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And then he offered to straighten it out for him for $10.

$25+ !

OK, all of the above answers are from amatures when it come to setting up at shows.

For over 12 years I would set up at as many as 22 shows per year. Everywhere from Iola in Wisconsin to Turkey Run in Florida. Around 1995, afte two heart attacks (and being 70 years old, now 77) I finally decided to quit doing shows. Just too much work setting up tents, tables, then putting all the stuff out to sell.

Now to answer your question. First, when I did these shows I would bring 400 to 500 items, so it was not possible to put a price on everything. Start at the highest price item you have and start putting prices on them, work your way down doing as much as you can. I think it is important to have a price on the item, but... every one of the prices I put on the items had a built in factor that I would take 20% less than the posted price.
My Grandson use to go with me (DB, you should remember him, he spent one Iowa Gas selling more of your stuff than selling mine), and many times I would like to take time off to walk around, so it was easy to let him sell my stuff, just he could accept any price up to 20% off.

Price your stuff 20% over what you will take and work from there, if he want to buy a bunch of stuff, well just remember, are you making a profit on the total? It doesn't matter if you break even on one item, again are you making a profit on the whole transaction?

If you are going to these shows with the idea to make money, you really need to pay attention to what you are taking for an item, but if you are like most of us, setting up at say Iowa Gas, first gives you a place to park you vehicle, then sitting in one place give you the opportunity to meet a lot of nice guys (you don't meet many just walking around). It gives you the oppontunity to tell or listen to a great many stories about "You won't believe this, but I was in a bulk plant and...."

One more story: I was at my second Iowa Gas (this was the third IG, I just missed the first one), and was set up next to a guy from OK, who turned out to be a very nice guy. Back when IG started, everything happened between sun-up (around 6:am in Iowa) till around 9:am. After that, it was just looking at each of the dealers and trying to figure out how we can keep each other awake. Well, me (and Cindy) started talking with the guy next to us, and for some reason we started trading. Remembering back 20+ years I don't remember the details, but both he an I came home with a lot of different stuff.

I know I have changed the subject a little bit, but, take it from an old timer, there just doesn't seem to be the friendlyness there used to be. Guys used to show up the morning of the show, and when them pulled in, 20 guys would be running along after him to see what he had in his truck. Now guys (including myself) show up 1-2 days ahead of the show to see what is showing up.

One last thing, in the old days the bar was usually filled every evening, now everyone wants to get to bed early so they won't miss what shows up the next day. Just miss some of the fun!

Sorry, I forgot this. Please, please, go to Office Depot and buy "Removable price tags." Then it doesn't matter what you put it on, it will not damage the item. I remember being really p.....d when I purchased a paper item and when I removed the price tag it took part of the image with it.

Jack Sim

As a vendor and a buyer I will walk past any booth that items are not priced. I price my items knowing that buyers will try to knock them down. Just show that everyone is treated the same.

I price everything with a roll of bright green autobody tape, big pieces, easy to read, easy to remove. If I want to sell an item I price it so no haggling is needed. No game playing here.

Sometimes at busy shows it gets a little crazy with a bunch of people asking "What about this, what about that". A lot of stuff my wife bought and if I sell it for what I think its worth we get half of what she paid lol. The more organized we are in advance, the less stress(read ARGUING)goes on.

Just my 2 cents, back when I was doing shows I started out not pricing items typically because of reasons as listed above, after a couple of years of this and prior to a fall show I pulled everything out & priced it before packing (I used the little "easy release" round dots and computor program for stickers).....anyway wow ! it made my job & the show way easier and I could actually kick back relax a little during "rush hour"

Way more enjoyable !

From a buyers respective, it doesn't matter to me, if I see something I like I'll ask but I know a lot of people won't & don't, you are potentially loosing sales. Heck look how aggravated people got when I didn't have a price on that visi ! lol

My vote.....price your items !

Price it. And if I try to negotiate, and you act like a child, I Will never ever return. We are all adults. Any seller, (myself included) who has been selling for any time knows you will get lowballers & negotiators. EXPECT it. Price for it. DEAL WITH IT. STOMP a can...real nice. My last show I had a great Buick sign, and the guy offered me half of what I priced, because he saw one last week at that offered price. I simply stated, "Bet you wish you bought that other sign now, don't ya?"
I have been selling signs & hit & miss engine stuff for years. Enjoy the show, enjoy the crowd, and have a good time. No need turning people away from the hobby.

In person,I prefer to see items priced.
If not,I'll sheepishly ask the seller how much.
I hate it when I see the seller not answer right away,as if he has to think of a price in his head,once he sums you up..(clothes you wear,etc.)
Among other things,to me,that means he's not done actual research on the item & is just pulling a number out of his head at that moment..

I reeeeeeeeeally don't like it when people sell on here or on other classified forums,by saying contact them for a price.
Everyone has a price,so state it,damn it.

Unlike many people on the site I am out selling items every week, not just at petrol shows, etc.

There are pros and cons to each side of the pricing issue. Time, location, appeal, etc.

Time wise my turnover is high enough that most items are gone before I even consider tagging it. Likewise with many small items at various prices it is time consuming to price everything.

When going to so many places to sell, having affixed a price tag to an item can immediately drive off prospective buyers. The problem is that if someone looks at the most appealing item which also happens to be the most expensive they immediately are on the defensive and tend to not look at other prices even if that price is below market value. A 1920s Buddy L truck priced at $800(and worth 1200) may keep them from looking at the $30 1960s Tonka, etc.

Not having a price affixed also has an advantage of allowing me to strike up a conversation with the prospective buyer and help them find an item I may have that they did'nt see. Some people prefer to window shop, they want to see a price and dart away to compare it to someone else's price or just value a piece they have at home. But I prefer the old world market system where it's not as much about the price as it is sharing the experience of the trade of cash for treasure.

And though some of you might not like it, depending on where you are, the price CAN change. But not by the prospective buyer! Rather by the location and need to move old merchandise. And you all know that as a day wears on even at a petrol show the dealer may want to move an item regardless of the tag on it. You'll hear "disregard the price on it, I can do better." Would you prefer to not get that deal and just pay the tagged price?(and there are plenty that never discount as you all know).

In a retail store tagging is necessary because the owner/clerk can't be there to advise you on the price. But if I'm standing right there in front of you then it's much easier to give more than just a price and possibly develop a larger sale as well as a long term contact for future sales.

At shows and markets I attend I have regulars who know how I work and enjoy the repore.

Personally when I see a whole table tagged with prices and I see most items priced top end or worse I don't get a good vibe. And sadly I find many of those sellers are simply interested in the $$$ more than anything else.

Whereas when I deal with someone who has nothing priced I can feel out specific items and see whether the dealer is a saavy seller who will likely bundle several items together.

All in all, my opinion is that pricing upfront is optional for shows. The old horse-traders and Dutch marketeers know that long term success isn't in a single sale, but in repeat customers. And those customers know it's best to talk to the seller than to just rely on some tag.

We only do IG but I price everything. When I am out shopping and see and item not priced that I am interested in I normally keep walking.

See now I find this very interesting... I have always been one to want to find out, to be curious about answers to unknowns.

For those of you who "just keep walking" if something isn't priced, do you do it for everything, everywhere, all the time? A can of soup not priced, you don't pick it up and ask? A pair of pants or shirt without the price tag do you not ask? Or is it simply at shows?

If it is just at shows/etc then I have to ask why the inconsistency?

More times than not, like 99-1, when an item is not priced and you ask, the price stated is enough to make you bend at the knees, maybe it is the same as rejection, you just get sick of the same old response. when was the last time you saw an item in an antique store with no price tag on it?

I always price items, I hate going into booths and find nothing priced, I ask but when everything seems so I high I dont bother asking anymore like certain vendors at Iowa Gas for starters.

Dunno, I've gotten some pretty good deals on unpriced items all over. I guess it's the opportunities not missed that make asking worth it time and again.

As far as in antique shops, the good shops call their vendors immediately if something isn't priced and let them know an interested party is asking.