Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What does / does not sell well at car boot sales?

35 replies

QueenBakingBee · 12/05/2025 12:34

Hiya! I'm being brave and going to do a car boot sale at the weekend. For those who buy at them or those that sell - what sells well and what doesn't?

I'm planning on not charging a lot for anything that I choose to take to try and shift as much as possible.

Any other useful tips would also be welcome :)

OP posts:
Howtohelpfriend · 12/05/2025 12:41

You might do better just having a yard sale if you get plenty of people passing. Car boots usually cost for a pitch and people don't want to pay much, plus they attract thieves.

Original poster
QueenBakingBee · 12/05/2025 12:45

Howtohelpfriend · 12/05/2025 12:41

You might do better just having a yard sale if you get plenty of people passing. Car boots usually cost for a pitch and people don't want to pay much, plus they attract thieves.

thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I live in a cul-de-sac so not a lot of passing potential buyers. I've had a look at pitch price an its £12 so I don't think that's unreasonable. I'll look out for people who might be looking to nick stuff, thank you as hadn't thought of that.

OP posts:
RabbitsRock · 12/05/2025 12:49

Kitchen stuff seems to sell well, especially vintage.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General shopping
mondaytosunday · 12/05/2025 12:50

I did one when I downsized. I was selling things ranging from cut glass crystal (wedding present) for £10 (worth loads more) to pub beer glasses for 10p (worth nothing). You can guess which sold better!
My neighbour was selling second hand kids clothes and doing a roaring trade. Anything nice with a more than £1-2 seems to be hard to shift.

Needmorelego · 12/05/2025 12:58

I go to car boot sales to buy books and toys.
My biggest annoyance is those who don't display them easy to look at.
Shoved in a plastic or cardboard box all piled over each other meaning it's hard to see what there is (let alone rummage). Drives me nuts.
Make it easy for people to see what you have.
Don't be overcomplicated with different prices. Stick to "all books 50p" or something and be perfectly happy to accept 40p if that's all the person has.
The ones I go to seem to have a lot of clothes that don't seem to sell.

Beryl23 · 12/05/2025 13:15

We always go for kids’ books and toys. We usually only buy toys if they are easy to wipe down before using though. Don’t really buy soft toys but I’m sure some people do. I agree with PP, I always see people packing away their unsold clothes. It’s amazing what rubbish people think they can sell though… on our last trip there was a half burnt candle and a used sex toy 🤢

thenightsky · 12/05/2025 13:17

I did one last weekend. Didn't even make my pitch fee back. Won't be bothering again.

SwanOfThoseThings · 12/05/2025 13:17

Needmorelego · 12/05/2025 12:58

I go to car boot sales to buy books and toys.
My biggest annoyance is those who don't display them easy to look at.
Shoved in a plastic or cardboard box all piled over each other meaning it's hard to see what there is (let alone rummage). Drives me nuts.
Make it easy for people to see what you have.
Don't be overcomplicated with different prices. Stick to "all books 50p" or something and be perfectly happy to accept 40p if that's all the person has.
The ones I go to seem to have a lot of clothes that don't seem to sell.

Edited

Yes - easy to see goods and simple pricing.

If your aim is to get rid of as much stuff as possible you could have a 'buy two get one free' offer (or whatever multiple would work best with the volume of stuff you have).

Take plenty of change with you.

Expect people to haggle and be prepared for this, whether that's being prepared to say 'no' or having in mind a baseline price.

Don't overprice yourself - you need to significantly undercut charity shops and other used goods sellers, bearing in mind your buyers are doing the legwork by turning up and rummaging.

Clothes sell better if you can organise a rail and hangers.

Books and CDs sell well as long as you price them cheap!

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/05/2025 13:18

I only tried this once, with a load of kids clothes when I was moving. Hardly sold anything, despite everything being priced at about 50p and being (in my opinion) in decent condition and clean.

I got so carried away buying stuff from other stalls that I probably made a loss of about £100 that day!

Also beware people buying stuff from you only to sell it on at twice the price online (neighbouring stall holders will usually tell you who these people are).

PoorUncleBarry · 12/05/2025 13:21

I can't tell you what will sell and what won't as that can change based on location/time of year etc but I can advise you not to hang around the punters and gush over your own tat when they're browsing. Nothing makes them run faster.

Acc0untant · 12/05/2025 13:22

Be prepared for other sellers to swarm your table while you're setting u. And for thieves who get you to turn your back for whatever reason ("have you got anymore of these in your boot?") to swipe from your table.

Original poster
QueenBakingBee · 12/05/2025 14:06

Beryl23 · 12/05/2025 13:15

We always go for kids’ books and toys. We usually only buy toys if they are easy to wipe down before using though. Don’t really buy soft toys but I’m sure some people do. I agree with PP, I always see people packing away their unsold clothes. It’s amazing what rubbish people think they can sell though… on our last trip there was a half burnt candle and a used sex toy 🤢

oh my goodness - same when I've been previously!

OP posts:
Original poster
QueenBakingBee · 12/05/2025 14:08

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/05/2025 13:18

I only tried this once, with a load of kids clothes when I was moving. Hardly sold anything, despite everything being priced at about 50p and being (in my opinion) in decent condition and clean.

I got so carried away buying stuff from other stalls that I probably made a loss of about £100 that day!

Also beware people buying stuff from you only to sell it on at twice the price online (neighbouring stall holders will usually tell you who these people are).

Thank you, so helpful. I honestly don't mind what people choose to do after I've been paid though. And definitely will not be wandering around - my boot is coming home empty lol.

OP posts:
Munchies007 · 12/05/2025 14:26

Baby clothes and items
Branded sportswear
Trainers

My sister sells at a car boot every week.

takehimjolene · 12/05/2025 14:43

I wouldn't take higher value items as people at car boots expect to get things for rock bottom prices. And make sure your prices are clearly visible- lots of people don't want to have to get in a discussion about price or want an idea of what sort of price you want before they speak to you. Also lay your stall out neatly with similar items together- lots of people will walk straight past a stall that doesn't look to have their sort of thing on. As pp said, if you are planning to sell clothes take a rail if you can, it makes it easier to look through and looks more appealing than lots of things in a box (plus if you have clothes in a box etc they will be screwed up as soon as a few people have looked at them).

Also, be prepared for trade/regular sellers to come round making offers before the sale opens to the public. Obviously this is fine if you just want to get rid of things but a few times I have sold to a seller for next to nothing, believing it was for their own use, only to spot my item on their stall for 5 x the price they paid.

Original poster
QueenBakingBee · 12/05/2025 14:47

takehimjolene · 12/05/2025 14:43

I wouldn't take higher value items as people at car boots expect to get things for rock bottom prices. And make sure your prices are clearly visible- lots of people don't want to have to get in a discussion about price or want an idea of what sort of price you want before they speak to you. Also lay your stall out neatly with similar items together- lots of people will walk straight past a stall that doesn't look to have their sort of thing on. As pp said, if you are planning to sell clothes take a rail if you can, it makes it easier to look through and looks more appealing than lots of things in a box (plus if you have clothes in a box etc they will be screwed up as soon as a few people have looked at them).

Also, be prepared for trade/regular sellers to come round making offers before the sale opens to the public. Obviously this is fine if you just want to get rid of things but a few times I have sold to a seller for next to nothing, believing it was for their own use, only to spot my item on their stall for 5 x the price they paid.

thank you for this, I'll dig out some sticky labels as a few of you have suggested making sure it's all priced.

Does anyone use a wall pasting table or am I better using something more study?

OP posts:
IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 12/05/2025 14:54

Acc0untant · 12/05/2025 13:22

Be prepared for other sellers to swarm your table while you're setting u. And for thieves who get you to turn your back for whatever reason ("have you got anymore of these in your boot?") to swipe from your table.

Yes and also inside your car before you've had a chance to take stuff out - so they can try to bagsie (or just walk away with) it before anybody else.

Be especially careful of people trying to take things from your car that aren't for sale - such as child seats.

Never ever do a car boot sale alone - you need one person to be highly alert whilst the other has their back to the crowd (when unloading/reloading, getting some change or having a drink or anything; also so you can go to the toilet without leaving your stall unguarded.

popandchoc · 12/05/2025 14:58

We did one a few weeks ago.

Best things that sold were - toiletries (sealed ), jewellery, dolls, teddys, clothes.
Things that didn't really sell were books and games,

CrystalSingerFan · 12/05/2025 15:40

RabbitsRock · 12/05/2025 12:49

Kitchen stuff seems to sell well, especially vintage.

Yes! I recently put a table outside my home, on the footpath rather than the cul-de-sac, and the kitchen/baking stuff went every day. (It was free, mind you.) Stuff I thought would be snapped up (like a nicely framed decorative mirror) wasn't.

yoyo3 · 12/05/2025 16:01

Baby things sell well near me

Treesarenotforeating · 12/05/2025 16:28

Put prices on stuff, a bit higher than you want , you can come down a quid or 2 makes people think they are getting a good deal

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 12/05/2025 20:04

Treesarenotforeating · 12/05/2025 16:28

Put prices on stuff, a bit higher than you want , you can come down a quid or 2 makes people think they are getting a good deal

Yes - but be prepared for some extremely cheeky low-ball offers. If you price something (that's well worth it) at a tenner, maybe expecting offers of 7 or 8 quid, there will be plenty who will offer you £1 or even 50p for it.

They will often use negging techniques to insist that you won't get any more for it than they're offering.

Also - and be on your guard for this and ready to block them - you get quite a few people who will ignore any semblance of mutually agreeing a price: they will say "I'll give you a pound for it" and then toss a quid on to your table before trying to walk off with the item, somehow reconciling it in their mind as absolutely not having just (almost) stolen something, but rather having bought it fair and square. They will usually back down if you challenge them, though - probably muttering about how ridiculous you are and how crazy-high your prices are as they walk away.

It's also not unknown for people to scoff that your item priced at £5 isn't worth anything like that and urge you to take 50p and think yourself lucky to get that - and then to stick it straight on their own table for sale at not a penny less than £15!!

Remember that there are people who are actively looking out for weaknesses in newbies to exploit - as with the vultures who surround your car before you've even turned the engine off. If you show them that you're wise to their tricks, they will slink away and try to find some easier fresh meat instead.

GRCP · 12/05/2025 20:11

Accept any offers and stuff will shift. Jewellery, anything metal, tools, graphic novels, books and toys tend to go well, also bras and shoes, but not clothes as much. I would do Vinted for clothes.

GRCP · 12/05/2025 20:12

Oh yeah toiletries and make up goes well too

CarBootQueef · 12/05/2025 20:38

Everything £1-£2 and you'll get rid of the lot. Carboots just aren't the places for expensive things imo..and I go to alot.

I never understand the hatred for traders/resellers, if they give you what you ask for something what does it matter if they flog it on vinted for double the price later on that day...yes I also do this and it's just bought me a new caravan so I'll be keeping it up 😁