Selling in Brimfield for the Very First Time!

Many dealers in Brimfield have been setting up at the show for years. Perhaps even decades. If you are a regular Brimfield shopper you probably have at least a handful of dealers you hit up every time you come. They're in the same spot and they may have different merchandise each time but their set up remains pretty consistent.

Alternatively, there are dealers at every show who are selling there for the very first time. You may not know who they are or what went into them being there. It may not be obvious that it's their first time. But chances are good that setting up in Brimfield for the first time is a big deal to them. It's not exactly an easy show to do for a lot of reasons and there's a lot to consider.

In this post we will take a closer look at three dealers who will be selling in Brimfield for their first time at the May 2017 show.

How To Get the Best Deals in Brimfield (Without Being a Jerk)

In general, Brimfield is a fun place to be. Dealers are doing what they love and shoppers are doing what they love. Most transactions, including the haggling, go smoothly and everyone walks away happy. Shopping in Brimfield is one of my favorite things to do. I have filled my home with #brimfieldfinds (click here to see some of them). Below are some of my tips on what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do to walk away with the item you want at a fair price without ruining someone's day.

Country Bumpkin Antiques

• DO have a rough idea of what you are willing to pay and be serious about buying the item before negotiating. If the asking price isn't in the ballpark of what you are willing to pay, consider moving on or be up front about that from the beginning. As a general rule, dealers expect to come down at least 10-20% of their marked price. 

• DO act friendly and to put it as simple as possible, just be nice. It doesn't have to be a competition with a winner and a loser. They are selling an item you want to buy. How nice that you found each other! You don't have to swap life stories (although I've seen it happen) but some friendly conversation doesn't hurt.

• DO ask if they can do better on the price. There are a few ways to word this but I find that keeping it simple is best. My favorites are:

Can you do better on the price?

What's your best price on this?

Would you be willing to take x?

• DO bundle. The more you buy the happier they will be to discount.

• DO pay in cash but don't expect it to get you a better price. Most dealers only accept cash (that's starting to change but slowly) so it doesn't really sweeten the deal as much as it would in other venues.

• DO shop the last day for some good deals. This isn't a hard fast rule but generally dealers will discount something a bit more to avoid packing it up and bringing it home (especially if it's big and heavy). But don't expect them to be giving stuff away. Many dealers have stores to go back to or another show right around the corner so they aren't desperate to get rid of things. 

Anthony Rosa Modern

• DON'T offer half (or less than half) of the marked price. I've seen people recommend starting at half as a bargaining strategy. I don't recommend this. It rubs dealers the wrong way. They still might make a counter offer or they just might decide you aren't the kind of shopper they want to give an extra good price to. 

• DON'T be rude. I know I said this above, but it bears repeating: just be nice. Most Brimfield dealers are there because they are really good at what they do. A lot run reputable businesses back home and use Brimfield to make connections and shop for new merchandise. Don't assume they are all desperate for each and every sale. Waving a $20 bill in their face (I have seen this happen) is condescending and probably won't get the reaction you're hoping for.

• DON'T walk away and expect the item to be there when you return. Sometimes hesitating or walking away can work in your favor. The dealer might come down a little bit more to make the sale but you also might miss out on the item entirely. Merchandise moves fast in Brimfield, particularly early in the show so don't walk away if it's something you really want. You might not see it again. 

Traditional Marine

Finally, DO have a great time treasure hunting! See you there!

Kaitlin

If you're heading to the Brimfield Antique Show, be sure to download the FREE Brimfield Flea Finder app to help you navigate the show! Get show info, search for specific dealers and items, locate food, bathrooms, ATMs and more!

July 2016 #Brimfield Recap

The July 2016 Brimfield show is in the books. Good thing I took a lot of photos because a week and a half later all I can remember is the heat and the moths!

As far as the crowds and sales, the show was a fairly typical July show. Nothing special. Dealers with realistic (and low) expectations met them. Those expecting things to be anything like May were disappointed. I talk to hundreds of dealers during the week. When I ask about how the show is going, the typical response is a shrug and "It's July." Enough said.

Industrial Works in Brimfield

Industrial style isn't new to Brimfield. In fact it has been around for quite a while. It was there before it became as popular as it is now and it's not going away anytime soon. There has certainly been an increase in industrial dealers over the past decade and while it used to be more concentrated in some particular fields, that is no longer the case. We have some amazing industrial dealers on just about every field.

If you are into the industrial look, here are a few of our regulars that you definitely don't want to miss:

Brimfield Grub: 2016 Edition

Our family spends a lot of time in Brimfield during show weeks. I always start out with the best of intentions to make food ahead of time and bring it with us each day. That usually doesn’t last very long and we inevitably end up eating food we can buy at the show.

Of course we have our favorites. It’s no secret that we love BT’s Smokehouse. We were pretty sad when we found out Brian Treitman had decided this would be his last year in Brimfield. Over the last few years, Brian has gone from just that guy who makes amazing food to our friend who makes amazing food. We will miss having him around at the shows, but we are locals so we can eat his food all year long (and we will!).

Get the Most Out of Your Brimfield App Listing

This post is specifically for dealers who use the Brimfield Flea Finder app to connect with buyers. Our app was developed to help YOU and we want to make sure you are getting the most out of your listing and we try to make that as easy as possible! We spend a lot of our time at the show talking to dealers and giving them this information, but as our dealer base grows we can't spend as much time with all of you so here is some of our best advice on using the app to your advantage: