A great and fun way to add to your yearly income is by selling at Flea Markets. When done wisely this can be a significant source of revenue for your family and most people really enjoy the process of buying cheap items, cleaning or fixing them and reselling them at the local flea market.
What Are Flea Markets?
Flea markets are places, either on a street or a building, set aside for vendors to set up booths and sell their items. Usually the items are second hand but sometimes new items are sold as well as food or services.
Where Do You Find Stuff To Sell At A Flea Market?
Sellers who set up regularly at flea markets are in constantly looking for items to sell that they can get cheap. Many times these items are acquired in bulk through events like estate sales and storage locker auctions. However, many of the items for sale are purchased through rummage sales, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and even other vendors at flea markets.
How Do You Get Into A Flea Market?
What You May Need
Some stated may require a business license and a resell certificate for you to be able to set up and sell at a Flea Market. Because every state is different you will have to do some research to figure out what is required. A great first step might be to ask the organizer of the flea market or another vendor what is required.
Of course if it’s an outdoor market having a pop up awning and some folding tables is very helpful and will make the experience better for both you and your customers.
You will also need a little money to pay the fee to set up as a vendor. This is usually a very modest amount to rent the space. Outdoor flea market are generally cheaper than indoor for the obvious reasons of the overhead costs.
Finding A Flea Market To Set Up At
Chances are you probably already know where the flea markets are in your area but if not there are some directories you can look at to find markets near you.
- Keys Flea Market Directory – An online listing of flea markets across North America
- Clark’s Flea Market USA National Directory – This is a paperback publication listing flea markets in the U.S.
Best Practices For Selling At A Flea Market
Be Friendly
Nobody likes a pushy sales person but everyone loves a friendly face. Greet your customers, be available for questions, and thank them for looking even when they don’t make a purchase (they might circle around and come back).
Make Your Items Presentable
Make it so all of your items can be easily seen without a customer having to dig through boxes or look under or behind things. Think about the way a department store sets up their products, they do it that way because it works.
Be Prepared To Negotiate Without Being Offended
Everyone is always looking for a great deal just like you are, so be prepared to haggle a bit. If you can’t lower the price any then that’s fine, another customer will be along shortly.
Accept Multiple Payment Forms If You Can
With today’s technology it’s really easy to accept multiple forms of payment such as credit cards, PayPal, Venmo and even crypto currencies if you like.
Nothing quite like accepting good ol’ cash though. Just remember to have plenty of change on hand. Checks are a risky form of payment unless you have a way to verify and add it to your account immediately as several bank apps on phones do now.
Is It Worth The Trouble Of Selling At A Flea Market?
It certainly can be a great way to make money, some people make a full time living by setting up and selling at flea markets. Even if you don’t want to take it to that level, it can be a lot of fun and an excellent way to supplement and diversify your income.
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