The long awaited pics of our booth at the DC Big Flea!

[ChrisMiss]

We sold at a flea market in the Tampa area one season about 4 or 5 years ago. (Boy does time fly!!)  We knew we were going to be selling our house and wanted to start clearing out all my "junk" I'd bought at the thrift stores to hold and sell someday on ebay. 

We had a long table that we used and we bought a couple of sawhorses at the flea market.  These particular sawhorses are very lightweight, extremely portable and many of the sellers had them for their tables.  Using the sawhorses and long boards we made other tables to set up the stuff.  We also designed shelves to sit on top of the tables using more boards and the boxes we brought the stuff in.

You are so right that the dealers get there early looking for the good stuff to snatch up.  We'd be setting up our tables in the dark and all the dealers would stop by asking if we had this or that.  If it was something they were interested in they'd stop back by as soon as we got set up to check it out.

Many of the northern dealers come down and hit the flea markets in the wintertime to stock their supplies up north too.  We had many people who were down looking for stuff to sell at their shops up north.

I didn't really make money on the stuff we sold though.  I mostly either got my money back, sold for at a loss or made a tiny profit on it.  At the flea markets the buyers expect the prices to be low.  So we were selling our stuff at a reasonable price given where we were selling.  I did manage to get rid of a lot of stuff that I'd bought to sell on ebay and then discovered that it wasn't selling for much yet.

I had/have such an addiction for going to the thrift stores!!!!  We'd be selling stuff at the flea market on the weekend and I'd STILL be buying stuff during the week at the thrift stores!  I just could not pass up any of the great stuff that I was finding.  My husband was fussing at me that we were going to be selling the house and where was all this stuff going to go??  I just couldn't seem to stop though. 


Have you looked into selling your stuff on ebay?  The market is bigger and you may get a better price on your stuff since people are bidding on it.  It's lots of fun too.  I'm looking forward to selling again on ebay.  I used to check my auctions every hour to see how much they were up too.  It was so exciting when an item was going through the ceiling on bids.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I dabble a little bit on Ebay, but for the most part I do high end shows.  Our prices are usually higher than Ebay, but you get to inspect the item up close, and if you decide to buy you can take it home immediately with no shipping charges.  Also we guarantee the items we sell, something most Ebay sellers don't do.

-jay

We sold at a flea market in the Tampa area one season about 4 or 5 years ago. (Boy does time fly!!)  We knew we were going to be selling our house and wanted to start clearing out all my "junk" I'd bought at the thrift stores to hold and sell someday on ebay. 

We had a long table that we used and we bought a couple of sawhorses at the flea market.  These particular sawhorses are very lightweight, extremely portable and many of the sellers had them for their tables.  Using the sawhorses and long boards we made other tables to set up the stuff.  We also designed shelves to sit on top of the tables using more boards and the boxes we brought the stuff in.

You are so right that the dealers get there early looking for the good stuff to snatch up.  We'd be setting up our tables in the dark and all the dealers would stop by asking if we had this or that.  If it was something they were interested in they'd stop back by as soon as we got set up to check it out.

Many of the northern dealers come down and hit the flea markets in the wintertime to stock their supplies up north too.  We had many people who were down looking for stuff to sell at their shops up north.

I didn't really make money on the stuff we sold though.  I mostly either got my money back, sold for at a loss or made a tiny profit on it.  At the flea markets the buyers expect the prices to be low.  So we were selling our stuff at a reasonable price given where we were selling.  I did manage to get rid of a lot of stuff that I'd bought to sell on ebay and then discovered that it wasn't selling for much yet.

I had/have such an addiction for going to the thrift stores!!!!  We'd be selling stuff at the flea market on the weekend and I'd STILL be buying stuff during the week at the thrift stores!  I just could not pass up any of the great stuff that I was finding.  My husband was fussing at me that we were going to be selling the house and where was all this stuff going to go??  I just couldn't seem to stop though. 


Have you looked into selling your stuff on ebay?  The market is bigger and you may get a better price on your stuff since people are bidding on it.  It's lots of fun too.  I'm looking forward to selling again on ebay.  I used to check my auctions every hour to see how much they were up too.  It was so exciting when an item was going through the ceiling on bids.

[ChrisMiss]

Sorry Jay, I was actually asking SeSo the question.  She'd asked about experiences with flea market selling to which I responded with my one season of selling. 

Depending on the stuff you have to sell SeSo you might make more money on eBay than at the flea market you've described.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Sorry about that.  Got a bit confused there.  Yeah, I agree that does not sound like a good market for better quality stuff, and Ebay would probably be a better venue.

-Jay

Sorry Jay, I was actually asking SeSo the question.  She'd asked about experiences with flea market selling to which I responded with my one season of selling. 

Depending on the stuff you have to sell SeSo you might make more money on eBay than at the flea market you've described.

[Cookie]

People behave the way they do when they're insecure about their choices or their future.

So profound, TSR!  I'm going to have to borrow this saying from you.  I'll give you full credit, of course.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

ChrisMiss, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful reply!

It is heartening to hear of another's experience of selling in the sunshine state!  I am very much encouraged (believe it or not) by your sharing your experiences here, because I now understand it is not just *my* experience .  Sellers here seem not to want to share this info with a newbie or buyer, and yet I could so very easily discern this just from observation. It is great to have my experiences confirmed/affirmed.

I have actually sold on eBay--back in the 90s, before the deluge, so to speak, and made a nice little bit of money. But the market, in my experience, is glutted now with the mediocre and average. So, I agree with both you and Jay that only the better stuff, the unique stuff should be sold on " the bay" and just average stuff should be sold at this particular flea market. Which means, of course, that I have to do my homework--make sure that what I'm selling does NOT have a big mark-up on ebay or ruby lane, etc, and if it does, bring in a copy of that listing to show folk what an item sells for online, and how, if they buy it from me, it's l be less expensive and they won't have to pay s&h, which is just so high nowadays, it really isn't a bargain anymore, unless the piece is really unique and rare (like an RdC handbag, for example, )

The itch to thrift is never-ending, so I like to know that if I buy a piece, I can make a small profit off of it if I don't need it or want it and buy it anyway.

I appreciate all your information very much!

Blessings,
SeSo     

[Jay2TheRescue]

Ok, I know everyone has missed me for a few days and there was a good reason.  The DC Big Flea!  It snuck up on me.  Between my work schedule, and driving to Florida and such it really came up on me fast.  Here's some pics before we started this weekend.  A lot of stuff sold this show.  The one thing I was really excited about was the yellow dinette set.  That went late Saturday.  The lady that bought it was so happy.  I'm glad it went to a good home.  One dealer wanted to buy it earlier, but wanted the table only.  I said that the pieces had been togeather for 60 years, and I was not going to be the one responsible for breaking up the set, especially one in such great condition.

-Jay

[SecondhandSophisticate]

I did wonder where you were, Jay!  I missed your informative and fun posts. Glad you had such a happy weekend!

SeSo

[kitschicat]

WOW! That is definitely the booth I'd be shopping in at that flea.

I have two of the black fiberglass chairs, each has slightly different legs than the other, but those are so comfortable.

Honestly, I have an overabundance of vintage chairs AND lamps because I keep finding ones I love! LOL

It might be time for me to consider a booth...