Three (of the many)Things People Say to Market Traders

In what seems like an entirely different lifetime, I once was a market trader. Not the fancy sort of trading at the London Stock Exchange, but the standing out in all weathers kind, plying my wares.

Unbelievably, I withstood all that the weather gods threw at me during those 12 years and survived to tell the tale.

What stays with me are the things people say. Right up until my last day, people carried on coming out with some real gems.

I sold jewellery, accessories, and pictures. Most customers were complimentary, kind, and supportive. But of course, as with any profession, you get the know-it-alls, the detractors, and the downright spiteful.

Sadly, it’s the negative comments that tend to stick with us the most, but usually it’s because they are the most entertaining.

One of my favourite phrases came from women of a certain age. “Ah yes, that reminds me; I must clear out my drawers.”

I heard this a few times, and at the danger of sounding oversensitive, it was a pretty damning statement. These ladies had obviously mistaken a market full of bona fide traders for a car boot sale. Given that every time I set up my stall, it took around four hours to set up the display, it was easy to take this as an insult.