Remember the song “Who will buy my sweet red roses?” from the musical Oliver? Well, we don’t have sellers singing their wares much these days but the principle is the same.
Market Stalls and market sellers are part of our trading history. Before we had shops as we know them today, we bought our goods from street market stalls or pedlars who would wander the streets with their wares. Think Pygmalion (My Fair Lady). Today’s markets are essentially the same, minus the theatricals. Here we answer a few often asked questions about market stall trading:
When are Markets most profitable?
Markets are always more lucrative in the run-up to Christmas. Some traders only trade at this time to get the best results for their efforts because not only is footfall greatly increased but folk are pre-programmed into spending more at this time of year. Some goods too, are only bought at Christmas time, like decorations, trees, festive cards and foods. But it is not only the big festive time that markets are more profitable. There are other days that are pretty good too, like the run-up to Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day and even Bank Holidays. Depending on your country and culture you will have different festivals that will bring in more footfall than the usual trading days and you need to be aware of this when stocking your stall so as not to miss out on a potential increase in sales. At the beginning of the year, we always mark our calendar according to particular festivals so that we are not caught out!
Why do Market Stall businesses succeed where others may not?
The great thing about having a mobile business is that you can adopt and adapt quickly if you find that some lines may not be selling. It is easier as a market trader to rebrand and restock your ‘mobile shop‘ when you see an opportunity arise than you can if you are a static shop. The agility that gives you will mean more chance of success than if you are stuck with a particular brand in a physical shop that you can’t move. Shops are trapped according to the vagaries of the particular footfall in the street where you are trading. If you are a market trader and the town that you are trading in is no longer busy, you just find another market from which to pitch your tent. Drops in trade can sometimes be as random as the Council has put up the parking charges on a whim and the whole market and town’s trade people will suffer as a result.
Market Stall Alternatives
If you don’t want to run your business from a stall, you can always look at a trailer or a truck (food?) but the most obvious option is to run your business online. Whether it’s Etsy or eBay or your own personal website, as long as you market that business well, you should be able to grow your business effectively in the long term. Market stalls are brilliant if you want to see immediate results and get instant feedback from potential customers. Perhaps if you sell a seasonal product (e.g. Christmas decorations) you could do market stalls during the season and for the rest of the year have your stock available online.
Why can’t you just roll up and start selling?
Do you remember the Delboy days when you would have street traders selling out of a suitcase to a crowded audience and another standing on the corner keeping a watch out for the old bill? Well, you can legitimately start selling on the streets if you have a Pedlars Certificate. To get one, you need to apply to your local Chief of Police but this will be for a mobile trader that either sells town to town or door to door and not at a static pitch. This should cost around £12.25. and only applies if you have a mobile stall.
If you are after a static pitch and there are no markets that would suit your specific needs you can also apply for a Street Trading Licence (STL) from the local council of the town that you want to trade in – every council has different trading rules and variations. e.g. £75 for the STL application and about £25 for every week that the Licence runs for thereafter.
If you want to trade from private land you can set up your stall too (with landowners permission) but not if you are on public land. Some councils even have a limit to how near certain facilities you can trade, even if you are on private land. This is usually to protect shop owners who don’t want a competing product outside their shop front.
The easiest way to avoid any bureaucracy is to just apply for a market stall – but you will be limited to trading when the market is running.
Will Markets always be there?
There have been markets for as long as history has been written and there will probably still be markets long into the future – barring any ecological disasters. People like being with other people and like getting their senses stimulated by a market. Markets are a meeting place, a place to barter and exchange and the way we have traditionally purchased our goods. Even though the internet is now a compelling and powerful means to buy goods, there is no substitute for interacting face to face.
Difference between Shopping at a Market vs a Supermarket
When shopping at a market customers can talk to the makers or sellers of individual products, unlike shopping at a supermarket where goods appear run of the mill. Buying from individuals on a market, folk get to learn about the story behind the brand and are able to build relationships with the sellers and will gain more loyalty towards these brands. Market stalls are a brilliant way to build your own brand.
Are market stall goods considered safe?
Goods at sold at a market are covered by the very same regulations as goods sold anywhere else. All goods sold will be covered by The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (UK) and customers will be protected by the Consumer Protection and Unfair Trading Regulations Act 2008. Any food sold be it on a market, will by law, have to be regulated by the Food Standards Agency – just like any other food items.
Should markets be in every town?
Having a market in every town would bring some towns alive. Even if there was just a monthly or quarterly market, these events bring groups of people together and build communities. Quite often the job of creating a market comes down to the local council, but it doesn’t have to be. Any community group can start a market and most councils would welcome the initiative. Take a look at Bellingham Indoor Market in Northumberland, this market was started by the village parish council and is run by a group of volunteers. Bellingham is hardly a town and more of a village, but the results are amazing.
What are potential problems with a market stall?
When you are booked onto a market stall you have to abide by the market rules by arriving and leaving at certain times. That is fine and dandy most of the time, but when it is blowing a gale and raining hard and your stock is getting wet, you can really see the advantages of not being tied to market rules! Also, if you are attending a regular pitch which you are obliged to pay for even when you book a holiday, just to ensure that your pitch is not sold to someone else while you are away, then it can become a little frustrating.
Pros and Cons of an Estate Car Vs Van to Transport Stock?
Having an estate car is usually adequate for transporting a gazebo and table as well as your stock, though it does depend entirely on the amount of stock that you will need to transport. If you are happy driving a van, then the extra space for your gazebo etc is incredibly useful, particularly if you can also store it there when you are not trading. With a van, you are also given extra security because people can’t see in and see your valuable stock in it. A van is particularly useful if you are attending a two-day show, as you can also use it as a bedroom rather than stay at a hotel. I didn’t particularly like driving a van and was happy with my estate car, but a van can really make your life easier because you don’t have to lug stock in and out after every market.
What is a Market Stall Risk Assessment?
A risk assessment is only usually required from you when you are attending a show, rather than a weekly market. Though, this will depend on your market operator or local council. It is a health and safety measure that shows you have considered all dangers that might be associated with you selling in a public place and once you have created one specific to your stall, you can use it for every event thereafter. Here is an example of one we used for events.
Happy Trading!