What you need to sell at markets and craft fairs: before, during and after

Selling at markets and fairs looks simple: find one, pay for a pitch, set up the table and sell. In practice, the result of the day is decided in three different moments: before (choosing where to go), during (selling and taking payments without losing customers) and after (knowing whether it paid off and making sure people who didn't buy can find you). This guide covers what you need for each one.

Before: finding the right market

Not every market suits every product. An antiques market isn't the place for natural cosmetics, and a food festival rarely works for designer jewellery. Before paying for a pitch, try to find out:

• Who goes: locals, tourists, families, collectors. Ask other traders who have been there.
• What it really costs: the pitch fee, plus travel, parking and the hours of your day.
• What the organisers ask for: many markets select their traders and open applications weeks or months in advance.
• Dates of the last edition: if a market runs every year, last year's edition tells you roughly when applications will open.

If you're starting out, we have a dedicated guide on how to find markets and fairs to sell at, and local guides by city and month in Markets and fairs.

Before: preparing your stall

What you bring matters as much as the market itself. A minimum list:

• The day's range: you don't need to bring everything. Pick your best sellers and a few low-priced items for people who want something small.
• Visible prices: many people won't ask and will just walk away. Use clear labels or a sign per product type.
• Ways to pay: cash with enough change and, if you can, card or mobile payments.
• Something for people who don't buy today: a card or a sign with a QR code that opens your catalogue.

The full list is in our market day checklist.

During: selling and taking payments

Market day goes by fast and it's easy to lose track. Three habits help:

1. Write down every sale, even in a notebook: what you sold, at what price and how you were paid. At the end of the day you'll know what works.
2. Keep your float separate from your takings, so you don't confuse the starting cash with what you earned.
3. Listen to the questions: if several people ask about a colour or size you didn't bring, that's information for the next market.

Many people say "I'll think about it" and walk off. That isn't a no: it's someone who might buy later if they know where to find you. That's why it helps to have an easy link with your products and prices.

After: knowing whether it paid off

Back home, the key question isn't how much you sold but how much you kept. Subtract the pitch fee, travel, the materials of what you sold and, if you want to be honest with yourself, the value of your time. With those numbers you can decide whether to go back or look for another market. We explain it step by step in is this craft fair worth it? and in market stall bookkeeping.

After: getting people to buy again

The market sale is only the beginning. Someone who bought a piece and liked it may want another as a gift; someone who left without buying may decide that same evening. For that you need:

• A place with your products and their prices, easy to open on a phone.
• A way to message you without having to search: WhatsApp, email or a form.
• Your upcoming markets in plain sight, so people know where to find you again.

How Mercader fits in

Mercader is built for those three moments:

• Before: the market finder and the city guides help you find where to sell.
• During: the cash book records sales and costs from your phone, even without signal.
• After: your storefront at your-shop.mercader.app shows your products, prices and upcoming markets, and receives messages from people who want to buy.

We don't take a commission on sales. If you want to try it, you can create your storefront with a 14-day trial.