First time selling at train show

Make a few signs that say "Please do not handle the trains" and spread them about on your table.  Then get a large, sturdy ruler (from the Catholic Supply store) and get ready to rumble:

Seems like every ill-mannered person goes out for fried chicken, doesn't wash their hands, and then comes straight to the train show and tries to "man-handle" every nice piece on my table.....usually putting their fingers right on the rubber stamp lettering, frame stripes, or most easily damaged paint color.

Alternatively, you could also email me a list of the items you'd like to sell, as I'm always looking for nice items....especially Ives.

Seriously though, have some fun with it.  I like to watch and interact with the different personalities shop for trains.  You'll also want to have in your pocket, plenty of 10's, 5's, and 1's, for change, as most shoppers carry large bills.  The little price tags on a string can be gotten from any office supply store.

Allow for different types of personalities and think like a barber:  If someone wants to talk, talk.  But most don't.  They just want to look and keep moving.  If you're not sure of your values try pricing your stuff at what you would pay for it if you were looking to buy, plus 10% - most buyers want a discount.

Good points that I hadn't thought of.  This is helpful, thanks.

Is it assumed that everything bought at a show is bought "as is"?   I have some locomotives and accessories that I know are working.  Should I say they are working, or just say "as is"?  What happens if I say they are working and the buyer gets it home and it doesn't, and they call me?  What's my responsibility after the sale?  (Keep in mind this is kind of a small town.)

Ideas that have worked for me:

Have a test track or power for anything you sell.  Most shows have test tracks.  If you take checks request their driver's license to write down their information.  I have taken maybe hundreds of checks at shows and never gotten a bad one.  However mail order is only US postal MO.

If something is bad find out now,  let them see it work.  Then it is their's for good..

You will NOT get your price for most everything but you will stand a good chance to sell something at some price.

If traffic is real busy I stand away from my table.  Too many "I had one of these when....." non buying guys eatng up selling time. 

Some lonely duds will chew off your ear. 

If someone is really interested they will look and look and look at the item. 

Buyers generally will not handle the trains. Tire kickers have no proper breeding.

Buyers treat stuff like it is theirs, cause it very well may be.  I find buyers generally to be very coureteous.   Nothing nice to say about hamfisted crude grabbers.

Have an assortment of ones, fives, tens, twenties so as to be able to make any change,

Five and ten dollar stuff sells easy, that four hundred dollar engine will go home with you at most small shows.

Use diagonally cut boxes under the table to display additional stuff for same table rent price.

Expensive stuff in center of table.

"You toucha my trains, I toucha you girlfriend" humorous signs work well.  Problem is you might not want to touch the girlfriends of train grabbers.

Network!!!!  Hand out cards with you name and contact info.  Develope a following.

In the last half hour, when the show winds down look to trade off any thing you have for stuff you may want that you saw on other tables. 

Bring the prospective horse trader to your table and ask them to look for what they will take for the piece of their's  you want.

Sometimes the most profitable sale is the sale YOU  cancel.  Some people are more trouble than the sale is worth.  tt

I find being open and honest the best thing.  I would definitely tell someone it works or what the shortfalls are and that is why it is priced as it is.  Most people like to talk or find out information.  I try to be pleasant and have had no issues.  You do get all types though and you have to be prepared for it.  Just don't take it personally.  Also, a phrase I have always liked:  Don't let them see you sweat!   If you are having a bad day, don't show it!  Definitely be willing to bargain and price your stuff with that in mind, it works!   You can always lower your price but you can't raise it!!  

I also like to have some cheapie give aways for little kids, they love it, it costs you little and maybe you will get a sale from the parents.  A small car or truck for instance.  

Good luck!

Business cards, even home-made ones, with your name, TCA #, telephone numbers, and mailing address are helpful props. Sometimes they really AREN'T lying when they say "I'll be back, I just got here and want to cruise the whole room first."  Hand them a card, if they show interest in any particular item, and ask them if they would like you to hold it for them for a period of time, say a half-hour.  Have a couple of pens handy to write down what interested them, on the card. It's sort of an instant sales brochure.

If you know exactly what an item is (in the rare and unusual dept) make descriptive cards for those items.  That helps answer a potential buyer's questions.  Find a neighboring friendly table-owner and take turns watching the tables, so you and he can take a break. In a small venue (one room) that's easy to do.

This sounds like a giant PITA for peanuts. When I go I'm leaving instructions to throw everything into a dumpster and save everybody a lot of trouble.

If you have a wife or a friend along to help and look after the table when you are out shopping, give them a break and make them a list of the items you have, and the prices on the items, and the amount you will go down to if the seller wants to bargain. Tell them not to show this list to teh customer.

I have never seen a table where the helper knows how much discount you will take. Then they have to call the owner and get him back to the table in a big rush, then he is in less of a mood to bargain. That cuts my fun and cuts his fun.

Every one of my helpers is armed with the prices I will consider/accept. Lots of stuff sells when I am out shopping and the helper sells my stuff.

one thing that helps keep fingers off items is to have a price tag visible. don't put items near the edge of the table, train show isles are always too narrow, and too packed with people.

IMHO, there are few things that are a bigger turn off than generalized "Do not touch" signs, whether experessed humorously or not.
When I am set up at a public show, I only put out trains that I am comfortable having people handle.

I agree with the advice to have price tags on everything, with the price visible. I also like to put my better stuff towards the back of the table, where children are less likely to randomly grab them. (But it still happens sometimes)

This is all great stuff.  Thanks to all of you, I appreciate the responses.  I'm going to re-read all of this several times before the show.  A lot of really helpful tips on how to make things work easier.

SkyHook, I would tend to agree with you, your post cracked me up.   But never having done this before, I'm looking on this as an experiment.  If I find it is actually fun, that would be the only justification to do it again.

The organizer couldn't tell me if I'd have power at my table or not.  I'll bring a few sections of track and a small transformer in case it's available, although that takes up table space too.

Sounds like having things pawed over to a certain extent is to be expected and tolerated with as much good spirit as I can muster. I'm not too wound up about trying to get top dollar.  Everybody loves a bargain, and in this case I won't be offended by even marginally reasonable offers.   Listing on weebay is a PITA too, and I'll be happier if I don't have to load it all again and bring it back home!

My wife has said she wants to come with me for the day, and she's a LOT better with people than I am, so that will truly help.

Well, to each his own.  It's you're decision.  But for what I have, and the possibility I could leave this planet before my wife, I have friends who are entrusted to help her dispose of all of my collections so she can enjoy living quite well after I've enjoyed playing with and admiring all of my toys. 

I've done shows before and it's a greater PITA than leisurely selling on the bay from the comfort of my home with a huge worldwide audience walking through the "digital show."

Phil 

I usually price stuff at about half of what I paid for it. That makes stuff sell well.

Phil, I wish you and your wife well, right now-not after you are gone. For my part, I believe it's much better to live rich than die rich. I don't need 'em-they're going in the dumpster. Regards

Bob Di Stefano

That's why I check the dumpsters ... 

Think about the times when you went to a show. Which tables captured your attention? Probably the way the item is displayed. the table was probably covered (even a plain white sheet is nice), prices are clearly seen, and the person manning the table was personable. 

Have everything displayed in an attractive way, price it a bit more than what your willing to sell it for, 99% will make you an offer.

Be honest, have fun!

One of the benefits of spending hours at a show behind a table is you will meet some nice people: other sellers around you, buyers, show organizers. 

Enjoy!

Will there be any resentment from other table holders if I have things priced low - possibly below their prices?  Again, I'm new at this, and don't want to step on anyone's toes.   Sometimes there are unwritten rules that I don't know about.

"Will there be any resentment from other table holders if I have things priced low - possibly below their prices?"

They will go home with their stuff, you will sell yours.I see guy with the same things every show. If you have time to look around before the meet starts you can get a good idea how your prices are.  

Don't worry about setting your prices too low. If the other sellers think you are giving your trains away, they will buy them. Then the trains will sit on their tables, unsold.

The recommendation to cover your table with some sort of cloth was a good one. Anything to make your display more attractive can only help sales.

Some folks like to wrap everything they put out in plastic. I find that to be a turn-off because the customer cannot readily see the condition of the items.

I also suggest that the seller and helpers have a neat, clean appearance. You don't need to wear slacks and dress shirt, but a fresh shave, a nice pair of jeans, and a polo shirt doesn't hurt.

You may want to wear layers. I bet it will be cold when you get to the show and bring your stuff in. The room temperature may be unpredictable during the day.

You may also want to bring some refreshments and food in a cooler. I find that the concessions at train shows can vary widely in quality, price, and selection.

One thing I do is to make little 4x6 information cards on my computer for items that are not absolutely obvious. For instance: 

LIONEL 514 Reefer. Restored/Repainted. $65

or

Weaver BRASS GG-1. Excellent running condition. No sound. $295

I have gotten a lot of favorable comments from buyers about the cards. Rolling stock doesn't usually need a card, but something unusual like a Schnabel car gets one, and sometimes I'll make up a card if I'm offering a special deal, like hoppers $30 apiece or 3 for 80. Twofers and threefers generate action. 

Another important point is to take locomotives out of the box, or display them in the foam liners so people can see them. A nice shiny engine sells better than a closed box. It's more work but it's worth it. Rolling stock usually comes in window boxes so you can display it in the box. 

Don't put fragile stuff near the front of the table where little hands can reach. Even the best-supervised child can grab something out of curiosity if the parent is distracted for a moment. I've never had a kid break anything and I've never put a brass Big Boy in the front row. 

I don't get the posts that complain that selling at a train show is a pain. Maybe if the aisles are too narrow, the place smells and so does the clientele - but that's not the case where I live. I look forward to train shows. I don't make a lot of money, but I usually take in more than I spend, it clears out some space in the closet, and most of the people across the table are pleasant and polite. Once in a while you can make somebody really happy. The Weaver GG-1 I used as an example of a sales card was bought by a guy from Philly who was there with his teenage son. He remembered the GG-1's from when he was a kid and just fell in love with the thing. He walked away with the GG-1 and one of the biggest grins I've ever seen.

I really enjoy having a table at the train show. It gets me in early where I can take advantage of the best deals from the other sellers, and it's fun to talk trains with the customers. It also gives me a benchmark to look for stuff that I don't want, fix it up if necessary, and get it priced and ready to sell. 

As table sellers for over 15 years at TCA shows, sales cards are highly recommended as Southwest suggests.

We used 3x5 or 4x6 index cards and just used a black sharpie (print large & neatly)

people appreciated it. The card also gives you the ability to add embellishments like "Factory Fresh", " Mint", "Awesome", "Works perfect", "Rare", "Lionel", "MTH", well, you get the idea.

You can also the fold Index cards in half so they stand up like a table tent you see in a restaurant. We did this quite often. Make sure you cover the table with something (a sheet), makes everything more attractive.

Having your own table gives you the ability to make a kids day by giving something away to him. Don't see that much anymore today. 

Enjoy and have fun. Remember, with every sale, your making a fellow train guy happy. Enjoy the moment.

Why not post afterwards and let us know about your expierance.

and I see the same thing at car shows. guys drag the same stuff year after year, some just over priced, some junk.

I'm beginning to think that this really could be fun.

I am surprised no one has said:

DO NOT use Adhesive Price Tags!

They all leave some residue or remove paint/lithography, regardless of how easy to remove they are supposed to be.

I agree some people bring stuff year after year just to "show it off". It is usually complete junk or way overpriced. I have even made reasonable offers on some of the better stuff, but am always rebuffed. My advice is to come to sell, not to "show".

it may should strange but i get to the shows early and still ask for a better price.  i was brought up that way  if it is something that i really want i will pay the price if not i will walk.  so just remember if some one asks for a better price be nice and say i wish i could but i have to make a little money also.  if i hear something like that then if makes me feel a bit better and i can say that i tried and 9 times out of ten i end up what it also.  just my two cents.  

I live in southern Indiana near Louisville, KY. There's NO standard gauge or prewar trains in this area. I wish there was more of it and shows with tinplate around here. I did reciently drive all the way the Chicago & stayed at the Holiday Inn to attend that show. It was better than the Indianapolis & Cincinati, OH show. But still there wasn't what I thought there would be. I try to attend the TCA shows to support them. But I drove 250 miles to find the only std ga item was a 511 beat up flat car with $140 price tag. You guys up in the northeast are very lucky. I miss the days of buying tinplate at shows vs. the internet. It's a double edged sword. I love 19" Flyer bodied cars. And I've bought many on the internet that I never would have found in my lifetime. I hope train shows and prewar trains make a come back. I used to save up all year for York. Now, I haven't been for 7 or 8 years. I keep saying I'll be going. And then blow my funds on "the bay" as it's called here. I also don't like auctions. I like the buy-it-nows on _bay. But I have noticed that I can't sell very well that way. The thrill of the train show will never be replaced for me.

CJ and CW have some great logistical tips there so I won't repeat them. I have been selling at shows for over 10 yrs now. I'm not a dealer nor a professional ebayer but just selling things off as I upgrade or to finance new things.

Definitely go to a party supply store and pick up a plastic table cover for each table you reserved. Yellow is pretty common at shows so go get a contrasting color like orange. It sets your table off from others in a row and helps minimize folks getting confused on which items belong to each seller. If you do a two-day show buy an extra one to cover each table up.

Bring a cushion/pillow to sit on as a folding metal chair will get hard after a couple hours.

Bring plenty of change -lots of 1's, 5's and 10's . About $100 will work fine. Price in whole dollars so you can skip dealing with coins. Small items - bundle them to whole dollar lots or quantity price them. Have a "junk" box - patches, pins, small parts - price at a buck or two - this will be empty before you know it. If you sell old magazines price them at 4 or 5 for a dollar to move them. $1 or more per copy will not sell. Kids with a buck or to love them!

Don't forget to smile, talk , and deal. I will cut deals with kids, newbies, and the like. Most of the time, I sell the most before the show opens to other sellers. I may get more sales from adjacent sellers as well. Trading also works especially if the show was slower. I'm not trying to make money but trying to make space, so I will sell most of what I bring. I figure that it is worth it because I got some enjoyment out of buying or using that piece, so getting some money recouped is great. The high-priced folks will continue to put away their heavily box-rubbed pieces again. Anything you don't sell, you can ebay it. A show is a great way to move a lot of stuff fast.

Peter

all this talk makes me want to go to a show, but the next one here was cancelled.

Yes, same with me. Luckily we have TCA Midwest Division and DuPage meets in December, so I should survive. 

Thanks for letting us know how things went. Glad to hear you had a good time. 

Have a blessed Christmas!

Thank you for report back to us.  It sounds like you had fun and were flexible enough to have learned a lot.

sounds like great day!