Price everything but be flexible. Big signs to announce what you have and try to mark stuff for its application.
Talk to people who seem interested and ask them questions. Let them tell you about their projects and what they need.
A dark box full of dirty stuff goes home with you, clean and priced helps someones project and puts money in your pocket.
Take a friend or 2 so you can wander alone or in pairs.
Prepare for weather!! Jackets, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, chairs, shade of some sort, snacks and drinks are a must.
If you have something eyecatching, such as a complete motor, even if you don't want to sell it, put it out front to advertise what you have.
Don't let them walk away without a price being mentioned.
Bruce
Beautiful day for a swap meet. Wish more buyers had shown up than sellers, still even after paying for gas and picking up a part for my Herter's Runabout, I sold two motors and came out ahead.
A lot of good tips here. My list of important stuff.
- Take a few bros. Always nice to have some folks to talk to and help load and unload
- Price everything, but dont make the pricing look too professional. If I see nice little tags on stuff or computer printed stickers I will walk past every time since i know that person is in it to make money and wont have the lowest prices. Taped on pricing is good, I use wire inspection tags from Uline that I got when work was changing inventory processes.
- If your goal is to go home with less stuff, price it lower than you think and take the first reasonable offer.
- If someone picks up your item, dont let them put it down. Give them a price that will get it sold
- Take a cooler with water and other beverages and food. Food at these places is a joke*.
- *Unless its something super well known like big ice cream bars or similar. Then go nuts. But still take your own food and snacks
- Get an EZUp and some tables. Put clear plastic on the tables to keep them nice, and take some tarps to tarp your loot if the weather looks bad or you are going to a multi day swap.
- If you are setting up on grass, set your table legs on 2x4s.
- Foldable lawn chairs. Take 1 extra in case your helper bro forgets theirs OR you meet a friend and they want a sit.
- If you have the time and the skills, do something like smoke a pork shoulder in your booth. Smells awesome, feeds an army, gets people in.
- Stay friendly and positive even with the lowballers.
- Have a ballpark idea of what your stuff is worth, both for undervaluing and overvaluing.
- If you just want it gone, price it accordingly. Dont think of it as recoving losses or making money, think of it as getting 2x scrap value.
- Know scrap value. When scrap was high there were guys selling copper radiators for $10 and alloy wheels for $5ea. I would buy every one just to take in for scrap.
- Remember, a good compromise makes both parties upset! So don't be to prideful to sell your overpriced garbage.
