The ground was still soaked when the reseller behind @FlippityFlip arrived at the Lexington flea market. It had just finished raining, and the hour-long drive suddenly looked like a gamble. Then the shoppers started showing up anyway, and the reseller decided the trip was worth it. By the end of the day, the haul had the reseller calling the whole outing “absolutely insane” and saying the prices were even crazier than the finds.

One big score was a box of books. The seller had the Star Trek books separated out and quoted five dollars for all of them. Then came the better deal, ten dollars for the whole box, Star Wars and Star Trek together, 31 books in total. For anyone who has ever paid full price for a single used paperback, that is a pile of pop culture for the cost of a fast food lunch.

The Rest Of The Haul

A Daffy Duck piece turned up as well, and the reseller says it is worth about one hundred dollars loose on eBay. Another find usually goes for around forty-five dollars, but because this example is in such great shape and still has its drawstring, the reseller plans to ask fifty.

The video games made the day even more interesting. The reseller found Trauma Center Under the Knife 2, which the reseller calls about a seventy dollar game, and noted that both games in the pickup were complete with their manuals. Earlier in the day, the reseller also grabbed Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2, which was described as a pretty rare game worth about twenty dollars. The price paid was a single dollar.

Then there was a helmet. The reseller paid thirty dollars for it, and even though the little face mask is missing, the plan is to get about one hundred ten dollars out of it. A separate lot cost twenty-five dollars for everything, and the reseller figures a listing around sixty-five dollars will get the money back with a little extra profit on top.

A five dollar tub of mostly Disney plushes paid off too. The reseller pulled a bunch of stuff out of it, and the prize of the lot turned out to be a bear plush from one of the movies.

What You Can Learn From A Wet Day At The Flea Market

You do not have to be a professional to borrow a few habits from this trip. Here is what stands out.

• Go when others stay home. Bad weather can keep some shoppers home, which may leave more for you. The reseller still made the hour drive after the rain, and it paid off.
• Ask for the bundle price. The books were five dollars for one set, but ten dollars for the whole box. Asking “what would you take for all of it” is one of the oldest tricks at any market, and it works best with sellers who just want the table cleared.
• Check what things actually sold for. The reseller points to eBay prices again and again. The useful number is not what sellers are asking right now, it is what buyers have really paid. On eBay you can filter for sold items to see that.
• Condition and completeness change the price. The extra five dollars the reseller plans to ask for the drawstring item comes down to its great shape and the drawstring still being there. The games are complete with manuals, which is exactly the detail that buyers look for.
• Missing pieces cost you, but not always much. The helmet lacks its little face mask, and the reseller still expects roughly one hundred ten dollars. Know what a missing part does to the price before you walk away from something.
• Dig through the cheap tubs. The prize bear plush came out of a five dollar tub. Take a few extra minutes to go through the bins everyone else walks past.

Do The Math Before You Buy

The numbers in this story are exciting, but a smart reseller treats them as estimates. Listing prices are hopes until something sells, and the reseller says as much, using phrases like “I think I can get” and “I’m just going to list it for maybe.” That is the honest way to do it. Count your gas for the one-hour drive. Count the time you spend cleaning, photographing and shipping. Count the fees the selling site takes. A twenty-five dollar lot that lists for sixty-five dollars is a nice little win, but it is not all profit.

It also helps to start small. A one dollar game that is worth about twenty is a low-risk way to learn how the market works. If it sells, you have a sale to compare against. If it sits, you are out a dollar. Compare that to the pricier gambles at the flea market, where you really do need to know what you are looking at.

Pop Culture Is Easy To Spot

If you are new to this, the books are a good lesson. Star Wars and Star Trek books, a Daffy Duck piece, Disney plushes and video games all have something in common. They are things that real people grew up with and still want to own. When you shop a flea market with that in mind, you start noticing what other people will pay for. Ask yourself whether you know someone who would be thrilled to find the item. If the answer is yes, there may be a buyer waiting online too.

And if you are not planning to resell anything, there is still a lesson in here for you. Flea markets are some of the last places where a ten dollar bill can bring home a whole box of fun. Bring cash, bring a tote bag, and bring a little patience. If the ground is wet, wear boots.

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