Selling Crafts at a Car Boot Sale

Is it possible to sell handmade crafts at a car boot sale?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to sell handmade crafts at a car boot sale. In fact, this is one of the best ways to sell your crafts, as people often go willing to spend a little bit of money, without necessarily knowing in advance what they’re looking for.

This means that, assuming you can make your stall stand out and you offer a high quality handmade product, customers are likely to be interested.

Benefits of selling handmade crafts at a car boot sale include:

• Low entry costs
• Wide audience
• Customer interaction (ability to explain your product/creation process)
• Brand exposure

Is it profitable to sell crafts at car boot sales?

It can be profitable to sell crafts at a car boot sale, but it’s not guaranteed to be. Attendees of car boot sales are often looking for deals, sometimes to extreme extents. This means there might be a lot of people who don’t value your products at the same amount as you normally would sell for.

A good idea is to set yourself a minimum price per item before you go, taking into account the cost of materials and the time it took you to create the item. This way, you can be sure that your products aren’t being undervalued, and you’ll only sell if you’re making at least some profit.

To give yourself the best possible chance, you need to make your stall as approachable and appealing as possible. Start by placing your best selling products at the front of your display, as these are most likely to catch the eye of potential buyers.

Also, ensure that you as a seller are approachable and informative, be polite to all customers, and be ready to answer any common questions customers might have about your crafts.

Whilst not exactly the same environment, our blog titled ‘selling handmade crafts at a festival’ outlines some handy advice regarding how to make a craft stall more inviting, increasing customer engagement.

Protect your Craft Business with Insurance

 

Most popular crafts to sell at car boot sales

Whilst there are no rules around what crafts you can and can’t sell at car boot sales, there are some options which are more likely to sell:

• • Edible items – Particularly baked goodies, edible items are great for people looking for a snack in the middle of the sale, especially for children. Note that food items are perishable, so consider this when deciding on volumes.
  • Fridge magnets – Relatively easy to make and sell, people are often looking for fun smaller items which they can get some use out of.
  • Ceramics/pottery – Assuming they’re durable and well decorated, mugs, vases, plant pots and ornaments often sell well.
  • Fashion accessories – Whether it’s belts, hats, gloves, bags, or any other kind of fashion accessory, car boot goers might be interested in spending a little bit of extra money if you can show the quality of your items.

 

Tips for selling handmade crafts at a car boot sale

Our top tips for selling handmade crafts at a car boot sale include organising your stall effectively, pricing your products fairly but accurately, preparing for a variety of customers and securing craft insurance:

• • • Arrive early – Arriving as early as possible allows you to get a good spot at the sale, and gives more time to set up an inviting stall.
    • Create presentable displays – Attracting customers is vital. Forefront your best items, and try to use bright and inviting colours. Equally, clearly display your prices and whether you’re open to haggling!
    • Bring change and bags – Make sure you’ve got enough spare change to ensure customers can buy from you easily. Equally, bring some carrier bags for customers to take your crafts home in.
    • Prepare for customers – Consider the types of people you might run into at a car boot sale. It’s likely that your customers are going to want to offer you a lower price than your original asking price. As a result, prepare counter-offers, starting high then slowly reducing if products don’t sell.

Get the Right Insurance for Your Craft Business

 

Why you need insurance to sell homemade crafts at car boot fairs

Often, insurance is outlined as a requirement by car boot sale venues before you’re allowed to sell. Even if not, you need craft insurance to sell homemade crafts at car boot fairs to ensure you’re protected against financial loss as a result of injury or damage caused by your goods or business activity.

Even if you think it’s unlikely, small accidents can lead to lawsuits which could end up costing you a lot of money. Insurance provides you with the peace of mind which comes with knowing you’re protected against any situation, allowing you to focus on selling your high quality goods to members of the public!