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Swap Meets - A Fun Way to Make Money on the Weekends
by Darren Hendricks
Looking for a way to make extra money, meet lots of interesting people, spend quality time with
your family, enjoy the great outdoors ... and do it all without missing a day of work? Or maybe
your goal is to make two or three-day weekends the only working days of the week. You may be able
to do all of that and more as a Swap Meet/Flea Market marketer!
You can find regularly scheduled Swap Meets and Flea Markets in cities and towns of all sizes
across the nation, each attracting many hundreds, even thousands of bargain hunters. They may be
held at the local drive-in theatre, in large parking lots, warehouses, parks, and community
centers - just about anywhere there's enough room to put up some booths and bring in a crowd.
The majority of the time these meets are held on weekends, although in some locations you can
find them starting on Thursdays and running four consecutive days. Swap meets and flea markets
are fun, profitable, and can be a great launching pad for your business. Many people who began
with Swap Meet sales have gone on to open Gift Shops, or run sizeable Mail Order businesses.
A Swap Meet by Any Other Name ...
According to our Far Horizons Business Coaching staff, there are actually three distinct
types of Swap Meets.
Note: (In the interest of simplicity, from here on in when we say "Swap Meets," we're also
referring to flea markets, craft fairs, and similar events as noted below).
1.Outdoor Swap Meets
These usually run the gamut in terms of merchandise. Here, you can find anything from high end
stereo systems to fashion jewelry to families clearing out Auntie Emma's garage of old tools,
toys, and various parts and pieces from who-knows-what. Ordinarily these events attract folks
looking for some bigtime discounts and bargains.
2.Indoor "Malls"
These usually attract a more professional class of marketer. The displays tend to be more
organized in appearance, and the merchandise is generally of a consistently higher quality
throughout the meet. Rather than tables there may be booths, and each marketer tends to
specialize in specific product categories.
3.Craft Fairs
These may be held indoors or outside; you'll find them in parks, or as part of a local
carnival, fund-raiser, county fair, or other similar event. Usually the marketers show their
wares from booths, and the offerings can vary from homemade to high-ticket, (or homemade and
high-ticket) depending on the location.
When You Pack for the Swap Meet, Don't Forget This
We've heard from scores of successful Swap Meet sellers over the years, and they tell us that
the two most important things you can bring with you are:
1. A friendly, upbeat attitude.
2. Willingness to barter and "play the game."
As one member puts it, "People come to shop at Swap Meets looking for a bargain, and they come
because it's fun. So I keep a smile on my face and I'm always ready to enter into the
bargaining game. I have my 'bottom line' price in mind, and I don't go below it - but I'm
always willing to give a little on the original asking price. That way my customer feels good
about the purchase, and I still make a nice profit. We both come out winners."
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