Car boot sales - did you make any money?

[DarlingDarwin]

Just that really, would like a proper clear out. Mainly clothes and kids toys/clothes. Random household things I’ve amassed over the last few years. Are they worth doing or will I just come home with everything (plus loads of stuff from other stalls?😂)

Bit of pot luck, the last one we did we made just under £300 but had unique items and didn’t sell any clothes. Most car boots round here seem to be full of clothes and baby items.

We made £190
When we had a clear out of my mum's spare rooms.
Mostly toys and odd cooking implements

£250 - £400 depending on what we have to sell.

I usually make around £100 but sell everything very cheaply and give away things (children’s clothes and toys) to customers. The rest goes to charity. It’s about 5 hours on the day plus loading car and unloading which I think is great for some cash and clearing house.

They can be worthwhile if you:

Price things realistically - it's a secondhand baby toy, not the crown jewels
Put price stickers on - some people are too shy to ask how much things cost
And if someone offers you less, take it (within reason) the idea is to get rid of all the junk so you don't need to be taking it home with you again.

I figured I’d price at 4 items for a pound for the baby stuff and the adult stuff 50p for top and £1 for skirts/dresses/jumpers.

random brick a brac would be 50p and item and then I could price other stuff individually. Does that sound like it would go? I mainly need the space

I get more money if it’s the beginning of the month rather than towards the end as I think more people may have been paid.

Sounds like my pricing but things won’t sell if they are damaged, stained, broken etc.

Things that sell well at carboots
Pans, cutlery, kitchen utensils, kids toys, costume jewellery, vintage items, certain clothes will sell. I have never really done well clothes ( larger sizes sell better) shoes and handbags. It depends on the demographic of where you live. The secret is not to set your prices too high, and you will always find some people want something for almost nothing.
I've done a few carboots over the years at various local places and you see the same faces all the time 😀 I always say that if you spend a tenner on your stall and come away with 50 quid and less stuff than you came with, you've won 😀

I used to make loads at carboots but the last one was dire, barely made back the pitch and petrol.
same as the last baby sale I did where I used to make loads too!

We did one once & I would say take only those things you are prepared to give to charity / take to the tip afterwards rather than bringing home and take an offer on anything. In which case anything is a bonus - but do take into account what you have to pay to go into it. Anything sentimental , vaguely valuable don't take. I think we made £200 but hard work & jolly cold

I've tried maybe 5 times. I think we made £15 profit at one event. Otherwise, half a day wasted & never even recovered my costs (petrol & pitch fee). Am under impression most people don't profit. The best seller I was ever aware of was a lady who sold a lot of car tyres. I'm not sure if they were used or what. Who goes to a car boot to buy 2nd hand car tyres.

I've never tried selling women's clothes. My best seller was Beano magazines for 10p each. Helps a lot if you put signs with prices on things.

Tools can sell well, I've bought spare tools or considered buying them.

I've found the first car boot usually makes quite a bit. £300+ but subsequent ones with left over stuff, tend to make loads less and so now if I do one, I just do one and then drive what's left to the charity shop. Not worth 6 hours of my time and getting up at the crack of dawn (not to mention loading the car, setting up etc...) to do another.

I prefer online second hand apps like vinted! I’ve made £500 in the last week clearing out old kids clothes and books! Now looking around at what else I can sell 😂

Visit the car boot before you go there to sell. Work out where is a good pitch (sometimes you have a choice but not much). Take items that you want to get rid of, not sell. This way you are never disappointed. Avoid selling to the vultures who appear when you are unloading. THey will be back so you lose nothing by asking them to disappear until your items are out. Books do not sell well, so price them 25p or less. Clothes do not make much - if you have a few nice ones, then put those out and leave the others in the car. If someone is interested, then you can show them the other stuff. They are more likely to buy. It is hard to sell clothes when they look like jumble. When someone comes up and touches something, give them the price without them having to ask. Take loads of bags with you and newspapers to wrap more delicate items. Offer to hold stuff for them (once they have paid) so they do not have to lug it around.Don't disappear for coffee at the same time as your "helper". Have loads of change handy. I used to make at least 400 each time I went when I was clearing out a garage of random items before I left the UK. My plan was to take NOTHING back home with me at the end of the day. Someone even bought my costco kitchen roll which I had bought to clean up a few items before I sold them. Above all, make sure you are going to a busy car boot with lots of variety on the stalls.

I've had mixed experiences with carboots but I find toys sell very well - and I put my clothes on a rail instead of just piled up on hangers and they always go aswell I sell them at £5 per item or 4 items for £12 and it all shifts especially the kids stuff

I agree I price up before we go and add on 75p more than I want to allow people to knock you down aswell

Problem with that is having stuff hanging around and packaging/labelling and taking it to the post office, plus the risk the buyer might turn around and say it wasnt as described etc. Shifting 50 things at a boot fair is way, way easier than 50 things on vinted.