Bootfair tips

loopyloulou_3

I am doing a bootfair for the first time ever in May and was wondering if anyone has any tips?

Im quite scared actually! Dont ask me why!

My mum said that people much prefer clothes etc to be dumped in a pile to have a rummage through, rather than being organised!

Also how do I go about pricing things up?

How do I know what time to get there?! and how much does it normally cost for a stall sort of thing?!

I am clueless! Hopefully this will dejunk my house and make me some extra cash :-)

thanks all

roswell

instead of having set prices just make them up on the spot or ask them to make you an offer. you may not value an item but it could be a treasure to someone else.

davek1

from experience avoid the early bargain hunters who will have the stuff out of your car before you can even think! be calm tell them you need time to set up otherwise half your stuff will be gone for next to nothing.

i disagree with an earlier post i would say at the very least have an idea of what you want for goods and make sure you stick somewhere close to that figure.

I agree that clothes in a pile are a good idea as are cheap items in a box for example small cars etc for kids to rummage through.

Hope all goes well. relax its fun and you will enjoy it

MoaningMyrtle

:EasterBun :easter: :easter_ba Get there as early as possible, if you aren't there by 7.30am it may be too late, one I go too has limited spaces, another has masses so it's not as important.

Get the car ready the night before, with the table in last, this way it'll be easier to unload it.

Take a flask/snack as it can be cold and there will be queues for expensive drinks.

Most people like a good bargain so don't price it too high, a boot sale I go to very rarely has items for over a pound, here's an idea of what to ask:

Adults clothes £1.00
Adult shoes £1.00
DVDs £1.00
Childrens clothes 50p-£1.00
Paperback books 3 for a £1.00
Bric a brac 50p -£1.00
Coats £2.00
Bags 50p-£1.00

This is just general items, specialist items will probably go for more, it may also vary depending on where you are in the UK.

The last one I did I had a set of four Whittard mugs and one got pinched!!
Cheeky !!!!ers!!

Happy Easter everyone!!

scottishspendaholic

loopyloulou,

I'll be interested in responses to this one because I am hoping to do one soon too - once I've been and raided all my junk I haven't seen in 10 years in my mum and dad's loft.

There is a car boot chat board on MSE I think, so you might get a bit of a better response posting this on there?

scottishspendaholic x

lynzpower

Ive done loads in my time ( with mother) who is a born booter

1) pack up the car the night before, you will need an early start and cramming stuff into the car at 5.30 am is not my idea of fun
2) you will need to be early birding I think. Dont know where abouts you are but doing a google will tell you what time to turn up from the one we are doing in london is start qiung from 5 :eek: so we will need to leave thr housde at 4.30 max
3) make sure you have
*change, and lots of it
*carrier bags ( more than you think youlll need)
*markers
*polythene sheets in case of rain you can get these in wilkos for 99p each in the painting section
*post it notes/ bits of paper/ roll of old wallpaper etc for signs
*coat hangers & rail for your "better" clothes ( dont buy one find one to borrow)
old blankets for on the floor
*paste table

If you have "stuff in the loft" anything like ornaments, dinners services etc and they are "retro" check out your prices on ebay first, you might fetch more there. My mother was going to sell some vases for a quid each till I found they were fetching over a 100 each on ebay ( they were whitefriars) , so I kept them, sold one, kept the other. But stuff like clothes, shoes, paperbacks, cd singles, etc are boot sale staples, by all means sell higher end items but dont undercut yourself. Have a Warm jumper etc, flask of strong sweet tea and a couple of packets of biscuits YUM!

Good luck with it, we are off to the vauxhall one in a few weeks, and hope to clear out LOADS of stuff we have here!!

nearlyrich

scottishspendaholic wrote:

There is a car boot chat board on MSE I think, so you might get a bit of a better response posting this on there?

BG Note:
I am going to move this to the appropriate board because you will get more advice for people who do car boots regularly.

Nearlyrich

highguyuk

Your better clothes, DEFINETLY hang up. Even on the car or the edge of the table. You will get hardly anything if they are just dumped onto the table.

Stick to your guns, and only in the last hour or so reduce prices to clear ... if that is what you want to do. If someone doesn't want it, someone round the corner might!

carrie483

I don't mean to worry you even more than you are but i will warn you, watch your stuff with eagle eyes and keep your car locked. There are many people out there who will steal. I used to do and still go to tons of bootsales and i saw it all the time. Good Luck, hope you manage to sell everything.

Also, are you doing it by yourself? I would recommend taking someone with you incase you need to go to the toilet and also take a seat or 2 with you.

somersetapple

Keep your money in a money belt around your waist at all times!! - I use one of those decorators' pouches. Don't be tempted to put any money in a box or tin even if it's in the car 'cos hardened 'booters' will be inside your car given half a chance!!

Have fun!!
Somersetapple

meerustar

I've not done a car boot this year 'yet' but I agree with all the tips above about times, flasks, sheets etc.

What I will add is that you should take any old junk, and I mean utter crap if you have it. You wll be surprised what people buy.

I did my first car boot with a friend of mine and spent a fortnight sorting out all my stuff. I threw lots of crap away and took the stuff I thought was 'sellable' ...huge mistake ... my freind turned up with stuff in worse condition that the stuff I threw out and it was selling like mad. My half decent stuff just stayed there (it was very cheap too, 5op - £2 or something. I was gobsmacked.

The next time we did one I had cleared out my parents garage and had loads of old stuff but thought I'd take it this time and the rusty tools and even half filled tims of paint sold more or less straight away.

So my advice to you is .. take ALL your worst stuff too, even more so than the good stuff if you are short of room, you'll be surprised ...

..and good luck, theres nothing like the buzz of counting all your money when you get home!!! Have Fun!