| What crazy times these are. George W. on tv whining and crying crocodile tears about the economy and in truth the mess he has created. How happy he and Dick Cheney must be. From my world things are not as tight as they are for the Yuppie wage earner that is taking a real beating from the gas pump to the grovery store. The Yuppies still have their bottled water and their hateful little cell phones. Wal Mart is packed as is the casinos and flea markets. What a combination. Gasoline could go as high as $4. per gallon early this summer so take into consideration road expenses real seriously when laying out your summer schedule. The road will be getting into your pocket this year. One good thing about the flea market business is that as things get tight the consumer starts looking for bargains. One of the first places the consumer turns to in tough times is the flea market. And a great ideal that is. Not only will attendance be up at flea markets this spring and summer but look for their to be a lot of new dealers coming into the business to pick up some extra money. So plan accordingly. If you are a new dealer I have a great manual for learning the business. Go to the BookStore on this site and you can order the manual with your credit card via Paypal. Plan on slicking up your act; that means working the booth a little bit harder. Talk to the customers, show your merchandise, be helpful. I was at a flea market last Saturday and a couple of the dealers were playing chess together. Now that's a real non-winner. No money there. I never could figure out why someone would go to the trouble to set up a booth and then spend the day playing games and visiting with the neighbors. Forget to mention, so many people will sit in their booth reading the paper or doing busy work and the money just walks right on by their booth to the next booth in the line. When I set up at the flea market, that is my job for that day. I want to make as much money as I possibly can on my job. I put my every bit of energy into my booth. Sitting it up, making it look attractive. I am aware that you have to have the customers at your booth. If they are not standing at your table you are not going to be making any sales. When the customer comes to my booth I aappreciate that and I greet them. I speak to every person that comes to my booth, hello, hi, how you doing, something. Then I try to direct them to the merchandise, show it to them, talk about it, get it into their hands.. Pitch the price if the customer is price shopping, pitch quality if that is what the customer is interested in. It's up to you as a dealer to correctly read the customers that come to your booth. In other words PAY ATTENTION, don't sit back and expect the customer to do your work. If you do your days pay is going to be pretty small. Be sure to have your booth well stocked, customers will go to a booth that is well stocked over a poorly stocked booth every time. Don't let those sales just walk by. You only have a few seconds to get the customers attention and to get them to stop at your booth instead of passing you by. More about selling that merchandise in futrue columns as the selling season heats up! Be sure to mention our web site to your wholesaler and the promoter of shows that you set up at. We need the advertising and you can sure be a big help. Help me get some advertising and I will be able to bring you more listings.. Here in the midwest the auction at the Belleville Fairgrounds in Belleville, Illinois the last Tuesday of each month is a real surefire don't miss event. Lots of great merchandise both new and collectible. If you are selling in this area chick this one out. Nice antiques and collectibles and loads of flea market merchandise. Lots of bulk buys available for flea markets. Also a great website for locating auctions is AuctionZip.Com. Great website with lots of good information including the listings of local auctions. Just enter your zipcode and the area you are willing to travel to, to attend auctions. Great info. Here's to good sales and may the sun shine on every spot that you set up at. Jim and Georgia |
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| Your help is needed in updating the flea market listings in the Gulf states; Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. Please send your info to me as soon as possible. jim@goodridgeguides.com THANKS!!! |
| Last update March 11, 2008 |
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