Flea Markets are Super-Fly
Posted Date: Aug 24, 2011
By: Daniel Seifert
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Flea markets are becoming ever more popular, and with new economic troubles looming, they look set to continue their upward trend in Singapore. Far from being shoddy boot sales with odds and ends for sale, they are becoming platforms for able entrepreneurs to market their goods.
(Singapore is becoming popular for its Flea Markets)
Gone are the days of throwing dusty goods onto a blanket on the grass – today’s generation of young businesspeople sell their products very professionally. Stalls are well put-together, boasting professionally made signs and packaging. Some even pass out business cards with contact details and their website URLs.
As Mr. Arthur Ong, the businessman who organizes the Haji Lane flea markets, explained when speaking to the Straits Times, “Nowadays, to call it a flea market is a misnomer, because it’s mainly new brands and home-grown labels.” He noted that 60-70% of the Haji Lane stalls sell their own brands, whether it’s clothes, fancy trinkets or pastries
New markets are popping up, or developing, all over town. The popular Zouk Flea and Easy, held at the nightclub Zouk, has been around since 1991 and is a firm favourite in the flea market subculture. They recently partnered with Crème Creative Market to display Singaporean creative brands. Crème Creative Market, an online portal, features designer art, clothes, accessories and even bicycles.
Eugene Chan, director of the online presence which started this year, explains that Crème Creative wanted to work with Zouk to help local designers. More exposure, she says, allows them to reach out to the masses.
Ad hoc but well-run markets allow sellers to have a physical presence far cheaper than in more permanent arenas. “The commitment level of taking part in a flea market is not as high as say, renting a push cart in a shopping mall,” says Kent Teo. He co-runs For Flea Sake, which holds markets around town, and is enthusiastic about the popularity of these sorts of ventures. Mr. Teo explains that while a push cart can cost $1,000 per month to rent, flea market stalls average between $50 and $60 a day. These innovative marketing ventures are part of a larger move where products are purchased in different ways. Crème Creative, for example, will host brand profiles online at a cost of $200 for six months.
But while online marketing can be successful, Mr. Teo adds that flea markets are a great way for proprietors to physically meet with prospective consumers. “It’s a chance for them to learn how to interact with customers, unlike blogshops, where you don't know who your customers are and what they want.”
Many brand owners have embraced both avenues. Four years ago, Fernnice Wong began selling her fashion products at markets alongside her blogshop ModParade. The 23 year-old, who studies at Raffles Design Institute, then manufactured her own line of clothes and opened a boutique in Haji Lane. She explains that she did it to gain publicity, “and to come face-to-face with customer to find out how the shop is, how the clothes are or whether they are reasonably priced.”
With increased popularity of flea markets comes more diversification. Different flea markets attract buyers with different levels of purchasing power. Some are popular with bargain hunters who will pay a maximum of $15 per item. Miss Wong illustrates that new stallholders should exercise caution. “It may be a good idea at the start to gain publicity for a newly launched brand, but not for the long term.” Crowds at flea markets are often there specifically for cheap products, she explains.
Some cater to more expensive products, however. MAAD Market (Market of Artists and Designers) and Home Club at Upper Circular Road, for example, see customers that are willing to part with more money.
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Related Categories: Non-Residential, Others
Tags: Blogshop, buy, designer, Flea Market, Flea Sake, Haji Lane, Markets, Product, shopping, Zouk
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