Start a flea market by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Flea Market
- Form your Flea Market into a Legal Entity
- Register your Flea Market for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Flea Market
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Flea Market
- Get Flea Market Insurance
- Define your Flea Market Brand
- Create your Flea Market Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your flea market. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
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STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
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- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Flea Market Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability.
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a flea market?
The cost of starting a flea market can range from a few hundred dollars for just licensing and permits to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a permanent indoor market.
Most new flea market owners begin by renting vacant land or a parking lot by the day or hour. Depending on the size and location rents range in price from less than a hundred dollars to thousands. Schools gymnasiums are also usually available on the weekends and when school is not in session for an inexpensive fee. No matter the location, it needs to be legal to hold a flea market on the property.
Flea markets often provide or rent tables and tents to vendors. Owners who want to offer these amenities can either purchase them outright if they have the budget and space to store them or contract with an outside rental business.
Permits for flea markets frequently require access to restrooms, particularly if food is available. This means you must provide porta potties if there are no permanent facilities. A single porta potty can run $300 to rent for a weekend.
What are the ongoing expenses for a flea market?
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Most of the expenses for a flea market business are ongoing unless the operator owns the location, tents, and tables. Nevertheless, the cost of labor, marketing, and promotion are ongoing.
Who is the target market?
Since there are so many kinds of flea markets, there is no ideal customer across the board. Many older customers are interested in antiques and nostalgic items from their childhoods while younger shoppers are looking for vintage and off-beat items. The one characteristic common among all customers at a flea market is that they are looking for a deal.
How does a flea market make money?
The owner of a flea market can make money in a few ways. Almost every flea market charges vendors rent to set up and sell at the event. Besides collecting rent, some flea markets charge customers an admission charge and require a payment for parking on the site.
How much can you charge customers?
Flea markets charge vendors between $3 and $10 dollars per square foot per day. That means a single 10 X 10 space will cost between $300 – $1000 dollars daily. Exclusive flea markets can charge customers $5 or more for admission and reserved parking can cost $10.
How much profit can a flea market make?
Since owners know their operational costs, it is easy to plan for a healthy profit margin by adjusting vendor rents. Another great aspect of the flea market business is operators who do not have long-term leases can change locations if the first one doesn’t work out.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Adding rides and games to a flea market is an easy way to increase profits and attract more customers. Holding drive-in movies after the flea market closes for the evening is another great revenue source.
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.
Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your flea market is sued.
You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
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Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a flea market business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Certificate of Occupancy
A flea market business is generally run out of a large piece of land. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a flea market business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your flea market business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
