What to look out for at a Flea Market (sellers)
Monday, March 12, 2012 | 0 comment(s)
Hiiii, Sorry for the long long long hiatus! Was so busy with assignment/tests last week and I finally got time to sit down and write. I miss writing! (: So, yesterday was my FIRST flea market at SCAPE!
Okay a summary for my first time, "an eye-opener". So therefore, I would like to dedicate this entry to anybody who intends to open a Flea Market or any newbies who wanna try it out - You may or disagree with my points (;
#1. Flea Market on a Sunday or Saturday?
Since its the weekends, the crowd is definitely MORE than the weekdays. But which day is better? I thought Sunday was better, since some people do have to work on Saturdays and Sunday is like family day or when everyone can unwind and come to town - Hence, I booked yesterday's Sunday's parade.
BUT I WAS WRONG. (Dayyyyummmm!) Okay Sunday crowd will be good elsewhere (I suppose? I'm gonna try it out at other fleas and tell you how is it!) But maybe not at SCAPE. I forgot Sunday was also AKA "Maids Day". All the fillopinos from lucky plaza are moving to SCAPE and I seriously think they spoil market. I will tell you why in abit. So if you wanna do a flea market on a weekend at SCAPE, I recommend Saturday. At least for me, no more Sundays at SCAPE.
#2. Your nightmare customers
Okay. My perception of Flea Market is where you get to buy your cheap stuff like any other 'pasar malam'/night market just alittle more atas and fashionable. I guess prices ranged $10-$15 is reasonable at a flea market and only at night, when it is closing, the prices can go crazy low (;
But let me share with you your potential nightmare customers which I've experienced yesterday at the flea market. We will start with the not-so-terrible customers to the horrrrrribleeeeeessssttttt customers.
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- The soft-spoken BUT daring cheapskate girls
When they speak, they are SO soft and you'd think, wow.. this girl seems sweet with that smile and soft 'tian mi mi' voice. Then she goes on to smile at you and say, "can cheaper? $1.50?" I already sold her for $2 for a butterfly ribbon top AND she still can beg for 50cents at the end. She must be kidding. I still gave it to her cos' I was closing up already but I was pretty 'eek'-out. Ruined her whole sweet image to a market aunty.
- The Singaporean Real Aunties/Mothers
Actually, I pretty like this group of customers cos' they are local and sometimes, if they are nice, you can hit off a funny nice conversation which might make your day! However, they can be your nightmare when they start the Singaporean mindset "Buy more cheaper!" So this mother was ransacking the box and bags on the floor for a good deal and she pick out like 5, then she went on to the rack and pick up 7 and came to my table. She asked me how much, I said /$10 per piece and she started to bargain. I told her I would give her $5 for those in the bag. And she started to use her secret aunty weapon "ehhh I buy so many leh.... no discount meh? cannot give cheaper mehhhhh? see see! I buy so many!" Wah. WIN. Okay so I counted, and decided to like give her $20 cheaper. End of story.
And now, YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE
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- The extremely unreasonable bargainers
- Disclaimer: I’m not being racist but this is from my experience yesterday. So, no offence to anyone! I’m not blaming the whole race or anything. \m/ peace out
- Okay. I have to tell you my WORST experience yesterday with this couple. It was towards the night already and some stalls have already packed up. So this couple came to my stall, smile smile, and look look. Then she asked me how much were the dresses on the rack. I said, $4. (SERIOUSLY WHERE CAN YOU BUY SO CHEAP NICE DRESS AT $4?! EVEN MUSTAFA DON’T HAVE!) Then the husband gave me this snobbish look and cringe his nose and said, “Cheaper la… $2″ THAT WAS FFFREAKING INSANE. I said, Sorry no, $4. Then he came to my table and look at my make-up. He asked how much were the maybelline eyeshadow set. I had 2 sets on sale and they were brand new with the plastic and all unopen. I said, $8 and explained how Watsons and other stores sell it at $15.90. He repeated his snobbish look and cringe his nose and said, $5 for 2. WAH. I tell you, you think this is little india or bangladesh?!?! I was really annoyed by them. I refused to sell them.
- Then they left and I saw that they went to sit at this seats near the store. So I forgot about them and continue attending to other customers. THEN about 30 mins later, they came back to my store and the man asked me, “So how? You want to sell at my price already?” -a moment of blood gushing through my blood- I promise you I would have throw him a sucker punch. *BLAMMMM* WHAT THE FREAK. NO! NOTHING FOR YOU MISTER MUSTAFA! I laughed and I gave him my sarcastic bitchy eye, “No. Final $8, take it or leave it.” Then they left. I rather they leave then sell them at that crazy price. I might as well use them for myself!
- That was my experience with my worst customers. THEN now, the ever-so-popular Maids from lucky plaza. Firstly, it was infested with them on Sunday. Secondly, they are worst than Singaporean Aunties. I said previously they spoil the market. Yeap! Because people usually give reasonable bargains. But no, they don’t. I rather sell to a Singaporean Aunty who bargain like mad but still bought 7 pieces, rather than selling to a Certain people who bargained SO MUCH for 1 piece of clothes and refuse to buy in the end.
So many of them... I sold my new gladiators at $4 and I found it damn dirt cheap already but one of them could even bargain till $3. Disgustingly amazing.
I always thought how W and I bargain in Phuket was disgustingly up-there. Now that I met these bunch of Filipinos AND THE BEST IS, THEY BARGAIN LIKE THAT IN SINGAPORE... And like I sold a bunch of clothes all at $2/piece. They still can ask for $1. No way honey. Unless it's definitely a piece I think my dog don't even bother snatching from me.
So yeah, this is my list of Nightmare shoppers for your flea market. I hope you guys know what to expect on Sunday flea markets now (;
#3. RAIN OR SHINE
Okay now that there are flea markets on SCAPE terrace at the 4th level, there is an open space for stalls to be set up there. However, since I was a newbie, I didn't know you can come like damnnn early to set your store. I only came at 1pm which was stated in the email but when I reached there, IT WAS ALREADY CROWDED WITH STALLS. I panicked! And lucky me! Managed to find the last table under the shelter. The rest were in the open air space but it kinda sucked cos' it rained after and got extremely hot/humid later on. It might affect their sales and risk getting their stocks all wet so yeap. Just a piece of advice, Come Early.
I have a bunch of clothes to sell but not sure when I have time to set up the next flea market. So I'm thinking of setting up a 'shop blog' here to sell them. Not a blogshop haha cos' I'm not so pro at that. Just gonna post up photos of my clothes if you guys wanna buy! Cheap cheap (; But not gonna show my stash of $2 clothes in the box unless you request for them!
That's all for now! I hope you all enjoyed my entry about my first experience at the flea market (: I'll update on my getaway to Bali in my next entry so stay tuned!
Love much.
xx
Labels: advice, customers, flea, market, scape, sellers, tips, travel
