selling prints at a boot fair

S

smilezoomclick

Suspended / Banned
Messages
142
Name
paulb
Edit My Images
Yes
hiya

i've been thinking recently about selling some prints and how i might go about it. this thread is inspiring, but i was thinking of another angle. what do you guys think to taking pics of a local area in the run up to a boot fair, then putting together some framed copies and selling them on the day? nothing complicated, just little shots that people can hang in the loo (or wherever!)

too much hassle? against boot fair rules?!

all thoughts welcome
paulb
 
I doubt it's against any rules, but people, in general, don't want to spend much at a boot sale so you might be disappointed unless you can price them low enough.

Definitely worth a go though, just to see how it goes.
 
in a word, no
:thumbs:
 
I have tried this with cards and prints at local markets etc, the cards go reasonably well but not well enough to really make it worth my while to get them printed, buy the cards, take the time to put them together, bag them, get the stands, baskets, table etc to display them, petrol to get there and cost of the pitch. It sometimes covers costs and makes a bit over but never a good profit, I gave up on prints as never sold any.

The only thing that did make it worth while was the odd contact and photographic work that came through showing the range of different aspects I could cover.
 
People go to boot fairs to by cheap second hand or stolen tat, unless you can knock out framed prints for a couple of quid I wouldn't bother.
 
it wouldn't be for me, i would prefer people to see my work in a much more professional / appropriate environment.

i also think selling prints that cheap devalues your work.

plus what is a more resourceful use of time...

1) spending a whole day at a boot fair selling say half a dozen prints for £20odd
2) spending a whole day at an exhibition/art/craft event and selling one quality print for £20?

i think selling prints at a fair is a bonus, the real success is getting interest in commissions and work off the back of your exhibition. if you do this at an exhibition/art/craft event, then your prices will show the level professionalism you offer and can afford you to charge sensible prices. if you apply this to commissions from a boot fair, the customer is going to expect you to be cheap to hire as you're selling cheap prints
 
It's worth a try once, I would say it all depends on what area your are in and what pictures your selling. If its in a tourist town village there could possibly be a lot of tourists in for a nosey and if your selling pictures of local secenes they may want somwthing to take home. I wouldnt bother framing them just get some mounts done, also if you have a website remember to have a bussiness card handy.
 
A friend of mine had this idea, with some local interest pics, also to advertise he'd do weddings, but made no sales. :'(
 
STOWITBELOW said:
A friend of mine had this idea, with some local interest pics, also to advertise he'd do weddings, but made no sales. :'(
Click to expand...

case in point.

would you hire a wedding photographer who plies his/her trade at a car boot sale?! :cuckoo:
 
Good idea,and one I had thought about trying as well. However I think the 'arts/crafts' style fairs are likely to be more suitable, and a touch more 'sophisticated' than a Sunday morning car boot sale where people are on the look out for bargains :)
 
Having just helped my daughters on a car boot I would say that it probably isn't a great moneymaker. I ended up telling one particularly obnoxious lady that I would rather chuck something away when she tried to haggle something down from 20p to 10p that we had already reduced- but she paid the 20p so a result!!!

There was nothing resembling a picture seller on any stall & i feel that the craft fair has to be a better way forward. I guess it also depends on the area eg the seaside etc as to whether there might be some interest.

Good luck & keep us informed
 
The type of person going to an arts and crafts fair is the sort that would buy your normal work rather than a quick shot of something in the local area so it's going to be a better representation of what you do and hence a better advert for you when their friends see it.
Personally I don't think the car boot is the right market and probably wouldn't provide much of a return. The idea's a good one though, just needs a but if tweaking.
 
I thought about doing this a few years ago, but quickly came to the conclusion that if I was at a boot sale, my time would be better spent buying other people's stuff and selling it on (ebay etc).

I've spoken to two different sellers at my local boot sale this year who said they hadn't had any sales - this is after they had invested in stock (prints, mounts, cellophane wrappers etc), petrol, their time and pitch fees.

As other people have mentioned, art/craft fairs may be a better option.
 
benners said:
case in point.

would you hire a wedding photographer who plies his/her trade at a car boot sale?! :cuckoo:
Click to expand...

there's a guy who stands in the market in town near me holding a sign, one side offering 'exciting photography courses', and the other side offering wedding photography... the mind reels...
 
I do the odd boot sale and generally take along some framed prints as a talking point. I've sold one for £25 in 4 boot sales so not worth it as a stand alone but a bonus when you're selling other gear. It also gets people looking at the other carp that I'm selling.

I've also done a few craft fairs and tend to sell one or two from a shared stand but the big bonus of this is it's effectively a cheap way of advertising yourself for the day and a good way of networking.
 
don't even bother, i did it last year with about 200 8x6's for 50p each and they weren't selling, i had one person look and they never bought any as they were just interested in the images because he had recently finished a photography course.

boot fairs are a huge no no!
 
I don't think the average car boot sale shopper would carry a lot more than £20 with them, add that and the lack of cash machines and you are looking at very little amount of money which you can potentially take away from them.

Also someone going to a car boot will probably favour buying bits for furniture for £10 rather than a couple of pictures
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top