Selling at Markets and Taking Pre-orders

Take pre-orders for collection at the stall

A few days before a market, post what you are bringing and invite pre-orders for collection. Buyers order from your shop and choose pickup, and you bring their order bagged and named.

In Little Stall, turn on pickup in your shop settings and say in your shop description which market, day and time to collect. Pre-orders show up with your other orders, so you can pack them the night before.

Keep stock straight between the stall and online

The quickest way to upset a buyer is to sell their pre-ordered item to someone else at the stall. Set pre-orders aside first, and only put the rest on the table.

After the market, update your stock counts in the app so your shop shows what is really left. If you would rather not sell online while you are at a market, close the shop for the day and leave a short note, like “At Matakana Market today, back online Monday”.

• Pre-orders packed and named
• Stock counts updated before you open the shop again
• Pickup times and place in your shop description
• Change and an eftpos or card option ready

Make your shop easy to find at the stall

Put your shop address on your sign, your business cards and your packaging. A printed QR code linking to your shop works well too. People who don’t buy on the day often buy that evening, once they have thought about it.

If a buyer at the stall wants a colour or size you didn’t bring, take the order on the spot: type it into the app with their email, and they get a confirmation before they have walked away.

Take payment the way buyers want to pay

At the stall, have cash, a card reader or a bank transfer option ready. For pre-orders, you can ask for payment online in advance or take it at collection. Say which in your shop description.

Little Stall records cash and transfers when you mark them paid, and card payments mark themselves paid if you connect Stripe. Either way you can see at a glance who still owes money on collection day.

Look back after each market

Check your stats after a market weekend: what sold, what was pre-ordered and what came home again. Over a few markets you will learn what to make more of, and what to leave at home.