Car boot sales - do you have any tips? What sells well?

[llamalines]

I'm haveing a clear out and am going to do a car boot. I haven't done one for decades, all I remember is to price things low!

Have you got any other tips? I don't have a rail - how should I display the clothes?

Space in the car is limited - what should I prioritise? (My aim is to make money, i can take what I don't sell to the charity shop in the week).

I haven't gone throutgh everything yet, but I have a fair amount of:

• kids' clothes - some from brand like mini-boden, others just standard supermarket stuff (but nice and in good condition) plus school uniform for our local school
• plus size women's clothes
• adult books
• kids' books - picture books and chapter books
• various kids' toys including lego. some boxed, some loose, plus some craft stuff (unused)
• unopened beauty products and bathroom stuff
• a vintage wooden kids' chair and desk
• general bits and bobs from around the house, still going through stuff...
• a leather jacket but I'd want at least £30 for that

Any tips about what would sell best, or what else I need to bring or be aware of, gratefull received!

Hopeful bump!

Sell your kids Boden stuff on Ebay / Vinted. People,want stuff for nothing at boot fairs. Kids clothes I'd say £1 - 50p max

I wouldn't bother sorry. We did it once, note the once! Never again. Had to be up so early, had people rifling through the boot before we've even unloaded. It was cold and muddy and I think we spent more on snacks from the tea van than we made in profit!

Id stick it all on vinted. I sell similar stuff to what you have listed on vinted so plus size womens, good branded children's clothes and get around 3-4 sales a week

For books try "we buy books" some books you only get pennies for but it adds up, I've made £100 in a year on there and they collect from your house

I did Vinted.. it can take a while. I've made a few hundred and I'm taking the dregs to a car boot sale on August Bank Hol.

You won't get £30 for your leather jacket at a boot fair. I'd put it on Vinted.

Fair enough, I won't bother taking the jacket.

But. I do want to get rid of the other stuff. I've had the Boden stuff lying around for ages and not got round to listing it, so I'd rather sell it all at £1 an item and get rid of it, than spend ages listing it and waiting for a sale.

How do you manage to get so many sales? My experience of listing things is either I have to price ridicously low, or they hang about for ages! Have you got loads of stuff on there?

Having a look at "we buy books"...

Anything will go well if it is priced right. You might struggle with the books though, so they will need to be cheap.

Handy hints -
Put the table in last, so it comes out first. Then unload all the cheapest stuff first, because people will start rummaging through while you are trying to unload the car, and things will get nicked unless you have eyes in the back of your head.

Keep all your money in a bum bag, and have plenty of change.

Take some carrier bags with you if you have some spares.

If someone asks you to put something biggish to one side while they go around and will 'come back for it later', don't do it unless they actually pay you first. Otherwise they probably won't come back, and you could lose out on a sale to someone else.

I think car boot sales are fun! Yes, you do have to price lowish, but certainly Vinted is no better and you may have to wait months for a sale and then the palaver of p&p.

imo toys for little children sell well. Books not at all. Anything in between you never know!

I would price in advance- particularly stuff like lego which also sells well online.

I always take paper to write labels, sellotape, big pens and a packet of wipes incase anything looks at bit grimy in daylight.

Use a clothes rail if you have one- or you can use a drying rack/airer if you don't

Take loads of ground sheets so that you can lay everything out- use all the space

I would take the leather jacket- in most cars you can hang an coat hanger off the open boot

Listing on Vinted is extremely quick though, you'd be able to get everything listed in far less time than you would spend at the car boot sale, as well as making more from it. I always find that the more stuff I list, the more viewings/sales I get for my other items.

Label everything with the price. I hate asking for prices, I'd be much more likely to have a better look if everything's priced up

Give things a clean and a dust with wet wipes

Agree people trying to look before you've even unloaded

We did one and the Jaqeline Wilson books, records and good condition clothes sold well
Hung the big stuff like prom dresses and coats from coat hangers from the car windows

Take a chair

We do ziffit for books and then put any 'worthless' ones outside in a box with a free sign on it, works well here

Ooh, thanks for the Ziffit tip! I just put 4 books into both, they came out at £2.03 with We Buy Books and £2.94 with Ziffit as every one was priced higher.

I don't think I'll bother to take the books, I'll just stick them all on Ziffit, thanks!

I'm thinking of splitting the clothes into two sections - £1 for everything that's a decent brand, and 50p (or 3 for £1) for the rest.

How does that sound?

Sounds good. Those saying “Vinted” are obviously failing to appreciate the dopamine rush of a sale in person! It’s exciting when you see people coming in and making for your stall. Obviously it depends on the boot sale as to whether the customers are ok or not.

Definitely take a flask and some buns (old school style!).

Yes, excatly :) I'm looking forward to it!

I gather many professional buyers are complete CF's, so dont be afraid to stand firm on prices whilst they just want to resell all your stuff.

Last car boot, I went with a friend. She made £110 and I made £150 - worth it for 4hours work.

We sold a mixture of household items, baby clothes, adult clothes and jewellery. You may find you get more for your labelled items, I sold my Ted Baker dresses at £5/10 a pop.

I found that as I had organised everything before it went in the boot, into ikea bags and hung items already on hangers it didn't take long to set up.

Take something waterproof to go on the floor.

Display your best clothes and charge a couple of quid for them. Use an airer if you don't have a rail. Clothes sell better if they are displayed although some people like to rummage about in a pile of clothes.

When you get there and park your car, get straight out of the car, lock the doors and go to the toilet, the initial flurry of traders swarming will have moved on by the time you get back. Or say 'I am getting the good stuff out later'.

Done a few, always made some money back, more than enough to cover the fees.

Mostly wanted to declutter and hopefully get a little bit of money back. Have never made as much as PPs unless it was a specialist sale like the Jack and Jill markets that operated in Scotland

We took anything and everything and were astounded as to what sold.

Take a flask of tea and snacks to save money on buying those. Ask around locally and find out where the best boot sale is. Go with someone to keep an eye out on things, for company and for toilet breaks.

People will always bargain you down - some things will go for almost nothing.

I think other replies have covered everything I would've recommended. Also take drinks and snacks so your not tempted to buy down there

Although car boots are an arse ache to prepare for, I like doing them to get rid of volumes of crap plus making money rather than listing everything which takes ages. I normally average about £150-£200 per bootsale but I do sell everything cheap. Clothes are 50p each or 3 for £1 unless branded. You can get a bit more for these

I've always made good money at boot sales, between £200-500 depending on how much I have and what I take. I usually do big boxes of clothes either 50p/£1 a item and nicer stuff I put on hangers/rail and mark up.

Toys, house stuff, clothes/shoes go well

Generally find books don't go that well these days

I always make money doing car boots. I think the trick is to take as much as you can and sell cheap. Oh and another tip is to take a parasol if the forecast is hot sunshine. There's little shade in the middle of a field.

I don't have a clothes rail, nor a clothes horse or dryer (it broke and won't stand up on its own!).

I'm trying to think what I could fashion a rail out of, has anyone made a makeshift rail successfully?

I have lots of guy ropes, or the metal poles in my wardrobe come off easily.

Just need something to attach them to...