Flea Markets in a Digital Era: Entrepreneur and Consumer Viewpoints Toward the Marketing Mix

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to address a deficiency in the marketing and entrepreneurship literature regarding the viewpoints of flea market entrepreneurial vendors and consumers toward elements of the marketing mix. Such markets are a prominent element of the retail structure in many geographic areas of the United States and abroad and have retained their popularity and relevance in an age of digitized e-commerce and recent trends in decluttering and downsizing. Surveys of both vendors and consumers were conducted at large flea markets in the southeastern U.S. The surveys were conducted using the personally-delivered self-report method. The response rates were representative of both flea market entrepreneurial vendors and consumers. The SPSS statistical package was utilized to analyze the data empirically. Frequency distributions revealed a significant level of agreement between vendors and consumers regarding the marketing mix elements and the target market. Moreover, crosstabulations with chi-square statistics were the most revealing analyses regarding specific demographics and other variables. Each group appeared to be relatively satisfied with the product offerings, prices, and other experiences at flea markets. However, some dissatisfaction was shared by both vendors and customers with the promotion and effectiveness of facilities. This study has broad application to both marketing and retailing disciplines, given the advent of e-commerce and the need for flea markets to remain relevant in the digital era, both in the U.S. and overseas. This study offers value by surveying and comparing entrepreneurial vendors and consumers. This study may also assist merchants in diverse industries by offering insights into the habits and mindsets of customers who frequent flea markets.