CAR BOOT SALES TIPS AND ADVICE FOR

 STALL HOLDERS

Here's a few personal tips based on our years of experience of buying and selling at numerous car boot sales. I hope they are of some help.

Bring a Friend along to the Car Boot Sale.

If possible arrange for a friend or family member to help you out at the car boot sale. It makes life so much easier when your stall is busy or you need to nip to the loo or get a cup of tea. You could both sell stuff and split the cost of the pitch!

 Packing and Pricing Car Boot Sale Items.

When you pack your items for the car boot sale give each item a physical or mental price tag. If you think you have a valuable antique or item, get it evaluated by a professional, don't just guess at the price! Pack valuable items carefully and seperatley if possible - Make sure they get to the car boot sale safely!

Be prepared for a rush.

(O.k, its never quite this bad at any car boot sale!)

Be prepared for a rush. If you appear to have interesting items both buyers and even other stall holders will flock to you the moment you park up. Whilst things are quite dignified at the Rusper Sussex Car Boot Sale I have witnessed at other car boot sales, sellers cars being mobbed while they are still driving to their pitch! And the very true account of a lady who locked herself in the sellers car so she could go through the boxes!

What to do : The best thing to do if this happens is park up, lock up and go and get a cup of tea! The buyers will soon disperse and you can return and set up your stall in relative peace.

Dealing with Dealers.

There are always dealers at car boot sales, looking for Jewellary, antiques, toys, electricals, etc. So when you start setting up your stall expect to be bombarded by these dealers asking if you have any of these items.

What to do: If you do have anything the dealers want thats good news but don't go out of your way to start digging them out, you can quickly loose track of what's going on and often undersell an item in the confussion. Tell any dealers to come back later and deliberatley leave those or valuable items to be unpacked last. It's best to deal with dealers when you are comfortable and in control of your stall.

Haggling at a Car Boot Sale.

Be prepared for the hagglers. Haggling is common place all around the world and car boot sales are no exception. Haggling can range from sensible offers to insulting ones. Haggling can also be fun and allows banter between buyers and sellers. Over the years I have built up quite a repertoire of rebuffs to the hagglers. Though from the outset I always expect to be haggled.

Haggling is an art-form in many parts of the world and what we may condsider to be outright rude and unacceptable behaviour is just common place banter and a daily way of doing business in some cultures.

With the ever growing level of immigration into Britain we are seeing more and more people from cultures where hard haggling is a part of life.

 This form of aggressive haggling can feel like bullying and it can make some people feel very uncomfortable or even threatened. In almost all cases this is just a clash of cultures and no real offence is intended. 

Haggling or Harrassment?

Quite frankly, it's not straight-forward! Even hardened car boot sellers can get annoyed by over-enthusiastic hagglers. Afterall, most people just want to sell their items at a fair price without getting involved in long heated arguements.

In my experience their are two types of 'hard' hagglers.

Both types start with insulting low offers. The first group can be hard work but are generally just haggling, looking to push you into giving them a bargain. If you stick with it they will try to move towards a price they are actually willing to pay.

The second group are the worst. They'll offer the 50p and no matter what you do they'll keep badgering you with the offer. They may return to your stall time and again repeating the offer. In my opinion this is not haggling, it's harrassment. This type of behaviour can really spoil a sellers day.

There is a fine but definate line between haggling and harrassment. If you ever feel that that line has been crossed and are being made to feel uncomfortable or threatened then call a car boot marshal over.

 What to Do: Don't get upset about hagglers just add about 25% to the price of what you expect for an item, that way a buyer will feel that they have got a bargain once they have haggled you down.

The Shop Window

Treat your stall like a shop window! You should try to reposition your items several times during the course of the day. This will create a diferent looking selection and buyers may well notice items they did not see before.

Things to remember to bring

A comfortble chair(s) for quiet moments

Carrier bags & wrapping material for your sold items.

A flask of tea and sandwiches or a snack

A pen & paper if you need to give a receipt

A SMILE

It's true! A happy smiley face will attract buyers to your stall.

KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE

I would recomend using a snug fitting money belt for your takings. If you use a cash tin then keep it in your vehicle and not on the stall! Keeping your takings in your pockets can become confusing and awkward when giving back change.

Always LOCK any vehicle doors that do dont need to be open. Check they are locked from time to time.

Keep handbags and other valuables inside your vehicle and well out of site.

Do not bring any unnecessary valuables to a car boot sale.

It happens!

A number of modern vehicles are kind enough to keep an interior light on if a door or the boot is open and this can often result in a flat battery. It is worth checking that all your lights, interior and exterior, are off while you are at a car boot sale.

Here's a great website with even more tips!

 If you have any other questions please feel free to email me, phone me, use the website forum or have a chat with me at the boot sale.