

Ask HN: What can I sell in Times Square?  - murtza

A friend and I are hackers who want to learn how to sell better. We live in NYC, and we thought a good way to learn would be to sell stuff in Times Square. So far our list includes: 1) Buy a cheap costume, and then charge people to take pictures with us, 2) Sell I &#60;3 NYC t-shirts in different languages, 3) Sell roses.
Any suggestions on what we could sell or thoughts about our project?
======
britta
I was once having a very good day in NYC and an art-student-looking guy
outside Cooper Union tried to sell me one of his hand-drawn "life maps" - he
was holding a basket of little paper scrolls tied with shiny ribbons, with
colorful lines drawn inside the paper scrolls - for a couple dollars, and it
actually worked on me (well, I'd stopped and asked about them because I
thought they were free, but he still convinced me to pay for one). People like
pretty handmade things with some sort of emotional resonance (note also that
I'm a girl socialized to like pretty things). It was a good hustle.

There are also people who go to farmer's markets and sell poems written on the
spot on typewriters - <http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=poem%20store> \-
similarly whimsical, handmade, and suitable for impulse purchases for people
out on dates or whatever. You could multivariate-test the sign.

Also check out the licensing requirements for street vendors if you haven't
yet: <http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/licenses/094.shtml> (to help make sure
you know what you're getting into, and also because it has exceptions for
artwork and written matter).

~~~
murtza
Thanks for the link to the licensing requirements. To comply with the law, I
think we will call whatever we are selling artwork, so we do not need to get a
permit. I like the poem store idea.

------
bobds
It doesn't matter _what_ you sell. What matters is _how_ you sell it.

Case in point, Joe Ades with his vegetable peelers:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCUct4NlxE0>

~~~
murtza
Thanks for sharing the video. That guy is an amazing salesman. It reminds
about the mantra: It's not about the idea, it's the execution that matters.

------
pragmagic
Sell experiences.

I'm not sure if you've heard of Joe Ades. He used to sell potato peelers in NY
and has been mentioned on HN a few times:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Ades>

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/nyregion/03ades.html>

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCUct4NlxE0>

I don't think it really matters what you sell, especially in this case where
you just want to improve your sales technique. The main thing is that you sell
an experience, not a product.

------
hyung
This reminds me of stories of kids setting up lemonade stands in Times Square,
and even making a lot of money before getting shut down by the cops.

I can't find the exact news article, but this one is close ($200 profit/half
day!):

[http://www.dnainfo.com/20110628/midtown/kids-set-up-
lemonade...](http://www.dnainfo.com/20110628/midtown/kids-set-up-lemonade-
stand-midtown)

------
GeneTraylor
I think that you could get a lot of mileage by selling unique trinkets.
Imagine taking a Escher style moebius ring and creating an actual ring or a
necklace out of it (imagine doing it with flat links to form the necklace, and
they all have connections to one another at a varying gradient, so that you
can create that moebius strip) [ interesting link to set you up
<http://www.cs.technion.ac.il/~gershon/EscherForReal/> ]

If you think about it then there are tons of amazing geometrical shapes out
there that would make amazing trinkets, and why limit yourself to pure
mathematics? Imagine creating a trinket that represents plasma captured in a
magnetic bottle. That would be beautiful if you can get it just right.

This will be challenging, artistically, to pull it off (perhaps you can use a
3D printer), but if you do I want one. (yes, I have weakness for such
trinkets)

------
beerfarmer
I'm starting a clothing company/website called <http://beerfarmer.com> and
could send you some socks. I'm in montana and selling these primarily to
mountain bikers and active lifestyles but would love to get some feedback from
Times Square. Still working on product shots but...

[https://beerfarmer.3dcartstores.com/Adventure-Socks-
_p_13.ht...](https://beerfarmer.3dcartstores.com/Adventure-Socks-_p_13.html)
contact me through the site if your interested.

------
minikomi
Last year I was in NY doing some accounting and spent some time walking
about.. One good con I fell for was some guys passing out demo CDs of thie
mixtapes - sure I'll grab one as a souvinier! The guy offers to sign it and
add your name - haha ok sounds fun. Turns out his fee for signing is $5! An it
has your name on it too now. turned out a better souvinier than I expected.
(just an anecdote, not a suggestion you learn how to street hustle)

~~~
coryl
I got hustled with that today haha!

They hand you a CD and tell you they're trying to get their music out there,
etc. Then ask for donations. I felt like a sucker but the lesson was worth it
I suppose.

~~~
soult
I am curious: What was an the CD? Was it empty?

~~~
coryl
Music I assume, haven't actually checked it out

------
freshfey
Turn it into a competition with your friend. And don't be afraid to embarrass
yourselves (remember it's a game/competition) in terms of advertising a little
louder than normal. What helps also: Ask your potential customers about the
pitch afterwards (what they thought about it, whether they liked it) - nice
side effect: you get to meet awesome people who'd like to help you.

------
minikomi
Theres a guy here in Tokyo who does dramatic readings of manga for people...
He's amazing and has been doing it for years but I imagine it would work just
as well with older cheesy marvel / dc / Archie comics. The key is he gives it
100% and then some.. You could probably get the comic books for dirt cheap

------
ljf
Food/snacks (health laws?) Plastic rain coats / umbrellas local knowledge?

~~~
murtza
We took food/snacks off the table because it requires health permits. Plastic
rain coats / umbrellas are weather dependent, but a good idea.

------
leonlee
I understand that experience is experience, but wouldn't you say that there
are better places and alternatives to spending time trying to sell things in a
'tourist' environment?

~~~
jackpirate
There may be more "productive" things to do, but it sounds like their trying
to actually have some fun too. It sounds like a great combo to me.

@murtza They do things like this in the Apprentice all the time. There's
probably some good ideas there.

~~~
murtza
Thanks for the tip. I will read some episode summaries of the show to see what
they sold.

------
bauchidgw
run around with an ipad and offer them to "get a real NY friend" on fb for
just 5$. if you can sell that, you can sell anything.

~~~
britta
I'd be slightly concerned that somebody would snatch the iPad out of their
hands and run. :p (It reminds me of this:
[http://www.dnainfo.com/20110531/downtown/iphone-thefts-on-
su...](http://www.dnainfo.com/20110531/downtown/iphone-thefts-on-subway-on-
rise) \- "Thieves are snatching the popular devices right out of straphangers'
hands, especially in lower Manhattan's subways.")

------
murtza
Some other ideas I brainstormed: 1)Roses, 2)Guy Fawkes Masks, 3)Create and
sell a guide. Maybe a "Guide to NYC Public Restrooms"

------
mapster
well, its still warm in the sun, while at the same time heading towards
winter. So maybe chestnut flavored ice-cream? Food vendor license may be too
much trouble compared to hand made tourist kitsch.

------
hnwh
Water, umbrellas, maps, photos.. oxygen

~~~
mirkules
Oxygen... What an idea. At Six Flags Magic Mountain, they sold oxygen with a
sign that read: "BENEFITS OF OXYGEN". They must have sold out of ice cubes in
Alaska.

