Do People Still Look For Closeouts At The Flea Market? They Sure Do!
The origin of the term "flea market" is practically impossible to trace. It is a mystery that has never been solved as there has never been a serious investigation into the origin of the name. There is little or no official records or documentation existing on this amazing phenomenon of the flea market. It is a place where jobbers, overstock buyers and closeout brokers gather to buy and sell wares at discounted prices. The first reference to the term "Flea Market" appeared in two conflicting stories about a location in Paris, France in the 1860's known as the marche aux puces, translation, "Flea Market". These locations are filled with sellers wanting to get rid of inventory that may be closeouts, overstock, or other excess merchandise. It is similar to a warehouse liquidation where wholesale closeouts are for sale cheap.
According to Wikipedia A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) merchandise. However, it can also be brand new closeouts from companies in need of liquidating stock and selling surplus inventory at a discount. Closeout brokers often exhibit at flea markets as a way of having a warehouse liquidation sale. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' and 'casual' markets which divides a fixed-style market (formal) with long-term leases and a seasonal-style market with short-term leases. These are similar to “pop up” retail stores selling closeouts liquidation stock and other excess inventory that closeout brokers bought cheap., Consistently, there tends to be an emphasis on sustainable consumption whereby items such as used goods, collectibles, antiques and vintage clothing can be purchased. Name brand closeouts are also popular and these are often available due to a large warehouse liquidation sale or disposal of too much inventory. Sometimes importers must liquidate online inventory or closeout merchandise to make room for new merchandise. Too much old inventory just sitting in the warehouse directly affects a businesses bottom line. Liquidating inventory or having a warehouse liquidation can reduce inventory and eliminate the need for overstock buyers.
Flea market vending is distinguished from street vending in that the market alone, and not any other public attraction, brings in buyers. This is always the case because sellers do a good job of offering great deals on liquidations or other wholesale closeouts. The liquidation of a company is sometimes necessary but it creates deals for closeout brokers and overstock buyers who make a living liquidating inventory and excess merchandise. There are a variety of vendors: some part-time who consider their work at flea markets a hobby due to their possession of an alternative job; full-time vendors who dedicate all their time to their stalls and collection of merchandise and rely solely on the profits made at the market. Vendors require skill in following retro and vintage trends, as well as selecting merchandise which connects with the culture and identity of their customers.
A flea market is a facility that rents space to anyone that offers for sale to the general public merchandise, products, items, services and all other legal needs of the buying public. Generally these sellers have closeout liquidations, used merchandise, name brand closeouts or other inexpensive inventory for sale.
Surplus wholesale suppliers bring unwanted merchandise back into the marketplace at lower prices than they normally sold for, creating a new market for what was once dead inventory. These renters are known as vendors. Flea markets are a worldwide business that has been around for hundreds of years and could be considered as a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry that has never been and probably never will be truly defined. It provides an opportunity to have marketplaces for overstock inventory for sale from both companies and individuals. It also provides a way for buying liquidated merchandise to a lot of people at one time, similar to warehouse liquidations or Amazon liquidation sales.
Flea Markets are the incubators and breeding grounds of entrepreneurs that represent the Free Enterprise System and they are the representatives and protectors of an American Way of Life. Flea Markets are the only opportunity available for a person to start a business without a large layout of capital and long term commitments. They resell closeouts purchased a liquidation sales or from closeout brokers and overstock buyers. Albert LaFarge, author of U.S. Flea Market Directory, says, "Today's American flea market is a modern version of a phenomenon that has endured throughout history in all civilized societies - wherever there is a high concentration of people, there will be market days when they assemble for the exchange of goods and services." Companies selling surplus inventory have a wide open market here for getting rid of too much inventory and liquidating warehouses.
Merchandise USA is a surplus inventory buyer specializing in closeout toys, overstock housewares and excess inventory of all kinds. We are wholesale liquidators in business more than 35 years.
