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| Raising money for Notting Hill Carnival Club at Wimbledon Stadium car boot sale |
Top tips
Get there early
If you are selling, you generally need to arrive well before the punters. That could mean waking at the crack of dawn and queuing for two hours, or simply rolling up at 11am if it starts late – check with each individual sale.
Take a wallpaper pasting table and fold-up chair
You can track down a table at most DIY stores for around £10.
Make sure you have enough stuff to sell
You’ll be surprised at what people will buy. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and that is never truer than at a car boot sale. If in doubt, take it anyway – someone might well want that sushi-making set your brother-in-law gave you.
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Have prices sorted in your head
And if possible organise your stall in some kind of price order. Items over a tenner at one end, things for a fiver in the middle and a £1 box at the end.
Have your wits about you
When the punters descend, it’s chaos. If possible, set up before they approach you. Sometimes this is impossible and you’ll have 20 nimble-fingered people riffling through your boxes. Don’t be afraid to tell them to go away until you are ready.
Buy a bumbag
This isn’t a time to think about fashion, a bumbag is an absolute necessity to keep your cash and mobile phone safe.
Take some spare change
About ten £1 coins and four £5 notes should be fine.
Don’t accept £50 notes
People often try to get rid of fake notes at car boot sales, so don’t risk accepting one.
Don’t go it alone
You’ll need moral support and back-up when the haggling gets tough and for those all-important tea breaks.
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| Novice car-booter Maggie sets up a stall |
Things that sell well
Books Apparently the bestselling items at car boot sales, followed swiftly by…
Boxed toys, clothing, and CDs
Designer perfume and make-up But only if unused.
Electronics in good working order Boxed MP3 players, video games, mobile phones and the like, as long as you can prove they work.
Handbags For some reason, a good-looking leather, PVC, or glittery bag goes down a treat.
What to buy
Secondhand furniture is almost always dead cheap at car boot sales, so if you see something you love, buy it. You are unlikely to find it again.
China You’ll always find a lot of old tea sets at car boot sales that specialise in secondhand and antique. Look out for quality brands made in England like Royal Doulton. First edition books can be found at many car boot sales for next to nothing and can be resold on eBay for good money.
Designer clothing Always good if you happen upon a stall belonging to a fashion industry insider on a purge. Again, you can sell many designer items in good condition on eBay for a healthy profit.
What not to buy
Soft toys Just think about all the littlun's who may have thrown up on them.
Anything you suspect could be stolen If you purchase it you will be handling stolen goods, which is a criminal offence.
Secondhand lingerie Obviously.
Electrical equipment that you can’t test on site. Even if the vendor can prove something is working then and there, it won’t come with a guarantee.
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107 comments
Hi Marcella, Just to let you know that the Car Boot Sale at Princess May School, Stoke Newington has an indoor area aswell and tables are provided.
has any one been to the boot sale at mumsford lane gerrards x i have heard its rubbish but i need to go somewhere on a sat thats open
cor mary you ain arf testy are you sure!!!!!!!
HI PEOPLE......QUESTION IS THERE ANY UNDER COVER BOOTSALES ....PETER CAN YOU GIVE ME THE POST CODE FOR THE ONE IN ENFIELD...AND THE BEST TIME TO GET THERE ..OHH WHAT DAY IS IT THANKYOU
Richard.... One my comment is not just to you!!! ( As you do not represent this forum)
and furthermore all i did was just respond to yourself (Raj) saying that i was speaking rubbish the only thing i am appoligies here for is swearing beacuse everything else i did was just me voicing my views. So stop with the snarky comments its getting old now. Thank you.
thats alriight mary totally accepted, its just that if you give some you got take some. Over and out
Wow look what has started here, you know what i appoligise to everyone and don't want this site to be full of this stuff. Sorry....
lets keep it about the car boots everyone, its just going well off strack and although i dont believe i am alone in terms of insults etc i know i am a part of it, so once again Sorry guys. Mary
peter suuch language! I bet yOur real is mary
Ok Ok people its over now lets get back to the car boot sales... I still think Battersea is the best but im waiting for a challanger, i made £80 last week what others are good..
Carole i am on the hunt for some more too so i will let you know..
And Mary only got offensive when he said she ws talking rubbish i would have told him to fuck off to!!! A totally stranger what a cheek!
mary where are you
Car Boots, sad to see lots close in the winter. There are still plenty of people prepared to run them but lots of popular venues from previous years do not re open. Whats changed, is it the safety laws or inability to provide toilet facilities. I live close to Heathrow and Windsor. Please anyone let me know, if there are any good venues. Thanks
From passionate about car boots
a note to mary 7thnov I suggest you practice what you preach!
thats democracy, mary talks about free opinions and everybody has a right to say what they like. along comes raj tells mary what he thinks she tells him tof!!!k off. true to the cause mary!!!!!!!!
mary are you sure you are not a labourite