Anyone Sell at Swap Meets on a regular basis??

Talk about an emotional roller-coaster!

 

Been selling in Portland,Oregon since the 1960s.

 

I actually sort of expanded over the years - some shows, you sell mostly car parts. Others, it's the model cars, toys, DVDs, and other collectible stuff that sells. I even have a couple of tubs of clothes, because it's not enough for a garage sale and it's something else to try to sell and get rid of.

But if I know it will go for more on eBay, or sell quickly there, that's where it goes and to heck with it. One good thing with selling the cheap stuff at the swaps is it's where to get rid of all the things that won't bring enough to be worth the time to put on eBay.

As noted, that's one place you can buy - other vendors. Auctions, garage sales, and so forth also work. Run an ad in a local paper or try to wade through the assholes on Craigslist with one. My buddy did that looking for trains and got more than he could handle.

 

HArdly a major seller, and most of what I have sold at shows was not car parts, but swap meets seem to parallel my experience.

Although it takes the right customer, really good/desirable/unusual stuff sells. And, inexpensive things sell. The stuff in between generally takes longer to move along.

 

Disposable cigetette lighters
Toilet paper
Wet naps
99 cent rain panchos
shopping carts
anything cold or wet
sombreros

 

i wonder if antique tools and vintage metal with plastic drawer storage bins sell well.....I have a poop load that I trip over which I want gone but would be a crime to toss

 

Whatever you left at home will be what everyone asks about.
If I dont want to ship something it goes to the swap.

 

Each year I clean a corner out of my garage and take it to the swap meet, but the best part of it is,in the corner i vend at the guys have been there for years, it is nice to see these guys twice a year, and a bad day at the swaps is still better than a good day at work.

 

I use the swap meets as my trash can.
Stuff that is in the way in my garage that went to projects long gone. Most of the time, I can't give this stuff away, but if I take it to the swap meet, and put some kind of price on it, I sell it. Go figure.

 

Yeah, beware the vulture dealers, I usually take some fairly serious items, plus cheapies. I try to mark stuff ahead of time or have it written down; "take 5 bucks for dat"? "Let me check my list pal, nope a 50 will buy it"! You have to be able to tell these turkies N-O!!!!!

 

Since the topic is swap meets, this seems like a good place for this question: Has anyone been checked by "Revenuers" (State tax agents checking for your sales tax permit). I had planned to sell some left-over car parts at a local car show swap meet this past summer, but when I called to reserve a spot, I was informed that a PA sales tax permit was required. I didn't want the hassle, so I scrapped my swap meet plans. Is this for real??

 

I have worked swapmeets for years. It was better before internet but still able to make money. What sells???????? Took a load of flatheads, blocks, engines, trannys to Petie Jean a few years ago. Came home with an empty trailer. The next year I could'nt give flathead parts away. I try to go early, you can always get deals and turn them. Mostly I load what I can box in plastic cantainers that load and unload eazy. Not trying to get rich just help my projects along.

 

I have been to ones that want you to report sales for sales tax. I just tell them that it was a bad weekend a could not sale ice water to the people in hell. I think the swap meet is more os a social event and time away from the wife and see what everyone else is selling.

 

Clean and shinning sells.... We try to stay away from electrical items...... No way to figure out what will sell or won't. Also, know the geography and economy (high income earner areas are the best!)

 

I'm like the OP, started selling stuff I had laying around. Some of it junk but like the saying goes, one mans junk...etc. Here recently I was running out of stuff to sell so I started hitting CL looking for anything cheap that I knew I could turn quickly at a Swap Meet and still give the person a good deal. To attract people to my table I will put up a bin with FREE car magazines. Or I will mix in some CD's or I will put up a bin with free stuff. I tell people, if you need it, you can have it, but your donations are welcome.

I am also careful not to over do it like some people that bring trailers full of stuff. I usually bring a few bins, a table, chairs and a small radio. I have also learned to price high when I arrive. Because that's when the sharks come around. As soon as I get an idea of who is a buyer and who is a re-seller I lower my prices accordingly. Those re-sellers will usually come back around when they see me packing up and offer me a few dollars under my asking price. I end up getting more than if I had sold as soon as I arrived.

Got a big swap meet coming up in a few weeks. Already trolling CL looking for bargains like wheels, center consoles, any performance parts that I can pickup cheap. Just enough stuff to fill up my table to keep mama and me entertained.

 

Absolutely. I meet some great people when I sell, and some idiots. The contacts you can make as a vendor can be very good. As for what to sell, just about anything old. Gauges, wheels, bumpers, 4 speeds. etc. I tend to stay away from the large, heavy stuff. Even old beer lights and electric fans sell to those wanting something unique in their garage..

 

Random bits of metal. Bring a scale and sell by the pound.
EVERYBODY needs just a little bit of somthing-alu sheet-steel sheet-tubing both square and round and somtimes is not convienent to buy a whole stick or sheet or even drive 20miles to the yard and HD sells a 4' peice of 1" angle for $12.

 

If you're referring to Carlisle, YES I have heard your state tax dept. has had reps there selectively checking vendors out. I, as of yet, have not been asked but I'm sure my time will come.

Get one, it's not that big of a P.I.T.A. Then remember that your space cost $95.00 and you've only sold $52.00 worth of parts. Yea, it was a bad meet!