Event Coverage Swap meet 101

I sell at swaps for the fun of it. Interaction is part of that. I don't put prices on my stuff because if somebody want's an item they will ask so why waste my time putting a lable on each item. It's worth what I can get at a given moment, not what I decided it was worth yesterday when unloading.
If I get bored or pissed off I go for a walk.

 

I wouldn't stop at a spot with that sign even if I saw what I wanted laying in plain sight.People with that attitude don't want to sell anything,they just want people to think their shit don't stink.

 

Something familiar about it.

 

I have a fake pile of dog shit that my dad bought as a gag gift in the 40's, and gave to me in the early 90's. I always put it out in front of my parts, in the front row where people cant help but see it. Its a blast to see guys discover it and figure out if its real or not. Its good for a laugh and keeps the mood light between buyer and seller. I have also put out a little sign next to it that says "Most of my stuff is good, but I do have some> (shit)"

 

My favorite swap sign said :

"WE SCREW THE OTHER GUY AND PASS THE SAVINGS ON TO YOU"

 

I do price all my stuff. I do it so if theres alot of people to help at once, that alleviates the "how much" question. All my posted prices have some wiggle room within reason.

I have sold next to guys with the same type of stuff. I price mine, he does not. I see alot of buyers that either don't feel they should have to ask the price, or are afraid to. They walk right past his stuff, and buy mine.
We don't try to cut each others' throats, so our prices are close or the same.

I do get pissed a bit at the guys that I know are re-sellers that pick every item apart, then hit you with a 20% of your price offer. Of course many know me by now, and some know they aren't going to get that deal they want.

I ask of all buyers..bring change. Don't buy a $1 part and hand me a $20, or larger. We can't leave to go get more when it runs out. I try to bring enough, but a few guys like that first thing in the day will wipe me out.

 

Selma, Ca (Central California) Swap Meet Saturday March 6th

www.selmaswap.com

 

49ratfink...the Swap Meet Nazi







.

 

(When I'm looking at an item that can't be more than $20...)
"OK tell him I'll give $100 for it, I'll be back in a while."
... and then don't come back....
The damn seller will take it to his grave...

 

I don't put alot of hope in "be backs"

I guess that is a nice way for a shopper to get out of a deal, instead of saying "No" in the first place.

Be lucky most guys don't bring their wife with them. That lady would hunt you down and beat the $100 out of you.

 

best deals are had 1. real early when the vendors are setting up and 2. late when their packing up

 

^^^Best advise yet. If you go into ANY kind of deal with a bad attitude, you're less likely to be successful. Being a likeable human being can go a VERY long way! This advise also works well when getting pulled over... but avoid donut or bacon jokes, they've heard em all already.

 

Swap meets are great. I have only sold twice and both times it was mostly stuff that I really needed to get rid of for space. So I suppose I was extremely flexable on pricing and worked with the buyers.

As to getting angry over prices I would never let an overpriced item get me all ripped up. First thing is that it belongs to the seller and he has every right to price it whatever he pleases, second I have every right to buy or walk away. There will always be another swap that the same item will be at and it may be more reasonably priced.

We sometimes forget that some of these folks make there living doing this and a profit must be made.

And if they over price things then I hope they can smile good as you will probably be greeted by them the next time you visit Wal-Mart.

 

I deal at swap meets and hunting for stuff is what I do on my time off of work. I DONT EXPECT anyone one to pay me for what I do on my time off. If I find some thing I think I can sell then good for me better yet I find stuff I want and sell the other stuff to HELP support my hobby. I was for a short time a pro Antique dealer until I started traveling to antique shows and met allot of guys who think the world owes them a living. I still dont price my stuff because my prices can change dramaticily depending on the byers attitude.I go to sell stuff I dont want not to show a museum. I usually bring home as much new junk as I take.

 

screwball; You do the swap a lot like me. It's fun to instigate somebody with an attitude. When a buyer shows an attitude I revert to: "how much do you offer", then he don't know it but the offer I will accept is more; It's my way of taking back; Attitude tax!

When the other sellers gather, looking for a last minute deal because I'm packing up; "Come back tomorrow"

 

My only issue is with the guy that comes to your table, whines and moans about condition, economy, etc and makes a lowball offer, only to put it on his table for a good bit more than you were asking.

Hasn't happened to me, but to friends and family- Chinese water torture is too good for them.

 

I'm on my way to sell at the Decatur swap meet. I'm gonna try the Attitude tax thing. If a guy with a bad attitude keeps trying to jew me down i'm gonna tell him he has to pay the Attitude Tax. I love that one!

 

We had a guy that would start raising his price if someone started lowballing... and there were a few times that the haggler would end up buying an item for $20-50 MORE than the marked price!!!

 

Nice. I bet he has TONS of people stopping by his spot!

When I sell I always put prices & info on my stuff, I don't get offended if I get offered a lower price, I can always say "no".

Also, when I am buying, I will sometimes offer a “reasonable” lower price.

Its just part of the "swap meet experience" !

 

The guy who did the yellow sign in the very first post is obviously an idiot. Shouldn't you do the research before you buy?

 

I look at swap meets like a party.........drink beer, tell jokes, meet people, all from your sofa in the bed of your pick-up truck and people give YOU money to do this ......when someone is looking at a part for $20 and says "I don't know if this will fit my car or if I can even use it" I always say "I'll tell you what I'll do. You give me the $20 , take the part home , and if it doesn't fit or you find you can't use it , just keep it ! You would be surprised at how many people say O.K. !

 

...........and look at wim'min, drink beer, look at wim'min and drink beer. When I load up getting ready to go to a swap I always leave some empty space in the trailer because I usually take more shit home than I brought.

 

I love the guys that put their used parts on top of the folded out page of a Summit or other type catalog with the price circled. Then they try and convince you that you'll be saving shipping charges on the USED part !

 

Popular items, such as '34 Ford garnish moldings, with no price can make some budget minded shoppers just walk on by. I've asked a seller about a price for an item and upon hearing a price well above what I'm willing to pay, I thank them for their time and walk away - Only to hear the guy make some sort of rude or crude remark about how I must have wanted it for free. This type of vendor will cause you to be reluctant to even ask about other such un-priced items from other vendors. I'm surprised that there haven't been a few physical confrontations over such remarks. A lot of fist fights have begun with less provacation. Rude people (vendors or shoppers) are either very good at judging who they can do this to and get away with it or are just lucky. I keep waiting to hear about a rude vendor and a rude shopper meeting up with each other and both of them getting a lesson about being polite to strangers. With the number of states now issuing Concealed Carry handgun permits, the rude people might want to start considering that the target of their rudeness might have a couple of unseen friends with him (Mr. Smith & Mr. Wesson). The bottom line is that unless it's something that is really hard to find and it's something that I really need, if it's not priced, I'll usually just walk on by. I don't need to hear someone's hateful remarks. I try to always be in a good mood and I don't need it spoiled by some immature jerk that thinks that the world should be beating a path to his location to pay whatever price he asks. If I'd encountered the seller with those first two signs posted, I wouldn't have any idea what he had for sale because I wouldn't have wasted any of my time to look at his items. A seller with a funny or cute sign is OK, but those first two signs are neither. I know you said that he was a nice guy, but that's not the impression given by his signs.

 

I wish that someone would try that strategy on me with a '32 Ford coupe.

 

My wife told me that I should label and price the items that I take to sell. She is right. I've seen people stop dead in their tracks to buy something after they saw the price tag. No tag and they just keep walking. The stuff that I take to sell is usually very flexible on pricing so I try to have fun with potential buyers. After their third or fourth trip back to low-ball me I get a little frustrated, but thats what a swap meet is all about. Having fun and making a buck or getting a good deal. Gary

 

Dear Sellers, please don't drag your poor wives to a swap meet and let her price stuff. I bought something at a recent swap meet and the guy went nuts after his wife priced it to me. He informed me what it was REALLY worth. Too late ASSHOLE. I quickly paid her.HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Sellers can be such assholes at these places. If you feel like taking your stuff to a swap meet is such a hassle for you that it turns you into a prick, maybe you should just stay home! If I make an offer it is always fair.

A couple of funny swap meet stories from last weekend. Went to one of those booths with all of the chinese tools and crap. Had the barrel full of 1,000 inline fuel filters with a price of $1 each. I picked up five of them and asked if they would do Five for $4. The woman was rude as hell and said "NO WAY" like I had offered her a nickel! I dumped them back in the barrel and said "hell you must need them more than I do."

I've got my eye on the set of hubcaps below. They have been at the same vendor for 5 years. I've made him an offer of $100 for the last three years. He always says $160 with a price on the box of $200. I said OK, see ya next year. He's been carting them around for 5 years. What does that tell any resonably intelligent person? Like maybe they are not worth what he is asking after he has tried for five years to sell them??

 

My brother an I sell at a few events here on the East Coast in the Swap Meet Areas. If anyone treats you like crap while you're looking to buy their stuff, well come on over to our tables, look at what we have to sell, take your time, talk to us and please MAKE US an OFFER!

 

Swap meet rules I live by:
1) If I'm selling, I never price anything because if I do, then I get mad at myself for not adding the skinflint tax, or the asshole tax. After all, it's my stuff and I can price it like I like. The opposite is true as well, I've given so smoking deals to people I like - attitude really is everything.
2) If I'm buying, I never go to dealers unless I know what and why I'm buying it - and I won't buy it if I can get the product for the same price from Summit. The reason? Summit guarantees and I know how to contact them.
3) If it's a private seller, I respect their time - if their price is gold based, I may (depending on their attitude) politely say that a national retailer has a better price. I never say "the guy down the way will sell it for some percentage of your price" that's just rude. I have been known to buy stuff I never intended to buy simply because the seller was personable.... I've also been known to walk away from something that I need, and/or costs substantially less because I just don't like the seller.
4) I never buy from anyone I even suspect is a thief..... the crackhead with the really nice construction tools probably stole those very tools from someone who really needs them. I've also asked pointed questions and suggested to the police that are inevitably at those events that the seller's items are stolen... I hope other people do the same....