Olde Watermill Car Boot Sale Barton-Le Clay

For the uninitiated, going to a car boot sale for the first time (as a seller) is like stepping into the proverbial lions den – with added vultures. Your much loved but no longer needed items, will be manhandled, prodded and poked. You will be offered monetary amounts so small you will wonder if the decimal point is in the right place. What’s more, all this will take place long before any genuine punter gets near you – at this point it’s the other stall holders who are looking to score a deal.

The Olde Watermill car boot sale in Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire, follows this pattern to a tee. Held twice weekly on Tuesday and Saturday mornings it does have the advantage of being held in a beautiful setting. But don’t let the beauty of the surroundings lull you into a false sense of security, you will still need your hard nosed head fixed firmly to your shoulders.

Don’t get me wrong, car boot sales are a great way of making a little extra cash, through off-loading unwanted or outgrown items. But as a seller you have to realise that the only person with sentimental, or personal attachment to the items you are selling is you. The aim of everyone else is to buy what you are selling as cheaply as possible. At a car boot sale your average Brit turns from a mild mannered queue observer into an elbow shoving, hard haggling bargain hunter. Not to mention one who makes your average Egyptian souk trader look like a mere amateur.

Haggling is expected, it’s almost considered rude not too. So it’s best to up your prices to at least 25% above what you hope to get, then wait for the tutting and sharp intakes of breath to start. To the seasoned car boot buyer a bargain isn’t a bargain until they’ve squeezed blood from a seller. Getting something for nothing isn’t just an aim, it’s a target. In fact, for some, it’s not a successful days bargain hunting unless not only do they get something for nothing, they get it with a freebie thrown in.

From a sellers point of view, the key to a successful car boot sale is preparation. Decide before you leave home what you will accept for each item, and price them accordingly. Do not let anyone browbeat you into selling something for less than you want to. You can always take things home and try again at another car boot sale. If you are selling small items, or breakables, it is a good idea to take tissue paper and carrier bags with you.

A chair is essential, as there will be times when no-one is flocking to your table and you will want to sit down. A pen and stiff card are useful for when you reach the point you want to start discounting items. Take bottled water if it is hot, and a thermos of coffee, or tea, if it is cold. Suffering may be good for the soul, but it nots so hot for the body.

Car boot sales are having a real revival following the recession. On any given weekend there are usually several taking place. Many are advertised in the local paper, but a quick Internet search of ‘Car Boot Sale’ plus your county will bring up loads; for example ‘Car boot sales London,’ ‘Car boot sales Surrey,’ etc.

Treat it as a hobby and car booting is a great way to meet new people, have fun and do your bit for the environment (recycling your unwanted items to new homes is far better that chucking them in the bin.) Once you are used to how they work, car boot sales are a fun way to spend a few hours, and there is always the chance, that whilst as well as selling your old items, you might come across a gem you want to buy.