There are bargains to be had in the flea market – and you understand all the ideas to scoring them. So we dug deep to locate ones that may surprise even seasoned shoppers!
Ask for summer deals.
While it is common to haggle on prices at local flea markets, you will have more luck obtaining a price break whenever you simply ask for it now. “The summertime are usually when dealers begin to buy inventory for his or her busy fall and holiday season”, explains antiques dealer Lidy Baars of French Garden House. As a result, they need cash to buy new stock as well as to make room in their stall to place it. “For buyers, substandard dealers may lower the prices when asked or accept reasonable offers, particularly if you've seen the same item within their booth before.”
Plan to arrive early.
Sure, you know about snagging lower prices late in the day because vendors would rather sell merchandise for under lug it home. But you could save even more by arriving when the market opens. Why? At the start of the day, vendors look for low-priced merchandise being sold by other vendors, then buy them and resell them at higher prices. Says Baars: “Once, while shopping at a flea market, my friend and I saw a pair of antique cement dogs he was interested in get bought at the start of the morning by another vendor who sold them in his own booth for six times just as much!”
Dress not to thrill.
With a lot walking, bending, and reaching, you will want to dress comfortably to avoid aches. And also to save cash, you will also wish to dress down, for instance, with jeans and a T-shirt. “When I began my career as an antiques dealer, I noticed immediately that vendors quoted higher prices to customers who wore expensive clothes”, notes Baars. “If you're well-dressed, vendors assume you have plenty of money to spend.” Also smart: Leave your “good” handbag at home because it can send a price-hiking signal to sellers too.
Look for a mess.
“If a table is extremely organized and also the products look clean, it means the seller put a lot of work into them and can request a higher price”, says flea market whiz Chris Shey, host of the YouTube channel Chop With Chris. “I look for cluttered, messy booths because those costs are lower.” Hunting for a specific item, like dishes? Scour booths that don't specialize in what you want, he advises. “If a vendor sells mostly toys but has a few dishes included, they'll be cheaper than ones in a dish-filled booth.” The reason? Sellers who focus on a particular product are more knowledgeable about it, so that they asks for more.
