One unfortunate fact of being a merchantat an outdoor flea market is avoiding thieves. Not only will some immoralpeople attempt to steal stuff from your table or booth, other peoplewill go for the hard cash you have directly. Learning how to watch your moneyat an outdoor flea market or swap meet will make your day at the flea market both more profitable and less tense.
Tips for Taking Customer's Money Safely
A necessary thing for a flea market business ownerto do is to take the customer's money for the stuff they want to buy. While nearly everyone will hand you the cash or changedirectly, some buyersprefer to count their change out flat onto the table. Persuade customers to deposit the change directly into your hand. However, one of the best ways to ensure this is to be precisely in front of the consumer when the money is passed to you. Having a buddy at the outdoor flea market can help take care of multiple interested peopleat the sametime. Otherwise, you must insist shopperswait their turn.
Tips for Making Change Safely
A lot of outdoor flea market visitorsdo not hold correct change. It is your charge as a business ownerto swiftly make and give change to people who buy something. The safest way to do this is to have your moneyin a pocket or bag. Put the large bill away right away before pulling out the change for the shopper. A vendor's apron or fanny pack can be of use for storinga supply of change on hand.
Tips to Store Cash Safely at the Flea Market
The most secureway to save cash is to keep it on you. The previously mentionedpocketed apron or fanny pack can be useful. However, if you do a lot of sales volumeduring the flea market day it may become too full or hard to take charge of. Twenties, fifties, or even hundredsthat are not handy for making change can be hiddensomewhere unseeninside your vehicle, if it is parked close by, or exactly under your booth in a locked box or bag. Be aware that some thieves at an outdoor flea market may tryto creepunder the table to steal currency.
Signs of Potential Theives at the Flea Market
One unfortunate part of an outdoor flea market business owner'sjob is watching out forthieves. Various of the warning signs that a person may try to steal something from you are: undue browsing without showing interest in any particular product, lack of response to your inquiries, looking peeringaround to see if anyone is looking, and the practice of laying leaninghands or bags on your flea market table.
Even the designers on TV are doing it; finding great furnishing at flea-markets, charity shops, and yard sales. Often, a wonderful piece of furniture can be had for mere dollars, especially if its finish is in desperate need of some TLC. Unfortunately, the design shows on TV don't show you all the proper steps for refreshing your finds. Take the time to do it right, and your ?new? furniture will have friends wondering where you shop!
1. Safety first: Before you disturb any painted surface, you should think about the possibility of lead. Lead paint additives were phased out in the 1970's and 80's. If you suspect lead is present in any paint, you can find information about safety precautions and testing at www.epa.gov/lead, or by calling the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD. Even with newer surfaces, I find that a dust mask is always in order when sanding. Your lungs will thank you.
2. Sanding: Not all pieces will require sanding before repainting. My mantra is to leave well enough alone when dealing with old paint surfaces. If, however, the paint is chipped, peeling, crackling, or has other problems, you might not be able to avoid the sandpaper. A small electric hand sander is my best friend for these situations. A very light sanding (really just scuffing) can help your new paint adhere to old oil paint or a glossy surface.
3. Prep, prep, prep: The number one reason for paint failures is incorrect preparation. Time spent on prep will ensure you get a good result in the end. Make sure the surface is completely clean and dust free before you ever get the paint out of the can. If you have sanded the surface, remove dust with a tack cloth. This is a small piece of cheesecloth soaked in wax, available at your local home improvement store in the paint section. They cost around one dollar?get several to keep on hand for the next project! If you can't find one, several thorough passes with a damp cloth followed by another pass with a dusting cloth can do the job. Most importantly, don't rush your prep work.
4. Taping: Carefully tape off any areas you don't want painted, and burnish the tape edges down once, firmly, with a fingernail. If you think you might have to leave the tape on for more than a day or so, use a lower adhesion tape made for delicate surfaces.
5. Priming: If the piece is unpainted, consider a coat of primer before you paint. There are excellent primers specifically made for stone and metal. Tell your paint store rep what you're painting and follow her advice. Use a good latex or oil-based primer for wood surfaces. Some wood grains (pine or cheaper grades of oak, for example) may ?rise? after a first coat of latex, and priming improves the chances that you can avoid this. The raised grain will feel rough. If this happens, you'll need to sand the grain down lightly and prime again. Don't worry; it's not as bad as it sounds when you know what happened!
6. Painting: Finally, time to paint! Use a good quality paint brush. Be careful not to overload your brush with paint and put it on too thickly. This is a common mistake. Painting in thick layers can lead to ugly drips, cracks, or drying delays. Instead, paint in thin coats, allowing time for each coat to dry completely before recoating. This will give you a beautiful and strong surface.
7. Curing: Follow the instructions on your paint can to make sure your new furniture is safely cured before you begin to use it or place objects on top of it. Paints, latex in particular, can feel dry well before they really are. When in doubt, I like to wait 24-48 hours before I place my newly painted flea-market beauties into service.
Now, enjoy your new furnishings. Use them well and never fear; if they get chipped or you tire of the color, you know how to fix it!
Both Melanie Marten & Jitender Sharma are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Melanie Marten has sinced written about articles on various topics from Flea Pest Control, Hobbies for the Family. One problem with being a seller at an outdoor flea market is avoiding thieves. Not only will some untrustworthy folks attempt to steal objects from your table or booth, others will go straight for the hard cash you have directly. Learning how to take ca. Melanie Marten's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
Jitender Sharma has sinced written about articles on various topics from Social Issues, Cooking Tips and Flea Pest Control. Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to guides on woodwork, furniture, best wood for your furnishings and related information, do please browse for more. Jitender Sharma's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.