Trade Days Time Remaining

If you flip items for profit, few places offer the sourcing opportunity of First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas. Nearly 170 years old, this market, which takes place over the course of several months, is now one of the largest in the country. Leading up to the first Monday of each month, thousands of vendors set up shop to sell to thousands of customers. For people in the business of e-commerce, this creates a chance to buy items that they can resell at a profit.

This guide covers how to shop smart, what to buy, and where to sell your finds once you get home.

Why First Monday Trade Days Works for Resellers

You never know what you’ll see at this market. Antiques, farm equipment, crafts, and resale items are just a few of the offerings. And because there’s little incentive for vendors to transport unwanted items back home, you can often get deep discounts. It’s a better opportunity to score bargains on used items than a thrift store.

If you want the first pick of the best items, you need to arrive on the first day of the event, and as early as you can. Cash in hand (preferably small bills) is a must, as well as a measuring tape and flashlight. Many people also find it helpful to bring a wagon. Make sure you check sold listings on Etsy and other selling sites to make sure the items aren’t already sold.

Check out the First Monday dates ->

What to Buy at First Monday Trade Days

What you should purchase at First Monday Trade Days is determined by what’s selling. Look through what’s easy to ship and give you a healthy margin after fees. These items typically have an established market and are therefore more reliable.

Vintage Items to Resell

• Cast iron cookware (Griswold and Wagner, for example, along with older pieces from Lodge) is a nice item to find when collection building.
• Also, vintage pyrex and other glassware can have a surprising after-market value when sold to the right customer. Unique and rare patterns can sell for 10-20 times the investment.
• Memorabilia from the west (boots, belts and buckles, and signs) can sell just as well as other regional memorabilia.
• Old tools (hand planes and wrenches for example) can appreciate over time.
• Advertising and signs (porcelain, enamel, and tin) can all be good items to collect and resell.

Best Things to Buy and Resell

Apart from antiques, some popular items to buy for resale are everyday products. Good resell items include boots and other leather goods, denim, jewelry, and sterling silver. Items that are small and lightweight are a good choice because they are cheap to ship and increase your profit.

Canton TX Flea Market Finds

Finds from Canton TX flea markets are one-of-a-kind. They include regional pottery, farm tools, and other antiques, as well as primitive and folk art and crafts. These items are not as widely available, and therefore command a greater price from folks outside of Texas.

See what vendors are selling at the flea market ->

Flea Market Flipping Ideas That Actually Pay

These flea market flipping ideas will help you get into reselling with low-risk, high-reward opportunities.

• Look for item lots. Vendors will sell multiple similar items, like a box of miscellaneous vintage keys, for a discounted price.
• Consider refurbishing. Not all furniture requires a large financial investment to be resold for a high price.
• Look to see if there are individual sellings. Sometimes the separate pieces of a collection will sell for more than the set.
• Make your item look as nice as possible. Buyers will pay more for an item that's listed by a reseller who takes good care to clean and prep the item before taking pictures to be listed.

For any item you find at a flea market, a general rule of thumb is to sell the item for a good margin in order to be profitable after factoring in time, shipping and selling costs.

Where to Sell Flea Market Finds

How you sell your finds is just as important as what you buy. Here’s where to sell your flea market finds based on the items.

• eBay is probably the easiest and best place to sell items of a broader audience such as collectibles, tools, and jewelry as well as high end and rare vintage items.
• Etsy works better to sell items of a more niche audience such as vintage items 20 or more years old as well as home items and decorative items. They also work better to sell various crafts and supplies.
• Although Facebook marketplace has a broader audience, selling items locally such as large, heavy and bulky furniture is better there as well as large items in general.

Lastly, if you purchase items to resell at a higher price such as home decor, you should consider setting up shop at an antique mall.

While selling items at multiple places can increase your exposure and sales, watch your inventory to avoid selling the same thing multiple times.

Best Reseller Tips for Your Trip

• Set a budget and don't spend above it.
• Walk the grounds to see what is offered by different vendors.
• The key is to compare prices.
• Buy one thing from the same vendor to get the next thing you want for cheaper from that vendor.
• Keep in mind what similar things are sold for by looking at things that are sold as you are price shopping.

FAQs

1. When is First Monday Trade Days held?

   It takes place in Canton, Texas, beginning the Thursday before the first Monday of each month and running through the weekend.

2. Is First Monday Trade Days good for resellers?

   Definitely. It is the biggest and most varied trade day event in the country, and the best for dealers who flip.

3. How much money should I take with me?

   Take the money you want to spend, and then some extra. Most vendors will accept cash and the price can be negotiated.

4. What brings the best profit when reselling flea market finds?

   Any iron casts, tools, vintage glass, boots and jewelry are profitable as well as Western and other collectibles.

5. Where is best to post flea market finds online?

   It depends on the item. For collectibles, try eBay. For other items, try Facebook marketplace.