Wolff's Flea Market Blog

Sharon Wolff Wolff's Flea Market Creative Media and Merchandise Consultant wolffsflea@aol.com Copyright 2014 May be used with permission and credit to this source In our ongoing quest to educate staff, vendors and customers, we keep presenting these informative photo collages. We just can't help it. Over the years, we have created enough collages to fill a book that includes information on many vulnerable brands and products. We show it off at the market as we make our rounds. This method of education proves to be very useful for all learning styles and abilities. Below are a few quick ways to distinguish between real and fake Hello Kitty products. Images and names used for purposes of education and discussion. Trademarks belong to the individual licensees. Information and conclusions presented here are based on our own experiences. We are not lawyers or trademark experts and research is ongoing. Counterfeit merchandise is not allowed at Wolff's Flea Market. Ho...

Old advertising letters By Sharon Wolff People regard Small Business Saturday as a day to honor small and family-owned businesses after mall and big store shopping on Black Friday. But we here at Wolff's Flea Market celebrate small businesses each and every day that we are open, as do other markets worldwide. WOLFF'S FLEA MARKET CHICAGO AREA FLEA MARKETS AND SWAP MEETS ARE COMPRISED OF HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES 1970's LOVE Chair What types of sellers might be found at a flea market? Families, individuals, start-up companies, small business entrepreneurs, non-profit groups, inventors, crafters, designers, junkers, senior citizens, charities, veterans, collectors, hoarders, garage salers, downsizers, empty-nesters, students, hobbyists, service providers, business owners. There are surely even more! In no particular order, here are  10 SMALL (BUSINESS) REASONS TO SHOP AT A FLEA MARKET Repurposed window art Personalized attention as vendors...

SOME OF THE ACCESSORIES IN THIS WHOLESALE DISPLAY CASE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE COUNTERFEIT BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN APPLE AND/OR SAMSUNG TRADEMARKS.  WE ARE NOT LAWYERS OR TRADEMARK EXPERTS. WE CONDUCT ONGOING RESEARCH ON MANY PRODUCTS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON ALLOWABLE MERCHANDISE. COUNTERFEIT SALES ARE NOT ALLOWED AT WOLFF'S FLEA MARKET. IMAGES SHOWN FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION AND EDUCATION AND TRADEMARKS BELONG TO THE INDIVIDUAL LICENSEES. COPYRIGHT WOLFF'S FLEA MARKET 2014

5/20/14, updated 6/23/15 This article will be updated as our research continues COUNTERFEIT In order to understand our stance on parody clothing, you first need to understand our stance on counterfeit products. It is illegal to sell new or used counterfeit merchandise. All around the country and world, FBI, Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and local authorities seize illegal counterfeit merchandise at ports of entry, flea markets, wholesalers, websites, independently owned stores, mall kiosks, people's homes, street corners... Hefty fines, lawsuits and prison time ensue. Counterfeits are strictly prohibited at our market. We are not lawyers or trademark experts, but conduct ongoing research. What may have been acceptable last week, may be banned this week. While we wish our vendors the best of sales and success, every seller is vulnerable to making a few mistakes when seeking acceptable merchandise to offer at our flea markets. Savvy sellers regular...

Hello! Thanks for visiting Wolff's Flea Market Blog, where you will find information on all things related to flea markets. Sometimes we focus on the serious side of things, like the worldwide problem of counterfeiting and sometimes we tell stories, share recipes or give how-to ideas for repurposing your flea market finds. Flea markets are launching pads for small businesses and if you don't attend regularly or haven't ever been to a flea market, it is a must! Open air markets are part of global history and you will find new items, resale, antiques, clothing, books, furniture, sports memorabilia, vinyl,  music, movies, specialty food, jewelry, junque and so much more! So, grab a friend and try a flea market! OUTDOOR MARKET Allstate Arena Parking Lot 6920 N. Mannheim Rd. Rosemont, IL 60018 Open most Sundays April through October Check wolffs.com  for schedule Find us on facebook for pure flea market joy!

By Sharon Wolff MISSPELLINGS DEFINITION :  Odd word substitutions, incorrect spelling and grammatical mistakes that appear on counterfeit labels, packaging and products. Includes: improper use of capital letters, punctuation and other outlandish or subtle mistakes.  Misspellings on licensed, trademarked products are immediate indicators of counterfeiting. In fact, if you see misspellings, just call it a day and look no further into your own Research Zone. Legitimate companies pay label makers mega bucks to get it right! How does this occur? English is not the native language or priority of counterfeit label makers. Syntax and meaning get turned around and lost when non-English fluent individuals attempt to navigate between languages in order to copy or translate printed material. Counterfeiters are also not familiar with the English alphabet, and when copying print from an authentic product may not know the difference between the letter "O" and the number zero ...

By Sharon Wolff COUNTER-FIGHTERS DICTIONARY A GUY (Alias: Buddy of Mine) Definition : The individual who sells you (the unsuspecting or uneducated vendor) a quantity of questionable, often counterfeit merchandise. His prices are too good to be true. You may recognize him from the local flea market community or he may be a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend... While we believe in the goodness of mankind, Wolff's Research Zone has concluded that A Guy is often a nameless, faceless, mysterious, intangible, sly and oddly wicked fellow. Not all Guys are bad. Some may sell you legitimate product, but be careful. The bad Guy has acquired a quantity of "too good to be true" merchandise and sells it to you for quick cash. He may realize he can't sell it himself, so he pawns it off on you. Then he disappears. He gives you no phone number for follow-up. But-we've got his number... Commonly seen items include brand name clothing, licensed sports apparel...

By Sharon Wolff, Creative Media & Merchandise Consultant, A Work in Progress Let's start a "Counter-Fighter's Dictionary"! In our ongoing quest to keep counterfeit products out of the Wolff's Flea Market bubble, we offer vendors a few tips. You can always call us with your questions at 847-524-9590 and we can try to assist you. This information is in no way complete and should not be taken as legal advice, or even as the final word. Research is ongoing. Ultimately, you will need to decide for yourself if a merchandise source is appropriate.  Give the plethora of overstock, clearance, store returns, wholesale, hoarded, found, online, discontinued, used, curbside, resale merchandise out there, how is a vendor to determine if their merchandise source is legit and appropriate to sell? Here is one of many tips we will be offering you in the upcoming months. REALISTIC AVAILABILITY   Definition: A product's source and presence makes sense in the ...