Kitchenware market stall

Market shoppers, home cooks, gift buyers and people looking for practical items at fair prices.

Stock bought at trade prices and sold at a mark-up. Demos of popular gadgets can help sales, and busy seasons like Christmas can be stronger.

• Selling face to face
• Product demonstrations
• Handling cash and card payments
• Organising stock and loading a vehicle

• Market pitches and street trading may need permission or a licence from the council, so check locally
• Public liability insurance, often required by market organisers
• Weather, early starts and lifting stock
• Selling knives often has age checks, check the rules before stocking them
• Electrical items may carry extra safety and labelling duties, check with Trading Standards
• Storing stock and a vehicle to carry it

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on your stock, stall equipment, and the vehicle or storage you need to carry it.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many markets you trade at, your pitch, the weather and what you stock. This is revenue before stock and pitch costs.

Check whether market pitches or street trading need permission or a licence from your council. Market organisers often require public liability insurance. Also check age checks for selling knives and extra safety and labelling duties for electrical items with Trading Standards.