Rummage Bonanza Appleton WI Review

A few months ago I received an email about a new indoor Flea Market/Rummage Sale that was to start up in January.  I was excited with the thought.  Every once in a while I would get an updated email building up to the actual start of the sale.  My mom, uncle, aunt and I discussed selling there.  So the first weekend we went as buyers.  We arrived when it opened and we had a tough time finding a parking place.  We shopped and all the vendor spots were filled.  We talked and decided that we would give it a try.  The times were Friday 1-7, Saturday and Sunday 11-5.  $20 a day or $50 for the weekend OR $175 for 4 weekends per spot. If you get multiple spots they are discounted.  We decided on a full 3 day weekend, however we couldn't make it the following weekend but we could the last weekend of the month.  As we were leaving I looked around and it seemed to be lots of people but few with bags.  I voiced my thoughts on that and I also voiced my thoughts in the park lot when we left that now there was plenty of open parking.  Again with the excitement of selling there, we ignored the signs of something wrong.

So I called Jim the person running the show and I asked him if there was openings for the last weekend of January and he says OOOH Yeah..  Which sounded a bit funny.  Again another sign.  He said fill out the form and bring that and money on Thursday or Friday whenever we planned on setting up.  OK.

So last Sunday Jim calls me and tells me that the opening time has changed on Friday to the same time as Saturday and Sunday.   OK, good no problem.  But again another sign we ignored.  We decided we would set up on Thursday.  All was good.  Thursday night I put an ad on Craigslist with our items, when and where we would be open.  When I was on Craigslist I noticed other vendors ads.  I love that.  So I looked for the ad from Rummage Bonanza/Jim and it was way down on the list and it still had the wrong time on Friday.  So I went to the website and looked at the time for Friday and it was wrong there too.. As was the window of the building when we where there on Thursday.  OK how were the buyers going to know we were open?  Ignored another very bad sign again!   Friday morning we came with a few more things with huge hopes that we would have to refill tables all weekend.  So we sat down and waited and waited and waited for customers and to sell something, ANYTHING!  Friday was horrible.  Mom and I sold nothing not one thing and my aunt and uncle sold 2 things for a total of $11 dollars.  Wow we were bored and very stunned.  Still had hopes of a better day on Saturday.  I still wondered because so many of the " few buyers" that did come would walk straight by the tables and not look at anything.  Not just our stuff but most of the sellers tables to.  It was like they were going for a walk and not shopping.  "The Buyers" never even glanced at the items so there  was no way the price was turning them off.  Lowering the prices was not going to help.   I wondered about Saturday but still had high hopes.  However none of us brought more stuff on Saturday.  That was the smartest thing we did all weekend, we didn't have to drag more stuff home again.  Well Saturday started out better.  There was a few more buyers.  And I did sell something soon after arriving.  But still sales were few and far between.  Seriously people just walked by never really looking and so many buyers skipped sections and never even walked through the whole thing.  This place was an old gym so it was sorta big.  Notice how we know this because we had so much time to people watch..  Seriously that was all there was to do and it was like you looked at everyone.

Jim came around about 1 on Saturday looking for his money for the spots.  First thing he says is I hope today is better then yesterday..  Um like yeah but no where near made our money back for the spaces.  He says to me there is only so much he can do.  UMMMM  you didn't do everything I started telling him that he didn't update the ad on Craigslist, the times were wrong on Craigslist, the website and the building..  he cuts me off and says It's nice that you could come and walked away.  I wish I wouldn't have paid him.  He didn't say I'm sorry what can I do to have you come back.. Give us money back or a free day next week..  nothing.  My guess is after next weekend there won't be many sellers.  So many of the sellers paid for the month so they plan on staying..  For their final weekend.  I think it's silly because there are days they admit to selling nothing.  Some of these sellers are driving 2 hours to get there and 2 hours home again.  The gas and time is nowhere near getting paid for.  Cut your losses people.  The few customers that do buy are not going to come back to the same sellers every weekend with the same stock.. Which it is because nothing sells there and there is no room for anything new!

Our weekend total was $76.50..  Our 2 spots together were $85 for the weekend.  So we packed up a 3:00 because I counted 3 people in the build that weren't sellers.  Seriously!!!  We did not go back for Sunday.  We had plenty of time to talk to other sellers and there were sellers last Sunday that made nothing.  We couldn't afford our time to sit there for nothing again.  Hey the next day my ass hurt.. first thought yup I sat way to long but then again the pain might because I got scr**ed!

It's been a while

This is what I did on Saturday

Stride for Breast Cancer Walk at Lambeau field.

This is our team.  It is made up of mostly my inlaws.  My sister inlaw was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer 2 months ago. It was a fun day even though is was very windy.  The back ground the photo is Lambeau Field where the Packers play!

Friday my basement had 2 inches of water in it because our sump pump stopped working and we didn't know it.  I lost some of my inventory.  Most items that weren't listed  yet.  I lost all my huge boxes I was going to use for my Christmas blowmolds.  I was saving them all year long because they huge boxes are hard to find.  Grr!!

My desk top is in the shop now for 2 weeks.  So all my photos and favorites...  oh everything is on that computer.  So it's really hard for me to blog, list on ebay and in my store.  I called today and the person working on it has been very busy with work and she has no time to figure out what the trouble it.  So I'm missing it like you wouldn't believe.  

The weekend before last Mom and I sold at the flea market.  We made half of what we did the last time.  I don't know why.  

The weekend before that I part of my aunts annual rummage sale.  I did really well, sold alot of stuff.  

The weekend before that we were at Jefferson for the carshow and swap meet.  

The weekends for Jefferson and the rummage sale was cold and raining.  The weekend for the flea market was warm, almost 80 degrees.  It wind started last Friday and it's still windy...  it's strange weather that doesn't seem to go away.

My calendar seems a little clearer... except for Halloween.  So I'm hoping I can get back to my blogging routine...  Still wish I had my desk top back... oh well

Sunday Flea Market

On Sunday Mom, my Aunt & Uncle and I sold at the Flea Market.  We did really well.  I met my $ goal I had in mind.  We are going to do it again in October after we have our Rummage Sale.  Here's some photos of our set up.

American Pickers Season One

This is what we have been watching on TV

My family can really relate to this show.  As we go to swap meets, flea markets and rummage sales every chance we get.  Plus we have collector cars and go to many car shows.    Everyone in the house is watching and commenting on what they are doing wrong as they travel the US picking other people stuff.  I keep reminding everyone that this show is edited for entertainment and is far from reality.  It's cute even my 14 year old daughter has opinions on this show.

I borrowed this DVD set from the library.

Flea Market

Man I forgot to take pictures!!  

The flea market yesterday was good.  There weren't as many vendors as I would have liked, there was about 20.  There were many shoppers though.  My aunt and uncle did way better then mom and I money wise, but we were happy with our first time.  I think we will do it again.  But when I'm not sure.  I sold lots of my extra health and beauty aids and things that have been in my store a long time.  We decided on a time for our rummage sale, which will be the middle of September.  I will have a lot of stuff again, I can't wait!!  

I learned a few things, first and most important there are more men at Flea Markets then rummage sales, so I have to bring more things that men would be interested in.  And another important thing I would do next time is have a table that corrals all the dollar items and make a large sign that says $1 dollar table.  My aunt and uncle did that and that just drew people to that table and they stayed around to browse.  However our $1 stuff they just passed over because they were mixed in with other goodies... 

I'm sure there are other things to learn but that will be for next time!!

Flea Market in Crivitz Wi

Tomorrow I'm suppose to go to a Flea Market in Crivitz WI, I have never been there before.  We are just going to go as shoppers.  Crivitz is a hour and half away.  The weatherman say we might have another big storm.  Storms lately have been a normal.  We usually have 3 inches of rain all of July well we have had 16 inches so far.  We have broken the record days ago.  Anyway since we are suppose to have a storm tomorrow we are postponing the trip until next week Thursday.  So I planned to go rummage saling as I normally do on Thursday.  So I sat down to make my plan and there a barely any sales.  My guess the daily storms and the heat are stopping people from having sales.  Oh yeah we have had lots of humidity along with high 80 degree days.  I love the heat but the humidity is trying.  The ground is so wet the cucumbers are rotting on the vine.  When I pull the beets the hole where the beets came out of fills with water.  I don't know if we will have any carrots if this keeps up because they will rot in the ground before they get eating size.  I'm wondering if this keeps up we will have pumpkins in fall....   This Sunday is the Flea Market in Appleton which Mom, my aunt, uncle and I will be vendors.  I have just about every thing packed.  Mom is still working on hers.  I'm getting more exciting by the day.  I sure hope that we don't get any storms that day.