Wolff's Flea Market Blog

C - Canopy Weights A - Are N - Not O - Optional P - Please Y - You need to be safe ! Vendors, this post is for you. With hot weather upon us, many of you will choose to bring a canopy to shield you and your merchandise from the sun. It is very important that when setting up your booth for the day that the first tasks you attend to are your CANOPY & UMBRELLA WEIGHTS. We understand you are eager to unpack your merchandise, but if you are using a canopy, the first priority is safety. Do not leave your weights in your vehicle "to set up later". You may get busy and forget. Wind and wind gusts are an inherent part of of being outside and can occur at any time. Early in the day, the air may seem calm, but being in a wide open space, wind gusts can occur. As the day progresses, air currents from overhead planes and other weather conditions can also cause windy conditions. Occasionally we may require canopies to be taken down due to weathe...

COUNTERFEITS FAQ QUESTIONS & ANSWERS We are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. Information here is gathered from our experience and ongoing research. Counterfeits are not allowed at Wolff's Flea Market.  Vendors are responsible for monitoring their own merchandise. More Questions?     Call or text 847-524-9590     wolffs.com   Originally published May 2015 Edited 11/17/16, 3/7/2017, 5/5/18, 2/19/2020, 4/4/2023, 3/9/2025, 8/9/25, 8/1/26 WHAT IS A COUNTERFEIT?  Counterfeit products are illegal fake copies of real products.  People knowingly or unknowingly buy or sell counterfeits. Other related terms: fake, dupe, copy, replica, forgery, knock-off, bootleg, pirated, unlicensed, trademark infringement, trademark dilution, look-alike.                                                IS THERE A LAW?   The L...

Originally published August 2017. Updated October 2021, October 2022 What is your policy on Offensive Merchandise? Wolff's Flea Market has never allowed the sale of prejudicial or offensive merchandise.  Recently, we have found the need to become more specific in what we qualify as offensive. We realize some patrons might not agree with our decision, but as a family business, we feel confident that we are making the correct choice for our market. We reserve this right to make this decision. While we know some people consider WWII items to be collectible rather than offensive, we ban the sales and display of both current and older historical Nazi related merchandise. This includes but is not limited to items bearing a variety of symbols and insignia that were present in WWII Nazi Germany, such as flags, ribbons, pins, jewelry, etc. We also do not allow the sales or display of new or historical Confederate merchandise (including, but not limited to flags, stickers, l...

Original post 9/28/11. Revised 1/12,  2/6/12, 9/10/12, 1/27/13, 7/6/17, 3/19/2021, 8/9/25, 6/20/26 Please go to wolffs.com for the most updated information Wolff's Flea Market is vigilant about inspecting merchandise at every booth, every week. If we talked to you last week or 2 weeks ago, we may talk to you again this week about the same or different items you are selling.  Please realize we mean no disrespect to you, nor are we singling you out from other vendors. It is our job to ensure that the merchandise offered at Wolff's Flea Market is in accordance to our rules, Rosemont rules, and state and federal laws. So please, if you see a staff person lingering over an item on your table, or if you are questioned about your merchandise, do not take offense. We try to speak respectfully to you, and hope you can return the favor. When in doubt, we may ask you to remove a certain type of merchandise, or even request receipts from you. Did you know? Sometimes we just study your ...

This article  by Meaghan Brophy was published  in Flea Market Zone on March 21, 2016.   Balancing the Safety of your Business and the Demand for Trendy Goods March 21, 2016  by  mbrophy        Filed under  Flea Market & Swap Meet News http://fleamarketzone.com/2016/03/balancing-the-safety-of-your-business-and-the-demand-for-trendy-goods/ By Meaghan Brophy As a vendor, staying on top of the trends and providing in-demand products for your customers is the name of your game. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that just because an item is popular, does not mean it is safe. There have been rising reports of hoverboards catching fire and exploding. There have also been recent reports of United States Customs and Border Protection seizing entire shipments and warehouses full of hoverboards because of their fake trademarks and unauthorized batteries. In addition to larger retailers such as Amazon and Target pulling hover...

One of the cheapest ways to make a counterfeit purse is to simply take a no-name "blank" purse and add a designer sticker or metal emblem. So obvious, so fake, so illegal. We don't allow counterfeit purses of any level at Wolff's Flea Market, and this educational post should not be construed as instructions on how to make a counterfeit purse. Don't do it. Images and links shown for purposes of discussion and education. People are arrested and imprisoned for this crime! This happened at flea markets and supports our policy of not allowing certain brands of merchandise at our markets F ive Busted for Selling Counterfeit Merchandise at Flea Market : http://wreg.com/2015/03/22/five-busted-for-selling-counterfeit-merchandise-at-flea-market/ Prosecutors Say Pagedale Flea market Owner Trafficked in Counterfeit Goods : "Purses were delivered either with counterfeit labels attached or with a generic label that a vendor replaced, again in the market’s open...

When purchasing new name brand items, look for appropriate and proper packaging that indicate that the item is authentic. Note the differences between authentic retail packaging and improper/counterfeit or blank packaging on the right of each section.  Authentic packaging includes at least: Licensing information Company address/contact info Company website Company logo Company font  Product and model information UPC Codes Beware of items that are priced cheaply and come in generic cello or blank packaging. The contents of such packaging is usually counterfeit. Images used for purposes of discussion and education. Photos: SW

Why do we stroll by your booth, grab a few items, turn them inside out, nod and walk away? We are inspecting branded and licensed merchandise to make sure it is legit. But we also need to study authentic products to educate ourselves on proper labels, packaging, quality and tags. We do this in retail stores, too! One can often (but not always-which would make the job too easy) discern legitimacy by merely looking at sewn labels. Brands prominently identify their products with their names, logos and other details on well-sewn or applied tags. They do not use generic sewn tags. Period. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: NEW ERA HAT, NORTH FACE DENALI JACKET, ADIDAS MEXICO HOME SOCCER JERSEY Of course, some counterfeiters attempt to replicate the real labels, but they often don't seem to get it right.

First Published on fleamarketzone.com and Merchandiser Magazine http://fleamarketzone.com/2015/01/buy-safely-sell-safely-avoiding-counterfeit-merchandise/ Buy Safely, Sell Safely: Avoiding Counterfeit Merchandise January 26, 2015  by  publisher Filed under  Featured ,  How-To Zone Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on pinterest_share Share on linkedin By Sharon Wolff, Media and Merchandise Consultant to Wolff’s Flea Market Note : We recognize the  Merchandiser Magazines  commitment as a reliable source for wholesaler connections. Information in this article reflects experiences, conclusions, logic, hunches and opinions of Wolff’s Flea Market. It is not intended to be legal advice. We are not lawyers or trademark experts. Ongoing research is collected from a variety of sources. Trademarks and brand names mentioned in this article are depicted for purposes of education, example and discussion and belong to individual holders. The s...

TROPICANA HOTEL, LAS VEGAS FEBRUARY 4-6, 2013 Wolff's 2013 NFMA Conference Crew Wolff's Flea Market is a member of the National Flea Market Association (NFMA) . This organization "exists to serve the public interest and to benefit the flea market industry by fostering high standards of business conduct which merits public trust". ( http://www.fleamarkets.org/ ) Trademark Panel Discussion This annual conference is open to the owners, managers and staff of flea markets across America. The conference includes two days of educational sessions led by professionals and market representatives. We were all able to glean information useful to our businesses regarding social media,  customer relations,  advertising, networking and more. It is a  wonderful venue for us to share expertise and experiences. We can always learn from each other! Read more about the NFMA HERE Flea market lovers can also follow the NFMA facebook fan page HERE This...