| As people are turning from employers to | | | | interest group. If there are going to be forty |
| self-sustaining sources of income, flea market | | | | thousand people at a show, you don't want to |
| vending is becoming a popular alternative to | | | | cater to only a few hundred of them, you want |
| traditional jobs. Flea market vending offers a | | | | something that will be of interest to all of them. |
| viable solution because of the small amount of | | | | For example, if you specialize in gemstone rough |
| cash it takes to start up and the freedom that | | | | and set up a table at a rock and gem show, all |
| the business offers. Setting up to become a | | | | you need to make sales is quality gem rough |
| vendor is essentially a snap. How to know what | | | | material at reasonable prices. If you go to a flea |
| to sell is often an irksome question, though. By | | | | market, however, only a few people in a large |
| following a few simple guidelines vendors can build | | | | crowd may be interested in your products. You |
| an inventory of merchandise that will make their | | | | will need something else to draw the general |
| booths profitable show favorites wherever they | | | | crowd. If you are diligent you might be able to |
| set up. | | | | find merchandise that will appeal to both the public |
| As a vendor your goal is not only to sell products | | | | and your specialty crowds. |
| that people will buy but also to purchase those | | | | You will also want items of varied price ranges. |
| products at a cost low enough to allow you to sell | | | | You will want some higher priced items which |
| them for a decent profit. | | | | bring good per sale profits, but you still will want |
| At a minimum you should be able to double your | | | | to feature some inexpensive low cost items for |
| money on each sale. If your cost for an item is | | | | impulse buyers. People who otherwise would have |
| $2 but you can't sell it for more than $2.50, you | | | | passed up purchasing anything at your booth will |
| are not making a decent profit. If that item could | | | | often buy an interesting one or two dollar novelty |
| have sold for double what you paid, it might have | | | | item that Aunt Martha would love or little Johnny |
| been worth the investment to purchase a box of | | | | is begging mommy to buy for him. These items |
| them. Remember that you are selling in limited | | | | may not bring in cash cow profits on their own, |
| spaces and you need to be able to stock items | | | | but sales add up over the weekend. Seeing |
| that will bring in profits high enough to earn you a | | | | others smiling and handing over cash for |
| living, as well as to purchase more merchandise. | | | | merchandise will also draw others who are curious |
| Once you understand that your merchandise | | | | to see what people are buying. |
| must have profit potential, you need to find out | | | | If you are planning to set up a semi-permanent |
| what people want to buy. It isn't going to do you | | | | booth somewhere or plan to return to a particular |
| any good to end up with a box of low cost | | | | location periodically, it is a good idea to stock |
| inventory that no one wants. | | | | consumable items. Consumable products are items |
| Go to a flea market and explore what is going on | | | | which people use up and run out of, such as skin |
| at the booths. Why is a particular booth getting so | | | | creams or printer ink. Stocking quality consumable |
| much attention? Are people just looking or | | | | items that are hard to get elsewhere will allow |
| actually putting their cash on the table? Interest is | | | | you to build a repeat business. The more repeat |
| a good thing, but if no cash trade follows, a | | | | customers you can generate, the more profitable |
| crowd at the booth isn't doing a vendor much | | | | your entire business will become. Repeat |
| good. Spending the time to evaluate what sells | | | | customers will not only buy their favorite product |
| and what doesn't will give you a better idea of | | | | over and over again, they might see other things |
| the type of merchandise to sell. | | | | they want to "pick up" while grabbing their new |
| Avoid merchandise which is only interesting to | | | | supply and they are also good word-of-mouth |
| certain groups of people unless your booth is | | | | advertising for you. |
| being set up at an event specifically for that | | | | |