Storage Auctions

The Marketplace => Selling Venues => Flea Markets => Topic started by: MovieMan on March 07, 2013, 03:18:01 PM

Title: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: MovieMan on March 07, 2013, 03:18:01 PM
One flea market did that a few years ago and about drove the market into the ground and switched back to free.

On the other hand there are several big flea markets within 90 miles that STILL do it and get away with it. One of them is in Alameda, CA.

You?

Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: alloro on March 07, 2013, 03:40:55 PM
That's like Sears charging customers to come in and shop. Shear lunacy.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: fredgsanford on March 07, 2013, 04:34:07 PM
the big ones around here used to 50 cents per person or $2 a carload, they are all out of business now , not because of lack of attendance but because the property got to the point where it was worth far more than the flea market on it
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: calcoastgal on March 07, 2013, 06:27:37 PM
They have always charged $1.00 a person if you walk in or $2.00 a car if you drive in and park.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: craiglstauction on March 08, 2013, 10:59:56 AM
Nope - never around here.  If they did people would quickly leave the place.  Both buyers and sellers.  At our flea they make a mint from the table rent and the food sales.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: Mister Sonny on April 15, 2013, 04:25:31 PM
The biggest one here in DFW charges for parking, so I guess that's essentially a "per carload" charge.

Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: HomeGrownPromos on April 15, 2013, 05:07:22 PM
When I lived in NJ, one flea market charged for parking. Same thing really, just not calling it an entrance fee. Walk in for free if you park on the public streets. To use their parking, pay $2.00. Last I heard, they're still the busiest flea market around.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: alloro on April 15, 2013, 09:57:00 PM
To use their parking, pay $2.00.

That's actually pretty expensive considering where you're going. That $2.00 could buy a whole new(used) wardrobe.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: HomeGrownPromos on April 16, 2013, 07:07:59 AM
$2 in NJ is nothing. The flea market is in Englishtown which is a major town for drag racing. There are 5 buildings filled with retail vendors and a HUGE outdoor area mixed with retail vendors and people selling their yard sale stuff. It makes our big flea market here in Raleigh look like a joke. Not many people pay the parking fee because there's plenty of parking on the public streets convenient to the flea market. I'd say at any given time, their parking lot is about half full. This was also about 10 years ago..

I just checked their site and apparently they are no longer charging for parking..
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: SteveChesi on April 16, 2013, 02:27:23 PM
Ramona Flea Market in Jacksonville, FL charges 50 Cents... the place is really BIG ( largest or 2nd largest in the area)...they get away with it and to me there's plenty of "action",, I only bring my $5.00 and less stuff though and sell maybe once  a month for my clearance/tired of looking at it/need the storage space....Vendor prices are reasonable
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: MTP on May 28, 2013, 06:18:46 PM
Alameda gets away with it, because it is anything but a fleamarket.
The most AWESOME antique faire EVER.
Beanie Babies and other modern crap is strictly VERBOTEN!
Also keep in mind the demographics. Bay Area is stinking rich. Money is NOT an issue there.

A wanna bee startup antique faire in Stockton tried that a few years ago. $5 admission.
I think they lasted 3-4 months.

First couple of months TONS of vendors. Had a real promising start, but the admission kept buyers away.

Really stupid move. Especialyl since they didn't even plan on keeping the admission, but donated it to some charity.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: dbr831 on May 29, 2013, 09:10:39 AM
Funny thing about the Alameda one is the entrance fee is larger if you come early. I think $15 if you arrive between 6:00am and 7:30am, $10 7:30am-9am and $5 9am-on. I went for the first time recently and arrived later and paid $5. Definitely nicer than a regular flea market. I was told by a friend that it is swarmed by buyers during the 6am-7:30 time and the best stuff is swooped up pretty quickly.
Title: Re: Does your flea market charge buyers an entrance fee ?
Post by: MTP on May 29, 2013, 02:47:21 PM
Funny thing about the Alameda one is the entrance fee is larger if you come early. I think $15 if you arrive between 6:00am and 7:30am, $10 7:30am-9am and $5 9am-on. I went for the first time recently and arrived later and paid $5. Definitely nicer than a regular flea market. I was told by a friend that it is swarmed by buyers during the 6am-7:30 time and the best stuff is swooped up pretty quickly.


Those early bird 'buyers' are most likely scouts/resellers/pickers. :)