Flea market and swap meet etiquette

[PhattCatBicycles]

Cash in the hand is when it's sold. Smart of you to act fast and beat out the other guy who seem's like a butthead. His loss for not being fast with the cash!

 

[Wcben]

I agree with waiting until the first person turns away, but at that point I will jump! I'll keep looking if I missed or, I have made a direct offer to the "new owner" to make some money if its a part that I really needed or wanted. That sometimes doesn't sit we'll with the original seller but hey, I've sold stuff for less than I should have too!

 

[slick]

I guess i just have lots of manners. Patience for smart asses, not so much. Seems like a lot of you are like the guy i dealt with. Not kool in my book. But i guess i'm old school and my parents taught me to wait your turn! If i walked up after the other guy, and butted in, not kool in my book at all. That's asking for a rumble if you ask me. He found the opportunity before me. That's life. Don't get pissy because you didn't see it before the other guy.

 

[old hotrod]

I refuse to get so shook up about stuff I don't own...someone picks something up and doesn't make up their mind, stands there holding it, I give them a chance out of respect but I also make eye contact with the seller. Most experienced sellers will know right away that there is another fish on the line and they don't need to take the first lowball offer. Then we wait and if the guy puts the item down, it is fair game...this stuff really isn't that important in the grand scheme of things...

 

[silvercreek]

I've found some sellers at swapmeets don't have a problem selling to the highest bidder. In some case they couldn't care less if someone offered a higher price than the next guy regardless of who got there first. That old saying. "you snooze you lose."

 

[bricycle]

If you see a large item you like, you almost have to pee on it to mark it. Small stuff I pick up and carry until I am done at that booth...you can always put it back down if you change your mind.

 

[s1b]

If I see a person is serious about an item and talking to the seller, I wait. If they walk away. I move in.
Its just respectful. I've been a seller, the person working on a deal and the person waiting.

 

[MR D]

I see this happening at Swaps...

Guy's pul up and head for their parking area, and there are small hoards of bike seakers with flash lights and eagle eyes scanning through your haul before you even get a chance to set up and give a good chance to everyone interested. I know it's all first come first serve.

Silly thing to detre this type of thing would be a loud horn or bell to starting the days trading. You either be where you see what's up for grabs or not. I know sellers love the attention, but a little time to even it out for all the buyers would be nice.

Never gonna happen....I know!

Mr D.

 

[Boris]

Not too many swaps or flea markets up here but I have issues at yard sales.........Often they will have a "free items" box, where all the odds and ends are tossed into and you can pick through it to find what you like. Well, this summer at a yardsale a fellow holding a sale had tossed all his oddball tools into a big box that was marked free. There were screwdrivers, wrenches, etc etc. I was just heading over to the box to see if I could find a spare half inch wrench for my toolbox when the guy in front of me grabbed the entire box and left the sale........not very nice words I called out after him as he left.

Neil-
You'll probably be mad at me for this but I think the guy ahead of you was well within his rights to take the whole box. The guy who put it out wanted to get rid of it, and the guy who picked it up wanted the entire box, for whatever reason. Same principle as my earlier post, he was there first.

 

[bike]

In some antque markets

I see this happening at Swaps...

Guy's pul up and head for their parking area, and there are small hoards of bike seakers with flash lights and eagle eyes scanning through your haul before you even get a chance to set up and give a good chance to everyone interested. I know it's all first come first serve.

Silly thing to detre this type of thing would be a loud horn or bell to starting the days trading. You either be where you see what's up for grabs or not. I know sellers love the attention, but a little time to even it out for all the buyers would be nice.

Never gonna happen....I know!

Mr D.

They dont let buyers in the gated area till a certain time and sellers are not supposed to sell- YEAH RIGHT - the serious guys always find a way in!