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COLORADO FLEA MARKET DIRECTORY

Flea Market Fun: How to Shop

There's a fine art to flea market shopping, or junkin,' and we want to make sure you are prepared for the fantastic feat ahead of you. There are a few tips below to get you started until you develop your own technique.

1. FLEA MARKET FASHION
Dress down. If you look too dressed up, you'll pay more. A sweatshirt and comfortable walking shoes will ensure a pleasurable--and money-saving--experience. For outside shows, remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and bug spray, as well as a rain coat and umbrella for any unexpected showers.

2. BE CAR WISE
This is the time to show-off that new minivan or truck! Flea-market shopping is usually cash-and-carry, and most vendors don't deliver. Consider borrowing a friend's truck or van if you don't have one. Remember, the flea-market experience is about finding unexpected treasures. The most valuable items may not necessarily fit in a 2-door sedan.

3. EARLY BIRDS GET THE BARGAINS
Arrive at sunrise. Most flea markets open at 6:00 a.m., and many of the good pieces are literally snatched off of the truck while the vendors are unloading. You know you've arrived too late if people are walking out with lamps and picture frames as these, according to flea market specialists, are the two most popular items. When they're gone, you know the place has been picked over.

4. CASH ONLY!
Lots of single bills and nothing higher than a $20 bill will give you some bargaining power. $5 bills are usually the most versatile. If you have a list of items to find, take about $300. This doesn't mean you have to spend it, but if you find tons of hidden gems, you want to have enough to buy them all!

5. TOTE SOME BAGS
Bring plastic bags. Your old grocery bags will come in handy if a vendor should run out. You don't want to have to cut your shopping day short because you grew tired from frequent trips back and forth to the car.

6. TRASH OR TREASURE?
Know the difference between the valuable and not-so-valuable articles offered for sale. Keep in mind that flea markets trade in all kinds of things, not only antiques and fine collectibles, but also brand-new objects and some odds and ends that have ended up in the dealers' hands. Of course, there is nothing wrong with your paying money for someone else's junk; it just depends on how much YOU value it.

7. BEST BOOTHS
Don't be fooled by booth appearances. A few things on a blanket will cost less than a fully arranged booth. The general rule is that the more energy the vendor puts into his display, the more you'll pay. Many of these booths are simply extensions of retail outlets. If that's the case, you might as well get the benefit of retail services and any return policies by purchasing the items in the store.

8. FORGET ABOUT PHONIES
Subject all merchandise to careful scrutiny. When shopping for "brand-name" items, be especially careful to check for fakes; some imitations are so brilliant they can fool a seasoned shopper. While imitations of brand-names appear to match the originals in design and quality of materials, there have been many disappointed shoppers who have watched their "once-in-a-lifetime" bargains fall to pieces in a matter of weeks or even days under normal use.

9. SHOPPER VS. SHOPPER? BE THE WINNER!
Is another shopper STILL DECIDING on that Elvis Waffle Iron that you KNOW you have to have, but at a decent price? If someone is examining an item you would like to buy, avoid showing any interest. Instead, wait until the individual leaves the stall before making an offer to the vendor. You will get your waffle iron--without getting "the eager shopper mark-up."

10. HOW TO HAGGLE
Put a value on an item as soon as you can and stick to it; changing your mind in the middle of a sale is a sign of weakness and uncertainty--one that a hardened seller will be quick to take advantage of. Don't automatically assume that the first price you hear is final, whether offered by voice or by a price tag. The wrong way to ask for a discount is by devaluing the merchandise of the asking price, by suggesting that the dealer does not know his business, or by doing anything that could trigger a negative reaction. Remember that the sellers have heard every possible pitch for discounts; they hear them every day, the same ones over and over. You need to be a little original in trying to obtain a discount and, above all, courteous. Be inventive, use your imagination, and, most important, make a good impression. You may want to return someday, and you will want to be welcome next time.

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If you have any interesting stories or tips about shopping at flea markets or setting up a table at a flea market please e-mail us at CBHcontact@gmail.com.