Use Impulse Buy Items to Attract Flea Market Customers

Melanie L. Marten
Flea market sellers have a two-fold problem. One problem is that they have to attract customers to their table or booth, and the second problem is actually making the sale. Both of these problems can be overcome through the use of impulse buy items.

Attracting flea market customers with impulse buy items is a good business practice. You want these products to be inexpensive, eye-catching, and displayed prominently on your table. Here are three great ideas for different types of impulse buy items that will attract flea market customers:

One: Beat the Heat

Most flea markets and swap meets are held in the spring, summer, and autumn. Most are held outside. This means that people will be walking around in the warm sun for hours. Of course, many people enjoy the heat, but many others do not plan properly for a long day out at the flea market.

Items that beat the heat are great impulse buys for flea market customers. A table that offers these comfort items will get a lot of visitors.

Here are some great ideas for impulse buy items that beat the heat:

1. Sunglasses

2. Brimmed hats and visors

3. Mini fans (with or without spritz bottles attached)

4. Shade umbrellas

5. Sunblock and suntan lotion

Two: Catch the Kids

Parents often give their kid a dollar or two and tell them that they can spend it on whatever they would like at the flea market. Kids are great impulse spenders. If you display a colorful assortment of toys, games, or other items, you will attract kids. Once you have the kids' attention, it becomes easier to sell to their parents.

Some great impulse buy items for kids include:

1. Pinwheels

2. Toy cars, trucks, and tractors

3. Stuffed Animals

4. Small dolls

5. Costume jewelry

Three: Strange Stuff

One of the best ways to attract anyone to your flea market table or booth is by displaying strange items in prominent positions. People will be drawn to the unusual or humorous item, and many will buy them for no reason at all. Think of the singing bass, that plastic fish on the wooden plaque that would dance and sing. They serve no purpose, are rather ugly, but people just had to have them because they were strange and funny. Find an impulse buy item like that, and you can attract customers easily.

Attracting flea market customers with impulse buy items is a great way to increase your overall profit. By displaying these items at the front of your table so that they will catch the eyes of potential customers, you should be able to attract more business to your flea market table or booth. Even if the impulse buy item does not translate into the sale of other items, you will still make a good profit this way.

Published by Melanie L. Marten

Melanie Marten is self-taught and self-employed. Besides freelance writing, she dabbles in website design and owns dozens of websites and blogs. Work is squeezed in between parenting two boys, homeschoolin...  View profile

  • Attracting flea market customers with impulse buy items is a good business practice.
  • Most flea markets and swap meets are held in the spring, summer, and autumn.
  • Kids are great impulse spenders.
People will be drawn to the unusual or humorous item, and many will buy them for no reason at all.

2 Comments

Post a Comment
  • Stefanie1/16/2007

    great article and wonderful tips!!!

  • Carol Gilbert1/16/2007

    Great advice.

Displaying Comments

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.