car boot vigin

[ermintrude35]

...critical lack of money is forcing me to go car booting for the first ever time this sunday.. what I need are hints and tips for selling, I have a load of toys in good condition, books, am also going to make some cakes?..I also have a stack of xmas wrapping paper.. what sells well? what do I need to take (other than the obvious)..come on tell me the secrets of your succssess...

[barb1314]

Did one of these a few months ago with a friend who was clearing her house to move...this is what we found..

1.Have lots of small change and a LOVELY bumbag!!Sorry about that

2.Put lots of similar items in boxes for one price..people love to root!

3.Be prepared to be offended...they will always knock you down.

4.We were advised not to actually label with prices...have it in your head.

5. If it's slow put up a HALF PRICE SIGN..no one will actually know what the original prices were!! SNEAKY

6.Books sell really well say 50P for softbacks and �1.00 for hard.

7. CD'S and old videos

8. Don't look around at the other boots...you'll end up with more junk than you started with!

9.Have a VERY STURDY table if you have room...we watched one collapse!! Use a rail for clothes on hangers.

10.Watch out for traders who will try and buy your best stuff right at the beginning and sell on for more money...they hassle you from the minute you park up.

Most of all be prepared to laugh...we laughed all day long and made about �200 from a load of rubbish!! PS The people next to us sold 7 bottles of Scotch brought back from Spain....Funny that they were the very first things to go...that's the British for you!!!

[ermintrude35]

..wow! ..thanks barb...lots of usefull tips there, see i was going to price all my stuff...dont think i'll bother now, got a wallpaper pasting table...hope this will be ok, you got me worried now! lol...

[Jules001]

definitely don't price anything, you will be amazed at the people who come to your table and stand there discussing with their hubby or whatever that they really need this item of yours, my original price in my head had trebled by the time they said yes!

Take some carrier bags with you if you have any spare as a lot of people come not expecting to buy but then do.

Some things I brought home with me again rather than sell at the ridiculous price offered. My first time I couldn't believe it when someone haggled over a 20p glass ashtray!

Also if you have an early morning start and/or are on grass take a piece of cardboard with you to stand on, saves you sinking in the mud or getting frozen feet

good luck

[ermintrude35]

..ooh superb idea with the cardboard there jules!..will also "liberate" some carrier bags from work ...

[Hermia]

1) Take an extra person along who can keep an eye on things. I have had loads of stuff nicked when doing car boots even when there were 3 of us there.

2) Shut your ears to what people are saying because they will stand there slagging off your belongings!

3) Think how you will deal with the sob story brigade. I had this horrible experience with this woman who started telling me this long story about she was a single mother and was abused by her husband and therefore deserved a big discount.

I'm not trying to put you off BTW (!) and I live in a rough area so your local car boots may be a bit more genteel. But, it's a good idea to think about how you will deal with potential problems before you go.

[ermintrude35]

..thanks Hermia... will keep that in mind!..no sob storys will wash with me!, am a single mum, work full time, used to be physically abused by my ex..no sympathy for people who feel the need to "milk" their missfortunes , look out bootsale here I come...

[smurfchops]

Take a couple of fold up garden chairs for yourselves as your feet will kill you, also keep WARM and take a large brolly just in case as well as some sort of large plastic sheeting in case it rains (sorry to sound so morbid but you have to think of everything). Also take some lunch as you will be starving and a flask. I know you aren't going on a picnic but you will need sustenance. And as everyone says, don't let people knock you down too much, just ask for double what you want for an item and you won't be too disappointed. Good luck !

[glenis]

definately loads of change ,carrier bags and a flask of coffee and sandwiches, if you have any expensive items always have them to the back of your stall otherwise they might get nicked, best selling advice is to smile at people ,who wants to buy something from a grumpy old stall holder!!

[funnywebsite]

I have done one but didn't realise I was getting ripped off by other stall holders buying things cheap off me and then reselling it on their stall. My husband spotted them when he had a walk around later. If it looks like rain stay in bed. I did another one once and it started raining cats and dogs and we gave up and went home after shelling out about �8 for the pitch. Spring/Summer/early Autumn is better for selling because the weather is cold now. The summer is always packed but winter has a lot less sellers which means a lot less buyers.