Featured Event Coverage Death of the Swap Meet

At one time the Portland Swap Meet had a rule for vendors not to have transactions before the gates open, many vendors made "arrangements" either on setup day or early on swap day.

 

UPS fees are KILLING on line sales. I'm in Connecticut and all the buyers are in California, Washington & Oregon.

 

I used to go to the Nashville AACA meet in February and sell pretty regularly since the mid 90s'. I did not go back this year. The last few years I sold so little that I really lost money with travel and food-even staying with my nephew. I have been selling my stuff on Ebay. I'm not trying to make a bunch of money with it, just whittle down a 30+ year collection of parts that I will not use and my kids have no interest in. It just seemed like there were cheap offshore tools and new signs and junk for sale. Not a lot of interest in vintage parts. And to add to that the cheap suckers that just try to talk you down to nothing have no concept of what it costs to be there and sell. I have to "give away" the first $200 or so just to pay for the booth, gas, and food-not to mention a weekend-and loading it all up, unloading it there, loading up what didn't sell and unloading it at home again. I don't want to hit a home run on every part, but help me help you and pay a reasonable price for a decent part.

 

To put it bluntly: Why are you here?

This is a community.

You have six posts, in nine years. Four appear to be selling, one a want ad. The sixth is a complaint, largely regarding sales.

Other than sales, you appear to be contributing nothing.

You have been here 7-years less than me, and are not an Alliance member.

You have six posts. For perspective, this is my 24,142nd. post.

Do better.

 

""To put it bluntly: Why are you here?"" Was my 1st thought when I read the OP'S post. I never thought you were supposed to make money!

 

The key to quality at swap meets is for those who put the swap meets on to set the rules for what people bring to sell. If the folks running the swap meet don't have any rules, or don't enforce any rules then the swap meets will go down the tubes with those running them only concerned about selling spaces.
We ran into a similar problem in another group I belong to and the vendors trying to fill tables with anything they thought they'd sell there. Eventually we began to hear the complaints, and see the crowds dwindle, until the board of the club finally agreed to set rules stating that anything on your tables had to be at least 90% related.
After we did this I began to see the wives' jewelry, silver, and that off topic crap disappear, and soon after we not only began to increase the people coming through the doors, but also increased the number of tables sold too. And we increased membership in the club also. It was a win all around, and nothing but positive comments from vendors and attendees.
So if things are going sideways, don't complain here! Tell whoever is running the swap meets to get their act together, set up some rules, and make sure the rules are followed! Then and only then will it turn around and get better.

 

To my mind, there's two categories of "non-automotive." One good, the other bad.

The bad category is the modern schlock: stuffed animals, sunglasses, cowboy hats, CDs, wooden toys, posters, etc. Portland Expo has a written policy prohibiting them. While that stuff is annoying, I begrudgingly accept why some meets that are struggling allow it; it's a matter of survival. When shopping those meets, I just roll my eyes and keep walking.

The good category is the cool vintage stuff: old advertising, street signs, toy cars, iceboxes, militaria, railroad paraphernalia, etc. That stuff is legitimate swap meet fare, as far as I'm concerned.

When I started a couple decades ago, my stalls were 90+% automotive. Now it's more like 50% automotive and 50% cool vintage stuff. The thing is, the vintage stuff turns over quickly, because it has broad appeal; there's dozens if not hundreds of potential customers for each item. Individual car parts have a narrow appeal. There might only be a handful of guys who need that particular part, and it might take them a couple meets to find me.

Everybody that goes to a swap meet wants to buy something. The cool vintage stuff fulfills that desire.

Frankly, if it wasn't for the cool vintage stuff, I wouldn't be vending anymore. The juice from just car parts isn't worth the squeeze.

 

Same here! Been faithfully going to Nashville for decades, when it was in the old fairground buildings. Always found great vintage parts and sold a lot to cover expenses plus some. I haven’t gone for the last two years. Why?
1. Too old to make the four hour drive, set up by myself, take down by myself and drive four hours home Sunday night.
2. Have most things I need to finish existing projects and at 78+ won’t be taking on any more.
3. Like everywhere the hobby has evolved. Fewer vintage parts and more 60’s and up stuff.
C-10’s, LS stuff, EFI stuff, 20.+” wheels, rat rod shit, and lots of useless to me stuff.
4. Too many stupid individuals and crowds of stupid people blocking the narrow aisles, moms pushing strollers, professional BSers and circle jerks.
5. Maybe when I get moved to middle TN it will be easier. At least the drive will be less.
6. It just got to the point where the effort and expense exceeded the rewards. No longer fun.

 

Turlock is always good and the Pleasanton Good Guys swaps seem ok too

 

I miss the olden days. swap meets were free for buyers. cheap for sellers. old stuff. mostly car stuff.
Don Knopp with his plaid shirt and derby pulling his wagon...

did I mention free for buyers?

 

Yup….great old days

 

Only been to Hershey 2-3 times. First time was 2019. Was there last year and noticed quite a few less vendors than first visit. It’s an 8 hr drive one way. Attended two days and walk the whole thing. Showed up at opening hour, and 70% of vendors are still sleeping. Found most vendors unwilling to haggle on price even just a bit. Was just amazed how folks haul all that stuff around, only to mostly pack it all back up. Don’t think I’ll be going this year.

 

the thing I've noticed about swaps is how many fewer there are... 30 years ago there were 10 or so decent-sized swaps a year in my area, most hosted by local clubs. And they'd all be pretty well attended too. Now I can only think of maybe 2-3 auto swaps a year in the same region.

I loved going, even though i rarely found anything I needed (good luck finding Crosley parts at regular swap)... but i'd find some cool old car magazines or maybe some tools. Always loved looking at the inevitable wall of polaroids of cars for sale too - haven't seen one of those in years.

having the old school swaps fade away sucks, but the internet has made finding scarce parts WAY easier.

 

I promoted this ….

@ https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...dors-march-20th-22nd-duncan-oklahoma.1331015/

That is where it starts - find a quality event
and let others know about it in advance.

Support the hobby …

Jim

 

This is depressing.............. I'm starting a POSITIVE thread about Swap meets.

 

I am not seeing a downside.

 

I go to 4-6 swaps a year and I would say most are not as bad as people make them out to be. They are always hit or miss.

 

Brutal crowd...lol! Personally I see nothing wrong with what is he doing. This is America and people love to do business of one sort or another, whether for fun, money or both. If he hits swap meets, loads up on the things that he sells and then successfully moves them then he has provided a positive service to the community. You might not like him making a buck or more on it but he went, found, haggled for/purchased the item, trucks it back to home base, spends the time to find a buyer and gets it to them. That's just business.

You can gripe all you want about him 'getting in the middle' and taking a cut but he is providing a service. If you think the price is too high then you just keep looking for your item, his isn't for you. As far as charging high prices, over the years I have found that those who complain the loudest about the price of something are the same people who will gladly overcharge someone else for something and walk away complimenting themselves on their savvy business skills.

He's here because he finds and sells items related to this hobby. Or at least he was.

 

I see your point, just look at what Iron Trap Garage is doing, They just brought back two 26' box trucks from the mid west, ALL OLD CAR PARTS. They buy out estates, I.D. the parts, sort it all out, sometimes do a little clean up on the stuff and sell it. Get this, for a profit, on the internet and at swap meets. And I can see that as a benefit to the hobby, as I don't see me going out to Kansas to buy a hood and even if I did, the seller is selling the whole estate, far more than I want or have the room too store.
But getting back to the OP and his concerns, yes things have changed but some out there are changing with it and making it work.

 

Difference here is IRON TRAP are out there involved in the community, making entertaining and educational content, contributing on this very forum.

YES, they are running a business buying and selling used parts, but having that additional presence and input goes a loooooong way.

Just my 2c

 

He hasn't logged in since starting this thread it appears

 

my time at a swap meet is buy a ticket and then coffee and sandwich.
i do a buick 350. but the parts i use/have in it is not normal. mopar d/q intake for a blower intake. mopar d/q tunnel ram just because. hard to find std forged 283 pistons. ford 302 1.7 roller rockers. making intake to use 4 webers. nascar connecting rods w/honda bearings. ebay, c/list, f/book, swap meets and word of mouth to find parts. the rest of you guys have it easy. lol

 

A big part of going to swap meets is the social aspect. Meeting up with friends, swapping stories with vendors, having a couple hot dogs, and just in general enjoying the day wandering around and poking through stuff. Just because a swapper doesn't have parts I need or want, it's still fun to see what they have. Often I'll find something I didn't know I needed or wanted.

 

The Monroe Michigan swap meet has increased in size and attedance since its inception several years ago. Maybe look to see what they are doing right?

 

I can't add anything, you have covered it perfectly! HRP

 

Exactly. Thank you.

 

Is Stafford still happening?

 

Been involved in this hobby (lifestyle) 50 years. I have bought a few things over the years at swap meets, but mostly wondered why people would drag rusty junk around every weekend, loading, unloading and loading again to go to the next one. It's easier to shop on line (here included), saves time, fuel, and I get what I want, when I want it. It always seemed to me that vendors came with a chip on their shoulders and weren't very friendly. I guess because they were tired from schlepping all the junk around from one event to another.

 

Yes, I went to it weekend before last.