Market Trading

[Hedgehog Toys]

I am considering doing some casual saturday market trading with the stock i have to build up a bit of extra business.

Does anyone here do this already or any ppointers on how to go about this correctly??????

[winton50]

I did the 'gaffs' for about 8 years in the late eighties early nineties.

if you have any specific questions you want answered then feel free to pm me

stu

[Arial]

Hi Hedgehog

I used to sell at markets many moons ago :wink:

I sold second-hand clothing, 12" vinyl and kids toys, not all at the same time!

Winter was always the worse time getting up real early and the cold but it paid the bills and kept the kids in nappies.

I still know people that make an excellent living from market trading.

The regulars will all have their set pitches and the rest are usually allocated on a first come basis. I sold at a large market and the best pitchs` were always more expensive. When I was selling toys I had a stall next to my aunt, she sold kids clothing and beautiful hand knitted baby stuff.

I always did very well due to the fact that while the mums` were busy browsing her items, I would have the bored kids at mine and most times they refused to leave empty handed :D

Arial

[EDS]

Selling on the market that brings back memories!!
When I was at school I used to work on the local market two days a week. I loved it was great to meet people I kept working on saturdays when I left school for two years, as well as doing a full time job. I worked on many different stalls, fruit and veg, dried fruit and nuts, clothing both male and female. It was great fun the stall holders used to argue who I would work for somedays I worked for two of them would help stock the stall for one, set the other up work for them all day and then go back at the end of the day to close up and help sell what I could before people went home.
The market is a great way to sell products, you will very quickly build up a regular customer base, try and get a regular pitch after a while as people will want to know where you are, and it is cheaper than having a shop!
Remeber to get some sort of banner made with your website address in large letters on it, even if people don't stop at the stall it doesn't mean they wont see the web address and look when they get home.

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

My husband is a market trader so feel free to ask me any questions and I'll pass them on

:)

[WomenXtra]

I am interested to know - how much does it cost per day to get setup? and where do you need to go for more information about the rules? locations? days opening?

I am interested in setting it up in the summer..as I for one, never go to a market in the winter. to me visiting the Market is like a day out to have fun and spend some money - i guess a lot of people are like that.

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

Its best to contact your local authority to find out the opening days, how to book and costs etc.. costs can vary quite substantially between markets, the average price is around £8-10 for a week day and around £20 for a weekend. You also need to contact your local authority first to get a licence (even for casual days) and the right insurance.

[Hedgehog Toys]

I found this site this morning :D :D :D

www.nmtf.co.uk

[winton50]

Not if you're in the south it's not!

most of the markets are run by private operators and you can expect to pay £30 a pitch upwards. Council run markets aretraditionally cheaper but you may have a wait to get a pitch. It took me two months of waiting in line to be a casual at one of our traditional markets. (I never achieved a perm spot) but once I got on the rent was 2.60p a week!

Pitches are generally 10' wide and usually at least 10' deep.

as per holidays it's cheaper in the winter and off peak. If you want to book for the holidays and high days then expect to pay more. Most markets you get a discount for 'paying on' that is booking more than a week in advance.

if you want to turn up ad hoc then you go 'casual' that is they place all the regulars first and then you get placed after. its also more expensive.Individual market operators have their own rules and regs so get in touch with them for more info - perhaps visit a gaff you are thinking of doing and talk to the 'toby' (the bloke in charge). mostly they are very businesslike and not scary!

Remember that people go to markets looking for bargains so you've got to have something worth their hard earned.

people think markets are easy money but they aren't, they are hard work and the guys that do it year in year out are true business people.

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

My husband works at Walthamstow and Romford so obviously the prices I estimated are based on those. My husband is a regular and does it 6 days a week so perhaps he gets a discount of some sort because of that.

Its long hours and really hard work and some of the people he has to deal with are a nightmare, if you do decide to go ahead I wish you the very best of luck!!

[Hedgehog Toys]

I just called my local market in Birkenhead. They quoted me £18.80 per day for an outdoor covered stall on a casual basis. They want me to register with them and provide proof of Public Liability Insurance. That site i linked to, if you join the traders accociation you get £5m PLI included.

[clairemackaness]

I looked at greenwich market on a saturday but Casual pitches there are from £45 - £65 per day!!!

Sarah - What stall does hubby have in Romford? I never thought Romford would be that cheap as I dont think I've ever seen more than 2 or 3 casual traders as it's a real regulars market. The same stalls have been up for over 10 years!

[Hedgehog Toys]

Another question is ..... does the time of year affect what you sell. I mean, i know toys are traditionally a christmas thing and i am just wondering if i should try it out now or just wait til Oct time????

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

He sells menswear - both romford and walthamstow are hard to get into as a casual, like you said they are all regulars. Was you looking at working there Claire?

[clairemackaness]

No not really, just curious!

[alexlowe]

Be prepared to haggle and you need to pile your stall up with stock coming as far forward as the other traders... you also need to smile and be humerous with the punters... if nobody is stopping by your stall you need to be a bit cheeky and engage them as they walk past... once you get one or two to stop others will start to congregate and when you get the hang of it you can create a feeding frenzy... if they're not stopping you need to work on your patter and presentation of your stall - remember, pile up the stock, keep smiling...

Good luck

I forgot... it also helps if they know they can find you there each week

[winton50]

Agree with Alex.

Markets are probably the fastest moving business area in the UK. By which I mean that if there's a new product or fashion you'll find it (and copies) there first and in spades.

try to always offer something new. the punters get bored very quickly so make sure you set up a bit different each wee.

I hade a mate who did toys and he tended to take the whole of Jan off as he never sold a thing. Best times for us were always summer as we are in a holiday area.