Setting up your first market stall is an exciting milestone for any small business owner—but it can also feel overwhelming. From choosing the right display to handling sales, there’s a lot to think about. But with smart preparation, you can boost sales, attract customers, and make the most of your market day.
When I started Awe Kids, I jumped into markets headfirst, learning through trial and error. Looking back, I spent money on unnecessary things and figured out what worked the hard way. So, to help you avoid those mistakes, I’m sharing 10 must-know tips to ensure your first market stall is a success. Let’s dive in!
1) Set Clear Market Goals: Know What Success Looks Like
Your first instinct might be to sell as much as possible, but markets offer more than just sales—they’re also great for networking, brand awareness, and customer feedback. Setting market targets will help you focus and give you direction on what to spend more on.
Instead of setting one big goal, try breaking it down into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels:
- Bronze: Your minimum target (e.g., covering stall costs)
- Silver: A realistic success point (e.g., X number of sales or mailing list sign-ups)
- Gold: A strong success point (e.g., X revenue or returning customers)
- Platinum: Your dream outcome (e.g., a wholesale deal or viral exposure!)
Awesome Tip:
If your goal is brand awareness, focus on speaking to X number of people about your story and encouraging mailing list sign-ups.
2) Market Stall Pricing: Know Your Numbers & Stay Profitable
You hear it on Dragon’s Den and The Apprentice all the time—know your numbers! Many new stallholders underprice their products or panic discount when sales are slow. Don’t do that! Instead:
- Calculate your break-even point (stall fees, materials, transport, etc.).
- Set prices that reflect your value—your work deserves to be profitable!
- Align your pricing with your website but offer a small in-person discount as an incentive.
Awesome Tip:
When pricing, don’t just think about covering costs—think about paying yourself too!
3) Budget Smart: Don’t Overspend on or at the market!
It is very tempting to want to go all out on your stall table setup on day 1 - this is ok, as long as you can afford to do so. But usually what happens is you may not know what works best or not, so it’s better to create a budget and prioritise essentials, adding on nice extras as you do more markets.
But something less obvious when it comes to budgeting for the day is forgetting that not only do you have an incredible product, so does everyone else! It’s very easy to end up selling in a market full of all the things you want sooo - BUDGET IN ADVANCE. I’ve personally ended up with at least 1 pair of earrings for every market I’ve done. Make a plan before those adorable hair accessories or tantalising food stalls have you tapping away. I personally choose not to buy anything over a certain amount until I’ve met a pre-planned threshold of sales. But also, don’t fall into the expectation that anyone must buy something from you because you bought from them.
Awesome Tip:
Create a wishlist of future stall upgrades (e.g., a branded tablecloth, new signage) and use your profits to reinvest gradually.
4) Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse Your Market stall Set-Up
Practicing your setup at home can save you stress on the day. If possible, use the same table size as your market stall. It may even be worth investing in a foldable trestle table as some fairs charge extra to supply you one. You can then take a picture of it to help remind you of what it looked like and send it to anyone helping on the day. Even better, take a photo each time you set up for a different market, changing the set up slightly. Doing this for the first few as you play around to see what works will help you notice what drew attention more and which set ups worked better for where.
Awesome tip:
Practice making a sale to see how much room you have allowed yourself for packing the products, taking payment and any marketing materials you want to hand out.
5) Timing is Everything: Master Your Set-Up & Pack-Down Routine
Knowing exactly how long your setup takes makes market day way less stressful.
- Time yourself setting up and packing down at home.
- Some venues have strict time limits—be ready to pack efficiently.
- Store items in numbered boxes to speed up setup (e.g., Box 1 = tablecloth, Box 2 = display stands, etc.).
Awesome Tip:
Pack a “last-minute” box with essential extras like scissors, tape, pens, and an emergency snack!
6) Market Research: Learn from Other Vendors & Stand Out
If you can, attend earlier events by the same organiser to see how they are set up and what vibe the market has. Look at other brands selling, especially ones that have products in your category, and see what they do and how they set up. This is a good way to get ideas for your stall whilst also getting validation for ideas you already had.
Awesome Tip:
Follow other vendors on Instagram beforehand—you might make valuable connections!
7) Pack the Night Before: Avoid Market-Day Chaos
Get everything readily packed at the door, saving you time on the day of. The one day I didn’t do this, I ended up forgetting a key part of my clothing rail. It’s also meant that on the days it’s done already, I can sleep in a little longer. Unless you can guarantee safety, avoid leaving valuable stock in a vehicle overnight.
Awesome Tip:
You could also create a checklist to ensure you have everything you need to bring and tick off when packing, reducing the chance of leaving things behind. Future you will thank you!
8) Rally Your People: DM Friends for Support on Market Day
Markets can be super busy or painfully quiet, and having familiar faces around helps a lot!
- Ask a friend or family member to drop by—even if they’re just moral support.
- They can watch your stall for 5 minutes if you need a break.
- A busy-looking stall attracts more people!
Awesome Tip:
Having a friend nearby also gives you someone to take candid photos for your socials!
9) Track Your Progress: Find a Simple Way to Record Data
Markets are a goldmine for business insights—but only if you track them!
- Record cash & card sales (so you don’t lose track).
- Keep notes on customer feedback & bestsellers.
- Collect email sign-ups for future promotions.
Awesome Tip:
Ask visitors open-ended questions like:
“What do you think of this color?”
“Would you buy this for yourself or as a gift?”
Then, note their responses—they’ll help refine your offering!
10. Have Fun: Enjoy the Market Experience!
Your first market is a learning experience—embrace it, mistakes and all!
- Interact with customers and enjoy the moment.
- Don’t take slow periods personally—use them to network - i usually bounce around other vendor's stalls to check in
- Celebrate small wins (first sale, great feedback, etc.).
Awesome Tip:
Plan a reward for yourself after the market—whether it’s a nice meal or a long nap!
Final Thoughts
Remember, your first market is a learning experience. My first was an outdoor stall in East London, where I learned how much work I needed to do on my sales pitch. But I got so much feedback and met amazing vendors that happily shared their experiences and welcomed me into new communities of vendors that support each other. So enjoy the process!
Which of these tips was most helpful? Let me know in the comments!
Got any market experiences to share? I’d love to hear them!