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

[QueenBakingBee]

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 :)

@IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta oh my goodness 😂😂... It's combat warfare.

Re prices and having to engage to ask for the price does anyone like this, I absolutely hate it if I walk into a cute little shop and want to browse and I get jumped on, hi is fine but what are you looking for what do you want oh that thing your looking at is blah I walk out as soon as I can.

Why do people do this...

I was in a really quirky beautiful dress shop and it was bliss to just look and then unfortunately the owner came back from lunch and looked irritated by her passive employee and started to jump on us myself and a few others went out.

I personally have no issue with people who buy to resell at a higher price - if they see something for sale at a price they think is on the low side and they pay that price.

It's the neggers, the aggressive hagglers and the people with a fake sob-story about how they are so poor but their sick child urgently needs that item.

However see an item priced at £5, give the seller £5 for it and then resell it via whatever avenue for £20... totally fine.

Yes, you do have to be on your guard against the extreme chancers and the wrong 'uns, but boot sales do also attract a load of perfectly nice members of the public as well.

Of course, they're looking for a bargain; but they will either pay your asking price, fairly ask if you'll accept an offer (and respect your answer either way) and/or decide it's not for them and walk on.

I'd say definitely price things and be alert to your surroundings but give people freedom to browse without jumping on them! Plenty of people do like to see a price and not overly engage beyond a "Can I take this one please" and then "thanks" as they leave with their purchase.

I know what you mean about too eager shop assistants who pounce straight on you. That puts me right off.

Even worse are the small shopkeepers who stand in the doorway - presumably looking to see if any potential customers might be around. Surefire way to deter people from coming in by physically blocking their entry and forcing anybody interested to ask you to move, which the majority won't bother to do and will walk on by to another shop instead.

What is your aim? Is it to make money or get rid of stuff?

These require different techniques.

there is always loads of kids clothes and equipment for people to choose from so you have to make sure yours are vgc and a reasonable price as you do have competition.
CDs DVDs and Videos don't sell well at auctions these days too many and lets be honest with Netflix downloads etc they are not needed.
vintage is good but again prices matter

It's both - but if it doesn't sell on the day, anything left will be taken to the charity shop.

Good luck OP. It all seems like a lot of hassle to me for the money you make. Also, all of the interactions with random people....I'm far too introverted to enjoy any of that!

thank you! I enjoy meeting new people so should be fun.

Not true - there is a growing population of people who don't want their viewing choices dictated by Netflix etc.; don't want to pay every time they want to watch a favourite film, and don't want films 'disappeared' because someone in the cast or production team has been 'cancelled'. The nadir of DVDs has passed.

Worth offering leftovers at the end of the morning to a regular seller as a job lot for a fiver or whatever - if they don't want them, you've lost nothing.