a consignment shop and wait for it to be sold. I once bought a whole bedroom set for 50 bucks and I still have it 40 years later, it is still in good shape.
The point of a yard sale is to get rid of your stuff without throwing it away, not to make money. I would say a good rule of thumb is to price everything at 10% of whatever you paid for it when it was new, assuming normal wear and tear.
I love hitting the garage sales because I can buy things at about 90% off of retail. Sometimes I won't get out of the car because I can see from the street that the seller doesn't have anything I would be interested in. Sometimes I will only go as far as the first table because someone is asking two dollars for a discount store glass vase that has an orignal price tag of three dollars or someone is calling a 40 year old bowl and antique.
In the past 6 weeks I have gotten a turn of the century tilt top table made of solid black walnut for $18, a hand etched brass Moroccan tea tray for $10, a couple of beautiful Japanese silk prints for $2, a 1930's era tea pot for $5, and a black cast iron cauldron for $7. When I hit a garage sale it's all about getting a bargin. I am not offended when someone is proud of their things, but I won't buy either.
From my stand point, $15 is an excellent price for a cabinent style jewlery chest if it is the kind that stands about three feet tall and sits on the floor. If on the other hand, it's the kind that sits on a table top it's waaaayyy too much for me to even want to continue to shop your garage sale and that may be what happened at your sale.
Garage sales are typically held to get rid of old junk you don't want anymore and people expect the prices to reflect that. If you want to sell items for their real worth, garage sales are not the way to do it. Post on eBay or Craigslist for items like that.
Fifteen dollars for a used jewelry box at a garage sale?!?!?! You can get a new one at WalMart for $12. If I go to a sale and see nothing under $1 - I walk away, too. You have to practically pay people to take thing at a garage sale these days and it has to be in like-new condition - no scrapes, cracks or chips. The man that talked to you was correct. Be willing to negotiate, but at your high prices, I think it is pointless.
I had a garage sale last weekend and did very poorly. Most people came took a quick glance and left. One man who identified himself as a dealer said I probably wouldn't sell much because I am asking retail prices. He couldn't buy anything and hope to resell at a profit because I am asking as much as he would price things. I told him that I am not looking to sell to dealers - just end users and collectors. For instance, I had a nice cabinet style jewelry box for only $15. My aunt also had one and she only wanted $3 and didn't sell it. What do people expect?
