Rain affects the flow of Businesses

Business women in Flea Markets have been affected by the past rainfalls. This has led to the drop in number of customers coming to their stands. Business women said the change of the whether affects running of their businesses (it is seen as a challenge). The whether determines what customers will buy in the day to day running of the business.

few customers in the market...pic by patie

Flea Market business women said this is a challenge but it does not mean that they are suppose to stop running their businesses. When its raining the customers are in a position to change type of clothes and other staff which they need. People start buying raincoats, umbrellas, shower caps and those water proof shoes. 

The business women said they make sure that they buy staff related to rain season time and store it until that time comes. Such staff include raincoats, umbrellas, shower caps and rubbers-shoes.

Other businesses women said the first thing they do is to check the whether before they go out for a business. This helps them to know which staff will be in the market for the day. For example, when the whether is predicted to be hot the business will be marketing hates, push-ins, summer dresses and other staff.

A business women needs to know how to market her staff  in the day to day to running of the business by looking at the whether. The business women should be in a position to know how to manage their staff and market them to the public by following the whether. It is also advisable that a business women market in flea markets which have shades to protect their staff from heavy rains.

Flea markets which do not have protected shades have been affected the most as compared to those which have shades. Such Flea Markets include Entumbane, Nkulumane and Luveve (esporweni) flea markets.

The business women in the affected areas focused much on the marketing of their staff on how one should be in a position to market her staff to the public all the time. A business women should be in a position to conquer obstacles in her business.

China staff boosting Businesses

china rubber shoes in flea markets stands

Business women in Bulawayo are now buying some of the staff in China shops around the city to sell it to the public. This helps them in their business as it reduces transport cost of going to other countries.

Women in flea market business said they are now buying staff in China shops following the fall of South African rand which has led to loss in their business.

They buy staff like rubber and plastic sandals which have been adopted by many people in Bulawayo. Chinese sandals are then piled and displayed in flea market stands so as to be sold to the people.

Business women said due to the falling of African rand their business has been affected also. They have now started buying some of the cheapest staff in China shops and then increase the price of the staff by ten percent. They said its all about knowing how to market your staff despite that you are selling staff that is already being sold in China shops in very cheap prices.

This in a way does not bring much profit to the business according to business women. They said people come to buy China staff in their stalls after they have not got what they want in china Shops. They defined it as a long process of waiting for their staff to be bought.

But, China staff real help in business flow as people like to buy cheap things. They said China staff can be sold in flea market business but as business women they do not rely much on them as most of China rubbers are not fashionable staff even though the public like to buy them and that they are very cheap.

They still rely on going out to foreign countries to buy items which are not there in Bulawayo. Their trips of going there are reduced as they have other plans of making money within the  industry.

According to business women anyone wishing to start her business should be able to come up with intelligent plans on how to keep business going. One should not be in a position to give up very easily. It only deals about knowing how to make profit despite difficulties.

Fall in SA rand affects business women

Falling of the South African rand has affected many women in flea market business. It has been difficult for business women, the so called cross boarder traders to manage their business. This has been a challenge as they use South African rand to buy their staff. They are counting the cost in lost businesses.

egodini flea market...pic by patie

The rand has been weakening over the past few months to R100 per US 7.50dollars from R100 per US 8dollars. The flea market business women said this has led to the loss of their business as they are finding it difficult to make prices for their items.


The prices in rands are now high than when pricing in dollars. For example when a dress cost US 5 dollars in rands it will be 70 rands. This has became a disadvantage to them as customers are now seeing it better to go and buy clothes at Mesuna in south Africa. This has reduced their trips to south Africa.

egodini flea market...pic by patie

Many flea market business women have been stuck with goods from their last trip as there are no buyers. This has led to them reducing the price of their items so as to meet competition and be able to finish the staff of the last trip.

The falling of South African rand is now pushing the flea market business women out of business as they have to reduce their prices for the sack of customers.

To them the weakening of the rand means rating the items in cheap prices and high competition between the Flea Market industry. This is much challenging to them. The business women find it a time to come up with their critical skills on how to survive under economic difficult situations.

Some of those stuck items in the previous trip end up being sold as old clothes at Khothama during weekends. This is another loss in the flow of a business .

10 tips to be a successful Flea Makert Vendor

Ten ways to make a successful business

Business women in Bulawayo Flea Markets say there are ways that are crucial in reaching success in a business which should not be ignored by an serious business person.A flea market vendor should interact with her customers always.

display in flea market. pic by patie 16/03/15

1. Attractive Display

One should no how to display in a way that will attract customers passing by your market. Your display    should in a way be expressing the words that you will use to attract customers passing by. The important thing is to get customers looking at your Stall. Make it colorful, but keep it simple: Vendors have to be able put up and take displays easily

2.  Your Personality

As a seller you should not scare your customers by being aggressive. One must be in a position to keep customers in a comfortable way. You should be able to make negotiations with the customers if they run away because of high prices.

3.Be nice

As a vendor you should be in a position to to make up conversations with customers. You should be friendly engage customers into conversation on subject that is not to do with your business. It may be asking hem about the whether or something else.

4.Change your display

18/03/15 pic by patie

    Always change the way you display your clothes.  Displaying in the same way all the time is so boring and does not attract customers at all. Changing the way you display make customers view the market as new each and everyday.

5.Change type of clothes

As a business woman you should be in a position to always change types of clothes you are selling. Make customers find everything new in each and every month.

Timing for Customers

Business women target the time for selling their clothes to the public. Customers are not always there on the market through out the day. Timing is very important for a business women as to make a successful business.

people buying in Egodini flea market. pic by Patient

A business women should not be tired of her business. She should be always active. The specific targeted hours are morning hours, lunch time and even late hours. People will be busy checking clothes during that time. It is the time when business women manage to make much money.

There are times when the Flea market places will be silent with only business women chatting to themselves and not to the customers. This is a sad time even though they will be chatting as know one wishes to see her business running low.

Timing customers goes together with the targeted place for a market. For example some places are very cool which symbolises a few number of people going around. A successful market is the one located where there are many people passing by.

Some of the places are always busy through out the day. For example in complexes and in town. Flea Markets in those places experience successful businesses.

A successful business woman is the one who know how to manage time and also her target place so as to avoid loss. A successful business woman is the one guided by an active business women who know her work very well.

 This also involves having your known customers so as to help your business to keep going. it also involves making good relationships with the people around the city.

Customer care is also very important in Flea Market business. This includes being kind and understanding to your customers. This also involves one knowing how to interact with different people in the market. It involves one knowing the behavior of people. People have got different character, a business women should know on how to deal with her customers.

Flea market business also involves business women and customers knowing that they have got a mutually beneficial relationship that ties them together. The business women benefit from the public and as well as the customers benefit from the work of business women as well.

Flea Markets Prices

Business focuses much on price making so as to enable one to know her profit and loss as well. Pricing clothes in Flea Market is the very issue that wonders every business women of today in Bulawayo. Pricing depends on the quality of clothes.

clothes: price labels. pic by patie

Business women consider price making as important in business because the focus is on how successful is your business. Pricing structure is used to help women manage their businesses. In Flea markets the business women are the ones who set the prices of their goods without being controlled by the government. There is no government intervention in their price making. The market sets its own prices that involves every individual in the market to follow it

The business women sit down and agree on certain price that will apply in all the flea market stalls. This is called "free market economy" type of market. 

Price labels are the guiding tags which help both the customer and business women. Price labels may be in form of cards that are written the price of certain goods and usually it is pinned to it. This help customers to be aware of ranging prices in Flea Markets.

Pricing of clothes is usually determined buy the buying stock price. Sometimes clothes may be doubled of their stock prices to help business women gain profit. For example if the stocking price of  winter boots  was R100 the selling price will be US $20 or $15 dollars depending on the negotiations.

People like buying in Flea Markets because negotiations apply. The seller is can reduce the price of her clothes or some goods with 10% or less in order to attract more customers. This in a way does not reduce profit making.

Credit usually does not apply because in most cases it is seen as contributing to profit loss. Also that people buying in Flea Markets are the people who would be on their journey and unknown buy the seller. This means that there are know buying accounts in Flea Markets like in those big shops.

What is important is that every business women in flea market should agree to certain prices set within their businesses.

Bulawayo women in business of today prefer selling their clothes in dollars even though they accept foreign currency, but their pricing currency is rated in dollars.

 

Flea Market: Goes with Fashion

Business women of today deal with the ways of making profit. They are much concerned with making profit on daily basis. The flea marketing industry is full of people who rely on business for their survival. The competition is very high. Every individual is a competent of each other. They are there for business which is characterised by high rate of competition
.

fashion shoes for weekend. pic by Patie

The business women of today focus much on bringing new fashion to the public as they are working under competition. Business women in City centre Flea Market along 10th Ave in Bulawayo said its all about bringing new fashion to the industry so that the business goes in a fast rate.

Fashion is changing each and everyday. People buy whats new everyday. The more you bring new things to the industry the faster the speed of your business. The business women compete by bringing whats new in the industry.

fashion shoes. pic by Patie

The business women said push ins are now the shoe fashion wanted by everyone. The push ins have brought competition to the industry this weekend. Many women come to the flea market to get those shoes that are on market. The shoes are just in demand. They make the business go fast.

The competition in Flea markets is high but business women help each other by having the same prices for each iterm so that others who may have high prices may not run shortage of customers and also that those with low prices may not run in profit loss.

For example, they can set a price of  US$5 for fashion shoes which are of the same quality.

Business women: Pumula Old

business women at Pumula old terminus

Starting your flea market business is easy and very affordable. Many women have managed to start their own businesses. Its all about knowing your goals towards business making. 

A flea market business can be started with a small amount. Skills of business management are required for one to start a business.

customers viewing displayed cloths

pic by patie. business women

Business women, running small businesses at Pumula old terminus said one does not need large amount t start a business.


According to business women US$500 is enough for one to start a business. They said one should know her goals before starting a flea market business.

It should be within an individual interests to start and manage a business.

Flea markets are an increasing popular feature among Bulawayo women. It is ideal for retired and employed people who want to enjoy an interesting and sociably way to make an income.

Setting up a business in flea market is relatively simply as long as you take time to identify a well-attended, well run up flea market where you are more likely to have a high volume of business.

Business women said they are targeting people at the terminus where many people come to board their Kombis.

They said that it is important for one to know her target area so as to avoid loss in business management.

Business women at Pumula old Terminus said their business is much manageable but the space they are operating in is not appealing to customers. The area is dusty.

Flea markets should be  more appealing to customers so that they feel comfortable when viewing displayed clothes. They said their area is not that attractive to customers.

"Greener pastures for women in Flea Markets"

The purpose of a business is to gain profit. Where there is no profit  there is no business. Women of today struggle to make profits through their Flea Market Businesses.

Flea Markets are empty without any customers going around. If you can be lucky, you can be able to count few customers going around all the stalls. One may wonder why then do we still have those business women sitting under their small Sheds without addressing any customer.

City Centre flea market .pic by Patie

Busy selling hours has been turned to chatting hours. Its not what they wish to do, but the situation forces them to watch each other as there will be no customers.

Business women said there is always a plan under each difficult situation. They said managing business through other countries currency has helped them a lot.

They can buy clothes in south Africa using rands and then be able to sell their clothes in dollar. This enable them to make profit.

City Centre Flea market opposite passport office. Picture
by Patient I Sibanda.

They said for example when you buy clothes in stock in South Africa for 1000 rands you can be able to make a profit of US $150.

Buying in stock with foreign currency is not the only means to survive. The business women have became what we call "osiphatheleni" foreign currency dealers. They have started other small businesses within Flea Market business. Though they know its against the law they do it knowing  that they wont be caught.

Entumbane Flea Market

entumbane flee market....photo by Patient I Sibanda

Economic challenges have affected the business of women in flea markets .Businesses have been running low during weekends.

Business Women feel the pain of seeing their businesses falling each and everyday. The business is no longer the same. This weekend, business women at Entumbane Flea Market faced low running of their business despite that it was month end.

entumbane flea market Photo by Patient I Sibanda

They said there is nothing they can do to keep their business going since all people are being affected by economic meltdown.

One of the business women at Entumbane flea market said there is nothing they can do but just to seat down under their stalls and wait for the sunset.

During weekends they are expecting customers to come in large numbers as they will be off work. But this came to be opposite as few people came to view their displayed clothes and not buying anything.This causes stress to them as they will be thinking about how will they survive if people dont buy their staff.

Entumbane Flea market used to have many buyers and the business people used to go and buy staff from foreign countries weekly. This have changed as business women  now go to foreign countries monthly or after their all of their staff have been bought.

Some of the staff spend three months without being bought. In this case the women in business find themselves reducing the price of those clothes. This has an effect in business management. The business may face too much loss.

However, some business women said its all about bring new fashion to the industry so that people can adopt it. They said despite challenges they can manage their business as long as they bring what is new everyday. They quoted that ladies are easily attracted by new fashion and that they dont want anything to skip them.

Business women said, they dont have any plan concerning collapsing economy, but to come up with skills for keeping their business going under difficult circumstances.