Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
questioned why this was occurring, one participant said 'I have to go and
feed the pigs.' When we mentioned that he was letting consumers and other
stallholders down his reaction was the pigs were more important!
This sort of attitude towards retailing will affect every business in the
market. A business owner is in control of their own destiny, but we do not
think they have the right to affect other people's business destinies in a nega-
tive way. Farmers' markets that work well have ground rules and are oper-
ated as a team. Those that do not work effectively, have groups of individuals
with stalls. As one person mentioned in a workshop, 'Why don't they close
the market at 3 pm?' A logical conclusion, but alas management were not
prepared to make that decision.
Farmers' market surveys carried out in the USA indicate stallholder sales
per week can vary enormously. Figures can be as low as US$50 a week or as
high as US$2500 a week per stall. A stallholder needs to make sure they par-
ticipate at the winning markets.
What makes a successful farmers' market?
Consumers are the ones who make a farmers' market successful or not.
Visitors look for a location where they can park the car easily and find quality
produce. But there is more to a successful market than that. Subconsciously,
consumers make decisions on the following criteria:
1. Is the market compatible? This means is there the right mix of retailers
based on the consumer's shopping habits? A supermarket nearby may be
part of the compatibility mix in their mind as they still have to go shopping
for those necessities that the market does not sell. A coffee shop may also fall
into this bracket, but make sure the coffee is the best quality; a poor cup of
coffee could be detrimental to persuading consumers to linger longer at a
market.
2. Are the stalls complementary? Consumers expect to get all their food
needs in one location. A butcher therefore complements a fruit seller. A suc-
cessful market needs the butcher, fishmonger, baker, egg supplier and pos-
sibly an organic pet food supplier.
3. Can consumers comparison shop? Farmers may want to be the only stall
owner who sells what they do, but consumers enjoy comparison shopping.
They want to compare quality and price of the same produce. Having com-
petitors who sell the same produce can be a plus for the overall market
success.
In the research carried out by the Sustainable Food Center 5 in Texas, con-
sumers mentioned that the core purpose of going to a farmers' market was
for fruit and vegetables, but they would impulse spend on breads, jams,
cheeses and other added value products.
They were prepared to spend between US$21 and US$50 during a 30 min
stay at the market, but it must be within a 15 min car journey from home.
Convenience is a key factor in a successful market.
 
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