Car boot sales are a great way to boost your summer income by clearing your clutter and selling it to people who want it. At MoneyMagpie, we’re all about sustainability as well as ways to make money, so we want to share our favourite car boot sales tips to help you maximise your profits.
Clean Everything Before You Sell
When you sort out your clutter, it’s likely that some things will have collected some dust and grime. While that adds to the vintage vibe, it makes items look unloved and tatty, reducing the saleability. Give non-washable items a wipe down with a damp cloth, and use a fabric-safe stain remover to lift any stains.
If you’re selling clothes, make sure you have washed and ironed them first. Wrinkled and musty clothes definitely won’t attract good prices!
Work Out Your Display Tactics
How you display items makes a big difference to your success at a car boot sale. If you can get your hands on a trestle table, or a couple of folding camping tables, that’s a great way to display many items.
Boxes can be used to store books, vinyl LPs and DVDs for sale, but be aware people like to rummage so it’s better to put the items out on a surface like a table if you can. If you don’t have a table, grab some blankets to lay out and place items on them.
Selling clothes is popular at car boot sales, but a pile is unattractive and hard for people to rummage through easily. If you can, use a wardrobe rail and hangers to hang items individually so people can rifle through the rack. But if you can’t get hold of a rack, bring a clothes horse or two and use hangers to display items separately.
Take Someone with You
Car boot sales can be full of ruthless and eager people. You’ll often find people trying to rummage through your things before you’ve even finished unloading the car! Having another pair of hands to unload gets it done quicker, but it also helps keep an eye on your things.
Another person helping out also means you can take turns to stroll around the rest of the sale, grab refreshments, and take loo breaks. Otherwise, you’re tied to your car all day! Having another person can improve your sale opportunities if they’re a natural salesperson, too.
For those who are more of the strong and silent type, that can work in the face of hardcore hagglers – saying no to too-low prices can be hard when you want to shift things, but a stoic personality can help you in the bargaining process.
Get There Early
Yes, car boot sales open at the crack of dawn. But it’s important to get there early because then you can nab a good central spot. If you’re parked on the outer edges, you won’t experience as much footfall and that will reduce your chances of selling everything.
Don’t Hold Items
You might get someone saying they love something but want to come back later for it. If they ask you to hold, ask them to pay first. This is because they might return and request a lower price as the car boot comes to a close, knowing you want to get rid of your stuff – and you could have sold it for a better price to someone else if it hadn’t been held back.
Use Promotions
Just like any shop, promotions can draw customers in because people love a good deal or discount. This is particularly useful if you have multiples of the same type of item like clothes or books. Create an enticing offer such as ‘buy two get one free’ or ‘£5 for one, three for £12’ to help people feel like they’re getting even more of a bargain.
Label Up
While car boot sales can be sociable events, some people won’t want to natter or negotiate. Having items clearly labelled with a price helps start the negotiating process – and be ready to haggle! Set a labelled price a couple of pounds higher than you’d be prepared to take for the item, and have a figure in mind that’s your minimum to sell it for.
This will help you sell items without panicking about getting rid of it all and lowering prices too quickly.
Know the Closing Time
When you enter the car boot sale, confirm the closing time of the event. The mornings have an initial rush to them, calm a bit, then get busy around lunchtimes. There is an afternoon lull – but don’t be fooled, because the final hour often turns up the last-minute audience. Knowing how long the car boot sale is on for will help you relax about refusing to lower your price too quickly. Avoid dropping prices before lunchtime at least – people who are interested in something will come back to haggle later on if they still want an item (and it hasn’t yet sold).
Learn What Sells Best
Car boot sales have all kinds of sellers, from vintage furniture to house clearance to people like you having a spring clean. Items that sell best include vintage items and collectibles, clothes, books, board games, DVDs, CDs and vinyl, and kitchenware. If you’re selling something of value, check for the price it will fetch online for sites like eBay and stand your ground on your minimum pricing for it – you can always take it home with you and sell online or to a specialist instead.
How to Clear Your Clutter
Car boot sales are ideal for clearing your clutter while making extra cash for the summer. But if the idea of cleaning out your attic fills you with fear, don’t panic. Check out the free eBook by MoneyMagpie, Clear Your Clutter, to follow handy tips on how to tackle it and where you can make money from your old things.
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