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2 - Price items before you go to the sale. You can either cut up address labels, or buy cheap ‘spot’ price stickers at a retailer’s supply shop. Mark prices clearly in large type. Many shoppers will have poor eyesight, or have forgotten their glasses, so make it easy for people. It may be a good idea to group same-price products together in a box, so the customers can browse more easily. This also reduces the workload for yourself.

When you arrive and open your boot you will be flooded by people who are keen to be first to get bargains, and will give you little time to set up shop. The sellers at a car boot sale are often some of the most prolific buyers, and will be looking for an early bargain. Be firm and tell people you need to set up first before you trade, otherwise you will never get time to arrange content as you wanted.

Ensure items such as clothing and curtains have the sizes clearly marked on them. That is the first thing a customer will look for, and if the information is not available, or in doubt, they will not want to take a chance I buying something that will probably be the wrong size.

3 Pack you car in reverse order of unloading. For example, you will want to set out tables or benches first, so put them in the car last. This does make a big difference on the day, when people at the car boot sale crowd around you immediately as you arrive to look for bargains.

4 Check the location of the car boot sale so you know where you are going. It’s easy to make assumptions that you have the correct address, but if you get lost on the way, it can ruin you whole day when you arrive late and miss the best locations and the early buyers. Use online maps to get a detailed guide for travel.

5 Arrive at the car boot sale early. Experience will tell you that early means really early. Whoever is at the start of the queue will get the best pitches. You want to be in a central location with lots of passing people, and not in a corner in the dark.

6 As you set out your stall, try not to be distracted by early bird shoppers who want to talk about the detailed history of a cheap ornament. Stay focused on getting your tables set up, and getting your stock on the tables.

7 How you display your merchandise depends to an extent on what you are selling. There is an attraction for some customers in being able to burrow through a mountain of junk in the hope of finding a hidden gem, but you really need to have the maximum amount of your stock in plain view where passing customers will be able to see it and make quick judgements. Make us of the ground in front of your tables to place larger objects. If you brought goods in boxes, the upturned boxes can double as low platforms. Make similar use of boxes and larger objects to display stock in a more interesting way on your tables.

8 If you have something that plays music, moves or looks cuddly, use it to catch the attention of passing people. Balance this with common decency of not annoying the people in the pitch beside yours. A car boot sale is a place where sellers often develop a common bond, and it’s better to make friends than enemies.

9 Always be aware of security considerations. Keep your money in a bag on your body, and don’t leave cash where it can easily be stolen. It is easy to be distracted and leave a purse I view, especially where two or more thieves are working together. Keep a close eye on stock items which are particularly valuable or small and easy to hide. They shouldn’t be placed at the front of the table, and need to be kept close to you.

10 It’s never a good idea to leave early, unless the weather has turned really nasty and common sense prevails. Most customers will look at a range of pitches before they part with their money, unless they see something they particularly want. They may also wait to see if items are reduced in price near the end of the sale. It has been my experience that some of the most important sales are made in a flurry of activity at the end of the time allotted for the car boot sale.