Event Coverage Swap Meet Setup Do's and Don'ts

Dirty: I tried to reply to this yesterday but I guess I screwed up as it did not post. My complaint regarding electric vehicles was not aimed at those who require them; only those who rent them for swap meets and like to coast into the backs of my ankles. I am not that cold-hearted. Besides, I will be 68 next month and have already had bypass surgery so you will probably survive long enough to get your kicks.

 

The problem with the rascals they rent at swap meets is that they rent them to anyone who will pay the price. I see too many people in their 30s and 40s that the only thing wrong with them is being fat and lazy.

 

Haven't you heard, being fat and lazy is a disability now! Don't blame them. Blame their parents, the education system, the fast food industry, technology, foreigners, etc.

 

Foreigners, for sure! I mean, it's not like the native americans come riding around the swapmeets on their horses, it's foreigners with their (also imported) modern electric gadgets!

 

Don't............sell the good stuff until I get to your spot.
Do................sell it to me cheap.

 

Damn technology, ruining everything!!

 

T minus 3 weeks to go till HERSHEY
Wouldnt have it any other way!!!

 

so last Friday I'm at a swap in iowa, I picked up an old sun tachometer that looked like new, of course NOTHING was priced, so I ask how much? guy says 20.00 and I set it down to get my wallet out, and a guy hands the owner 20 grabs the tach and walks away!!!!!!!!!!! I was in shock, the owner just kind of shrugged it off, so I ran up to the THEIF, and he says you snooze you looze!!! UNREAL

 

I think I'd have made an imprint of that tach in the side of his head, then again if he was a lot bigger than me, I'd have just called him an asshole.

 

That's why I always take my son with me, He's a pretty big guy and I'm pretty quick to call somebody an asshole.

 

So i guess the best thing to do with small stuff as in the above situation would be to ask the seller to actually reach out and hold it in his hand while you dig out some cash.

 

Or, "20.00 sure I'll take it". and then dig out the moola.

 

Yep, tell him you will take it first....lesson learned. I'll wager you don't do the same thing twice.

 

I carry a paperboy bag with me at swap meets. If I am buying a part, as soon as the price is agreed upon it goes into the bag, before the money comes out. No snipers that way.

 

I always verbally agree to a sale before I put anything down to grab cash.
"How much?"
"$4 million..."
"Sounds good, I'll take it."

 

Okay Sunday Bump and a new question or request...Lets see your parts haulers,or what you use to drag around behind you to carry all that found gold.

 

Do,, Get my ass in gear and get ready for Hershey faster. Dont,, screw around,its in two weeks moron.(me)

Thank you to everyone that gave me a education on a wide variety of issues. Next setup should go very well. Its gonna kill me to not be walking around shopping at Hershey but I am there to make some bucks!!

 

yep, has happened to me, and I have been guilty of this action too - it is a tough world out there

 

As I am working on my trailer for Hershey,I had another thought. Please as buyers, bring your own plastic bags for small parts. get one of those cloth shopping bag things and put a whole bunch of cheap plastic ones in there. I have been asked a hundred times..Do you a bag I can put this in? No, I am not walmart.I have trouble finding bags at home for my lunch. Anything I have with me I need to use to wrap parts up with to take home. A light weight bag is something you need at a swap meet anyway.

 

^^^^^^^^^^Good point!

 

Man, I got a smokin' deal on a tach (in Iowa) this weekend just 20 bucks. I bet I can flip it for $25 easy. /jk

Me, I'm pretty easy going mostly. Depending on how much of a twatwaffle that guy was, he's gettin' a tuneup. No excuse for that BS.

 

Here is a don't.
Don't haggle with a guy and then ask will you take "X"dollars. When he says yes, don't tell him you will think about it and walk off. If you make an offer, man up and pay up or don't ask if you really don't want it.

 

56, that happened to me once. He said he would think about it. when he came back,it was still there, I said it's sold.Man talk about a fit.

 

Last year at Pate I had to scold my best friend for doing that on some hubcaps. It sounded as assholish as it is. Wish he'd gone back to finish the deal, but we moved on. He did feel bad after I explained that the deal was negotiated and should be completed.

 

I'd sort of blocked that out of my memory, walking through a swap meet with a friend. Years ago I used to go to a lot of swap meets with a friend and he could never pick up a $100.00 item marked $20.00 with out offering $10.00. it was embarrassing just being there. Bob

 

^^^^I go to estate sales , flea markets, and swaps BY MY SELF!!! I dont need anymore competition than whats there already.I have asked for a price on something and have had a friend that was with me say I,ll take it, and actually did. Two times by two different people. Actually snagged out from under me by the persons I brought along!!
I also have to go at my own pace. Cant stand waiting for the slowpokes to get it in gear.My method is fast,scan and cover as much ground as possible. If something catches my eye I will dig a bit but at a big meet like Hershey,my plan is to cover the whole thing, write down places to revisit. Smaller meets I go much much slower. I also like to be at the gate when it opens. People laugh at me for trying to be first in line but it really pays off big.Just like the sign up sheet at a estate sale, the sooner you are in, the selection is better.
When I am setup and selling its a more relax deal for me.Alot of fun. Buying I am more all business like.

Some flea markets and swap meets I actually go to the far side as quick as possible and work my way back. Not too many do that and you basically have the place to yourself for at least a little bit. The agenaline (?) rush is a blast and I always have fun no matter the circumstances

 

Don't ask me for my best price and then make a lower offer. You just lost any chance of getting the item at that point.

 

Back row to the exit is the way I always cover a flea market scanning both sides as I push my cart up the center of the row. Come to think of it I cover Hershey the same way first time through. 13 days away if anyone is doing a Count Down. Bob

 

Not enough sleeps till the H day. My trailer is ready,Iam not. Between work and OT, then three days at Eldora this weekend,I have my hands full getting ready for Hershey. Its always the way,and always say it wont next year but you guys know,that never happens.Cant wait!!

 

I had this happen to me a couple of weeks ago- we haggle from $150 to $110. So the guy pulls out two 50's and a ten. He hands me the two 50's and grabs the part and looks at me and says "OK?". I said- "keep going, 10 more", then he says "this is for a friend, they don't have much money". I replied,"Yeah, that's good, but it is still $110".