Novelty gifts at markets and pop-ups

Market visitors, families, tourists and holiday shoppers looking for fun, low-priced gifts.

You sell stock at a markup, paying a fee per market day or season. Sales cluster around holiday markets and summer events, so you can scale up or down to suit your time.

• Friendly selling face to face
• Attractive display setup
• Stock and cash handling
• Planning around event calendars

• Check each market's vendor rules and whether your municipality requires a business or vending licence
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules
• Check product safety and labelling rules for toys and children's items
• Commercial general liability insurance, which many markets require
• Outdoor markets depend on weather and winter is often quiet, so plan for seasonality
• Vehicle space and lifting, since you will carry stock and equipment

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your stock, table or booth setup and any vehicle or storage needs. Market fees are an additional cost to factor in.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $600 to $4,000, depending on how many markets you attend and what you sell. Outdoor markets depend on weather and winter is often quiet, so plan for seasonality.

Check each market's vendor rules, whether your municipality requires a business or vending licence, GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules, product safety and labelling rules for toys, and commercial general liability insurance, which many markets require.