Selling at Trash and Treasures

[JohnB]

G'day all,
Common consensus on the board seems to be, stay away from Trash $ Treasure/Flea Markets if you want to make a bit of cash from your goods.

To appoint I agree, but it's not impossible to make some money at these type of events.
I used to attend a local Trash & Treasure with my toys a number of years ago and did reasonably well and I never dropped my prices and it was only $10 for stall space.

It just takes patience and perseverance.
If the function is regular event, Monthly, fortnightly or weekly you are of to a good start, A once off event is a hit and miss affair.

The brigade that says people only attend this type of show for bargains are right, but remember they haven't seen your stuff before.

The first time you attend you may only sell one or two low price pieces or nothing at all.
I bet you get a lot of enquiries though, so take cards and let people know you will be at the next function.

The next one you may do better than the first, you may not, but give out cards and let people know this will be a regular event for you.

You will find that after a few attendances, folks will start bringing a few extra bob with them and looking for your stall to purchase that special gift etc.

This was my experience and I'd still be attending these, but the same type of thing happened at the Boulder Markets and that keeps me busy enough.

Hope this gives some inspiration and ideas.

[Jediscroller]

I've often thought about giving one of these a try John. I do see some higher priced items at one not too far from me and as you said, the price is right. I hadn't thought about multiple weeks in a row but that sounds like a great idea. Thanks!

[Forester21]

Good points John!

I don't live in an area where there are regular set-ups like these though. The closest we have here are the farm markets. And these limit the types of things that can be sold.

[Dragon]

I sell at flea markets all kinds of junk but would not take my crafts there. Specially not the high priced stuff. People deal too much and are not willing to pay the price that the things are worth.
I remember a woman bringing beautiful things that she made one weekend and she left in tears and never came back.
Not all flea markets are the same but the ones around here are not worth it. I would rather do the craft fairs and lots of them have tables at $10 and $20.
Diane

[JohnB]

Diane, It can be a bit disheartening, but PERSEVERANCE is the key.
We don't have a bartering mentality in Oz, so it's not so much of a problem.
About the only question you get on price sometimes is "is that the best you can do" and if I answer "yes" 99.9% of the time it's still a sale.
Immigrants and visitors from other countries, especially Asia and the middle east where bartering is part of their culture will try to haggle, but I refuse to. If they want it, they pay for it.
I must admit that after the first couple that I attended and made bugger all, I was ready to give it away as a bad joke, but the wife said to treat it as a fun day and to give it another couple of shots and as I've said we started to make our own market.

The other bonus is you are there before the buyers, setting up along with the other stall holders so you get to have a look before anyone else and get first dibs on their cast-offs

[Scrolling Days]

I've been finding that flea markets/garage sales can be beneficial from a buyer's point of view as well. I've found lots of nice framed pictures people are willing to sell for just a few dollars. The prints inside are sometimes excellent material for making puzzles.

[AC_Scroller]

I started out selling my woodworking at our local produce (read farmers) market and sold a few items at less than $20.00 each, but after about three or four consecutive weeks more people stopped by, and no body even tried haggling with me. If they asked if the price was firm or something along those lines I just refused to reduce it. Now I don't even go up there any more because I get enough work from people I handed cards out to, and the people they talk to. I did that local market for almost two years before I quit going up there, but I'm plenty busy enough.
I have also placed some of my work in a veteranarians clinic (animal Intarsia items) and a popular local restaurant has added one or two pieces to their decor and I get orders from that as well. The only other advertizing I do is carry a 4 X 6 photo album of my work with me at all times and when asked what I do with my time since I'm retired I show that as an answer.

Tom

[cj1]

A few years back I use to do craft shows. And when people would look at something on a table, The first thing they say is ( is that the least you will take for this ) ? What people don,t understand is that in scrollsawing, its not like taking a photograph and then taking another one if the picture doesn,t turn out right. Everyone here knows as well as I do ( we love to scrollsaw ). But also on the other side of the story. What we do does take a certain amount of time and patience. When people use to ask me the old ( is this the least you will take ) now I say no the price just went up $$. It like the old addage, if you can,t afford it then don,t look at it ......cause you break it you bought it