And so the boot fairs begin!

[Dave H]

Is bargaining with the seller not common at UK boot sales?

 

I might try to buy the item but never without making the seller a lower offer than the price he'd put on it.

 

In general yes it is so you could get it lower if he was willing too.

[AddictedToScopex]

Not just boot sales either. I ask at large retail shops too. Dont ask dont get is my motto. My father in law used to do it all the time and it made me cringe but after seeing all the money he gets off stuff I thought to hell with it and now do it myself. I save a lot of money particularly if buying a lot of stuff. No one thinks to ask but it does work I assure you. Only recently I got £50 off at mothercare when spending £250 on baby stuff.

[robtherake]

Interesting Rob. Could you elaborate a bit more mate

 

I've been going to boot sales since they first became popular and have bought tons of gear. If the price is a bit high make a silly offer. Most will haggle, but some agree on the spot, and often enough to make it worth persevering. The best ones are when mummy is doing the selling, and daddy or son has sent them with spare gear to sell, but haven't told them what to charge. Serious bargains to be had in that scenario....Leeds centrepin £3, Drennan Bomb rod £16, Shimano Supermatch reel (mint) for a fiver, and so on.

 

As for the criminal element, unless the seller is an obvious scally how do you tell? Most folks are selling all their junk, not only fishing kit. Now, if they were standing there in track suits with a full match or carp kit and nowt else it may be a bit more obvious, but that doesn't seem to happen (in my experience).

[Tigger]

Now, if they were standing there in track suits with a full match or carp kit and nowt else it may be a bit more obvious, but that doesn't seem to happen (in my experience).

 

 

 

I don't give a monkeys what a person is wearing, if I want the item and it's priced right i'll have a go.

[Dave H]

Not just boot sales either. I ask at large retail shops too. Dont ask dont get is my motto. My father in law used to do it all the time and it made me cringe but after seeing all the money he gets off stuff I thought to hell with it and now do it myself. I save a lot of money particularly if buying a lot of stuff. No one thinks to ask but it does work I assure you. Only recently I got £50 off at mothercare when spending £250 on baby stuff.

 

A little legal tip. If as in my case a load of motorcycle gloves have been put on the wrong peg IE...£200 gloves on a £25 cheapy peg they have to sell them to you for £25 by law.

 

It will work 9/10 in retail unless you get a clever one who knows how to get out of it legally but most won't!

 

Bought many items that way...

 

And did you know that a reciept is NOT law for the customer to have to determine they bought it. They the retailer not the customer with reciept or not have to prove it. If they cant you get a refund even if you bought it somewhere or as many do it's knicked 20 minutes earlier and brought back for a refund...

[Guest Chris Perch]

You tell 'em to stuff it. Fifty nicker for a rod at a boot sale? That's already criminal. I've never had to pay more than £16, and that for a £180 rod.

 

I bought a pair of Drennan tench float rods a fortnight ago at my local car boot for £12.

I knocked the price down from £20 Thes are about £120 for a new one.

 

Tip - Always make an offer unless its rediculously cheap anyway But if its a real bargain snap it up.

 

I asked the chap why he was selling them and he told me he is moving to the fens area and has to get rid of some stuff. Fair enough

[chavender]

well i've brought loads of fishing tackle of carboots and sold it again on other carboots ,i used to trade on carboots .i was that carbooter used to work at local pub auctions (auctioneering / holding up ,done it all) ,buy stuff cheap then sell it on the carboots for a small profit & before e-bay came along carboots was the place to buy tackle cheap and the place to sell outdated/unwanted items.I have no qualms about buying of carboots i still go to the occational one looking for bargains and will preobably stand on one soon ,as i've a few old fixed spool reels to get rid off thats not worth the cost of putting on e-bay and a centrepin i do with shifting so with no selling fees ,no payment tax and no postage to sort carboots are a very viable alternative to e-bay

[Dave H]

well i've brought loads of fishing tackle of carboots and sold it again on other carboots ,i used to trade on carboots .i was that carbooter used to work at local pub auctions (auctioneering / holding up ,done it all) ,buy stuff cheap then sell it on the carboots for a small profit & before e-bay came along carboots was the place to buy tackle cheap and the place to sell outdated/unwanted items.I have no qualms about buying of carboots i still go to the occational one looking for bargains and will preobably stand on one soon ,as i've a few old fixed spool reels to get rid off thats not worth the cost of putting on e-bay and a centrepin i do with shifting so with no selling fees ,no payment tax and no postage to sort carboots are a very viable alternative to e-bay

 

And doesn't it feel good that you don't get stung by the govt for once!

[robtherake]

I bought a pair of Drennan tench float rods a fortnight ago at my local car boot for £12.

I knocked the price down from £20 Thes are about £120 for a new one.

 

Tip - Always make an offer unless its rediculously cheap anyway But if its a real bargain snap it up.

 

I asked the chap why he was selling them and he told me he is moving to the fens area and has to get rid of some stuff. Fair enough

 

I'm green with envy, you lucky so and so!

[chesters1]

A little legal tip. If as in my case a load of motorcycle gloves have been put on the wrong peg IE...£200 gloves on a £25 cheapy peg they have to sell them to you for £25 by law.

It will work 9/10 in retail unless you get a clever one who knows how to get out of it legally but most won't!

 

Bought many items that way...

 

And did you know that a reciept is NOT law for the customer to have to determine they bought it. They the retailer not the customer with reciept or not have to prove it. If they cant you get a refund even if you bought it somewhere or as many do it's knicked 20 minutes earlier and brought back for a refund...

 

not correct ,most companies will but theres no law to say they must ,a price could be put on an item at say 10p and when you get to the till it could be anything ,its nothing more than a invitation-to-treat ,where both parties can crudely put haggle a price

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/441740.stm

 

true you do not need a receipt but its far easier to get action with one or you have some credit card statement showing the transaction as its your word against theirs in most cases and shouting hopefully doesnt work!

 

 

theres great finds still to be found at car boots ,i bought 25 meters of armoured cable sunday for a tenner ,the little old lady hadnt a clue ,she asked what i would give for it i started at a tenner and she excepted ,my conscience is clear i didnt haggle her down ,some buggers would haggle if you gave it away free!

 

back to the invitation to treat ,try haggling (not with the till girl find the manager!) i have had lots of reductions on things even in big supermarkets especially when they are end of line ,once you find something thats no longer in the system you can get great deals

 

theres also differences in second hand goods ,at boot fairs its definitely buyer beware but buying on an auction site something second hand has some protection

Edited March 22, 2012 by chesters1