Do you have any top tips or advice for car boot
sales you would like to share with others or have any interesting
experiences you would like to pass on......... email
to share@megacarbootsale.co.uk
Arrive in plenty of time. Our car boot
sales start quite a bit later than other boot fairs
of similar size. We do our best to keep to the times
published in the local papers but are quite happy for people to
arrive early and wait in a designated area.
Plan ahead. When packing your car
consider the way you pack carefully so that when you unload, items
come out in the correct order. There may be reasons why you may not
be able to pack in this way but here are my top
tips and the reasons why.
TOP TIP for sellers 1. Always pack your table last or
better still secure it to a properly fitted roof rack. This way when
you arrive you can put your table up first. It is also a good idea
to have a ground sheet to display items on like clothing and toys.
TOP TIP for sellers 2. Any thing of value pack first so
it is the last thing to be unpacked from your car. This reduces the
risk of it being taken when your back is turned unloading your less
valubale items.
TOP TIP for sellers 3. When you are
directed into the sales area and parked up, lock your car go and get
a cup of tea or something to eat, this could be the last
chance you get for a while. Return to your pitch and set up, there
is plenty of time as the sale goes on well in to the afternoon and
you are far more likely to get more money when the cheeky bargain
hunters have passed by to the later arrivals. If you are a late
arrival this is still a good idea.
TOP TIP for sellers 4. If possible bring a friend. This
way you will have an extra pair of eyes when things are really busy
and also have someone to watch things when you need to 'pop off for
a minute'.
NEW....TIPS FROM A CAR BOOT REGULAR
BUYER AND SELLER (Thank you for these, I look forward to more tips in
the future)
Tips for sellers.
New
post.
definitely make
a flask of tea/coffee & take plenty of water. pack a
breakfast/lunch/snacks the night before. wear suitable clothing - a
hat/sunglasses/bikini top & take suntan cream. take a folding
chair to sit on if sales are slow or you need to enjoy your well
earned cuppa.
rotate your goods - this will increase the
buyers attention to goods on offer. If you plan to do another
car boot, at the end of your day, group items together that you
think have the same value and create 50p etc baskets ready for the
next one. The more valuable items can be displayed on the
table.
Sarah
Cartoni
The first wave of the day brings the hardened
hagglers and dealers. Don't accept low offers too early in the day.
If you do, don't be surprised to later find the item sitting on a
dealer's table being offered at a higher price.
Have a float of change. This will speed up
your selling.
A money-belt to store your cash in is
safer than a plastic tub/tin sitting on your
table.
Provide carrier bags. This goodwill gesture
will recycle the mountain of carrier bags blocking up the cupboard
under the stairs at home.
Don't knowingly sell dud items as working. If
you regularly sell at boot sales in the local area you will be sure
to lose repeat buyers with this sharp practice.
Having working batteries in an an item is more
convincing than offering an item without batteries and stating,
"Yes, it was working perfectly last night when I tested
it."
It is easier to sell if you remember to
take original packing, manuals and hard to find odd voltage adaptors
and accessories for items to be sold.
Remember to smile. A miserable looking seller
is likely to keep buyers away from a table of attractive
items.
Have the patience of a saint. It is
possible.
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Tips for buyers
Caveat emptor. Buyer beware.
Check plugs and fuses and wiring on
electrical items before using them at home. Otherwise you risk
electrocution or your house burning down.
Don't be afraid to ask for a discount
especially if you buying a number of items.
Haggle by all means but if the seller is
offering an item at an already rock-bottom bargain price try not to
take the pee.
The one-off seller will generally accept low
offers near the end of the boot sale to avoid taking items to bung
up the garage/attic again.
Dealers are less keen to drop prices as they
will simply take goods onto next sale. A dealer is more likely to
drop prices if the turn out of buyers is low
due to uncertain weather or bad weather forces
the dealer to pack up early. The dealer will refer to this as,
"Having a bad day".Yet this could be a good day for a buyer to pick
up a bargain and a good reason not to decide on staying in bed at
the first sign of a grey sky.
Take some change with you.
Don't keep all your money in the same
pocket/purse or flash huge sums of cash. Pickpockets
unfortunately go to boot sales too.
Take batteries with you to test items actually
work.
Take a tape to measure
items.
Let the seller set up their table and wares
when they arrive. Avoid the temptation of diving into the open boots
and doors of sellers' cars.
Be civil to sellers and other buyers alike.
This way you will gain many new friends for free. A true bargain at
the boot sale.
Ask or take a friend to help you carry large
items back to your car. A week off work with a slipped disc is not a
bargain.
Write down the car model/colour/number plate
and the row number if you pay for an item and intend to collect
it later. It is very easy to forget the pesky car's location at a
busy boot sale.
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These are just a few ideas. Feel free to edit or
dismiss them. I will try to send you some more tips when I
think of them. Must lay in a darkened room now.
Cheers for providing yet another season of decent
boot sales.
Best regards,
Gary.