How to Get Great Deals At Flea Markets

My wife and I are somewhat avid flea market shoppers. The things I'll share with you are our favorite strategies for 'snagging' the best deals.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fast feet
• A list of 'wants'
• Cash and credit cards
• Infinite patience!

1. Try to arrive at a reasonable time. To me, antique dealers are folks to emulate when flea-marketing. They arrive at the markets when the vendors are going through their initial booth set-ups...this way, there's not much foot traffic yet from other shoppers, giving you time to patiently look for stuff on your 'want' list.

2. Be finicky, though, with what you choose. If something is going to cost you more to get fixed than you initially paid for it, then you may want to think twice about that purchase. Furniture and clothing are things to be ver y observant with---watch for mildew smells on clothing, and check furniture carefully for advanced wear and tear.

3. Don't be afraid to engage vendors in conversation, especially if you're doing something like adding to a collection. Most vendors are themselves collectors, and often times will point out items that other vendors may have on hand. Some also have 'brick and mortar' stores or other items on hand at their homes, which they may bring to the next week's market gathering.

Tips & Warnings

• Always be ready to bargain! A lot of vendors initially price their items high on purpose, enabling them to come down in price and make a buyer feel like they got a 'sweet' deal. Most dealers are willing to come down at least 10 percent on their prices, if you just ask.
• If the market is in a convenient location, and it's feasible for you to make more than one trip that day, then by all means, come back near the end of the sales day. True, the 'good stuff' may have been picked over or gone altogether, but anything that hasn't been sold by the end of that day can usually be had at a much lower cost!
• Use your eyes before you buy. There's always a chance that some merchandise at the larger markets is similar. Scout around to make sure that you are getting the best deals.
• Make sure you have cash in hand for your purchases. Some of the larger markets take both cash and credit/debit cards, but some of the smaller 'mom and pop' markets are cash on the barrelhead operations.