You are Canadian and would like to go to Florida and work the Flea Markets How would you go about doing it?

Answer 1

If I were you, once I get into the U.S. I would find merchandise to sell at flea markets. Finding brand new goods at the lowest cost will mean more profit for you, so wholesalers would be the way to go. Some import companies require a resale number before letting you buy from them, but most do not.

But how do you get the merchandise delivered to you without a U.S. address?

Answer: UPS terminals have Customer Counters. This is where someone would go to send a package via UPS. But it works the other way, too. You can have someone send a package to you at the UPS Customer Counter! Here's how to do it:

Before you order merchandise, you need an address for them to send it to. To obtain the address for the UPS Customer Counter in your U.S. city, go to UPS.com, select your location (United States) and click on the blue arrow.

On the very next page, look on the lower left side of the page, under Quick Links and click on Find Locations.

On the next page, enter just the City and State in the appropriate boxes, then scroll down and UNCHECK everything in the blue text except UPS Customer Centers, then click on 'Find' (bottom right of the gray area).

The very next page will bring up the complete address for the UPS Customer Counter. Now you can call and order merchandise. Just be sure you tell them to address it to your name, UPS Hold For Pickup, and then give them the UPS Customer Counter address.

UPS Hold For Pickup means UPS will hold your package at the Customer Counter for five business days (from the day it arrives) and you go there, show your ID and pick up your package. Just walk in and tell them you are there to pick up a package for (your name), sent Hold For Pickup to this Customer Counter Address and they'll check their computer and get it for you.

To find out how to get to UPS to pick up my package, I enter the UPS address in mapquest website and see it on a map.

I've used UPS Hold For Pickup for years without a single problem.

Just as in Canada, the U.S. government wants us to pay taxes to them. I don't know the legalities concerning foreign visitor work permits and the like for the U.S., but I can tell you that more than 75% of all flea market vendors do not collect or forward sales taxes to the state. They sell every weekend for years and years and never have a resale or tax permit. It is extremely rare for a flea market to ask if you even have a tax permit. They don't care, they just want your space rent.

State tax offices do have inspectors who visit flea markets from time to time, checking for tax permits and the like, but those departments do not have the funding to send inspectors out very often. Chances of your path crossing theirs is slim to none and Slim just left town.

Many flea markets have tables available for vendors at no extra cost other than the space rent but you'd be well advised to bring your own just in case. Card tables with folding legs do the trick if your items are not very heavy.

Selling at flea markets is one of the easiest and lowest-cost businesses to start. It's a great way to make money 'on the road.