Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

US GW Battle Bunkers have had a Bizarre Bazaar customer flea market event on their calendars all year long for December 5, but recently there was some talk of postpoining or canceling them. I just found out this week that the Bazaar at the Glen Burnie Battle Bunker in Maryland will be going on as scheduled on December 5 after all. Rules about gift cards for purchases between customers will be enforced this time. Apparently it was the laxity in enforcing that rule in the past that almost killed this event. If you live near another Battle Bunker you may want to contact them to see if they are holding this event as scheduled.

This is great news to me. It's only the second flea market they've had this year and I have a bunch of stuff to trade or sell. Lots of Bestigor, Beastman Chariots, Vanguard Vets, and some other stuff too. There's a social element and spontaneity to these events that one just cannot get selling and buying on eBay. Hope to see some of you on December 5.

UPDATE, Nov. 21: I spoke with the Glen Burnie Battle Bunker manager today. Due to other events that day, table space for Bizarre Bazaar may be limited, so traders should call ahead and reserve a 2'X3' table space for a 2-hour time window, either 10 AM-noon, noon- 2 PM, etc. I will be there with my wares to trade at 10 AM as usually the most bargains and the most bargain hunters are there early, though this new system of turning over the vendor tables every 2 hours may mean it's worth hanging out quite a while to see some of the traders who show up later.

Some of the items I'll be bringing to trade include:
- Vanguard Veterans (full set of 5)
- Beasts of Chaos: chariots, Bestigor
- Harry The Hammer
- Limited Edition Chaos Sorcerer circa 2004
- Games Day 2009 model
- various bitz like wings, tails, champion sword arms, and more.

Hmm, I'll have to come check it out! I live close enough and might be interested in browsing, at least

Oh, I like this!

I got great prices on stuff last year, maybe I can score more goodies this year.

JohnHwangDD wrote:Oh, I like this!

I got great prices on stuff last year, maybe I can score more goodies this year.

Did I not read just a few minutes ago that you are joining a certain boycot?

Well, that was before I heard about the Bazaar...

I guess if there's nothing good at the Bazaar, then I'll stick with the boycott.

However, if there's something juicy, I'm not going to let some stupid Internet boycott stop me.


____

I think we should treat Dec. 5th as a "cheating day", just like dieters do!

JohnHwangDD wrote:Well, that was before I heard about the Bazaar...

I guess if there's nothing good at the Bazaar, then I'll stick with the boycott.

However, if there's something juicy, I'm not going to let some stupid Internet boycott stop me.


____

I think we should treat Dec. 5th as a "cheating day", just like dieters do!

Don't be an enabler. Keep GW in the naughty corner for the whole two months.

these are great places to pick up little extras, and old models which someone else has no use for, and you have been wanting. I've also noticed that it's a good place to pick up forgeworld stuff for slightly cheaper than retail, as there are people who in a moment of weakness, have gotten forgeworld-itis, and bought more than they should have, and need to recoup some of their losses.

warpcrafter wrote:

JohnHwangDD wrote:I guess if there's nothing good at the Bazaar, then I'll stick with the boycott.

However, if there's something juicy, I'm not going to let some stupid Internet boycott stop me.


____

I think we should treat Dec. 5th as a "cheating day", just like dieters do!

Don't be an enabler. Keep GW in the naughty corner for the whole two months.

Inconvenience myself for GW's stupidity? No thanks.

Besides, as I said above, buying at the Bizarre Bazaar doesn't count toward the boycott.

I wonder if my FLGS will have something like this.

Cheese Elemental wrote:I wonder if my FLGS will have something like this.

Our next one is this saturday. They are great for everyone involved, store included. Encourage them to do one. PM me if they need more details from someone that's run a dozen already.

I'm just wondering, because I'm in Australia and I'm not sure if this is a UK/US thing.

1. will the chicago battle bunker be doing it
2. how does it work because ive never attended

deffskullz wrote:1. will the chicago battle bunker be doing it
2. how does it work because ive never attended

As I said in my initial post, all Bunkers are supposedly doing this because it's on the national US Bunker schedule published late last year. But as I also said, it's a good idea to contact your local store to see exactly what if anything they are doing because things change and nothing is guaranteed.

here's how the one I went to worked
I brought a bunch of my models / scenery I wanted to part with (1 painted army, and a multitude of assorted kits)
people made me $ offers on the items
when we agreed on a price, they bought me that many $ in gift certificates, and they got the product.
I then turned around and bought myself a new necron and space marine army with the gift certificates (the necrons from another person selling their stuff, the marines from the store)

How about find sales inside, take it outside and get cash.

hahahah lol.. of course thats enforced.

you know
I really enjoyed the experience and taking to everyone there, why be the guy who breaks the rules and ruins it for everyone else?

My first bazaar event, I sold my AoBR Orks for 1/3 the box price which I think is break even. Well, if you are wondering how it goes:

1. I went in and asked about the bazaar. I was the first one there.
2. They lead me to one table and said to set up what ever you are selling. So, I pulled out my ziplock full of the AoBR Orks and their corresponding transfers.
3. No further instruction was given, I assumed I had to inform the store of any of my sales.
4. A second guy came in and pulled out his fantasy HE army for sale. Then, a third guy came in and set up his tyranids.
5. I got to talk shop with the fantasy guy, while the 'nid guy went off and did his own thing. Anyone asking about the orks, I pointed out the owner.
6. Fantasy guy needed to leave and he packed up and left. A few minutes later, the 'nid guy came back and took his army outside and exchanged cash with a guy that asked me about the 'nids and both took off.
7. After that, I was haggling with a guy for about an hour and finally sold my orks.
8. I informed the manager about my sale and the buyer purchased a gift card with the agreed value and handed it to me.
9. I bought a SM Commander box with what I got.

The shop personnel were actually too busy to police any of the transactions. I could have easily followed suit of the 'nid guy but I felt that the GW store needed some type of compensation for allowing me to display my stuff. FLGS charges you a comission where the GW Bazaar does not. Of course you have to get a gift card in payment which is fine for me becuase I just got rid of figures I would not be using anyway.

I am actually glad they are still having the bazaars and hope they continue because you can find some really good deals especially if you haggle the price down. As a seller, I post a selling price i want, then figure out a price I expect and hope to get a final price inbetween.

I have updated the initial post in this topic thread with some new information I obtained from the Glen Burnie Battle Bunker manager earlier today.

I'll be at the Glen Burnie Bunker and I'll be bringing a small truck load of:

Chaos Beastmen: stuff from 4th edition fantasy and dating back to Realm of Chaos
Chaos Warriors: also from 4th ed and dating back to Realm of Chaos
Chaos Demons: Realm of Chaos era.
Space Marines: 2nd Ed metals and 3rd ed plastics.
Imperial Guard and Space Pirates from Rogue Trader Era. and some Plastic tanks.
Chaos Space Marine Renegades from Rogue Trader/Realm of Chaos
Space Orks: 2nd edition and earlier.
Tyranids: 2nd Edition 40K Era metal stuff.
Fantasy Greenskins: 4th edition era.
Fantasy Dark Elves: 4th edition era (Aly Morrison sculpts) - including Games Day Executioners and War Hydra from 2000-ish.


Oh wait. 2x3 table space you say? 2 hour block you say? For something I'd have to drive an hour or more to get to when I worked all night the night before AND have to take a day off work because I would need to sleep sometime?

Really?

Nevermind.

If they don't want to do it, why couldn't they just say "we don't want to do it." instead of whinging out?

That's really just low rent and terrible.

oh well. Maybe the Maryland people should organize a proper Bizarre Bazaar of our own.

We just finished our version of the event at my shops. We do it a bit different.

-Players dump off the stuff they don't want anymore.
-We bag it by lots, (units, bitz bags, whatever makes sense and will sell the best). Tag it and asign it a number.
-Close auction when it gets to 300-350 lots of stuff.
-Spend a couple of weeks advertising the event, make auction books, etc.
-Day of the auction its a live auction event. I yell and scream for 4 hours. People buy the stuff. Everything goes, no minimum bid.
-2 days later players can pick up their vouchers. Whatever the items sell for, they get exactly that in store credit to use on what they want.

It ends up being a pretty fun event and a big 3 way deal that benifits sellers, buyers, and stores. Actually got the idea from GW, and I think they ran a couple of these before going to the bazaar idea. Encourage your local stores to run one. Have them PM/Email me if they need details on how we keep it all straight.

The way we do it at my FLGS is we bring all items, (which are "marked" to ensure who's selling the model, and the store holds them up for auction.

Cryonicleech wrote:The way we do it at my FLGS is we bring all items, (which are "marked" to ensure who's selling the model, and the store holds them up for auction.

We had to go the route of bringing it in early, after getting 450 chunks of stuff for one auction. My voice went away at 420, and didn't come back for two days.) And people like seeing whats going up for sale. Having a listing up early brings in a lot more people, which is more money for the sellers.

I personally love the bizarre bazaars, and this will be my first one since the format change to gift cards. Last time I picked up 6 boxes of zerkers for 30 bucks. Yep, six for one! The deals and opportunity for guilt free impulse buys are just too good to pass up.

meh. auction? No Thanks. Saw too many shenanigans at the Gen Con auction.

I'll probably end up getting a flea market table at Cold Wars or Historicon.

My voice went away at 420, and didn't come back for two days

What he did not tell you guys is his wife actually contributed over 400 items just to make sure his voice went away for a few days

"And well worth it", said the missus.

meh. auction? No Thanks. Saw too many shenanigans at the Gen Con auction.

While it sounds like some independent stores are holding auctions for their customers, GW's Bizarre Bazaar is not an auction, it's a flea market.

Sounds like fun! I'll be there at 10am with lots of old school stuff I've been hoping to find a good home for.
-Tim

BrassScorpion wrote:

meh. auction? No Thanks. Saw too many shenanigans at the Gen Con auction.

While it sounds like some independent stores are holding auctions for their customers, GW's Bizarre Bazaar is not an auction, it's a flea market.

yes, and to have a 2x3 table for 2 hours when it's an hour and a half drive on a day that I work the night before and would have to use a vacation day the day of to attend. When I honestly need $$ not store credit for the stuff if I'm going to sell it.

I hope you can see where the "not worth it" decision comes in.

Yeah, all sales go on a GW gift card. Thankfully my crew and I had a back-up plan that involved a partner permanently in the parking lot.