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Smart Strategies to Get the Biggest Bargains at Flea Markets

The best thing about shopping at a flea market is the ability to talk dealers down on their prices. Many dealers do not set their prices in stone, only as a bargaining tactic. Read on to find out how to get the biggest bargain when you visit the next flea market.

Arriving early at the flea market ensures that you will have the first view of the wares. Arriving early is also a great way to save money. Many dealers remain at the flea markets until their wares are sold or the market closes - whichever comes first. If you can get to the flea market early, you may be able to bargain on an item you like.

Just as arriving early can benefit you, so can arriving late in some instances. If you visit the flea market late, you will see that most dealers are trying harder to push their wares before the market closes. You are likely to be able to negotiate smarter if a dealer is desperate to make money.

Dressing casually can actually help you to bargain better. If you visit a flea market dressed up in your professional clothes or dressy clothes, you will find that many dealers will see dollar signs and try to take advantage of you. Dressing casually will help prevent this. Dealers will see you as a regular customer and be more willing to bargain.

Haggling is a method of talking a dealer down from their listed prices. Most of the time, listed prices are an introduction to bargaining - not necessarily what a dealer expects to get for an item. Try your hand at negotiating. If you are not very good at it, bring along a friend or family member who is.

If you look too interested in a product, you will probably find that the dealer is not willing to relent on price or will only knock off a dollar or two. Feigning disinterest is a proven tactic to getting a dealer to lower his or her prices. By pretending you could do without the item, even if you are secretly coveting it, you open the doors to communication and therefore negotiation.

Visiting a flea market promises to bring some good deals, if you know where to look and how to bargain. Keep in mind when you visit a flea market that typically the list prices are not what the dealer expects to get for the item. This will open the doors to negotiations and bring you, hopefully, a great score.