Car boot sale advice - updated 2013

mazz1953

indebtbigtime wrote: »

just wondering where do you think people get the bulk stuff you see at boot fairs.

last week I saw a guy with like 100 pencil cases, 100 hair braiding sets and about the same number of jigsaws

intrigued....

Most of these items are usually contents of businesses who have gone bankrupt and the stock is sold on behalf of Revenue and Customs at auction and so these can be picked up really cheap.

TizzyDizzy

I did the Huntingdon Racecourse car boot today, one of the biggest in the area. It was very well organised and I noticed lots of private sellers and not too many traders. Lots of customers especially young families and ladies with bumps out on a nice sunny day.

My fears of having dealers swarm over the cars on arrival didn't happen, but the first 2 hours were hectic, I didn't even get a chance to sit down and read my book, which is a good thing.

I noticed that people definately liked to have a good browse around the whole table and a variety of different things definately helped to attract all age groups. Having the DVDs laid out on the ground over a mat was a great idea as I had lots of interest and it seemed to catch people's eye, more so than the stock on the table. Although I did notice that sellers who didn't have a table and just stuff on the ground didn't seem to attract much attention from passers by. Maybe buyers like to see a combination of both, cheap stuff on ground and higher priced (quality) items on table? All I know is that my DVDs were like hot cakes £2 each or 3 for £5.

Things I ever expected to sell actually sold. Granted only for 50p, but better 50p than 0p. It really is true what they say, one person's tat is another person's treasure!

I am so glad I read this post and saved the more high priced items for ebay instead. The car boot is definately only for items (non antique and valuable items) of around £1-3 each. I wish I had thought of buying my baby stuff this way when I was expecting, could have saved a fortune.

I made £72 after fees and petrol and very happy with my first foray into the world of car boot selling. I can see now why it can be so addictive!

Bigun28

Having done quite a few car boots in the past the best advice points I can offer to any potential car booters are:

1. Know your prices. I've seen people turn up and sell things like loads of top name DVDs for 20p, not appreciating that they could have got £2-3 each for them. Sold out in minutes and suddenly appeared on other people's stalls for sale. So it is worthwhile 'scouting' around car boots beforehand to gauge what sort of prices things are selling for. I've even taken an Argos catalogue with me to gauge selling prices of things I sell and anything else I see of interest on other stalls.

2. Watch the swarm!! When you arrive your attention is often diverted as you try to set your stall up and you suddenly get a swarm of people (often traders) around you trying to see what you have and offering stupid prices in the chaos. I've literally had people opening my front car doors as I was unloading the boot, and I caught one guy trying to walk off with a stereo in the chaos which he claimed he was going to show his wife. Lock you doors and take your time to unload (there is plenty of time for buyers to browse later) and if possible take someone with you to keep a watch-out.

3. Know your bottom price. Don't give things away for nothing and know you're bottom price that you are prepared to accept. I've had people arguing with me that they can get such and such new for a cheaper price than I was selling in order to try and get me to reduce, and often after they walk away, they come back later to purchase the item anyway at the offer price. I once had a brand new 10m flat pack hose still in the bag that I was selling for £2 and this one guy spent an hour getting it out, unravelling it, twisting it and checking every inch of it and then complaining that it was too short to reach from his tap to his car. He then spent ages trying to convince me that it was my fault that it was too short and that I should reduce my price, which I wouldn’t. In the end another nearby stall holder came over, snatched the hose up and gave me £2 just so that we could get rid of this idiot.

4. Refreshments. Tempting as it may be, buying refreshments on site can be expensive and will bite into your hard earned profits. So take your own tea and coffee and maybe some sandwiches etc.

Hope this all helps.

mrsmoneyspender

hi just wondering if there is a posting of sites for car boots
i live north east england and want to do a boot sale saturday or sunday
thank mrs ms

shelovestobuystuff

I am going to do my first car boot of the season this weekend at Ayr Racecourse and getting a traders pitch as its new clothes from an ebay based business I have closed down.It was costing me more to keep listing the stuff than I was making so no point,I just want rid of the boxes of expensive stuff cluttering up my house now.
I want some advice on my pricing,the stuff is all rrp of £25-40 per item and I want to know what I should price them at to shift them quickly.I thought skirts £15 each or 2 for £20/tops £8 each or 2 for £10?Hope to get multiple buys that way to shift more quantity.
Its less than I paid for them but I just want rid of my stock,do you think they would shift at those prices?Its all hippy stuff,ethnic,fairtrade,nomads brand most of it.
What do you think,prices okay?

TizzyDizzy

shelovestobuystuff wrote: »

I am going to do my first car boot of the season this weekend at Ayr Racecourse and getting a traders pitch as its new clothes from an ebay based business I have closed down.It was costing me more to keep listing the stuff than I was making so no point,I just want rid of the boxes of expensive stuff cluttering up my house now.
I want some advice on my pricing,the stuff is all rrp of £25-40 per item and I want to know what I should price them at to shift them quickly.I thought skirts £15 each or 2 for £20/tops £8 each or 2 for £10?Hope to get multiple buys that way to shift more quantity.
Its less than I paid for them but I just want rid of my stock,do you think they would shift at those prices?Its all hippy stuff,ethnic,fairtrade,nomads brand most of it.
What do you think,prices okay?

I would say the prices you propose seem more like market trader type prices than car boot. If I were going to a car boot to buy clothes, I would probably be prepared to pay £5 for a top and maybe £8 for skirt seeing as they are brand new and still tagged?

I don't know what type of buyer goes to Ayr Racecourse though, so I could be wrong and you might be okay with what you are proposing!

Best of luck!

shelovestobuystuff

TizzyDizzy wrote: »

I would say the prices you propose seem more like market trader type prices than car boot. If I were going to a car boot to buy clothes, I would probably be prepared to pay £5 for a top and maybe £8 for skirt seeing as they are brand new and still tagged?

I don't know what type of buyer goes to Ayr Racecourse though, so I could be wrong and you might be okay with what you are proposing!

Best of luck!

The racecource car boot sale is a big sunday market and I think its about 50/50 car booters and proper business traders.Hope they all have the same expectations of what a reasonable price is as you do.I will be taking a hefty loss but I just need rid of this stock now so I am free to concentrate wholeheartedly on my other business.
Thanks for your input.

shelovestobuystuff

I know there are a few people on here who have tried ibootsale and I wonder if any of you can advise.I have just started my free pitch and placed my 25 items but 10 of my photos are not showing up.What could the problem be?
http://www.ibootsale.co.uk/show_pitch/8761

ayen

Hi everybody!
My house is in desperate need of decluttering, and with 2 kids i have
loads of clothes and toys but also household items. Where is the best
car boot sale in Bristol for stuff like that? And do I just turn up or do
I have to book a place?

Apart from that, great advice on car boot sales on this site! Will be
very helpful!!!

lydiandrew

I am trying to sell a few bits but find the thought of a real car boot daunting! (am having no luck on ebay as I can't get it to work for me!) and no luck on yahoo swapshop.
Anyone have experience with ibootsale? it seems a bit too easy and I'm slightly worried!
Lydia