Check List for Selling on Flea Markets or Farmer's Markets

Christmas Night Market at Kyalami Estates, December 2012

If you would like to get into Flea or Farmer's Markets to sell your products: Do an internet search, get recommendations and referrals from friends, go to existing markets and find a way to chat to the organizers. Once you manage to get onto one market, you usually end up meeting other traders who can help you get onto other markets if you want to. Some markets in Johannesburg/Pretoria have a 3 year waiting list!!

Tips and Preparation List

Having done a few of these markets I have some tips. Unfortunately if you’re new to the Markets, it isn’t easy to know what will sell. I have had good days, and bad days. But the reason people keep doing them, is they do work, as long as the Fees are not too high and the Organisers have marketed the Event properly. 

It helps a lot to be prepared ahead of time. Here is a list of what you can do (not on the day!): 

1. Organise your products (jewellery, accessories, clothing, food items). It helps to have everything you sell in one container or several. If your things are too heavy, use a suitcase with wheels.
2. Do a test run. Set up your table beforehand in case you might be missing something. I find it’s always good to have these items just in case needed: a ball of string, clothes pegs, long nails and hammer (useful at times), sellotape, packaging tape, glue, prestik (aka Blue-Tak, Fun-Tak, pattafix), scissors, marker pens, ballpoint pens, paper, notebook, invoice book and business cards. Once you’ve done one Market, keep these items in a box or container solely for the purpose of Markets, so it’s easy to grab and run. You need a nice table cloth or cover to show off your products to best advantage. Essentially this cloth should touch the ground! Work with the season (eg Christmas / Valentines / Easter decorations for the table). Practice setting up your gazebo if you have one you’ve never used before.
3. Be sure to put price labels on each item. People seem to prefer it (although some traders swear by not putting prices on the products.)
4. Wear a moneybag or an apron with large pockets for the cash. It can become pretty hectic at times and some people are at the market not to buy from you but for easy pick pocketing of your cash or your goods! One woman at a table near me at a recent market was throwing all the cash into an open basket with people brushing past it all the time. Unwise!
5. Pack everything ready to go and if your car is secure and unlikely to be stolen, load the car.
6. Make sure you have plenty of change in the right notes or coins. Get it at the bank the day before if necessary.
7. Try to prepay your stand, it’s easier, and ensures you get a better spot on the day.
8. Work out your route to get there beforehand, take extra cash in case needed for parking. 

This covers most things you can do beforehand. Tomorrow I will give tips for how to handle the day of the market to ensure greater success.