to consider a car boot sale?

[myfingersarenotsogreen]

So the house is bulging full of stuff - most of which we don’t use but is too good IMO to just throw away. I’ve got fed up of selling on ebay as its more hassle than its worth.

AIBU to try a car boot - there is a big, well known, one locally. Or should I just try and oass it off to the charity shop or recycling centre?

Any tips for first timers?

When you arrive to set up, sometimes, people will try to use torches to look in your car boot whilst you're trying to unpack. They shout "give you a pound for this!" and so on.

Just say loudly "NOTHING is for sale yet thank you! Back off."

If you sell to them, they offer you low prices and then sell it on their own stalls.

People will haggle, prepare your prices in your head...know how low you're happy to go...put prices on things as some people don't like asking.

With clothing, iron and fold it. You'll be more likely to get decent prices.

Don’t do it on your own, have another adult with you, I made that mistake the 1st time I did one and the boot takers were a pain, but absolutely fine if you have someone with you.
Whether or not you put prices on things seems to be a local thing, I don’t. I bother less about someone buying to sell on, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t want to take it home amd I’ve got a couple of quid for it. Remember that something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it

• Take another person
• Take snacks and drinks
• Plenty of change
• Keep more expensive items directly in front of you
• Arrive and close the car, walk around until a few more rows have arrived, as then the hordes of resellers will have moved on.

Also some advice from someone who buys a lot from carboot sales, please don't say it's worth XYZ on Ebay. You're in a field with a limited audience, you don't need to give things away for peanuts but you do need to be realistic.

Car boots are the work of the devil these days. Vultures round your car as soon as you arrive, people expecting things for 20p and bringing home lots of the things you took because nobody actually wants it anyway!

Go to your local one 2/3 tines and watch how things go. Look at the stalls carrying the same stuff that nobody is interested in. Have you got anything different to bring to it? Check their prices; do you really want to sell that things that cost you £40 for £2? I would rather donate to charity or women's aid/social work collections.

I did 2 car boots last year and bought a lot of it back. Had loads of children's clothes for sale and sold all of them in bundles on the Facebook market place and probably made more than if they had sold at the car boot plus no ebay fees or postage to think about!

Thank for the advice, not too sure how I feel about vultures (It was bad enough 25 year ago when last did one).

icerebel your tip sounds like a very good one!

Does anyone know if an old computer is likely to sell? I have a lovely old i Mac that needs to go? The charity shops won’t take it and ebay is flooded. Seems madness to take it to the tip

Old computers would sell easily at ours, but it depends on the usual crowd who visit your specific car boot.

If you have anything that you think won't sell or not sell for much, try Freecycle or Freegle.

I vowed to never to another boot sale as long as I live. Would rather give the stuff away than try to get more than 50p.

You will be able to sell the computer I'm sure, but you may not get a price that reflects what you think it's worth.

After you've done it, do not take the stuff home.
Take it straight to the recycling centre or charity shop etc.

I would say eBay/schpock/fb marketplace are better for higher value bits as you’ll get a better price, people at boot sales will haggle and haggle and wear you down.
But if you’ve got lots of cheaper things you want to get rid of quickly, boot sales can be a good way to shift them.

Be firm, keep an eye on your table at all times.

If you want to be rid of the clutter at any price...sell at carboot.
By that I mean designer leather coat £5 people of certain nations coming back at last gasp saying can I have that you won’t sell it now a I bought 2 things (50 p each) from you earlier?
Having only ever done 2 car boot, I can honestly say I rather walk to Syria and give it away than do another!
Good luck

Did one a few years ago. Had to be there at 4am or a similarly ridiculous hour. Made a fairly decent amount but less than I would have gotten paid for working a day and for much much more hassle. The vultures and hagglers were exhausting. If you like to haggle and banter you might enjoy it. I did not. Now everything gets sold on market place or charity shopped.