Selling at the flea market

[sararose]

Does anyone have experience selling at the flea market? I am interested in buying furniture, housewares, and home decor at garage sales and refinishing/refurbishing them to sell at an indoor flea market.

What sells well? What should I avoid buying? Should I repaint dressers/tables/desks or is that a turn-off to prospective buyers?

My goal is not to make millions of dollars (as if), but to make some extra money and have fun

[greenoak]

i buy there not sell , but i do know a lot of sellers..... i think the best idea is to get your booth looking like your favorite look.... not just a hodge-podge...... i like to buy in a hodge podge booth but i would be looking for things to fix up..
..you want to have them already fixed up and looking nice inough to go in a house.... definitely paint..... most people would have no idea of how to turn some old dingy thing into something nice......
i assume you are talking about rehabbing, mill run used furniture , not good antiques from the 1800s.... just go for it and make your booth look like a pretty magazine spread...... if the crowd is looking for knives and harley lighters and racing memorabilia it probably wont work...... hope youve done some research on that... you want a place where you know homeowners go...
sounds fun....good luck.....ann
www.greenoakantiques.com

[sararose]

Ann, thank you--I will follow your advice. Setting up a nice booth will be great fun, and hopefully it will entice buyers.

[CarolB]

Sararose, that's pretty much what I've been doing for several yrs now, some months I don't make alot more than paying the booth rent but some months I do pretty good! I'm in the South and people here like painted furniture. I buy from flea markets, estate sales, yard sales etc and resell in a booth in a more upscale shop. Dressers, small tables, chairs, etc do well for me. I started out fooling with antiques but now look for older pieces I can "rehab". I usually paint either white or black, as that seems to go with more decor.I love to "talk shop".Tell me what you're thinking about...

Carol

[sararose]

Hi Carol,
what you've described sounds exactly like what I want to do. If the new furniture stores are any indication, people in Albuquerque like rustic pine and rustic painted furniture in a Mexican style, or Asian imports. I don't know of any cottage furniture stores other than Target and Hobby Lobby...although when a nice cottage or shabby piece shows up in the indoor flea market, it's sold immediately. I don't know how many times I've turned a corner to see my dream dresser or hutch with a giant pink "SOLD" sticker on it. (I hope that's an indication of my good taste in cottage furniture :p .)

At present, I'm indecisive about which old furniture to buy. I've noticed that some dressers sell while others don't, some tables go immediately while others sit there for months. Does it have anything to do with size? What are your rules when it comes to buying furniture for rehab?

[CarolB]

Sararose, if there are pieces selling that quickly, I'd go ahead with my plans if I were you. Your audience is there. I buy very simple, sturdy pieces. I usually go with dressers rather than buffets but I don't have the room to sell buffets. Small side tables and odd wooden chairs always sell well. They are very versatile and I think people realize that. Price is big factor always.I like to get a good buy and then be able to pass that along to customers. Price is something you always have to contend with, what is a good price for you is one thing, but when you consider buying for resale, then you have to factor in paint, then your time and want to make something of course.

[sararose]

Ooooh, I'm so excited! Thank you for your advice on this matter. I have between 3 to 6 months to acquire "inventory", as that's how long the waiting list is for a flea market stall.

Any recommendations on paint brands?

[greenoak]

our main paint recipe is on our site under ....from our workshop ...clear at the bottom.... it sure works for us....ann
www.greenoakantiques.com

[Twilightmama]

Greenoak, thanks for the link to your painting technique. I have several pieces of furniture that I'd like to fix up and eventually sell at the flea market, but I've never been quite sure as to what paint sheen to use. So semi-gloss isn't too shiny? I've always loved the flat look but it marks up easily.