Starting a Fleamarket Booth

With bargain shoppers in hot pursuit of rock bottom prices and people looking to make money selling used items-flea markets remain a strong market . One of the best ways to make some extra cash is to get rid of unwanted items in a flea market booth. With this type of small business there is no limit on what to sell or how much. The versatility and low overhead is likely to generate a substantial profit.

Organizing and setting up a flea market booth can be moderately challenging--especially for beginners. The first step is determining what items will be the best sellers at a flea market. Anything that is vintage from the 1940's or 1950's are sought after flea market items. This includes toys, kitchen serving sets, kitchen cookware and bakeware, ceramics, clothing and linens. Many people also like to collect old dolls and accessories. Antique guns and related advertising are also popular. Furniture and old photographs are also sought after collectables. Books and old magazines and newspapers are also top sellers. Visiting as many estate and community auctions as possible will help you find one of a kind items at rock bottom prices. Thrift stores, garage sales and online auction sites like shopgoodwill.com are also good locations to hunt for inexpensive treasures.

Gather together the merchandise you have chose to sell at the flea market. Some flea market vendors also bring along homemade seasonal crafts and fresh or dried flowers that they sell. Homemade baked goods that include fruit bread, all natural bread, cookies, cakes and candies are also gobbled up by hungry guests. Make sure you mark every item with a price tag so there is no guessing. Be prepared for customers to haggle or bargain for lower prices. This is part of the flea market scene and you will need to use better judgment as to what items you are willing to combine or sell for less. Refer to kovels.com or other online appraisal sites to get a general fair market value of the merchandise being put up for sale.

Arrive to the flea market area before buyers do to allow for proper set up and booth preparation. Set up the tables and apply a tablecloth if desired. If using crates, stack up along the back and sides of the tables. Set smaller or specialty items on the crates. Keep larger items in the back and breakables toward the middle. Try to group similar items together if selling a multitude of items. Set up glass display cases for knives, sharp items or delicate breakables. Large items such as furniture can be placed around the perimiter of the table inside the booth area.

Sell the items by exchanging the merchandise for cash. Answer inquiries and questions about items as accurately as possible. Always be open to price negotiations but don't be afraid to turn down a low offer due to the worthiness of a piece.

Track all sales by stating how much the item was initially bought for then sold for. Record gas prices, hours spent at the flea market and fees to have the table space. You can use these numbers for tax purposes and write-offs at the end of the year.