According to a Businesscoot study published in 2020, more than one in two French people (54%) attended a flea market in 2019.
Because the bargain hunters appreciate the conviviality of the place, the possibility of discussing with the sellers, of finding objects which are not sold any more in the trade, while making a good deal.
Ditto for the French who have a stand.
Even if they don't make a hundred and a thousand, they are sure to get rid of a lot of things quickly and have a great day with people.
And they had missed it terribly ...
The sidewalks have again turned into stalls. Since June, garage sales have made their comeback, after a long period of hiatus due to the pandemic. A rebirth welcomed with joy by the French. As Emmanuel Layan, auctioneer at the Tourny
auction house
and author of
Savoir Chiner *, observes:
“It is a sign of a resumption of social life, of a return to a normalized life. We can see that this type of event was missed by the French, who have a passion for flea markets of all kinds ”. Moreover, according to the study
Le marché des brocantes
by Businesscoot, published in 2020, more than one in two French people (54%) visited a second-hand market in 2019.
And while we would have thought that second-hand product sales sites like Vinted or Leboncoin were going to make garage sales completely out of date, this is not the case.
“France has turned into a large garage sale in recent years, there is one in almost every village,” notes Rémy Oudghiri, Managing Director of Sociovision, Ifop's trends and prospective monitoring unit.
The Businesscoot study thus estimates that 50,000 garage sales are usually organized per year.
"It is a way for villages and small towns to create activity, to bring people in, to make people talk about their commune," explains Emmanuel Layan.
"The garage sale is a place of transgenerational socialization"
If the French flock there, it is first and foremost for their friendly side. “It's an opportunity to meet people, to have a stand with friends or family,” emphasizes Emmanuel Layan. “We are moving towards an increasingly dematerialized society, and the health crisis has generated social frustration. People want to make up for lost time and connect with others. However, the garage sale is a place of transgenerational socialization and which brings together all social classes, ”adds Rémy Oudghiri.
Of course, the motivation of visitors is also economical: “More than one in two French people regularly buy second-hand products, first of all because it allows them to save money.
They also appreciate being able to give products a second life, because they have realized that the textile industry is harmful to the environment and are increasingly adopting a responsible consumption pattern ”, analyzes Agnès Crozet, General Secretary of the Society and Consumption Observatory (Obsoco).
"It has become a socially valued practice to buy second-hand, even almost a new snobbery", adds Rémy Oudghiri.
Even the CSP + buy second-hand products, which allow them to consume better and more.
"The bargain hunters appreciate the dimension" treasure hunt "of garage sales"
And if the French are also crazy about online sites for second-hand products, this practice is not exclusive: “They adopt a multi-channel strategy: they buy both online and at garage sales. With the objective of finding a good deal, ”continues the sociologist. Sometimes, it is even more advantageous to buy in garage sales, believes Agnès Crozet: “When you are facing the seller, you can negotiate better”. "And for collectors who are looking for rare objects, they can find pearls at low prices more, because individuals are not always aware of the value of their goods", observes Emmanuel Layan.
Without forgetting the pleasure that there is to rummage on the stands: "The bargain hunters appreciate the dimension" treasure hunt "of garage sales, the pleasure of stumbling upon an object that they could not have found elsewhere because they are no longer sold in stores.
And at a garage sale, you can judge by piece, manipulate an object or try on a pair of shoes, which digital technology does not allow, ”emphasizes Agnès Crozet.
"It's a place where you can go back to the past, which responds to the vintage search trend," adds Rémy Oudghiri.
"We get rid of a lot of things in one day"
A mystery remains: how to explain the fact that there are so many sellers in garage sales? Because sorting and preparing items for sale is no easy task, but keeping a stand up all day is even less so. Especially since it is necessary to pay between 3 and 20 euros per m2 to exhibit, according to the Businesscoot study. “Certainly, but some find it more restrictive to sell on an advertising site, where you have to take photos, write a text, respond to requests by email and send a package,” notes Emmanuel Layan. In addition, objects or clothes are often sold cheaper in second-hand shops than online: "But we sell more and we get rid of lots of things in a day," he continues.
And that's without counting the pleasure of playing the merchant: "It's quite fun setting up your stand, discussing with other exhibitors, telling the story of an object to visitors," observes Agnès Crozet.
And if many French people were already used to registering for a garage sale before the pandemic, the period gave birth to other aficionados, according to Rémy Oudghiri: “During the confinements, sorting and tidying up were the activities most practiced by the French.
They have realized what is not useful to them and now want to get rid of it.
And as many need money, the garage sale is seen as a way to bail out a bit ”.
Places are therefore likely to be scarce this year ...
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*
Knowing how to hunt
, Emmanuel Layan, editions du Chêne, 2016.
Economy
Consumption
Flea market
Consumers
Purchasing power