Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Ok so doing the first boot fair on Sunday,(well if I manage to get up and going at 5am!!) keep hearing these awful stories that people grab stuff out the van before you unloaded, they get aggresive if you dont sell at a price they want to buy at etc etc :confused:

So those of you that are experts, please give me some advice, to make it easier!! ie do you price everything up before you go?? When they say how much for this do you start really high?? What sells best?? What isnt worth taking?? What sort of price should I be selling stuff at??

I am feeling quite nervous to be honest, god knows why?? Never even been to a boot fair, not really my cup of tea!!

General advice and help needed!!!

Thank you to all in advance!! :)

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Never done one myself but me mate told me the other day that he lets the people who grab all his stuff before he's unpacked do the work for him. He just stands back while they unpack and lay everything out for him!

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

My advice? Prepare for a hideous experience! :D

We did a boot sale a couple of weekends ago and will have to do another before we leave. Very odd experience. For a start most of the "sellers" seem to do it regularly as a kind of business, but that's another issue.

Yes, people will most likely pounce on you before you're set up. My tactic was to politely but firmly ask people to come back once we'd had a chance to set up.

Don't take anything that you don't mind parting with for next to nothing - I really just wanted to get rid of stuff, so my usual response to "how much for this mate?" was "errr... a pound". The number of people who argued the toss to save 20p on something that should probably sell for at least a fiver was unbelievable. It's like dealing with vultures!

Still, it does get rid of stuff...

Good luck, stay strong, take change, and don't be afraid to say no! Honestly I think some of these people would out-haggle most of the hawkers in Marrakesh! :D

Ed

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Oh god I even more worried now!!! :D :D

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Nah don't worry - it won't be so bad - you've just got to prepare yourself for the experience! :D

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

OK, I hope I survive!! :D

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

It is a really scary experience for those of us new to it, I agree!

Hub and I aren't really into going to them either so didn't have a clue.

Gates for us opened at 7am - we couldn't believe the queue at 6.45 - some had arrived at 4.15 am!!!! Madness!

Yes people do empty your car/boxes etc as you're trying to and I just did as other poster and asked them to return when finished, or were they looking for anything in particular.

I'd made up posters saying everything £1 but never needed.

My tips for future would be :-

Go with a friend/partner - helps to laugh with them when have a quiet period!!
Take a table to display things on AND a blanket or similar for the floor display
Have plenty of change, lots of people come to car boots with £20 notes!
Take drinks/food for yourselves and kids if taking too!
Keep smiling and keep changing whats on table - different things appeal to different people.

We ended up £60 in profit for our mornings work so we were pleased. We found books, naf crockery niknaks and kids smallish toys sold well. Didn't sell the dodgy Ikea magazine racks but did spend all morning answering peoples questions about them as noone could work out what they were!!

Good luck!

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

We've been doing boot fairs regularly, ever since we got the OK from Oz.
So here come the tips ;)

1. Yes, as soon as you arrive, you will be hassled by loads of people trying to get a look at your best stuff. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you pack your car/van with your table last. That way, when you arrive, take the table out the car and CLOSE THE BOOT. Set up the table first, go back to the car, take one box of stuff out of the boot, CLOSE THE BOOT, and set up the first box on the table. Fill your table slowly this way, making sure you close the boot after every turn. The punters will soon get fed up and go hassle the people who arrive next. Don't forget that you have all day to sell, so try not to give things away in the first 10 minutes because you are under pressure. Also, depending how big the fair is, watch out for thieves, especially kids on bicycles. They can ride past your pitch and nick your stuff.

2. Always bring with you loads of change, especially pound coins.

3. Bring with you loads of plastic bags, i.e. from ASDA / Sainsbury's. People are always asking if you have a bag.

4. Don't price things up before hand. We did that the first time we went, and it was a disaster. Everytime we had to reduce a price, we had to change the label. You will mentally have a price for each of your items. For larger items it is always better to have a price in your head before you go.

5. Anything sells, it just depends on the type of people at the fair. Everything from clothes, electrical goods, computer games, CD's, tableware, books etc......the only thing that doesn't sell and you have to give away are video tapes...no one is interested in them anymore since DVD's came out.

6. Price - thats a difficult one. As you are going to a boot fair, most punters will expect to buy everything for 20p. The key is to haggle. Start off with a high price (but be careful not to overprice) and then haggle. The punters will always ley you know if the price is to high.

7. In this weather bring a hat and suntan lotion.

8. Bring some lunch and drinks. They do have food stalls on site but they will only offer burgers etc.

9. Bring chairs to sit on.......your feet will get very sore if you are standing for 10 hours.

and lastly, ENJOY. It is alot of fun especially if you like people watching.

Hope this helps!!!!

PM me if you need any more info.

Good luck :D

Andy

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

I've done 3 boot sales (and they weren't the best experiences) and made just under £500 in total from the 3.

The first one we priced everything up but found that was a mistake. I found the only things worth pricing were books, clothes and larger toys and special items. The more general stuff we found people make an offer anyway so it was pointless pricing it.

The only thing I can advise from experience is make sure you have someone to help you, DON'T leave your money lying around (use a money belt and not a dish with cash in), take a bottle of water for yourself.

Get there early to get a good pitch and when you unpack your van get one person to deal with the traders who start poking around and the other can start setting up. I found that traders know what they are looking for so if they seem persistent you know you've got a good item so hold out for a better price. Also some peeps buy stuff from you to sell on their own stall at a higher price.

It's going to be hot on Sunday so you should get quite a few people out and about and make loadsa money :D

Good luck.

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Excellent thread and some good advice. I will be referring to it when we come to do ours! :)

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Was going to do a boot but then looked into it and thought do I really want the hassle ?

In the end decided to take the lot to the local charity shop for local hospice.

They priced stuff up much higher than you would get at a boot and we had the fun of seeing things in the window and disappearing every time we walked by.

The best bit was when the lady who works there stopped us in the street to say we had made them over £250!!! and thank you soooooo much!!!!

So no hassle and a nice warm glow!! :D :p

I bet we couldn't have made that much at a boot with the stuff either.

So think how much do you need the money and hassle.

If you need the dough then try to take 2 other people to help- you need 2 on the stall when it is busy and it means you all get a nice break. Choose a good site with toilets etc. Go the week before and check out prices. Price stuff up but be prepared to drop- people prefer a bargain. Take change and keep all cash in a bum bag firmly strapped to you. keep your sense of humour. ;)

Good luck

Rammygirl

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

My Mrs loves doing them(she must be mad) and she has a whole loft full of stuff to get rid of before we fly out in September.She usually brings the kids and her sister and they make a day of it .The kids amuse themselves wandering round looking for bargains.The only down point to that is you always come back with crap even if you have sold all of your own.. :rolleyes:

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

We did one last sunday in Milton Keynes ended up with 170 quid from a pile of old 5hite.
Your right about the hagglers though we had a brand new scanner still boxed man -"how much for this mate" me-"3 quid" man-"bit much" me-"go on then you can have it for a quid" man walks away

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

OH did one a few weeks ago. Absolutely shit was her reply when asked. Everybody wants everything for nought. As she explained, I was too busy rolling around the floor. :D I was meant to do the next one but when she told me she made 45 quid, I said I'll pass. I'd rather shoot myself in the head with a nail gun. Problem was that you don't want to bring anything back so you start punting it for next-to-nought. But I got a great laugh and that was priceless :D

Re: Help and Tips needed on doing a Boot Fair!! Pleeeeezeee!!
 

Some excellent advice, I can see that many of you are Bootie Pros!! :D

I will take all the advice on hand and implement!! Will let you know how I get on, on Sunday!! My friend is doing a pitch to so should be a laugh!! Would love to take the OH but he is on a stag do :beer: and not back until 3.30am we are leaving at 5am :scared: so cant really enforce that he comes to!!!!!! :D The bootfair is at Eastbourne (those local Polegate on Huge roundabout) it is massive and very well known locally apparently normally about 100-150 cars!!

I just hope all this hard work pays off and I dont come back with all of it!! OH will go mental!!! :D

One other question, got an old PC, which works fine, but not needed do you think I should take it or chuck it?? Not sure if electrical items will sell as they cant see them plugged in etc!!