- Thread starter zardoz
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Yeah, dont waste your time, i hate the things!
People try and haggle over a couple of pence!
Try and price things, saves you a lot of work in the long run id think.
Me mate had 2 ford alloys, with virtually new tyres... priced up at £10 the pair.... people offer £5, or one guy asked what they fit, so he reeled off a list.... to get the reply, "well, im not sure, i think ill leave it"
People try and haggle over a couple of pence!
Try and price things, saves you a lot of work in the long run id think.
Me mate had 2 ford alloys, with virtually new tyres... priced up at £10 the pair.... people offer £5, or one guy asked what they fit, so he reeled off a list.... to get the reply, "well, im not sure, i think ill leave it"
gordon stephenson
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If you get there early, BEWARE of other boot sellers crowding round while you set up, Looking to buy things from you really cheap. this happened to me when I was having a clearout,Also some items went MISSING in the confusion, Chase them all till you are set up and ready to start selling,
.
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Don't bother! Weed out anything thats worth a few quid and put it on ebay - you'll get more for it, and won't have to stand outside all day. Take the rest to the chariddy shop.
Iain Westland
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beats sitting in though, out good going on the tables?
migwig
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Unless you've got enough to sell to warrant putting up with crap all morning, don't bother. If after all of the above advice you still want to go ahead, then firstly decide whether you're going there to make some money or get rid of some unwanted stuff.
If you go the 'money' route, you're likely to come home with 95% of what you took and a few quid in your pocket.
Selling stuff cheap (very cheap, having kept anything half-decent to put on Ebay) means you'll shift more gear and come home with probably the same amount as if you took the 'money' route.
One very canny way of shifting a lot of gear in a very short space of time is to fill fruit boxes with gear and price the whole box at £3, £2, £1 whatever, no haggling. If you're lucky, you can shift all your gear and be out the gates before the stewards come round for the pitch fee!.
If you go the 'money' route, you're likely to come home with 95% of what you took and a few quid in your pocket.
Selling stuff cheap (very cheap, having kept anything half-decent to put on Ebay) means you'll shift more gear and come home with probably the same amount as if you took the 'money' route.
One very canny way of shifting a lot of gear in a very short space of time is to fill fruit boxes with gear and price the whole box at £3, £2, £1 whatever, no haggling. If you're lucky, you can shift all your gear and be out the gates before the stewards come round for the pitch fee!.
peterd51
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Hi,
try not to stand next to a 'food' seller...the queue can be in front of your stall blocking customers.
Also people buy the food then stand in front of your stall to eat it not to find something to buy, so they're blocking potential customers.
Don't stand on the 'outside' of a corner, people tend to go around the inside track and they won't walk seven extra feet to get to your flash.
If you are on your own get chatting to the guys next to you...might be different where you are but here we can generally trust the couple next to us, and they'll watch your gear while you nip to the toilet. You need to judge this, a middle aged married couple will be a better risk than a young lad.
As stated above, don't take stupid money for your best stuff but sell the crap at any price.
Full-time traders up here will be poking around in the back of your car as you're setting up if you let them, tell them to ****** off and come back later. You don't really want to sell to them anyway as they'll offer around 30% of what something is worth...and they'll tell a pack of lies to get your price down.
Basically if someone seems a bit pushy early in the day then they're a trader. If people are usually setting up at 6.30am then regular punters won't be around until 8.00am. Flash up, have some breakfast and do a toilet run and you're set up for the day.
Don't try to really 'sell' anything, don't sit in the car, stand next to the stall, engage in pleasantries, 'nice day', etc, ask what they're interested in, describe items that they're looking at, where you bought it, how long you've had it.
People do respond to a bit of chat as long as they feel they're not being pushed into something.
Regards
Peter
try not to stand next to a 'food' seller...the queue can be in front of your stall blocking customers.
Also people buy the food then stand in front of your stall to eat it not to find something to buy, so they're blocking potential customers.
Don't stand on the 'outside' of a corner, people tend to go around the inside track and they won't walk seven extra feet to get to your flash.
If you are on your own get chatting to the guys next to you...might be different where you are but here we can generally trust the couple next to us, and they'll watch your gear while you nip to the toilet. You need to judge this, a middle aged married couple will be a better risk than a young lad.
As stated above, don't take stupid money for your best stuff but sell the crap at any price.
Full-time traders up here will be poking around in the back of your car as you're setting up if you let them, tell them to ****** off and come back later. You don't really want to sell to them anyway as they'll offer around 30% of what something is worth...and they'll tell a pack of lies to get your price down.
Basically if someone seems a bit pushy early in the day then they're a trader. If people are usually setting up at 6.30am then regular punters won't be around until 8.00am. Flash up, have some breakfast and do a toilet run and you're set up for the day.
Don't try to really 'sell' anything, don't sit in the car, stand next to the stall, engage in pleasantries, 'nice day', etc, ask what they're interested in, describe items that they're looking at, where you bought it, how long you've had it.
People do respond to a bit of chat as long as they feel they're not being pushed into something.
Regards
Peter
chunkolini
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I'd go with the pack on this one, they are full of mean spirited pinch faced cabbage smelling extras from Trainspotting or a bad Guy Richie film. Most of them are selling the garbage they bought last week to buy the garbage they wil be selling next week. I wonder if there is a book in this one? following a Wade Whimsy round the world of car boot sales.
Sell your good stuff on ebay then sell your rubbish on ebay as well.
It can be amusing to make an expedition with a bunch of mates and see who can buy the weirdest thing for three quid.
Bush says ''You are a bunch of grumpy sods!'' a compliment.
Chunko'.
Sell your good stuff on ebay then sell your rubbish on ebay as well.
It can be amusing to make an expedition with a bunch of mates and see who can buy the weirdest thing for three quid.
Bush says ''You are a bunch of grumpy sods!'' a compliment.
Chunko'.
"they are full of mean spirited pinch faced cabbage smelling extras from Trainspotting or a bad Guy Richie film". You must mean the booters on the Ross by-pass, now they were grumpy.
I avoid the professionals and go for the 'once a year' booters when buying - they smile and don't usually smell of cabbage.
I avoid the professionals and go for the 'once a year' booters when buying - they smile and don't usually smell of cabbage.
Rusty
Member
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- 600
Have done a few Boot-sales and enjoyed them all ( except the thieves ) , make sure you present your stuff well ( clean and orderly ) it only takes minutes with a can of Mr Sheen to make the difference of a sale or not , not on clothes tho 
I remember chatting to a mate at a boot-sale a few years ago , he had clothes on the floor for 20p and clothes on a hanging rail for a £1 an item , the stuff on the floor was hardly selling but the stuff on the rail was going like hot-cakes
then when trade died down a bit he picked a load of items off the floor and put them on the rail and they all sold in minutes for a £1 per item 
presentation is what counts 
I remember chatting to a mate at a boot-sale a few years ago , he had clothes on the floor for 20p and clothes on a hanging rail for a £1 an item , the stuff on the floor was hardly selling but the stuff on the rail was going like hot-cakes
then when trade died down a bit he picked a load of items off the floor and put them on the rail and they all sold in minutes for a £1 per item presentation is what counts
chunkolini
celebrity artiste
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Bush, you have met them as wel. Lovely people.
The genuine clearer outers are much nicer.
Chunko'.
The genuine clearer outers are much nicer.
Chunko'.
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another vote for the don't bother, Pal of mine runs lazybones along the old A130 for any locals, he despises the folk who turn up and only puts up with them because it pays the bills.....
He spends most weekends attempting to keep the pikes at bay, Laughable apparently how quickly 70% of the sellers can clear off, if they get wind of a DSS or IR inspector being on site.......
My advice stay clear....
He spends most weekends attempting to keep the pikes at bay, Laughable apparently how quickly 70% of the sellers can clear off, if they get wind of a DSS or IR inspector being on site.......
My advice stay clear....
peterd51
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Hi,
yes, word spreads pretty quickly and the market clears within a few minutes!
I've seen guys selling fags, etc, bought on a trip to the mainland...
trading standards confiscate all stock on show, so the canny lads keep most of it in boxes under the table and carry on selling when they're gone. One of each item on the table, trading standards aren't allowed to open boxes, etc.
I've also seen customs & excise confiscate everything, as they are allowed to open boxes, and also take the car the guy cane in. The canny lads park their car at the far end of the car-park and swear they came on the bus.
I even saw one guy with a pasting table (only costs a fiver so nothing much to replace), no car in sight, and he was selling dodgy DVD (films) standing 'in front' of the table. Customs came around, "is this yours", his reply, "no mate, I'm a customer, the guy saw you coming and legged it"...
It's all good fun.
Regards
Peter
yes, word spreads pretty quickly and the market clears within a few minutes!
I've seen guys selling fags, etc, bought on a trip to the mainland...
trading standards confiscate all stock on show, so the canny lads keep most of it in boxes under the table and carry on selling when they're gone. One of each item on the table, trading standards aren't allowed to open boxes, etc.
I've also seen customs & excise confiscate everything, as they are allowed to open boxes, and also take the car the guy cane in. The canny lads park their car at the far end of the car-park and swear they came on the bus.
I even saw one guy with a pasting table (only costs a fiver so nothing much to replace), no car in sight, and he was selling dodgy DVD (films) standing 'in front' of the table. Customs came around, "is this yours", his reply, "no mate, I'm a customer, the guy saw you coming and legged it"...
It's all good fun.
Regards
Peter
