Flea Market Etiquette

First let’s start with Flea Market Seller Etiquette:

• Always be a good seller and pay for your booth in advance of setup. This shows the promoter that you are a serious business person and someone they can rely on to give their venue a positive reputation.
• When setting up your booth next to other vendors, remember that if you want an “isle” for your customers to view your items, that space should be allocated from within your booth’s boundaries. You shouldn’t setup right on your booth’s line and expect your neighbor to provide space from within their booth space for your customers. Respect your neighbor’s space.
• Think about if your sales tactics will cause customers to pass you by. For example I’ve been located near scented oil vendors who literally cause customers to want to get past them as quickly as possible because they don’t like the scent the burners were emitting. I’ve seen this happen too many times to count. The same happens with hawkers or those who take an aggressive sales approach. Customers feel uncomfortable and tend to not want to slow down to view what is being offered.
• Do not begin to cover your items for the day or pack up your booth until the show or event is officially closed. All too often those who may not have done well, who are tired, or just want to get a jump on their evening begin packing up 1-2 hours in advance. This isn’t good for any of the vendors when customers see that before end of the day, vendors are leaving. Professional vendors are ready when the show begins and do not begin closing until the show hours are over.
• After packing up your booth, be sure to clean up all your garbage and incidentals. The true sign of a sub-par vendor is one that leaves their food wrappers, beverage cans, bottles and show garbage behind rather than cleaning up after themselves.

Now, let’s talk about Flea Market Buyer Etiquette:

• Bring cash! There are vendors that will accept credit cards but you can bet those that accept cash only can offer a better price on their items because they are avoiding having to pay merchant account fees on every transaction. You will also have more bargaining power with cash. And, don’t expect vendors who may not be from your area and who don’t know you to accept your personal check. Many venues now include ATM machines on site. If not, make a point of going to the bank or stopping at an ATM before going to the flea market.
• When it comes to bargaining, do not make the assumption that everything is to be bartered or expect a better price on everything available. Know your products and prices and if there’s a good deal to be had, don’t insult the seller by offering less just for the sake of doing so. Some sellers are willing to bargain near the end of the show so they don’t have to pack the items up. Notice I said some. For those of us who do many markets and shows, we’d rather pack our items and display them at our next show rather then sell them for less than what they are worth. Keep in mind that when asked with courtesy, most sellers will offer you a discount if you buy more than one item.
• Respect the vendor’s merchandise. Handle their merchandise as if it were your own and replace it to its original location. If you do not have a genuine interest in purchasing an item there is no reason to handle it. Closely monitor your children and ensure they understand the “don’t touch” rule. Expect to pay for any items you or your children break or ruin.
• If you are eating food, sneezing or coughing, do not touch vendor merchandise. Go wash your hands before handling any of the items offered for sale.
• When running into friends and acquaintances at the market, it is natural to want to catch up and visit. But don’t do so while blocking a vendor’s booth thereby preventing potential customers from viewing their wares. Move to an open area to continue your conversation.

While not the end all be all of the things both flea market sellers and buyers can do to provide a courteous experience for all who they come in contact with, if both sides followed the 5 simple rules above, flea markets would be a more enjoyable experience for all.