Becoming a flea market vendor can be both fun and profitable. You probably have enough junk around the garage or in the basement to get started. Everything and anything legal can be found at a flea market; garage sale items, hardware, antiques, dolls, sunglasses, farm items, animals, books, videos, dvds, games, toys, jewelry, the list is endless.
Many college students, retirees, and people looking for a little extra weekend income sell at flea markets. Some vendors in larger markets make enough to support themselves working two days a week.
Things You'll Need:
Something to sell
$15 to $50 to pay for a weekend space.
Change for transactions
tables or something to sell your merchandise on.
price stickers or tags
Sales tax license in some states or pay through the flea market.
Proper food handling license if you sell prepared food.
enthusiasm
Instructions:
Step 1
Starting out:
What do you want to sell? What do you have? What are your interests and what are you knowledgeable about? Traveling to flea markets and looking at prices and types of merchandise might help.
Most people start out with what they have on hand. You would be surprised what people will pay for some of the stuff we have in boxes in the basement. Old baseball cards, Christmas cards, box of buttons and ribbon, old romance novels, magazines, mom's old dresses.
You can even buy wholesale online and resale. Garage sales, estate sales, discounted store items, remnants and rummage sale items.
Step 2
Finding a Flea Market near you:
Check in the Yellow Pages, online, in the newspaper or ask friends. There are few locations that don't have a flea market within driving distance.
Once you find one, contact the manager. When are they open? Just the weekend, every weekend or just certain weekends. (Some are only open on first Mondays, or twice a month.)
What do they charge for a spot? Do they charge for the day or the weekend. How big is a spot? Is it indoors or out? Covered or in the open. Do you need to reserve a spot in advance? Do they rent tables or do you need to bring your own? When you get to the flea market who do you see to pay?
Step 3
Setting up:
So you have talked to the flea market manager, the flea market is open on Saturday and Sunday and you know what a space will cost you.
1. Make sure you have identified what you are going to sell and price it before you go. You can get stickers and tags at your local box store (like Walmart, Kmart, Target or Staples).
2. Pack everything in boxes and label them. This makes it easier to unpack and repack when the flea market is over.
3. Make sure you have change, a box to keep it in, table(s), folding chairs to sit in, plastic shopping bags (used from the grocery store is fine).
4. Recommend you pack a cooler with food, although food is generally available at most flea markets.
5. If possible pack the day before so you can leave early to set up before customers show up. (also early morning is when other vendors may buy off you before the customers show up, they are looking for bargains too.)
6. Show up early, find the manager, pay for a spot (normally designated when you pay unless you become a regular).
7. Set up and sell.
Step 4
Sales Ideas:
1. Seasonal items; Christmas, Halloween, summer, winter, sports in season.
2. Toys; buy at garage sales, discounted after the holidays, discontinued and wholesale.
3. Antiques and collectibles. Do your homework, study and search for these things at estate sales, garage sales and auctions.
4. Sports Cards and memorabilia.
5. Fishing items; poles, lures, equipment, new or used.
6. Hardware and tools
7. Grandma's attic; house full of items from a deceased relative, store close outs, abandoned storage building sales. sell it all everything and anything. Cheap bulk sale boxes do well.
8. Food; hot dogs, popcorn, corn on the cob, sodas, chili, sandwiches, cotton candy, snow cones, hamburgers, pizza, seen it all. Some large flea markets have whole specialty food markets.
9. Fruits and Vegetables; in season produce from your orchard or garden.
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