Car Boot Threads - OS or Ebay?

ladygrey_2

well if in the past most carboot threads have been started in the oldstyle board, and any that are now in an ebay board are there only because they got moved, it would seem that here in oldstyle is the best place for the majority

soolin

The problem is as far as I can see that as soon as someone wants to sell something it applies across all selling venues. For instance, we had a student last year (was it last year, my brain gets addled)wanting to sell text books so asked about ebay or booting them. The fact that we also had the Amazon thread meant the regulars on the ebay board could suggest that Amazon might be better, whilst still keeping on topic about how to describe and grade books.

Likewise, as there are so many sellers on many differnt venues we tend to get regulars who understand the rules about selling (or not selling) copyrighted material, or electrical goods. If the car boot thread was elsewhere we would have to send them there if they suggested they might be selling at a car boot, yet the discussion would continue on the ebay board.

WE often get threads about baked goods, to which even more rules and regulations apply whether they are sold at car boots or via an online venue.


Soo

melancholly

I got info on bootsales from the local england thread..... i guess i don't really have a strong opinion on where exactly it should go (i may be leaning to the ebay board slightly.... maybe.... or i don't know!) as long as it's clear. i imagine if it was a sub-board somewhere it would be very quiet in winter unless it was openned up to be a wider topic, and then it would encroach on others.....

i think i will vote for ebay - i tend to linger there sometimes as well as in OS, although mainly to find out updates on selling a certain bus

Queenie

MSE_Andrea wrote:

... I'm not sure if I'm misreading the tone from some posts, correct me if I'm wrong, but some people seem to be getting a bit overheated ...

I'm not

soolin wrote:

The problem is as far as I can see that as soon as someone wants to sell something it applies across all selling venues....

Agreed, but it is the exceptions which are causing the most confusion. So, bearing in mind that there *are* exceptions when it comes to OS'ers (post #64 ) - where would you place those?

kittiwoz

I find there seems to be rather a distinction between the way people buy and sell on ebay or Amazon and car boots which are more like jumble sales and markets. People selling on ebay are normally trying to return a profit and tend to sell things regularly so it's more like a business. Most of the people at car boot sales sell occasionally when they have a clear out and while hoping to make some readies are more concerned about getting shot of what is essentially their old tat without having to pay disposal costs. I think the fact the transactions are all done with ready money as opposed to ebay where they never are creates an important distinction too.

The more business like set up of ebay also encourages buyers who would not otherwise buy secondhand goods. My housemate who is definitely not OS bought a guitar and electric drum kit from ebay. He wouldn't buy things from a car boot sale though any more than he would buy from a jumble sale, classified ads or a charity shop because he sees that as old tat and he likes new shiny things. Because I have a more OS attitude I think his new shiny things are tsatke. I would rather spend the money on something that is old and worn but which is intrinsicaly of higher quality and would have been worth more when it was new even if it needs some repair work.

Maybe you need a buying secondhand stuff forum. I've replied to a few "I want to buy x cheaply..." type posts suggesting Loot or Adsaver but the only person who thanked me posts in Old Style. Suggests to me that appart from the OS'ers there's not much interest in second hand goods. Ebay being an exception where the goods tend to be seen as valuable "vintage" or "collectors" items rather than just old.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi guys

Just to let you know we've changed the name of the eBay board to reflect the fact it now covers car boot and jumble sales. Any posts, whether it's about buying or selling can go there from now on.

Please do remember though, if there are any still on OS it's because the BGs don't see every thread - if you spot one you think should be moved just let them know - and there's no need to backdate this. If some get bumped up naturally that's fair enough but there's no need to go back through 6 month old threads looking for ones that haven't been moved.

As before, though, remember the eBay etc board isn't the place for people to advertise their own sales of any kind so if you spot any please do report them to the forum team as normal

Ta

Queenie

Thank you for the update, Andrea, appreciated

mgardner

absolutely oldstyle, how could it possibly have anything to do with Ebay. Is a jumble sale or charity shop anything to do with Ebay. Also Ebay has its own community discussion group, far better than anything I have seen on here.

ET03

I'm trying to organise a rummage sale to make money for the respite home my son uses

do I have to inform anyone official, (council or tax office) or can I just collect in the money and take it to the home?