How to Find Things to Sell at a Swap Meet
Scout the swap meet., Look for impulse buys., Try traditional strong-sellers., Use items to sell items., Make no assumptions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Scout the swap meet.
Before deciding if you want to become a seller and what you want to sell, take a few laps around the swap meet on different days.
Find out what seems to sell well and what does not.
A common target profit margin for small items at swap meets is 30-35% (if you are buying things to sell).
So if you are looking to make real money and not just have some fun and/or clear out your attic, you need to put some thought into what you want to focus on selling.All swap meets are unique, catering to different audiences and emphasizing different best-sellers.
The only way to know is to go.
What purchases are shoppers carrying around? What seems to disappear from tables between opening and closing, and what doesn’t? Don’t just look around, talk to people.
Most swap meet sellers will be happy to share their advice, seeing you as a compatriot and not a competitor. -
Step 2: Look for impulse buys.
Many swap meet shoppers come in with an idea of what they want, but often walk out with things they had no intention of buying.
Stocking inexpensive “impulse buys” that will move quickly can net a tidy profit and drive traffic to your other merchandise.Consider sunglasses, umbrellas, and/or hats and gloves (depending on weather conditions); t-shirts, especially with retro, sports, humorous, or local themes; kitschy knick-knacks; small, simple toys; kitchen gadgets; and other items that take up little space (on your table and in their bag) and cost less than $20 or so.
Another method of luring customers is utilizing “loss leaders,” or items that don’t net you much (or any) profit but draw eyeballs to your merchandise.
Displaying a flat-screen TV for sale may not net you much on its own, but could be worthwhile in drumming up sales of your other items., At almost every swap meet, items like clothing, jewelry, and books move well — when priced and displayed right, at least.Again, see what sells best at your chosen swap meet, and consider what you can acquire cheaply (or for free) to sell.
Used paperbacks can often be bought in bulk for pennies apiece and then sold individually for 50 cents or so.
You won’t retire to a private island this way, but you can make a nice little chunk of change each week.
Remember that size matters at swap meets.
Space in your car and on your table will be tight, so smaller items that move quickly are usually your best bet.
People are more apt to buy things they can simply toss into an existing bag or carry out in one hand. , Think of this as pairing or staging items.
Selling complementary merchandise, or using one piece to draw interest in another, can boost your sales.For instance, if you have shelves to sell, place knick-knacks on them.
If you have dishes, display other items on top of them.
Don’t conceal your target item with clutter, but make it and the other items more noticeable than each would be alone.
You always want as many items as possible to catch your potential customer’s eye.
Another method of using items to sell items is to offer bulk discounts of the same item.
For example, if you have your hands on a large supply of socks, a “buy two pair, get one free” sale can prove irresistible to someone who really only wanted one pair. , However thorough your research and planning, what will sell on a given swap meet day depends upon who shows up and what they decide to buy (beforehand or on a whim).So long as you can find the room in your vehicle, always bring more merchandise than you think you can sell. (This is one reason why compact items are usually a better bet.) An empty table does you no good.
Again, if space allows, take a chance on selling some things that you can’t foresee someone buying.
Every swap meet shopper has his own unique tastes and interests.
You never know if today is the day when you can unload that box full of disco 8-tracks you found in your uncle’s attic. -
Step 3: Try traditional strong-sellers.
-
Step 4: Use items to sell items.
-
Step 5: Make no assumptions.
Detailed Guide
Before deciding if you want to become a seller and what you want to sell, take a few laps around the swap meet on different days.
Find out what seems to sell well and what does not.
A common target profit margin for small items at swap meets is 30-35% (if you are buying things to sell).
So if you are looking to make real money and not just have some fun and/or clear out your attic, you need to put some thought into what you want to focus on selling.All swap meets are unique, catering to different audiences and emphasizing different best-sellers.
The only way to know is to go.
What purchases are shoppers carrying around? What seems to disappear from tables between opening and closing, and what doesn’t? Don’t just look around, talk to people.
Most swap meet sellers will be happy to share their advice, seeing you as a compatriot and not a competitor.
Many swap meet shoppers come in with an idea of what they want, but often walk out with things they had no intention of buying.
Stocking inexpensive “impulse buys” that will move quickly can net a tidy profit and drive traffic to your other merchandise.Consider sunglasses, umbrellas, and/or hats and gloves (depending on weather conditions); t-shirts, especially with retro, sports, humorous, or local themes; kitschy knick-knacks; small, simple toys; kitchen gadgets; and other items that take up little space (on your table and in their bag) and cost less than $20 or so.
Another method of luring customers is utilizing “loss leaders,” or items that don’t net you much (or any) profit but draw eyeballs to your merchandise.
Displaying a flat-screen TV for sale may not net you much on its own, but could be worthwhile in drumming up sales of your other items., At almost every swap meet, items like clothing, jewelry, and books move well — when priced and displayed right, at least.Again, see what sells best at your chosen swap meet, and consider what you can acquire cheaply (or for free) to sell.
Used paperbacks can often be bought in bulk for pennies apiece and then sold individually for 50 cents or so.
You won’t retire to a private island this way, but you can make a nice little chunk of change each week.
Remember that size matters at swap meets.
Space in your car and on your table will be tight, so smaller items that move quickly are usually your best bet.
People are more apt to buy things they can simply toss into an existing bag or carry out in one hand. , Think of this as pairing or staging items.
Selling complementary merchandise, or using one piece to draw interest in another, can boost your sales.For instance, if you have shelves to sell, place knick-knacks on them.
If you have dishes, display other items on top of them.
Don’t conceal your target item with clutter, but make it and the other items more noticeable than each would be alone.
You always want as many items as possible to catch your potential customer’s eye.
Another method of using items to sell items is to offer bulk discounts of the same item.
For example, if you have your hands on a large supply of socks, a “buy two pair, get one free” sale can prove irresistible to someone who really only wanted one pair. , However thorough your research and planning, what will sell on a given swap meet day depends upon who shows up and what they decide to buy (beforehand or on a whim).So long as you can find the room in your vehicle, always bring more merchandise than you think you can sell. (This is one reason why compact items are usually a better bet.) An empty table does you no good.
Again, if space allows, take a chance on selling some things that you can’t foresee someone buying.
Every swap meet shopper has his own unique tastes and interests.
You never know if today is the day when you can unload that box full of disco 8-tracks you found in your uncle’s attic.
About the Author
Raymond Palmer
Enthusiastic about teaching crafts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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