I guess you have some clothes and things that are too good to get rid of, like that purchase you made a mistake with online, or something you just bought but doesn’t look good on you.
Her Wardrobe Markets are running flea markets on the Gold Coast where you can sell clothes that you no longer wear.
Anyone can run a stall, you just have to pay the stall fee, so you can sell any clothes, shoes, handbags, and accessories you don’t need anymore.
Most of the things people sell are for women, so the market venues are always packed with lots of women.
I like going to these markets to hunt for and find a bargain. And so far, I have run a stall 5 times.
They regularly run markets in other cities in Queensland, like Brisbane and the Sunshine Coasts, not just the Gold Coast.
They use community centers and elementary schools for the markets.
The market organizers post market dates and venues on their website and notify you by social media, and then anyone who wants to run a stall buys a Sellers Ticket for the stall on the website.
The ticket prices differ slightly depending on the market location and venue, but an indoor stall about 3 m x 3 m costs about $65, and an outdoor one costs $55. The stall fee isn’t that cheap, so mostly people share a stall with a friend or a family member.
I always go halves on the stall fee with a friend.
The organizers will put you next to a friend if you let them know in advance, so at a venue where I ran a stall in the past, I was one of 6 people in all running 3 adjoining stalls.
The markets usually go from 8 in the morning to about 1 in the afternoon.
They send you an email with all the details about the market day, from when to arrive and what to bring, to the nitty-gritty things to beware of, so that first-timers know too.
It’s a lo---ng email with things like, you absolutely must not pack up before 1:01 pm, let as many people know about your stall beforehand on social media, bring things like flowers and candy to decorate your stall, greet the people who approach your stall with a smile and say hello, and so on and so forth.
They are very much events for women and feel just like a girls’ school club activity (LOL).
By the way, it’s OK for you to decide however you like the prices on the things you sell, but everyone comes to the markets looking for a bargain, something cheap, so expensive items tend not to sell, unless they are really worth it. So, the market prices probably range from $2 to $3 for cheap items to $50 or $80 at most. I have sold a genuine leather jacket for $80 in the past, but I think that is the highest price so far. Most of the things I have sold have been in the $15 to $20-range.
The age groups are very broad too, from young girls in junior high school to older women in their 60s or 70s. One of the good things about Australia is that everyone just wears whatever they want to, because there aren’t those weird restrictions, like worrying about what other people will think if they see you in this or that, or not being able to wear a style of clothes once you’ve passed a certain age. The Gold Coast is warm and it’s by the sea, so beach-resort fashion is popular. It’s very free and open. Even older women wear mini dresses and sleeveless dresses. Plus, everyone’s friendly, so you can enjoy conversations with women you don’t know, which is one of the real pleasures of these markets.
Some stallholders set up a change room, but most don’t, so anyone who wants to try something on will ask “Can I go and try it on in the restroom?” I guess most stallholders would say, “Yeah sure!” I have never heard of anyone running off with the clothes, so stallholders trust that the person will come back after trying the item on. There are even some women who don’t mind at all about getting undressed on the spot without hiding. “It’s all women, so it’s OK, right!” some say. There is a very Australian feel to this sort of thing, which I like.
The weather forecast was rain on the day of the market, but miraculously, it didn’t rain.
The weather was beautiful, but as for the bottom line, sales were $270. That’s a little less than the results for previous stalls, but I managed to declutter and make some extra cash, so it was two birds with one stone. Still, it takes quite a bit of time to prepare for each of these markets, so I think if I run 3 stalls a year that’s enough.
It makes me happy when someone buys clothes that don’t suit me at all, but that suit them really well. And I’m sure the clothes are happy too. The seller and the buyer are particularly happy when their shoe sizes match exactly. Some of the customers also tell me that they like my dress sense and there are some who remember when I ran a stall before. The markets are happy occasions with a lot of joyous feelings.
This market was held on the field of an elementary school.
There was a coffee van, so customers can have a coffee while shopping.
This is what a stall with a gazebo looks like. You bring everything including the gazebo, table, and racks.
The photo at left is the stall I and a friend ran. For the last hour we put everything on sale for half price (LOL).
The right-hand photo is a stall selling vintage clothes.
