Car Boot Sales and Ebay: Hidden Gems

English: Car Boot at Y Traeth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the current economic climate we can’t be too choosy about where we shop. With that in mind I’ve decided to write a piece about buying and selling second-hand. There is a certain stigma surrounding it, particularly car boot sales. I’ve come quite accustomed to car boot sales over the years. My Dad is a big fan of them and going to them as a family was a regular occurrence as a child. We’d get up around 7am on a Saturday morning, set off down to Splott car boot sale where we’d have a cheese burger for a breakfast – brilliant idea. Following that we went on to Bessemer road for another car boot sale. On a nice sunny day it was lovely family day out for us and, personally, I believe they are great occasions for children. It taught us a lot about budgeting and finding a bargain. We’d use our pocket-money to rummage through boxes of toys and games to find that one gem. Just imagine that for a kid, a box full of toy cars, dolls and various trinkets for 10p each. Won’t find that in toy shop. Yes there are gambles and disappointments, of course there are, but if you’re astute and don’t expect much you can have great fun. I remember buying a scalextric set only to come home to find out it didn’t quite work, I was devastated. Again, another valuable lesson learnt, always check things before you buy, life is tough and sometimes things are too good to be true. More often than not though, we were brought lots of joy from them as children; more toys and video games than most children. We weren’t spoilt before you think that. At times we even sold at car boot sales. What a great way to sell old or unwanted stuff and get a bit of money back to. Even if my Dad went a bit over the top thinking he was a street stall seller.

Returning As An Adult

As I grew up my brother and I became less inclined to get up at 7am to go off with our Dad. We were teenagers, what would you expect? So our family tradition ended. I have returned now and again though as an adult. My latest visit was in the summer. Not rummaging for toys on this occasion but for anything that caught my eye. The great thing about car boot sales is you find things you would never find anywhere else. Stuff you’ve always liked, always wanted or thought was a bit different but had never seriously considered paying full retail price for. On this occasion I bought these 2 paintings for the future when I have my own place.The first good thing about them is their value for money. I got the pair for £8. Not each, for both. While I am sure they have little significant value, paintings or images of this type (more generic ones) are more expensive than this. But I am not even sure these paintings are generic. The finish and general quality makes me think these were hand painted. I certainly don’t think they were mass-produced. This means I have relatively unique paintings that were a bargain and are also relatively in style right now. Car boot sales are great for people moving out on their own for the first time or furnishing a new place.

Ebay As An Online Car Boot

Ebay is probably considered the online equivalent of the car boot sale. But in recent years Ebay has expanded. Brands and shops now sell directly on the site giving the auction site another dimension. The second-hand area is still the unique selling point of the site though. It’s fantastic for bargains and finding things you wouldn’t normally see in your regular shops. You can find all your generic stuff on there but the second-hand aspects allows routes to more niche and vintage items. I regularly use Ebay to both buy and sell clothes. It’s worked as a mini business for me in a sense. I tend to buy tops from about £1-5 in my size from reputable sellers. When I get the item I decide whether I want it for myself or I resell it for a profit. The reason a lot of things don’t sell as well as people expect on Ebay is poor photography and descriptions of items. You don’t need a fancy camera, your phone will do. Taking multiple shots, back, front, up close, modeled all give the viewer a greater sense of the item they are purchasing. For any students reading I would recommend this as a businessto help you get through university. You can even buy stuff from a car boot sale and sell it online. Some of you will probably be nervous about the prospect of selling online, but its simple and if you’re sensible it’s safe. You can even purchase the postage labels online and print them off yourself.

The Problem

Yet, a lot of people don’t shop by these methods. The same goes for charity shops. This is primarily because of the stigma surrounding 2nd hand goods we have in western society. It’s okay for us to take hand me downs or clothes off friends but we draw the line at strangers. Oddly though, people don’t have a problem buying second-hand cars, which is arguably much less hygienic than clothes. People sit in their cars everyday, through the hot sweaty summers and cold winters. They eat in them, sleep in them, have kids throw up in them, all sorts. But we don’t have the same problem with 2nd hand cars. I know what most of you are thinking – it’s not just hygiene, it’s a cultural thing. second-hand is not cool or sexy, its associated with the lower classes and poverty. One can only think of a generally ‘dirty’ picture when they imagine second-hand goods. Again returning to the vintage trend which is very popular these days, is it not better to have an original version of a type of clothing than a cheap mass-produced version. I’m obviously a fan of these outlets, but what do you think? are second-hand goods still slightly shunned these days or are people more accepting in the current recession?

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