Selling at a boot sale - first time advice needed.

Surbybird

After getting fed up with giving good quality stuff away on Freecycle I have decided to try to sell my goods at a boot sale.

I've never done this before so can anyone offer advice on what kind of things sell well, and what things are impossible to shift? I have a large amount of cushions, bedding, curtains and lamps for starters.

Also, do bootsalers expect everything to be for sale at a bargain price, or a fair price?

Thanks!

Kate

johnson293

There's a big sticky thread at the top of this forum with loads of good advice about Car Boot Sales. the thread was started a few years ago, so the latest pages will have the up-to-date info in it.

As for what sells well, I think that will be regional, and probably sale specific TBH.

We did one yesterday, and the impression I got was that people want stuff for as little as possible/next to nothing - and that's fine, as we half expected that at a Boot Sale. At the end of the day, if they don't offer enough/price you'd sell the item for, then it doesn't sell and you take it back with you.

I think you have to go into it looking to sell clutter that would otherwise go to the tip/charity shop, and whatever you earn is a bonus.

We did this as an alternative to trying to sell the stuff on ebay/gumtree which could involve listing the stuff, then packaging/posting it off. Car Boot Sale is just a lot less hassle.

If you think the stuff is too good, and want/expect good money, then I don't think a boot sale is the right place to sell it.

Hope this helps.

McKneff

apart from the selling, take a book with you or some knitting, a couple of drinks and something to eat.

I went to one yesterday and the hot dogs were selling for £2.70.
Luckily I had had lunch earlier but I thought it was daylight robbery.

Crowqueen

Sounds like the Paralympics, McK - the sandwiches were £5, very big and very thick with lots of meat and salad in them, so good value, but the cakes were £3 (though the chocolate-caramel shortbread was out of this world...)!

A hot dog at my local horticultural show is £2.50 and a burger £3 though, so this is what inflation is like .

Don't forget to factor in the pitch fee. Not having a car, I don't go to many car boots (there is one probably half-an-hour walk away but since you have to cross a busy dual carriageway to get there I haven't been in the ten years I've been living right next to it). Do your research into this before you go because obviously if you don't sell enough to cover it you could get into difficulties.

Surbybird

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like a boot sale isn't going to be ideal for me, as most of what I want to sell is nearly new and good quality and I don't really want to give it away.

Looks like I might be better off trying eBay (my least preferred option!)

kind regards

Kate

porto_bello

I'd add, that given the frequency of free listing weekends on eBay and the current offer for up to 150 items to be listed free, before attempting the boot sale route, (since it is going to incur an upfront charge), it may be worth listing items on eBay for the price you hope to gain at a car boot, with a 10% premium for the eBay fee.

Given the types of items you are offering, I'd offer cash on collection and anything that sells can be collected by the local buyer - if more than one bidder pushes the price up, it'll be a bonus. [Don't accept paypal payments and collection].

If you're lucky, the eBay sales will make a large dent in your unwanted items and after a few relists on subsequent free listing weekends, anything left over can be given to a charity shop, preventing the need to go to a bootsale.

Crowqueen

[Don't accept paypal payments and collection].

If only - you can't enforce this and it is unwise to try.

If you are selling things that go well by postal methods, then use eBay. If you are selling things that would do better on collection, don't use eBay (the risk is all yours and if you take it you have to take the consequences if you are scammed) but use something like Facebook where there are fewer fees and the orientation is much more F2F.

porto_bello

Crowqueen wrote: »

[Don't accept paypal payments and collection].

If only - you can't enforce this and it is unwise to try.

If you are selling things that go well by postal methods, then use eBay. If you are selling things that would do better on collection, don't use eBay (the risk is all yours and if you take it you have to take the consequences if you are scammed) but use something like Facebook where there are fewer fees and the orientation is much more F2F.

We've been through this a number times on MSE. I am surprised a seasoned MSE user would still be under the impression that sellers have to accept a combination of Paypal AND collection.

For the record, you don't have to accept a combination of Paypal AND collection. This is how and why:

Paypal:
Paypal rules state clearly that any goods have to be despatched by trackable means, so Paypal and collection is clearly (according to Paypal's own policies) an inappropriate form of payment.

If a buyer insists on making a payment via Paypal, the seller simply refers the buyer to Paypal's policies and insists that the item is despatched via trackable delivery... and offers the alternative of cash on collection.

Collection:
Since the buyer wishes to collect from the seller, they will be able to provide payment in cash, avoiding the need to incur the additional expense of delivery.

Thus you offer Paypal and trackable delivery OR cash on collection - but NEVER Paypal AND collection!

Naturally, with large, bulky, relatively low value items, it is inefficient to pay for the additional expanse of a trackable form of delivery, so cash on collection is the only practical option.

KarleyMarie

Have you got a facebook selling site local to you?
Saves on fees + postage

Surbybird

KarleyMarie wrote: »

Have you got a facebook selling site local to you?
Saves on fees + postage

I'm not sure but I'll have a look. We have a Cheapcycle site which I currently have things listed on but there's not many members in the group so items don't get a lot of exposure.

K

Surbybird

porto_bello wrote: »

I'd add, that given the frequency of free listing weekends on eBay and the current offer for up to 150 items to be listed free, before attempting the boot sale route, (since it is going to incur an upfront charge), it may be worth listing items on eBay for the price you hope to gain at a car boot, with a 10% premium for the eBay fee.

Given the types of items you are offering, I'd offer cash on collection and anything that sells can be collected by the local buyer - if more than one bidder pushes the price up, it'll be a bonus. [Don't accept paypal payments and collection].

eBay is a load of hassle though, and I gave up selling on there a few years ago after they bought in the new rules about sellers not being able to leave negative feedback about buyers. Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and start selling again.

porto_bello wrote: »

If you're lucky, the eBay sales will make a large dent in your unwanted items and after a few relists on subsequent free listing weekends, anything left over can be given to a charity shop, preventing the need to go to a bootsale.

I'm sure that people will call me mean for saying this, but I wouldn't be prepared to send any of these items to the charity shop. I have sets of almost new bedding and curtains and a pile of 100% silk cushions which cost a fortune new and as I am currently totally skint due to a change of job, I'd like to recoup some of the expense rather than give it away.



K