Garage sale in UK???? Will it work?

Singsalsing

Hi Everyone

I know garage sales are popular in the US but has anyone ever done one in the UK. I have a lot of clutter to dispose of - way too much for a car boot sale so I was hoping this would be a good idea. My DB is not convinced and more than a little reluctant to help! I'm hoping that the BBC's "Trash to Cash" programme has helped popularise them over here!

I would appreciate any advice you have

FreheitOverture

Personally, I have never seen one in my life. It all depends on where you live, if you advertise and what you have to sell. Find out if other people in the area have had them and find out how they went about doing it. Otherwise you could be sat outside alone all day and not selling

Colin2511

I went to one in St Annes last year (I was just having a walk as I was there for the day and stumbled across it)

It was ok, I bought a couple of things, but I felt it was a bit personal, as if I was going through someones house (unlike a car boot where I have a good rummage), so not sure I would want to do one, ....but with petrol prices the way they are, and the fact that you can be dry in a garage, if you have room, and the people coming past then go for it,

Jakejakejake

We did one in our front garden and made about £20, but didn't sell much (as it was sh1te and we were only doing it for a laugh!)
I have seen proper ones around and advertised but haven't been.

Premier_2

The problem is that unless you spend a small fortune advertising the event, you'll only attract those who happen to be walking past, who have a cash on them and might be interested in buying something.

Even if you do advertise, I doubt many people would make a special trip just for what is effectively one stall.

Go to a carboot sale - they work because (a) they are advertised and (b) customers are attracted because they know there will be many sellers there. That's partly why the bigger they are, the more successful they become.

I'm not sure you can have too much for a bar boot sale can you? Some car boots around here have sellers arriving in 7.5t trucks pulling trailers!. Seller entry price is decided on type/size of vehicle. Why not hire/borrow a larger vehicle if the one you have is too small, or just go for several weeks using the car?

Suzy_M

Re: paying for publicity - Don't know if these have worked but it might be worth looking into.

A village near Leamington used to have (don't know if they still do) a "Village" garage sale one or twice a year where everyone chipped in a bit for advertising. Have also seen adverts where a street / area have got together.

If there is a car boot nearby you could always piggy-back their publicity by having your garage sale on the same day.

Have also seen private garage sales advertised - seem to go for small display ad in local rag for the two weeks before and posters on community notice boards etc.

aqueoushumour01

just got to make sure that nobody sneeks into your living room while you're running the sale and 'buys' the plasma tv for £0.00

kiwifruit_2

Garage sales are quite a usual saturday morning thing in NZ.....people put signs up outside the front driveway and if they live on a quiet street, they put a sign up on one of the more busier roads near them...they usually start about 9am and are really only held in the 'garage' if the weather is bad....no one goes in the house and most people dont stay that long anyway....must admit, I think car boots have the monopoly on that kind of thing in the UK as most people here are more reserved lol......we NZers are a bit more foreward or perhaps nosey lol.....if you did go ahead with one, then id just do a couple of flyers and ask the local corner shop and chippie if they would put one up in the window....good luck if you do one - you might start a new trend