The last couple years have been tough economically for us all and there is no doubt that some great bargains can be found at flea markets and that there is money to be made selling at flea markets. It is estimated that there are well over 25,000 flea markets across the United States with sales over $6 Billion dollars….and this is for flea markets that operate on weekends only! Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl Flea Market is said to have over 3,000 vendors with approx. 50,000 shoppers! Professional Flea Market shoppers are reported to arrive between 7:00 am -9:00 am in the morning with flashlights if still dark out when vendors are just setting up and are ready to treasure and bargain hunt.  You have got to watch”A Flea Market Documentary“. WOW!

1. Becoming A Vendor: First things first, in order to start selling at flea markets you need to get yourself setup as a vendor at a particular flea market. Check with your attorney or accountant on what is recommended by your state and the Feds as far as setting up a business name, business checking account tax ID number and anything else you need.  Also, check with the particular flea market on what paperwork and licenses they will need from you.

2.What To Sell: You most likely already have an idea of what types of merchandise or products you want to sell as you probably have visited flea markets before and probably visited the flea market your booth will be at a hundred times or so. You have developed a sense of what sells, what is “hot”, crafts that seem to sell well, antiques and collectibles that sell etc.. and you hopefully already have amassed several items to sell or have secured a method or contact for inventory be it a wholesaler or your local thrift store and neighborhood garage sales, or you have made up a bunch of crafts etc..

Also, a way to earn extra money is to sell beverages and snacks in your space. Nothing is better on a hot humid day then a cold drink! Have a cooler or if you have electricity a small refrigerator stocked with bottle water and soda pops and think about this for a moment – why not have some labels made up of your space name and logo and stick them on the bottles of water or if you sell bags of chips or granola bars then stick the labels on these as this is a great way to market your space!!

3. Pricing: Pricing – because you have spent a lot of time already visiting flea markets or have friends that are vendors at flea markets or have done your pricing research another way, you know what your pricing should be. Do not over analyze your pricing and merchandise, as right now it is most important for you to wisely “dive in” and get your booth setup and Start Selling!

TIPS TO ATTRACT HUNDREDS OF BUYERS TO YOUR SPACE

Many people will say that a great strategy is the key to attracting buyers. There is no doubt that you are one vendor amongst thousands of vendors so having the right merchandise and a good location is key.

6. Attracting Buyers: Be sure to have enough merchandise on hand. Nothing is worse than an empty looking space so be sure to have plenty of stuff to sell and either store the excess under your tables or in your car. Also, have around a total of $500 of change in $1, $5, $10, and $20. Keep bags, newspaper, sacks, and boxes handy so folks can easily and comfortably haul their treasures away.

7. Be an Expert: If you sell antiques and collectibles you will agree that the more you know about the items you are selling the more you will sell as your customers will see you as the EXPERT and people feel confident buying from the Expert and paying the higher prices as items sold by an Expert can command top dollar.

Engage in conversation with folks that enter your space as vendors with personality and the ability to story tell about their items will have more sales as shoppers enjoy being told as much information about what they are buying, and part of the enjoyment of flea markets is all the neat vendors you meet!

8. Setup: Setup your space to visually make sense and be comfortable. So, if you sell books then have them setup with spines facing out and neatly stacked so they are easy to read, if you sell clothing be sure to hang the items up on racks or have them neatly folded on tables and do put out items that are dirty or have holes as no one is looking for this. Have your pricing clearly visible. If you have access to electricity then have a couple fans plugged in to blow cool air as noting feels better on s super hot day then a fan blowing on you and when people feel comfortable they will spend more time shopping your space. Also, if you can arrange for some type of cover or canopy to shield from rain and sun it will not only make you the seller more comfortable but your shoppers too.

If you use signage make sure they are neat and easy to read and grab attention from folks passing by. Tie a bunch of balloons around your space to attract attention and have a drawing for a “free” prize every 4 hours or so and this will draw lots of attention to your space.

9. Hagglers: Be prepared to handle hagglers in advance. You should not be surprised if people start to haggle or negotiate with you. Many people feel that haggling is part of the Flea Market experience. Decide in advance how much you are will to accept on an item and be good-natured when dealing with hagglers. Remember that being flexible with your pricing can mean more sales for you!!

10.Tips For Vendors: A couple things to keep in mind when selling at Flea Markets is to have a receipt book and pen handy as many folks will ask for a receipt if they are a business. If you sell vintage or retro items that can be repurposed, make up a bunch of handouts that tell the buyer the types of crafts and projects these items can be made into and even have a free craft detailed that they can make.  Keep sunscreen nearby and even have some for sale, as you will be surprised how sunburned one can get walking around a flea market and selling at a flea market!!

We hope these tips and tricks have been beneficial to you and urge you to visit www.crazy4me.com in the near future, as we are finishing up a fantastic guide on Flea Market Bargaining and Haggling Tips!

For many kids around the country it is Back-to-School time and for parents who were not able to find the “right” backpack or tote bag, here is a little crafty project you can do with your kids and make a “custom” book bag using vintage fabric and remnants. BHG provides an easy to follow step-by-step guide and all you need is a couple yards of vintage fabric or vintage tablecloths, fabric for lining the inside of the bag and some thread in coordinating colors to get started. Get Details Here. Bag pics from Happy Loves Rosie.

While visiting one of my favorite antique malls yesterday afternoon, I came across a super darling booth that is really creative with their goods and displays. The booth had lots of my favorites; Vintage Linens! The booth not only sells vintage linens like tablecloths and tea towels but they also have some really neat re-purposed linens like baby bloomers, toddler pants, bangle bracelets, and sun bonnets and all of these are made from vintage linens. Above are some photos I snapped so you can all see.

This got me thinking that if someone has some sewing skills or is handy with a hot glue gun that they can whip up some really neat and pretty items using vintage linens. Some ideas would be to make headbands, curtains and valences, bags, totes, purses, pillow cases, seat cushions, tea cozies, aprons, stuffed toys and even embellish T-Shirts and jeans!  I found this neat website that has lots of crafts and projects for using vintage linens – CRAFTS HERE.

Calling all junkers, thrifters, buyers, sellers, collectors, etc. I just watched “A Flea Market Documentary” and you must too!

This is a fabulous and entertaining documentary all about some of the TOP flea markets around the USA from Florida to California (Rose Bowl) Orange County, Texas (Canton, Monday Trade Days) to Washington State, and Kentucky to Massachusetts. You are a passenger riding along on this documentary road trip and get to go to these flea markets and the amazing 127 Corridor Rummage Sale or Worlds Longest Yard Sale! Sitting in the comfort of your own home you get a virtual experience by meeting the sellers and buyers at these flea markets.

The documentary is by Rick Seback and he does a tremendous job at capturing the “fever” the “magic” the “excitement” of flea markets. You meet the vendors who all seem to have an exceptional passion for selling at flea markets. Sure, you have your “whacky” and “business-minded” sellers and some make a really good living and some don’t but, they all say they have so much fun meeting new people and conversing with them that despite driving for hours for some of these vendors and setting up rain or sun shine as early as 4am they love what they do! Doesn’t seem much different for buyers. Many wait in lines as early as 2 days before the flea market opens and some even pay top-dollar for “early admission” and it is still dark but they come prepared with their flash lights, boxes, carts and trucks all bubbling over with eagerness to get inside and begin their treasure hunt! The documentary shows how buyers do not differ much from coast-to-coast and all will tell you how they love shopping at flea markets because everyone is friendly, it’s a great place to meet people, you are out doors, and you even get some exercise by walking and some of these markets are miles and miles long!

Rick also introducers the viewers to some of the characters that started these famous flea markets. Take the 127 Corridor Rummage Sale aka Worlds Longest Yard Sale – conceptualized by Mike Walker in 1987. Mike, a Fentress County executive, started this famous sale by wanting to rejuvenate the local economy by bringing in visitors along the interstate and less traveled areas between Tennessee and Kentucky. Today, August 2010 the 127 Corridor Sale spans 675 miles and covers 6 states!!  As a road trip traveler on this documentary you get to see miles of the sale and see exactly what its like and what is being sold etc.

Meet the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Swap Shop flea market founder Preston Henn. This is a zany market for sure!! The market is open 365 days a year, even open Christmas Day!! The Swap Shop opened in 1966 and was previously a drive-in movie theater. Entertainers perform in the food court, circus elephants walk the isles and concerts by famous acts perform on the stage– Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and more. It is said that in 1990 more than 12 million people visited the Swap Shop.

If you are into flea markets, open-air markets, antiques and collectibles, you will enjoy this documentary. You see first-hand the flea market experience and get to share the emotion that these places evoke. Lots of color, lots of energy, art, food, diversity, antiques, collectibles, crafts, new stuff, outlet close out merchandise, farmers market produce etc. You see what “buying a piece of the past” is all about at the all American magical market; flea market. Get Your Flea Market DVD Here. You will love it!! A Flea Market Documentary.

Here is a really lovely idea that involves using old, orphaned, or damaged teacups and turning them into pretty little candle lights. Also, if you happen to have a sea shell collection you can make these neat sea shell lights too!  You can get the directions right here at Martha Stewart for the Teacup Candle Lights and the Shell Lights. These would make pretty favors for a wedding and would also look dainty for a tea party or seaside dinner party!

Bed & Breakfast has gone to the dogs! Lately all the rage is about going green and giving new life to discarded items so as I was thumbing through the pages of a well-loved older issue of Country Home Magazine November 2008, I was thrilled to see an article that walks you through repurposing old chairs into a fabulous dog bed and how to transform a toile tray into a custom feeder tray with room for dog food bowl and water bowl.  Directions here.

A fantastic new way to repurpose porcelain and china dinnerware and dishes into wearable works of art! You can use that broken family heirloom, your favorite teacup that is chipped, how about that wedding china that has been damaged or the once gorgeous vase that got bumped off the mantle. A great new collectible is taking these china treasures that are damaged and re-working them into pendants, earrings, bracelets and brooches so now you can still enjoy that piece of china or give a gift that is sure to become an heirloom. (Photos from 34 Roses)

Directions here to begin crafting your creations!

Do you ever wonder what to do with a teapot or coffee pot that are missing their lids?  Just because a lovely piece of china is not complete or has some damage does not mean it is ready for the trash but rather it can become part of your home décor and actually be repurposed into a useful lamp or pincushion.

On a junk jaunt not too long ago I came across a booth that had a wall arranged with various vintage teapot lids and coffee pot lids into a neat little artful display just like miniature paintings would be arranged; I wish I would have snapped a photo to share with you all as it was the sweetest display that would look so great in any cottage or country house décor.

Here are a couple patterns with instructions for crafting your very own teapot and teacup pincushions and coffee pot lamps. Remember that flea markets, antique malls, thrift shops and yard sales are all full of china and porcelains odds-n-ends that have a couple dings and nicks or are missing tops or bottoms and these can easily be fashioned into your new lamp or pincushion. Have fun!

Lamp-pattern
Pincushion-pattern

I so enjoy the appeal of a retro kitchen and retro aprons and linens. Retro is so colorful and cheerful! Retro encompasses lots of Anthropomorphic elements from vintage Anthropomorphic salt and pepper shakers, Anthropomorphic fruit and veggies embroidered onto tea towels, dish towels and aprons and even Anthropomorphic chalkware wall plaques. EllynAnne Geisel has a couple great books out that bring the love of retro and vintage kitchen linens and aprons to the forefront of today and her website has so many neat downloadable “how to” like making these fabulously neat Original Egg Warmer Designs. Visit here for directions for this fun project! Make the POLKADOT EGG WARMER, APRON EGG WARMER, EGG WARMER APRON, EGG WARMER DRESS.

I love going to flea markets and junk shops and I always see lots of old funky trunks and  suitcases and also lots of tattered cabinets and display shelves that would be GREAT storage cabinets and miniature armoires if repurposed with flea market fabrics, walpapper, and some ribbons. If you are asking “how to repurpose flea market finds” DIY Ideas has a great flea market project for this so if you are looking for ways to put your stash of flea market finds to good use then you will enjoy this one!