Swap meet selling

Yes, on the pricing everything.
People without carts, are just as likely to part with their cash as the guys with the always in the way mega carts.
I appreciate the kids with their "for hire" enterprizes..win win.
Also if I have a booth, and for some reason a cluster of bs ing buddies decide to congregate in front of it, kindly ask them to move on, so people who may want to buy something can see their stuff.
 
Just price your items a bit higher than you yourself would pay for them . Then when they offer you a little less and you accept , everyone is happy .
I always try to make the buyer feel like he got a great deal , and usually he does !
 
Clean every thing and shoot some primer on it. The last thing people want is old dirty oily parts. This will fetch better prices.
Second Masking tape is cheap. put prices on everything. I hate having to find who the owner is and ask the prices on 20 items I'm interested in. I walk out of booths that I have to fight to get a price.
 
my Friend says it you have something loud, like a motor with open headers, that's good. start it up to make a lot of noise, it draws people in
 
redmodelt said:
Outlaw;
Re Portland Swap Meet, at the Expo center.
We have a package pickup area. You can stash your stuff and drive around and pick it up. Yes the kids are around with there carts to haul your goodies to that area as needed.
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Thank you. I haven't made it to the Portland swap meet yet, but have done the same at Pullayup. Not all swap meets have the carts though. Most vendors have let me stash the large items that I had bought from them & later on I would hire one of the young persons with a cart to haul my stuff out to my rental. I always tip them extra for this.
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Brendan said:
my Friend says it you have something loud, like a motor with open headers, that's good. start it up to make a lot of noise, it draws people in
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That’s a fine way to make friends and influence people, although they probably won’t be very friendly. Rules at a swap are just like anywhere else, open headers? No freakin’ way. Loud music? Not everybody appreciates your hard rock. I think everyone can figure out the rest....
 
jim1932 said:
I have been to swap meets including several trips to Hershey, but this time it is me selling. Any tips to keep me from A) losing my shirt. B) coming home with all I brought. I know what I paid for some of it, some is leftover form builds. Anything from ultra rare v-8 intakes, cracked winfield heads, to crapped up model be pans cut up for a t-5.

My thought is to stick to my prices in first half and take almost anything in second half?
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You kinda have conflicting objectives, top dollar and selling it all.

What ever you paid for a part is irrelevant, what matters is what someone else will pay then and there. Ultra rare does not equal ultra desirable, in fact quite often the opposite, unless that 1 in 10000 person happens to be at that show with that needs or wants that 1 in 10000 part.

Decide on each part what it is worth to you... that is your take home price, anything above that is gravy.

As to your shirt, you are going to a SWAP meet. My suggestion is you only trade with a nice looking young lady and be happy even if the fit is not quite right.
 
I have a price tag on EVERYTHING when I sell.

When I'm walking around as a Buyer, I won't even ask about an item if it isn't priced. Always feel the Vendor that doesn't have a priced marked, is pricing on the cuff depending on how much he thinks he can squeeze you for.
 
If buying - wear your oldest clothes, leave the gold rolex, gold chains, country club shirt, and gold class ring at home.
 
I sold everything I brought to Hershey this past year! It just depends on do you mind taking it home. I made money on most things and broke even on others and lost on a few items. I try and make a deal with any interested party. Overall I was very pleased. And made some new friends.
 
I've bought and sold at swap meets. My advice, price everything, and within reason, sell if the offer is fair.
If you have parts in boxes with just a part number, guys are unlikely to spend time looking thru each box to see what is inside, label these items if you know what is inside, it will help you to find a buyer.
When at big swap meets like Hershey, there is NO time to stop and sift thru boxes of junk. For a buyer you want to see what is on offer, make an offer and buy or move on, there is no second chance the guy will come back.
If a guy is looking at your stuff, ask him what parts is he looking for? it saves time for both of you.
Finally, I owned a second hand/antiques shop, if you want to move new or near new condition stuff ask 50-60% of the new price. If its good second hand then 30-50% of new price will work. The only time you will get near to top dollar price, is if the part is desirable and rare.
Viv.
 
Brendan said:
deal with people, everyone wants a deal.
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Especially at Hershey, EVERYone insists on getting a break on price. If you were selling $1 bills for 50 cents, you'd get asked if you'd take less, and some just get insulted if you won't drop your price. So I add $10 or so just so I can drop that much right off the bat unless the price I'm asking is a no brainer giveaway to get rid of it.

Take some sort of portable table to get your small items up to arms reach, I get tired and sometimes won't kneel down to look at something marginally interesting and know others are the same way.
 
Attention getter up front = good idea. State your price but also that you MIGHT have "wiggle room" Then, there is always - 'THE WALK-AWAY PRICE if you really wish to sale...
 
FortyNiner said:
So, with this strategy you'll refuse reasonable offers so you can beg for buyers later. If that works for you, go for it.
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Sorry, I meant for example take 85% of asking price anytime. towards the end take anything on the stuff I don't want to take home. Sorry, my stuff is either really rare special stuff, or common stuff that I am trying to get like 20 bucks for.
 
so her is the result. This WASNOT Hershey, it was westminister MD. Sold $100 worth of stuff. 90% had no clue what it was. Those that knwe what it was, weren't in the market at any price. I did lable and price everything.
 
Not like I had a ton of stuff, but enough to pull someone in if they were into this stuff. Even had a girl....OK it was my Mom but all I had available...LOL:D
 

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Jim, l was not at the meet in your photo but if I was I would have only stopped to look at the Winfield head. Most of the stuff on your table is the same stuff on everyone else's table so unless it is really cheaper than others I walk on by. I do prefer to see setups like you have saves lot of time looking.
 
The best swap meet I ever attended was my first trip to Hershey ... barely organized, out in a pasture with the Kiwanis Club selling "Egg McKiwanis" out of a garage next to the swap meet grounds.

Those who remember the Hershey Monsoons know the days.

The most disappointing swap meet I ever attended was my last Hershey trip with everything on paved parking lots ... homogenized and boring.

But, that's ME!

Clearly everyone has their idea of how to sell and how to buy. There is no "right way."

One of my buddies would hunker down with the first box of junk he came to and sort through every piece digging out real treasures. I'd just leave him. He was like a ferret and found excellent buys ... that was his idea of buying. If you tagged everything and set it up on a table, you'd ruin his good time.

If you want to go about swap meets like it's big business, that's fine. Keep in mind that some of us go for a good time, enjoy the banter, the joking, the bargaining, and are turned off by the ultra serious types.

Do it however you want ... try to enjoy it.
 
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When I travel to swap meets . I bring as part of my baggage a un assembled steel radio flyer wagon. Strap it to my suit case and check on the plane. When I get to the hotel I assemble the wagon and I am ready to buy. Been doing this for over 20 years and works great. Also a place to set down and also to eat your lunch.
Vic
 
From my buying experience at Hershey, it helps if there is identifyable stuff that helps me see if you have early ford parts. As I am in pretty good shape and a fast walker, I try to cover alot of ground...if I spot model A or 32 item, I stop to see what else they have. That said, best bargains are finding things like a 32 B fuel pump in a pile of fuel pumps.
 
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