How To Find Your Treasure At The Flea Market
If you love to shop for collectables but happen to be thin on funds, why not check out a local flea market for fabulous bargains? If you are new to the flea market experience, this information will show you how to save a ton of money and have yourself a good time too!
Step One: Finding Yourself a Flea
Almost every town around the country will have flea markets nearby. Your phone book is the first place you will want to look. Many of the year-round permanent markets will be listed there. Some shopper guides and local newspapers have advertising for operations that run on a seasonal basis.
Ask a neighbor, fellow bargain-hunter or a friend. And, of course, if you have Internet access, consult your favorite search engine.
Step Two: Always Be Prepared
If you want to find that exceptional bargain, be sure to have done all your research first. If you were to be looking for a particular antique, investigate the item thoroughly prior to purchasing.
Be sure that you know what today’s market value for that item is. Be familiar with factors like condition, rarity, model, etc. In other words, how much less is the Takamine electric guitar worth than the Fender acoustic electric guitar? Would the black electric guitar model be more rare than the blue one?
Have plenty of cash. Most all vendors will prefer to deal with cash instead of checks. Larger flea operations sometimes have an ATM, but do not depend on it. Smaller bills are recommended as many vendors often do not always keep the correct change.
Step Three: Find the Deals
The early bird gets the worm in the flea game and nothing is worse than seeing someone else walk away with that special item, because you got there too late.
Put your hands into it. A lot of flea sellers are not professionals and can be sloppy in how they display their merchandise. Do not be shy about picking things up and looking underneath them. Something is likely to be hiding there.
Step Four: Get the Deal
Once you find what you are looking for, all that is left is to get the price you want. The real beauty of flea markets is that most sellers are quite flexible and nearly all prices are negotiable.
Haggling is customary at flea markets and you should not be embarrassed to ask for a price break. However, do not insult a dealer with a ridiculously low offer. He will likely decide he does not like you and refuse to give you a break at all.
Talk to the dealers. If you like their merchandise Compliment them on it. Being pleasant and genuinely friendly goes a long way. You will always get a better deal when you act like you deserve it.