Making money - any car booters? Updated!

[joolz1910]

I sold loads of stuff on eBay last week and made £400! I had to sell my pride and joy (my coachbuilt Silver Cross pram) and a few other bits and pieces, but I'm really pleased to be adding to the WDW fund.

We have also been saving £2 coins since last Summer and estimate that we have approximately £300.

This Saturday, I am doing my first car boot sale. I went last week but it got rained off. I've never done one before and I've never been to one before! Has anyone got any top tips for me?

 

[Pinky166]

I haven't been or done one before either but I plan to do one in July (to help pay off my credit card from next week ) one bit of advice I was told is to expect them to be like vultures around your car whilst your unpacking.

Also to price things in your head & not with stickers, so when they ask for the price you can tell them a little higher, for example £10 & then they will probably haggle with you & you accept what your happy with. Rather than them seeing the price & walking away.

Have fun & let us know how it goes.

 

[Lizzybear]

I haven't done many but just a few tips i've picked up along the way:
-Don't bother pricing items, they only come off when people rummage anyway.
-Bring lots of change and carrier bags.
-Definitely bring someone with you, for company of course but also because, well... Some car booters can be ruthless that's all i'll say
-Bring drinks and snacks, some car boots have stuff like that for sale but not all.
-Don't let people haggle you down too low, at least initially (if it gets close to the end and you just want rid of stuff anyway then fair enough! )

Claire is spot on with the people being vultures around your car thing, I find it's best to get there as early as possible for this reason (some sales let sellers in before buyers which cuts down on the vulture factor!)

 

[joolz1910]

OK - I will have to take my price stickers off. I have been told that people rummage before you've even set the stuff out. Sounds like a nightmare!

I'm selling all of the Disney soft toys. They have been in the loft and it's time they had a new home. We have the usual - Mickey, Minnie, Tigger, Pooh but also some like Dumbo and Bambi. Hopefully I'll get a couple of quid each for those as they're in 'as new' condition.

I'll let you know how much I make - fingers crossed.

 

[Pegasus928]

I did a car boot a few weeks ago of things that had been lying around and were too good to bin.
We had the usual people sticking their noses in the boot while I was unpacking but I just politely asked them to give me a few minutes to sort things out.
The first few customers you get will probably be 'pro' car booters who are looking to buy things cheap and resell on their own stall for a tidy profit. For this reason I would turn down any hagglers that are there early and insist on getting what you want for things. You can always drop the price later on if you struggle to sell - but the way I see it is that if they are willing to make an offer then they obviously think it has resale value.
We also took a pop-up gazebo with us - which was a god send when the rain came. 2 minutes to put up and down - and the supports were good for hanging things on too

 

[les2425]

hi i am doing one this weekend.
i done about 4 so far , check the weather forecast a few days before.
dont want rain if you got a lot of clothes. when you get there set up youre tables first and dont get stuff out until you have eveyrthing ready.
lay youre stuff out well, make it easy to spot stuff.
pluss having a box of mixed small toys get the kids into you stall.
most of all have fun, and make a few quid as well.

les & bev

 

[A Small World]

Ive done several in the past and am getting stuff sorted to do another soon. As others say be prepared for people trying to get you to sell stuff as soon as you arrive - this really puts you off and you find yourself giving any price that comes into your head and forgetting what you had in mind.
Definitely take nibbles etc to eat and drinks or you will spend a fortune buying it there
Also avoid looking round other peoples stalls or you will go home with a boot full of someone elses 'rubbish'

 

[joolz1910]

Well, wish me luck for tomorrow! I am going to be pleased if I manage to recoup my 'stall' fee.

 

[Ware Bears]

I've done a few and am always amazed how people ignore the stuff I think will sell and instead will buy what I consider utter rubbish!

Good luck for tomorrow and I hope you make lots of £££ for your Florida pot.

 

[joolz1910]

Well, I finally did my first car boot sale! It was a small one in a local car park and I made the princely sum of £37!

I'm actually quite pleased with that because I was going to give the stuff away. I couldn't believe the things some people were selling - dirty junk! I managed to sell a giant 'Crazy Frog' but failed to sell an immaculate girl's coat from Next. Go figure.

 

[buzz for boys]

£37 better than nothing !!

I have only ever done 1 car boot and like you was shocked at the fact that the rubbish items sold like hot cakes but the clothes still with labels attached and a mamas and papas pram marked up at £10 did not sell ??? No interest at all ???

We actually had a bet that my really tatty travel stairgate wouldnt sell and I managed to sell it for a £10 my brother was shocked he gave me another tenner for having the gift of the gab but really the lady insisted on giving me £10 as she was so happy with her find ???

Glad you had fun anyway !!

 

[BethEJo]

I haven't been or done one before either but I plan to do one in July (to help pay off my credit card from next week ) one bit of advice I was told is to expect them to be like vultures around your car whilst your unpacking.

I totally agree - when we do one, it's the one thing that always scares me!

So, how did it go?

B

 

[BethEJo]

Sorry, just read the above posts. My bad...

 

[joolz1910]

Sorry, just read the above posts. My bad...

I was quite pleased with my haggling with the adults but pretty much gave stuff away to the kids. I had an 'Amazing Aly' doll that I sold for £3.50 because the Dad wouldn't part with a fiver for it and the little girl looked gutted.

 

[BethEJo]

I swear parents bring their kids along for that reason! A bit of guilt tripping

It definitely gets easier the more you do...

 

[joolz1910]

I swear parents bring their kids along for that reason! A bit of guilt tripping

It definitely gets easier the more you do...

I think I'm going to do a lot more car boot sales - it's easier than Ebay!

 

[les2425]

hi just done a carboot sale this morning up at 4.30am out for 5.30am back around noon.

made a little bit, but i think ebay is better for selling something.
been selling on there for years.

les m

 

[joolz1910]

hi just done a carboot sale this morning up at 4.30am out for 5.30am back around noon.

made a little bit, but i think ebay is better for selling something.
been selling on there for years.

les m

Yes, I sell a lot on Ebay too. I think car boots seem to be the best way of getting rid of items for less than £5. Anything worth a few quid, I would definitely sell on Ebay. I need to de-clutter my house, so I am doing everything - Ebay, car boot, free cycle. Any other ideas?

 

[darthtatty]

well done on the car booty.xx


ive got loads of junk that needs to go, i used to sell loads on ebay but bored with it at the moment. I usually try to sell stuff around oct/nov as i know its more likely to sell then.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Yes, I sell a lot on Ebay too. I think car boots seem to be the best way of getting rid of items for less than £5. Anything worth a few quid, I would definitely sell on Ebay. I need to de-clutter my house, so I am doing everything - Ebay, car boot, free cycle. Any other ideas?

This is my predicament too ..... way too much clutter ... in fact I have a house full, a shed full and a garage full Plan to do boot sales, Ebay and freecycle and a lot will go to Charity shops. I think I have a busy summer ahead.