Flea Market Business: How To Outsell Other Flea Market Vendors

Flea market business. Does that phrase make you excited, but anxious at the same time?

If it does it's probably because although you know that there is money to be made, you also realize how much competition exists in the flea market.

To make money with your own flea market business you need to have good quality flea market merchandise at low prices.

But the other ingredient that is often overlooked, is that you have to have the ability to outsell your competition.

How do you outsell your competition from other flea market vendors?

Think of what a dollar store would do to stand out from other dollar stores in the neighborhood.

You want to emulate this dollar store, and apply its strategies to your own flea market business.

Here are tips that you can use to outsell your flea market competitors.

Tip #1

Customer service is crucial. People want to be treated well, regardless of where they are shopping. Be the flea market vendor that is known for friendliness and helpfulness. Shoppers will be glad to buy from you, even if your prices are the same as other flea market vendors.

Tip #2

Always have an organized and pleasant flea market booth. Shoppers will enjoy visiting your booth if your merchandise is displayed nicely. Wouldn't you?

Tip #3

Keep track of other vendor's prices. Your prices always should be at, or below their prices.
Even if lowering your prices cuts into your profits you need to adjust them. You can always make up the lost profit on higher sales.

Tip #4

Be positive. Shoppers want to buy from positive sellers. Shopping at a flea market is supposed to be fun, make it fun for your customers.

Tip #5
Introduce a new variety of items. If shoppers know that you always have a nice variety of new products at your flea market booth, they will go to you first to see what new products you have.
Make sure that the products you introduce fit into your current merchandise. You want your customers to know you for a certain product category.

Secret Wholesale Sources Used By Rich Flea Market Vendors

Flea market vendors need the fastest moving wholesale products,
at the lowest possible wholesale prices, to make the highest amount of money possible.

Experienced flea market vendors know that they can develop a full time income,
while only selling part time at flea markets.

How can they make so much money in what is primarily a weekend business?

They utilize genuine wholesale sources that can provide them with popular
merchandise that shoppers actively search for.

True flea market product sources are hard to find, since successful vendors don't
want to invite competition by revealing their hidden suppliers.

As a former flea market vendor, and a current wholesaler, I can lift the curtain and share with you this information. The following flea market product sources can help you develop a full time income from a flea market business.

Flea Market Product Source #1

Direct importers. Direct importers are businesses that bring products from overseas, and sell them at prices substantially below wholesale. Since these importers bring in products by the container, they want to be able to sell in volume. Their products are often priced at pennies of the original retail, and can give a flea market vendors a significant profit margin.

The key to dealing with direct importers is to buy in volume. They will offer their best
prices to resellers that can buy large quantities. If you are not ready to purchase in large volumes, the next source should work better for you.

Flea Market Product Source #2

Flea market wholesalers. This type of a supplier specializes in providing products for flea markets. The wholesaler actively researches the market, and stays on top of flea market trends.
He will know what products sell the best, and at what price his customers need to buy to be able to make money.

Since his customers are vendors, he will always receive feedback on his products and
prices. By working with this type of a wholesaler, you will be assured of receiving advice based on actual market conditions.

Remember, not every wholesaler specializes in flea market vendors. Just because he has customers that sell at flea markets doesn't mean that he is an expert. You want to deal with a wholesaler that has many customers actively working the markets.

Special Tip:

If a wholesaler has customers in your local flea market, he will be able to give you solid advice on what products actually sell in the flea market.

Wholesale Clothing Tips For Flea Market Vendors

Wholesale brand name clothing is the product category that most flea market vendors make their money with.
While this means that having access to wholesale clothing can help a flea market vendor make money, it also means that there will be plenty of competition in the flea market for it.

Here are tips specifically geared for flea market vendors that sell brand name clothing.

Flea Market Brand Name Clothing Sales Tip #1

Separate according to price point. Have your booth set up so that you distinguish between your higher and lower priced brand name clothing. This way a customer will not be turned off by high or low prices.

You can always direct your customer to the price point that he or she is comfortable with.

Flea Market Brand Name Clothing Sales Tip #2

Prominently display the tags and labels. By prominently displaying the tags and labels you are showing your customers the brand names you are selling.
Customers have been known to buy clothing simply because of the brand name, so it is important that they see the brands you have for sale.

Flea Market Brand Name Clothing Sales Tip #3

Let them know your clothing is genuine. Customers know that genuine brand name clothing is of a higher value than the brand name knock offs. And even when the quality is similar most customers prefer to buy genuine and original brand name clothing. Have a large display sign announcing that your brand name clothing is real.

Flea Market Brand Name Clothing Sales Tip #4

Don't price your brand name clothing below a realistic price. If your prices are too low for brand name clothing customers will assume that they are fakes. By having a realistic price you are telling your customers that your merchandise is real, and that is why you are charging a low but fair price.

Flea Market Business: Flea Market Business Tips For Vendors

The flea market business has been an integral part of the American economy since its founding.

Many early settlers bought and sold products at open air markets, which were the predecessors of today's flea market business.
To have an idea of how large the flea market business is, think of how many flea markets exist in your immediate area.

Now multiply the number of those flea markets by the number of cities in the United States.

There are so many flea markets because the flea market business is a substantial and viable business which enables hundreds of thousands of individuals to earn a secondary and primary source of income.

If you would like to join these people by starting your own flea market business, I would recommend the following.

1. Treat your flea market business like a real business. Set regular hours and have a weekly schedule.

2. Expand beyond the local flea markets. To really make money in the flea market business you need to travel to other flea markets, especially if they are larger than your local flea markets.

3. Always have a large assortment of merchandise. Flea market customers can only buy what you sell, so always make sure to be fully stocked with inventory.

4. Stay competitive. Make sure your prices are under local retailers, including Wal Mart. If you buy right, you can keep your prices low.

5. Use the Internet to build your flea market business. Find flea market wholesale suppliers by using wholesale search engines such as wholesalequest.com

Flea Market Vendors: How To Start Selling At Flea Markets

ea market vendors have been seeing increasing sales as more and more customers shop at flea markets.
In the past, flea markets were seen as places to buy used goods, or places to simply spend a free day at.

But now flea markets are seen by many shoppers as sources for their consumer products, at substantial savings off their regular prices.

You can take profit from this consumer trend by setting up as a flea market vendor.

To become a flea market vendor you will first need to have a resellers tax ID number. You should speak to an attorney or accountant to see what you need to get started.

Most flea markets will guide you in this process, since it is in their interest that you start renting a booth at their flea market.

Once you have the proper licenses, you will want to decide on what type of merchandise to sell.

Flea markets can also be of help in this regard. You can ask the management of the flea market what products they feel will sell well.

They should tell you what products are not being sold, or what products can be sold more of.

You can also focus on the basic products that all flea market shoppers need, like T-Shirts, socks, underwear, towels, toothpaste, soap, etc.

As long as your prices are cheap compared to local stores, and to those of other flea market vendors, you should be able to sell those items.

Most flea market vendors stumble when they try to sell either novelty items, or unique esoteric products.

Stay to the basics and your flea market business should prosper.

You should obtain a list of wholesalers who carry the items you want to sell. Narrow down the list to wholesalers who specifically cater towards flea market vendors.

These wholesalers will have experience in what products will sell well at the flea market.

You can use search engines such as http://www.wholesalecentral.com and [http://www.wholesalequest.com] to compile a list of wholesalers.

Stay away from membership sites, since most wholesalers are listed openly online.

Your next step is to jump in. Over analysis will only discourage you from selling at the flea market. Instead of focusing on how much you can make, you need to focus on selling and building up your flea market business.
Make sure you start your first day at the flea market with a full assortment of merchandise. This will make a great impression on customers, and will help you sell a good amount of products.

Why You Should Look For New Flea Markets

When a new flea market opens it will generally attract shoppers before it does vendors, since most vendors will wait to rent a spot until they are sure that there are shoppers attending the flea market.

On the other hand, flea market shoppers will be happy to visit a new flea market since they can easily visit it without committing money or much time.

You should try to be one of the first flea market vendors in a new flea market, this way you can start selling before the competition shows up.

How To Find The Best Money Making Spot At Flea Markets

The best money making spots at flea markets are the most highly trafficked spots.

There are two types of highly trafficked spots at flea markets, one being a spot that serves as a passing point, and the other one being a destination point.

A passing point would be a spot at the flea market next to an entrance or next to a restroom for instance, while a destination point would be the actual place that flea market shoppers are going to.

Destination points include the food court and the information booth.

Flea market shoppers will be spending time at these destination points, and will end up noticing your flea market booth.

The best way to ensure that you have a great money making spot at a flea market is by showing up early, and having a great relationship with the flea market manager.