A flea market or swap meet is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously owned second-hand goods.
However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' and 'casual' markets [ 3 ] which divides a fixed-style market formal with long-term leases and a seasonal-style market with short-term leases.
Consistently, there tends to be an emphasis on sustainable consumption [ citation needed ] whereby items such as used goods , collectibles , antiques and vintage clothing can be purchased, in an effort to combat climate change [ citation needed ] and fast fashion. Flea market vending is distinguished from street vending in that the market alone, and not any other public attraction, brings in buyers.
There are a variety of vendors: some part-time who consider their work at flea markets a hobby due to their possession of an alternative job; full-time vendors who dedicate all their time to their stalls and collection of merchandise and rely solely on the profits made at the market. In the United States, the National Association of Flea Markets was established in , which provides various resources for sellers, suppliers and buyers and also provides a means for suppliers and sellers to communicate and form affiliations.
While the concept has existed for millennia, the origins of the term flea market are disputed. The traditional and most-publicized story is in the article "What Is a Flea Market? The second story appeared in the book Flea Markets , published in Europe by Chartwell Books, reading in its introduction:.
