Swap meet selling

jim1932

jim1932

Well-known member
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?
 
Hi; yes that works.. it is all crazy, weather just wrecked one of our Meets and our Giant Portland meet is in two weeks. If the customer does not have a cart, just a cup of coffee, he'll waste your time... Keep your booth front clear of BSers too. I have to tell them to move. Newc in Oregon
 
Think of a swap meet like a garage sale. The rare stuff sell here or ebay and plan on shipping. Most guys that go to swap meets know what the prices are and are not there to pay retail.
 
If your prices are initially too high, people will not come back by later unless they get an indication that you are willing to deal. When I sell, I price stuff at what ever price I would be willing to give for a part if I were buying it. Also, get some tags and put a price on everything. It will save you and customers a lot of time and aggravation.
 
As mentioned above I put a price on things, but if it is just a small cheap item I don’t bother. For pricing you need to have a good idea of the market, say a set of 1932 pedals for example. Complete with the clutch rod and clevis they will bring $400 on eBay, I would tag them at $425 and be happy with $350. Obviously a big factor is the quality and what you have dollar wise in an item. Sometimes I will even give a guy a small item he is interested in, especially if my investment in it was minimal. What goes around comes around, and this is supposed to be fun, it is not a business for me.
Last swap I sold at was the Iron Invasion, the crowd was mostly rock-a-billy, tattoos and poodle skirts, did about a grand in two hours. Started raining a bit later and I packed up and went home a happy boy.
I always say know the market, price to sell, and don’t be afraid to haggle if I guy gives you an offer. Are you looking to start a museum or do you want to move some merchandise?
 
I know what you mean. I have so much stuff and I think, “I will need this someday”, but 1. That day never comes, and 2. The stuff isn’t really worth the much anyway. At our EFV8 meets, I have made a gaint pile, said, all of it for $20 bucks, and was so happy not to take it back home.
 
I sold some good stuff on the dreaded ebay, did well. I've given some stuff off to friends, did well too.

Never did the swap thing to much outside buying. But i'd have a price and stick to it on high dollar. If it's just stuff, take a good offer.

I've bought a box of flathead fuel pumps for 5$ and that was his price. Seemed fair.
 
I try to set a fair price and willing to come down a little, it seems like everyone wants to get a deal. Do something that you cal live with. I find a lot of people won't come back whether they for got your booth space number or it may be too far back. Have FUN !!!!
 
Newc said:
Hi; yes that works.. it is all crazy, weather just wrecked one of our Meets and our Giant Portland meet is in two weeks. If the customer does not have a cart, just a cup of coffee, he'll waste your time... Keep your booth front clear of BSers too. I have to tell them to move. Newc in Oregon
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That's not a entirely fair statement. A lot of us fly in from out of town & do not have a "cart" to drag around. We have to carry each piece back to our rental car. At some of the swap meets I have been to you can hire a young person with a wagon to haul your gold back to your car, but they are not going to follow you around all day. Bill
 
When I was selling I would try to put the prices a little higher than what the dealers would buy for, and lower than what they would sell it for
I sold stuff to the guy with the cup of coffee ---the guy that the other booths said wasn't buying anything ---usually just something off the dollar pile, ---I would lie, get him in the booth, once you get them to pick up anything from the dollar pile you know you can get the sale ---had a ratty Fiat grille that had a fog light in it, that stopped many buyers and got them in the booth to talk, I kept a high price on it , didn't want to sell it---then I had an offer for 10 times what I though it was really worth and had to sell it, probably should have kept it any way it was so good at bringing customers into the booth to talk

A professional dealer once asked what I considered a successful flea market for sales, I said 50% by weight or volume --
 
Have each item CORRECTLY identified and labelled. Don't expect to get Ebay prices because that high price came from that 1 person who really needed the object. Know what like items sell for before you price yours.
 
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.
 
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?
Click to expand...

deal with people, everyone wants a deal.
 
Take CASH only. Use a security pen to check large bills to see if they are counterfeit. Don't hold items without them being paid for.

Relax. Smile. You'll figure out what works for you. Don't be a jerk.

... it's not like you are trying to negotiate a trade deal with China.
 
Back east old car parts are not selling well, if as all.
Put prices on your stuff so folks know where to start.

The guys racing around at the beginning of the meet:
are looking for resale bargains. They have money/knowledge.
80%of the money you will get, comes from 20% of your stuff.

have sweeteners: Buy this at my price and I'll throw in a carb.

Happiness is" making things go away."

Be happy at what $$you get and have fun with your sales.
 
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depends on your age if you are not to old hold out for your price . if you are old sell it for what ever you can get . keep hording the stuff so when you die your wife or kids will throw it out or sell it a 10 cents on the dollar. when you die you cant even take your body why do people keep hording stuff they will never use
 
As others have said, just because someone doesn't have a art doesn't mean he isn't buying. I'm at the meets looking for parts trying to beat out the other guys for the deals and the last thing I want is a cart weighing me down. I make a deal to leave the part for pickup later so I can keep going. I have been the first guy in the gate in the morning and in my truck within 45 minutes. My father and uncle honed my eyes fir early ford parts so don't lump people together. At 14 I spent a couple hours on the phone talking a guy into letting me look at the 32 ford body he had listed in hemmings for cheap. He thought it was junk and tried talking me out of it. I insisted and my father and uncle drove me down there to look. We got out of the truck and the guy went up to my father, then my uncle and finally said, you aren't the guy I spent all that time on the phone with? I still have the 32!
 
Keep a watchful eye on stuff that is "rare". Some folks may steal. Place an attention getter item on your table to draw people in.
 
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