Flea Markets: I am going to give it a try

[JoeCamaro 11]

I have been thinking about going to flea markets, not just some weekends, but regularly.

I have met several people that are making a living with their flea market business. I like how they manage their time and how they have most of the week off and only work a few days during the week and one or 2 days on the weekends.

This is why I went to 2 of the biggest flea markets in my area to see how they were. I went looking for products, how was the environment, how much people bought and stuff like that. I also went looking for my competition and this is what I found:

T-shirts: Everybody had the same thing - Counterfeit Ecko, Billabong, Volcom and Puma shirts. How did I know they were fake? 1. Price 2. Printed on Gildan, Hanes and Fruit of the Loom shirts.

Decals: There was nothing original there, there were a few sellers and they all had the same thing - Roxy, Jordan, Puma, Bob Marley, Che Guevara and more. There was only one guy making decals on the spot and he was way to EXPENSIVE.

There are advantages and disadvantages in my findings.

Advantages:

I will be having original designs which will make me stand out of the others.

I can beat the guy making decals on the spot, as I can surely charge half his prices and still make a great profit.

Disadvantages:

People are looking for the same stuff Roxy, Jordan, Puma, Bob Marley, Che Guevara, etc. I have to make people want to buy my original "unrecognized" stuff.

Competing with famous (but counterfeit) products. I dont know if I will be able to match the prices of counterfeit products they sell there, then that makes me think if I will be able to sell my original designs when there are "brand" items for the same price or maybe even less.

So this is my plan:

I can have simple designs on shirts and sell them @ $9.99 and use this to attract people. The more complicated and cooler designs I can have from $12.99 and up. Then I can have something for all kinds of budgets. I was thinking I could get another cutter and make text designs on the spot. I can also have some templates ready and just personalize them.

Before, I was against having a cutter on the spot and doing stuff as I thought I was going to reveal all my secrets, but if I think better at it, it can be really good.

I believe I can do good in flea markets, I just need good designs and prices. Im willing to risk somethings to gain others.

I already built a display for my shirts and cant wait to try it.

What do you think?

JC

[Benr98 40]

For one, I think you make some really awesome designs that will eventually make those people searching for the 'fakes' appreciate your uniqueness.  After awhile people don't want to have the same thing as everybody else, ya know?

You are a great people person, so I know the selling part will be NO problem for you. 

With doing it at a flea market, I'm sure you buy your shirts in bulk, so you can give the better prices too.  (That's an area where I have the disadvantage, not enough shirts sold at one time, so I'm always placing an order for different colors, sizes, etc,...it sure adds up)

You did your homework...checked out the competition and the location for sale...now all you have to do it GO FOR IT!!

My best to you.

Jenny

[JoeCamaro 11]

Thanx Jenny, I appreciate that.

I was also afraid that a flea market could make my brand look cheap and that it could damage my image, but then I thought I could do 2 things:

1. Have a different brand for flea markets.

2. Have only one brand but have different designs for stores and flea markets.

Anyhow, with the economy being as it is, I believe flea markets are the way to go. I rather have many $5 profits than a few $10 profits.

JC

[Benr98 40]

I understand what you are saying, whether people will see them as cheap....but to me, it's the product that truely determines it, isn't it??

I find the biggest thing is getting your name and designs out there.  I agree it's a tough time right now...I'm always thinking of different avenues to take until I find the one that works. 

As far as the designs, one for the flea market on for the stores...that's purely up to you.  I would charge more like you mentioned for your more detailed work.  I wouldn't sacrifice that.

Heck not that long ago, weren't we all talking about seeing your designs ior name in LIGHTS??    Don't give up on it.

Jenny

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Remember Joe..KISS and other big bands didn't start out playing arenas and stadiums. They started out in small venues. You gotta start somewhere,Flea Markets are a great place to get the product seen.

[JoeCamaro 11]

You are right John. Words with light!

Thanx!

[Benr98 40]

Geez, didn't I say about the same thing?? Except I used ALOT more words??     

[firemalt 10]

Joe... if you plan on doing on site custom stuff, you have two options:

If you are planning on having the cutter viewable to the customer and others... set the cut speed to 10 so it just doesn't zip through the cut. Let the customer feel like they are getting their moneys worth.

or

If you plan on hiding the cutter from the public... just tell them it will be ready in a hour, or for $5.00 more, you have have it ready in 15 minutes. 

[JoeCamaro 11]

Brilliant firemalt! You are a genius!

JC

[firemalt 10]

I usually have one good idea/suggestion once a month stored up in my pea sized brain! 

Guess I'll be useless for the reason of the month, now! 

[JoeCamaro 11]

firemalt, you have more than one good idea per month for sure.

[haumana 1,220]

All this advice is so awesome.

JC - go with what feels right. I think if you have great designs, then it wouldn't matter if you have separate brands for flea markets and in-store. In this captured audience here, designers are a dime a dozen. What separate them from the rest is the quality and ingenuity of their designs. If you make a name for yourself at the flea market, people will then start to ask - "What retail stores can I find your stuff?" I'm sure there must be some niche retail stores that would be perfect for you to put your stuff into. If it's cool, people will go out of their way to go and buy it. And people are willing to pay a little more if it's something that they really want or appeals to them (or makes a great gift for someone, etc.).

I would definitely stick with Fire's idea though, slow the cut speed down ... way down. Lord knows that a few of my friends and family members have been around while I'm cutting stuff - now they think it's easy as pie and quick too. Since that's the way they feel, I usually make them weed their own stuff, then the get a much better idea of how time intensive some of their requests can be. I tell you, this - the little nieces and nephews (all under the age of 10) are very demanding when they see how they can have an instant sticker for themselves.

Example: A friend wanted to buy her own cutter to make stuff for her tow truck company. So we bought some high performance vinyl, brought it to my house to cut, and after I made her weed it, she decided that there was no way that she was going to sacrifice room in her house or office for this equipment and that she had better things to do than weed. I think she was starting to get nightmares of how other businesses in the industry would start to call on her for their vinyl needs. Now this way, she says "I have a friend that can help you out."

So basically ... DO IT!, DO IT!, DO IT!

and don't forget to take pics and post them for us to see 

[darkdan 3]

Advantages:

I can beat the guy making decals on the spot, as I can surely charge half his prices and still make a great profit.

IMO, that's just stupid.

Don't cut his price in half.  Stay within 90% of his price.  Otherwise he makes no money, you make less money, and soon he'll undercut you, and eventually both of you won't make any money.

Don't be a hack.  Be a respectable business man.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Hey haumana that was inspiring  Thanx!

Darkdan, you are right. I will do that

[JoeCamaro 11]

Now I need to think of which designs I will take + I need to make some basic, little material consuming, yet cool looking designs that I can sell for $9.99

I will use that price as a bait to attract customers to my kiosk.

Joe

[firemalt 10]

Dragons and tribal art are always a good seller...

[slopchops 1]

I spent a weekend at one a couple years ago. The only people who asked about signs were other people in the sign business wanting to know my prices.

Good luck Joe.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

My brother went to a local indoor flea market...one walk through and he sold 6 banners to dealers. Nothing to do with Joe,he does T-shirts...but a good tip for those of you who do banners and have a slow week.

[Guest kenya]

Darkdan is right.....

I've bid lower than my competition (aluminum screenroom), got the job & while I was busy working for nothing,

I couldn't take a really good paying job. I'm not undercutting with vinyl either. If everyone keeps lowering the price,

nobody gains. Why have a business?

[slopchops 1]

Darkdan is right.....

I've bid lower than my competition (aluminum screenroom), got the job & while I was busy working for nothing,

I couldn't take a really good paying job. I'm not undercutting with vinyl either. If everyone keeps lowering the price,

nobody gains. Why have a business?

Thats exactly whats happened to the sign business. Throat cutting.

To many cutters and to cheap.

[Guest fivestar]

I just got word that my local recreation dept is dropping a t-shirt maker and is giving me their work, plus the work I already had from them.  I was $2.50 higher per shirt then they was.  Quality is what counts and in the end it should prevail for you.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

you have to compete in whatever area you sell. When I first started doing banners on ebay,it was me and 2 others. Now, you get 100's of hits if you search for custom banners. A-holes in Hong Kong are doing full color digital banners for $30.  I have to keep my prices low ro compete in that market. Quality don't mean CRAP to people buying on ebay. They are looking for fast and cheap. So I spend hours a week looking for the best prices on blanks and vinyl. I could do 4 banners a week locally,make about the same profit as 10 banners on ebay. BUT I would have to deal directly,face to face,with people. I prefer not to.

Yeah,my prices are low. They have to be. Everyone with a plotter is selling on ebay. Luckily for me, most of them don't have the experience to turn out the quality of banners that I do. Which is why about 60% of my business is repeat business. And, why my feedback is 99.5% ,over 1200 ... and the negative feedback I have is NOT from banners. It was some a-hole who tried to pull the 'buy a CD,copy it,and then complain and return' trick.Way back before I got smart about that.

On the other side of the coin, I was paying sign shops $100 for a banner that they had maybe $20 in,including labor,and it took me 2 weeks usually to get it. I don't care one bit to undercut those guys. They hurt themselves by over-charging and doing lousy work. I never had ONE of them offer me a font choice. Never had ONE offer to do a proof. They were too busy doing the $10,000 light-up signs to fool with little guys.

That is the reality of it. You charge what you have to charge in order to make a living in the market you chose to sell in.

[Guest fivestar]

Ebay doesn't have to be cheap.  Last year I sold t-shirts on there, I was getting more for on ebay then I could around here.  I sold every one I listed, you just have to be unique and sell something that others are not. 

[JoeCamaro 11]

That is true 5, but thats difficult, since there are sooooooo many people selling the same things. I have been lucky as Im selling original stuff no one has. Thats the good thing about being a designer.

JC

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Ebay doesn't have to be cheap.  Last year I sold t-shirts on there, I was getting more for on ebay then I could around here.  I sold every one I listed, you just have to be unique and sell something that others are not. 

well,I do custom banners and coroplast signs. Not very unique. I have done a few in Spanish,and even one in Chinese. Maybe if I appealed to that market.

But,Five...anything you do is only unique until sombody (or several somebodies) steal your idea. Which they will.