Car boot sale advice - updated 2013

soulandy

I agree with rosip that it can be a painful experience.Some buyers want things for nothing and won't take no for an answer. so be ware if your just starting out on the car boot trail. Most people will knock you down but you have to start with a higher price if you want to get your money. A few people will give you what you ask so it isn't all bad. Car boots can be good fun and rewarding on a good old sunny sunday so enjoy it. i try and do 1 or 2 a year to get rid of cd's dvd's video tapes and the like as well as books and other small things. Never make loads but its a good way of killing a sunday;)

shelovestobuystuff

I have been to just a few car boot sales as seller and always do well.Hubby doesnt like them as he says I embarass him, and I dont drive so I have only done about 6 in 2 years.
My main tip for boot sellers is to draw attention to your table by whatever means you can.
*Have a party atmosphere going on.
*I always have a bunch of helium ballons tied to the back of the car,these draw attention and you can sell them too.
*Have the radio on an upbeat station.
*Have some food or drink to sell too,just a small amount,the kids can look after this table.In the summer people would really appreciate some chilled fruit cups or juice,even frozen bananas half dipped in chocolate and on a lolly stick.
*Use a colourfull throwover to display the goods on.The last boot sale I did I couldnt get a table so just used a big indian throw on the grass and tucked it up into the boot of the car as a backdrop.People commented on how good it looked.
*if you have some clothing hang the best stuff along the back of the open car boot doors to display it and fling the rest in a basket.People like a rummage.
*Be environmentally responsible.Dont use plastic bags.Buy some hessian bags from tesco or similar and offer to sell them at cost price to your customers.Take back what you dont sell for a full refund after the boot sale.
*make it look nice.I use raffia baskets and colourful plastic tubs bought from my local pound shop.I store and stack them in those between sales too and its easier for people to see whats in them.
*I buy a few big bright items from the pound shop too to help draw attention,giant beach ball,garden signs,bright floor mats etc and always sell all of them for at least £2.00 each doubling my money.
*Have a walk about and a chat to the other stall holders,they may well come and have a look at what you have to sell.I usually make about half of my sales to other sellers.
*Have fun!!!!

harryhound

One of the nicest things that Napoleon said about us Brits:

"Its just a nation of shopkeepers".

I expect Hitler thought the same!

shelovestobuystuff

I am thinking of doing a yard/garage sale instead of the car boot sales this year.I wont have to rely on poor hubby to drive me and all my lovely junk around and may well get more sales in during the good weather.Has anyone done this before and if so how does it compare to the car booting experience?

harryhound

I organised one of these in a suburban village setting not a million miles from Surbiton (N.W. Surrey / S.W. London) but it was 10 years ago. My objective was to clear a house of stuff that had been left by someone who died and none of the beneficiaries wanted.
I put an advert in the local rag and put out some adverts for a few days before the weekend. (get a bed sheet and paint it with the message, like those birthday announcements sometimes displayed) The house was detached but only just.
I don't think you would be very popular doing this more than once a year!

On the Saturday morning, a modest Q developed about 20 minutes before the 09:00 starting time. At the end of the day we had shifted everything but for a manual sewing machine on a wooden base. The people who turned up were mainly neighbours from a radius of about a mile, who responded to the "postings", very pleasant. However the initial rush were the pushy semi professional "knocker" type, out to make at least a day's beer money, and hopefully rip-off an amateur. For the first hour the 4 of us were run off our feet. In some ways, on your own property, you have less room for manoeuvre than on a farmer's field.
I repeated the experience, when my mother died (see posting above), but I prefer the boot sale experience.

At a property you have the additional problems:
- Is the place being "cased" for a later break-in.
- Do I have "defensible space" or will people try and nose about outside the de marked area
- How busy will it be.
- Will the neighbours be upset (especially by the car/van parking) I think the law says one can do this 14 days per year, but don't quote me.
- Can I offer a secure WC?
- Am I covered in the present ghastly environment of no-win-no-fee if a visiting drunk falls over?

That said, you might have customers who you know perfectly how to handle, but in a polyglot place like London, it can be hard work.

Harry.

PS. We did a tour of the house by invitation at 11:30, and again in the later afternoon, having locked ourselves out of it prior to that. These tours may well have been useful in "putting the word round", when the time came a few months later to sell it.

MCBIRNIE25

I organise a car boot sale every Sunday in the Liverpool area. We are open every Sunday regardless of weather etc.
It has become very popular. However we to had the problem of drivers being mugged etc when they first arrive, but we have a team of lads on hand who now show the drivers where to park etc and ask the dealers to kindly not harrass them until they are set up. It creates a more relaxed atmosphere.
It's a fun way to pass a Sunday morning.
The yard sales can create all kinds of problems so good luck with that.

vespa_pod

MCBIRNIE25 wrote: »

I organise a car boot sale every Sunday in the Liverpool area. We are open every Sunday regardless of weather etc.
It has become very popular. However we to had the problem of drivers being mugged etc when they first arrive, but we have a team of lads on hand who now show the drivers where to park etc and ask the dealers to kindly not harrass them until they are set up. It creates a more relaxed atmosphere.
It's a fun way to pass a Sunday morning.
The yard sales can create all kinds of problems so good luck with that.

Where in Liverpool is your carboot sale?

Also does anyone know if Burscough car boots was on, on sunday ?

cdodd

shelovestobuystuff wrote: »

*Have some food or drink to sell too,just a small amount,the kids can look after this table.In the summer people would really appreciate some chilled fruit cups or juice,even frozen bananas half dipped in chocolate and on a lolly stick.

*Have fun!!!!

be carefully selling food and drink if there's a catering van, i once witnessed the lady from the catering van complaining to a stall holder that had cans of pop, that they were taking business from her !!!!

vespa_pod

Does any one know of any car boots in and around manchester ? ?

Lucifer68

A little word of advice for sellers of CDs/DVDs/console games etc..
I sold a couple of DVDs to someone for £5 each. About 10 minutes later he comes back with the empty DVD boxes claiming the DVDs where not in there, so insisted on a refund. Even though I knew he was lieing I had no choice but to give him his £10 back (& he gets 2 free DVDs minus boxes! :mad: )

So since then whenever someone buys any CDs etc, I make sure I open the box in front of them to prove the discs are in there!