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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

CarBoot Sale never again.

53 replies

birdladyfromhomealone · 17/06/2018 15:57

Today I decided to do a car boot sale as our garage is full of our catering equipment ( retired caterer)
Had car load of crockery, cutlery, saucepans, trays , serving spoons etc
All quailty Hotel ware.
Got there at 7.15 an and and was surrounded by about 15 old men pulling stuff out my car.
Then it rained , so everyone left.
Made £30 in 2 hours. all good.
Then decided to go to another sale, much bigger one.
Cost double to go in £20 but lots more people and booters.
After 5 hours I made £30
Selling for under £3.00 per item
Why is it if you say £1.00 they put the item down and walk away?
Some of my items ( stainless steel saucepans) cost between £30-£50 and I couldnt even get a £1.00 for them
AIBU to think everyone wants something for nothing these days?

OP posts:
BakerBear · 17/06/2018 15:59

Everything is too expensive for people. They want it for free with delivery.

I very rarely sell anything it’s too much hassle

UpstartCrow · 17/06/2018 15:59

Car boots are a faff and ok for less expensive items, but you might do better on Ebay.

Beebiesandcheebies · 17/06/2018 16:01

I know it's a joke innit

ohtheholidays · 17/06/2018 16:01

I used to do alot of car boot sales and always did pretty well, with items of real quality (the saucepans you mentioned)I'd try selling them online,you should get a better price for them that way.

Local FB selling pages or preloved and you can say cash on collection.

AllyMcBeagle · 17/06/2018 16:03

This is why I just give stuff to charity if I don't need it now.

RB68 · 17/06/2018 16:04

You need to find people that want your stuff - car booters do liturally want it all for a quid - its seen as lower than a jumble sale to be honest. I also find it varies from sale to sale and I prefer smaller well established ones - large ones are awful and attract the worst sorts

Your stuff I would list on gum tree or in local networking groups where new people setting up catering or cafes etc loiter - take your stuff to the people.

TropicanaEssentials · 17/06/2018 16:04

I give stuff away, it's easier.

londonrach · 17/06/2018 16:06

Facebook..its great. Sold all baby bits on bought next stage...

LotsToThinkOf · 17/06/2018 16:07

I did one a few years also, never again! We were scavenged before it opened, then people were so picky. If it was over a pound then they weren't interested. Now I just give to charity shops, at least they can make more money to support a worthy cause. I'm always short of cash but I'd rather a charity had the benefit than give things away to greedy people.

buddhasbelly · 17/06/2018 16:07

We have a great indoor one here where its £10 for a table with drop off boxes if you can't sell items and don't want to take them home.

I get lots of dad's books and puzzles from it and some of those orchard games which she loves but I can't afford new.

But jesus I watch some people haggling over 20p for eg new items of clothes with tags on...they are a lot of work and things I've thought would sell when I've done them haven't gone and stuff I thought would has flown off the table.

I did get a Chloe handbag with authentication cert and checked on that bag cert site for £5. I checked buying new it was £600. (I didn't try and fleece the woman, she wanted rid!)

siwel123 · 17/06/2018 16:09

Well it online, I don't really see why people do car boots anymore.

CookPassBabtridge · 17/06/2018 16:10

I did two and enjoyed them, but only because I didn't have high expectations! I remember our first one, we pulled up and hadn't done it before so were a bit nervous, only to find 10 people pulling things out of our boot as soon as we opened it and then staring at us with serious faces while we set up.. it was like a pack of vultures!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 17/06/2018 16:12

I'd rather a charity had the benefit than give things away to greedy people

Ditto ... and £20 to get into a car boot sale??!! Someone's undoubtably making a packet, but I doubt it's the sellers Hmm

TropicanaEssentials · 17/06/2018 16:12

it was like a pack of vultures!

Money and greed do strange things to people.

DownstairsMixUp · 17/06/2018 16:16

We did one two years ago and wont bother again to this reason. People haggling us for 30p 🙄

Puzzledandpissedoff · 17/06/2018 16:19

10 people pulling things out of our boot as soon as we opened ... it was like a pack of vultures!

Round here it was even worse; the large crowd which gathered would pass things around so you didn't really know who'd got it, then disappear having "forgotten" to pay - so among the opening-up period the best stuff was simply stolen

Which probably explains why that particular boot sale no longer runs

Flicketyflack · 17/06/2018 16:20

People will tell what good quality your things are and then haggle with you 🙄

One lady knocked me down from £5 to £4 and then gave me a five pound note- tight Sad

phlewf · 17/06/2018 16:21

Aw see i feel I’ve missed out. I would have bought the lot. To put in my garage. Why can’t I ever find anything good at boot sales. Any chafing dishes?

Pannalash · 17/06/2018 16:24

As my friend said who was selling a set of glasses at a car boot and was offered pence ‘I’d rather smash them on the ground’. Grin

ToadOfSadness · 17/06/2018 16:29

It is best to lock all the car doors and go for a walk when you arrive, come back and set up when the rush has gone. There are always the ones that go round while you are trying to set up asking for perfume and jewellery. I kept stuff in boxes under the table, on our side until we had done with the boot, then took it out and set it up. There are people that want it for nothing, and it got so bad that even at the end they were coming back to see if I would let stuff go for 5p. I just said no thanks and packed back in the box. Not that desperate to get rid and would rather give it to charity.

Then there are the rude ones. They got nothing from me.

Grandmaswagsbag · 17/06/2018 16:32

I did some really successful ones, then after a few times we just found that everyone was haggling over 20,30,40 pence. It’s so bloody annoying and makes you want to not sell to them, even if you want rid of the items. I only do eBay now or charity shops.

Nanny0gg · 17/06/2018 16:33

Sell it on FB, you're more likely to find people who are actually looking for what you're selling

shiklah · 17/06/2018 16:34

I had a really bad experience at a car boot trying to sell baby stuff. People were blatantly stealing and one man did what he thought was a 'clever trick' hiding items in a carry cot, when we took them out he became very aggressive. I was only there about 20 minutes when a heavily young woman came over and politely asked if we would do a deal on a bulk lot - pram, carry cot, high chair etc etc and I just snapped and gave her everything free. She'd come on the bus so we even took it all, and her home and we showed her how to set it all up etc. She was in a horrible pokey flat about a grim takeaway and it felt great to be able to give her a chance to save money and set her up for the first year.

:)

keyboardkate · 17/06/2018 16:34

Maybe a lot of the bargain hunters (chancers) will only buy at knockdown prices and then sell their bounty on Ebay later for a higher price.

Just a thought.

Our area has a boot sale once a month. We go and have a wander, but rarely buy anything. It's a morning out. There are professional buyers and sellers out there who move their purchases along PDQ.

MrsMint · 17/06/2018 16:35

People have got used to QuidLand and cheap foreign trash from Pissmark. Try selling them on eBay/online I have sold lots of stuff at fair prices on there.