A flea market is not only useful as a place to earn an extra income, but can help introduce you to the idea of working from home. Selling products at a flea market may just be the start of a highly successful business run from home. Being involved in selling a product or promoting a service at a flea market can help you learn how to work from home.

A flea market is also often known as a craft market or art market. A flea market is where people gather in a public place to sell their products or advertise their services, or, often, both.

Stands are set up mostly outdoors, or in large tents. Each little business is allocated some space for its stand, and the business will display products for sale, or posters and brochures and other advertising materials that give people visiting the flea market more information about the products or services of the business at that stand.

The word “business” may make a brand new little work from home business owner feel intimidated, but many of the stands at flea markets belong to people just earning some extra income, or just starting out with a new home business. Selling products at a flea market can often lead to greater things, but initially there is no reason to feel intimidated. Think big, but start small, and your self-confidence will grow as interest in your products or business grows.

Selling something at a flea market can give people the confidence to take their home business further, learn how to improve their business, or give them ideas about other products or services they should add to it.

One does not even really have to already have decided on what one would like to do from home to try selling something at a flea market – or even have a lot of money to set up a stand at any particular flea market.

Bring a huge cooler box filled with ice and some cooldrinks and sell those for your first time at a flea market. Put the cooler box on the ground, with a sign stuck to it displaying prices, next to your car and sit in your car with the doors open (if cars are allowed in the selling areas), or bring a chair and sit next to your cooler box. How cheap a stand is that? That’s cheap! No fancy gazebo or market tables or shelves, just you and your products. It’s a start!

If you have somebody with you to watch your stand while you walk around, while at the craft market walk around and get an idea of what others are selling or promoting – this can even be done before the day of actually setting up your own stand – remember to walk around thinking about what you yourself can sell – don’t stop and buy everything you see and forget about your main reason for walking around! Jot down some notes as you walk along. Think of things that you could sell that are similar to what others are selling, but different!

Ask one of the market sellers to point out the supervisor of the flea market so that you can go ask them how much it is to have a stand at the flea market, and if there’s place for you. Perhaps start with a small flea market that is held just one morning a week, so that you do not feel overwhelmed and chicken out from continuing, but also realise that people may need to see you at the market a few times before they buy from you – be patient and keep coming back, while working at improving the look of your stand and your products.

If you want to work from home, starting out at a flea market may be the perfect way to get you used to it all.

© Copyright Teresa Schultz 2014