Antique mall booth or flea market stall

Walk-in shoppers, tourists, collectors and home decorators browsing local antique malls and markets.

The margin on each item sold. You pay monthly booth rent, and often a commission or card fee to the mall, so pricing has to cover these.

• Sourcing and negotiating on items
• Display and merchandising
• Pricing from research
• Keeping simple records

• Check your state's sales tax permit rules; some malls collect it for you and some do not
• Check whether your city or county requires a business license or secondhand dealer registration
• Booth rent is due whether or not you sell, so start small and read the lease terms
• Theft and damage can happen, so ask what the mall covers and consider your own insurance
• Flea market vendors should check for stall fees, weather risks and insurance requirements

Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on booth size, how much stock you buy and your display needs. Booth rent is due whether or not you sell, so starting small and reading the lease terms is wise.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on your stock, pricing, location and the hours you put in. Treat these as estimates, not guarantees, and remember booth rent and sourcing costs come out of that revenue.

Check your state's sales tax permit rules, since some malls collect it for you and others do not. Also check whether your city or county requires a business license or secondhand dealer registration, and ask what the mall covers for theft and damage.