Market Selling Case Study - Hulme Hall
I have been selling at markets for 2 years.
To begin with, these markets were great because they got me out of the house while working from home. As a new book seller, these markets offer the chance to test selling without spending high costs.
Keep in mind that these are not professional/ PBFA book markets. Neither are the customers collectors. As such, people are less likely to spend a lot of money. Occasionally, high sales do happen in local markets, but you can't guarantee sales.
When I do a local market, I make between £50 and £300, with an average income of £150 per day. I do think they are worth doing as they allow you to network with local booksellers and learn how to sell directly to customers.
I hope this market case study provides info on what to expect at local markets for booksellers and other vendors.
The Market
Hulme Hall book market in Port Sunlight took place on Sunday, 26th April 2026. I also attended this market last year, where I made £280 in sales. As such, I was happy to attend and see if I could make the same again.
I arrived to set up at 8:30 am, and the market opened to the public at 9:30 am. I take 15 minutes to set up my stall, which I pack all in one large suitcase. Giving me the chance to look at other stalls and buy book stock.
First Sale
I always feel as though the first sale is the hardest. Especially if an hour goes by and no one has bought anything. My first sale was to a local bookseller who purchased £48 of books. I was able to recommend a few books that I knew they could sell for profit.
The next sale was to another book seller. This one is a PBFA member looking for stock. In fact, I could say that 50% of my book sales, both online and off are from other booksellers.
From 9:30am – 1:00pm, there were several sales. Making me think that this was going to build up a good day, as successful as the market last year.
Half Way
Then, after lunch, the traffic slowed. I still had some expensive books and felt optimistic that the right person would come. However, you can’t sell at a market with no customers.
This time around, the market had less advertising and by 2:00pm there were no new customers. People started to pack up early, and I tried to stay optimistic.
The End
I packed up at 2:30pm along with everyone else. Getting a taxi back with my one suitcase and shelf was no problem. Unfortunately, this was not a successful market this time around. However, the Hulme Hall book market will run again later this year.
Even though I didn’t sell well. I still meet people, hand out business cards and bought some good book stock. Attending a market as an independent seller isn’t just about the sales.
Profits
Local markets tend to have low costs, which makes them low risk. Unfortunately, I still can’t drive, so I got two taxis to the market 20 minutes each way. My total expenses were £65, and after sales, my profit was only £70.
Keep in mind, this is not my true overall profit, as I still had to buy my stock. In reality, my actual profit was only about £30.
Expenses
£25 table
£40 taxis
Sales
£135
Profit
£70
Book Buying
So, I made a low / no profit but what made up for it were some book acquisitions. Even if customers don’t buy books, I can still buy stock and make my income back later. I spent £40 on stock, which should turn around £100.
Not all local markets sell poorly. You can’t predict how a day will go, at the same market last year I made £280, in addition, I made £400 in two days at a Christmas market. Plus, whenever I make a sale, I hand out a business card which leads people to my eBay shop.
Final Thoughts
Before I attended this market, I knew I would write a case study. I think it’s good to note the reality of selling at local small markets. There is no guarantee that, even if you do everything right, you will still sell well. I hope this case study has helped provide some light to market selling. You can follow my book-selling journey @sixbookshop