Merry
Meadows

To become a successful flea market vendor, consider the following 10 booth display tips and ideas when planning your set up.

The way you set up your flea market booth can make or break your flea market business. After all, if your booth has no eye appeal, how are you going to get shoppers to stop in, let alone make a sale?

1. Consider the Flow of Traffic

When building your display strategy, think with the customer’s perspective in mind. If you are viewing your display by standing directly in front of it, it may look amazing, but you are only seeing it from one angle. Customers are usually walking up from either side of your booth. You want your booth to attract their attention as soon as it can to draw the customer closer and have them come up and shop.

2. Keep it Organized and Clutter-Free

This may seem like a no-brainer, but a tidy and organized booth is key when attracting customers into your booth! Make sure that extra product in boxes or totes are hidden away under your tables and the tablecloths that go down to the floor so that it is out of sight. You want to protect your products from anything happening to them. You also want to make a trip-free zone for customers to comfortably shop your booth space.

When your booth space looks well put together and organized, customers can tell you put time, effort, and energy into what you do. Having a clean, organized, and aesthetically-pleasing space is appealing to customers.

3. Layer It

Flat and plain is boring. Spice up your display with varying heights, levels, and dimensions. You can do this by creating height on your tables with different sized crates, old fashioned suitcases, hanging fixtures, and even mannequins to display hats, scarves, or jewelry. Not only does using layers create dimension and height, it also maximizes space that would otherwise not be used and it much more interesting to peruse.

4. Take Advantage of Floor Space

Think outside the table. Take advantage of floor space to optimize sales and displays. You may want to incorporate a piece of furniture such as a dresser to display items. Maybe a clothes stand or a coat rack would add more dimension and display space. Or maybe you have a large item that is too big for a table. Get creative – the sky is the limit. However, be sure to take into consideration of the customer’s comfortability of shopping around.

5. Let Your Product Shine

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to building a display when it comes to your products. If you sell signs or artwork, they’ll probably be best hung or propped up. If you sell jewelry, you may want it to be displayed in small dishes, hanging on a necklace stand, or laid out on the table neatly as to not get tangled up. Other products might need to be folded on racks or displayed on a table or shelving unit. In any case, make sure the customer can physically see the item quickly without being overwhelmed.

6. Show It Off

To stand out from the crowd, make sure to show off your best products. Display your original products to where the shoppers can see them. Stand out from the other vendors and be proud of your products and all the work you have put into them!

7. Keep Your Booth Looking Full

Be sure to stay restocked as the day goes by. If you are selling out, shift products around to make it look as full as possible and appealing. Believe it or not, shoppers are not impressed with a half-empty table and bare shelves. Customers want to know that they are getting the freshest and full stock available.

8. Signs, Signs, Signs

One of the most important parts of your booth set up is signage. Whether it be informational or set with a price, signage will help to answer customers questions without them having to ask. There are all types of people, and some feel like they are bothering the vendor if they have to ask questions or they might be down right shy. Think of all customers when you make your signage. Just a simple price, weight/quantity, and a little description to get your point across about what’s in it for the customer. No need to overload your customers with too much information or text.

Something else that may attract customers to your booth are those decorative wooden block words that say “Flowers” or “Honey” or “Jewelry.” Or another idea is to put a saying on an A-frame sign to draw customers in. For example, “You Can’t Buy Happiness, But You Can Buy Local!” Think of it as an ice breaker.

9. Business Sign/Business Cards

If you would like repeat customers, you may want them to know your business name. Having a banner with your information such as: business name, phone number, website, and social media info is a surefire way for you to get someone to remember who you are and where they can go to find you again.

A business card or a QR code the customer can scan will exponentially ensure more business and give the customers other ways to reach you. You can easily make a QR code to any link you want using a variety of free services online. I would recommend using QR Code Generator.com or The QR Code Generator.com

10. Build a Rapport

Just like having your products shine by being front and center, successful flea market businesses also need to be front and center. Make sure you are engaging with your customers and answering any questions they may have. Acknowledge them by saying hello! Treat each customer as a welcome guest at your store. You are the face of your business. To make a ‘good’ lasting impression, show a genuine interest in their interest. Be kind and thank them for stopping by.

We believe with these 10 tips and ideas, you’ll attract more customers to your booth, start to feel more comfortable with interacting and engaging, and make more sales as a flea market vendor.

Learn how to become a vendor at “Merry Meadows Flea to the Market!”