The 2012 State of the Flea Market Industry survey revealed the most popular merchandise categories for flea market vendors to sell gifts and novelties (27 percent), fashion accessories (26 percent), apparel and footwear (24 percent) and collectibles (20 percent). This tutorial offers a few tips on how to boost your flea market sales in the gifts and novelties category.
Research the trends before buying merchandise. To find out what products are going to be hot each season, check FleaMarketZone.com. You can also look for the popular colors of each season by referencing trend hunting sites, such as Pantone. The more you know about merchandise ahead of time, the easier it will be to purchase the right products. Next, find product sources that afford you the widest profit margin and the lowest price.
Aside from customer interaction, displays are key to compelling customers to check out your merchandise. Incorporate some or all of these ideas into your booth to make your gift selection more irresistible.
Go with gift baskets. Bundle assorted items together with a theme or offer to let customers create their own gift baskets. This can be a strong cross-selling tool and help move a larger volume of merchandise. Consider muslin bags or decorative boxes as alternatives to traditional baskets, or offer all three for variety.
Give merchandise a literal boost with pedestals. Arrange boxes of different heights on a table, then cover the entire arrangement with a brightly colored sheet. The boost makes products look more special while placing them closer to your byers’ eye level.
Think like a chef. Presentation is everything in culinary arts, and a few techniques used to showcase food can apply to merchandise as well. Put small items on a cake stand. Fill a bowl with uncooked white or black rice, then nestle tiny collectibles on the surface. Arrange items on fancy plates. Place products in a rainbow pattern as though they were pieces of candy. Make your merchandise look “good enough to eat.”
With the right suppliers and a stylish display, flea market vendors can increase their profits at any market. For more ideas about how to arrange merchandise, be sure to look at the rest of the FleaMarketZone.com How-to Zone, and for the most trusted merchandise suppliers, take a look at our Top Product Sources.