Stall design has to be functional and reasonable. I could put together some beautiful, elaborate and time consuming displays. The problem is I am the only one who is usually selling and I don't have the time. From August to October at my Wednesday market, I have about 15 minutes to set up ( have to finish up with school first) with 10 minutes of that selling too. So, I settle for table cloths, 6 by 6 dry erase market signs and usually 1020' new web flats to put stuff in. I usually display my jellies in old wooden grape boxes. I also try to incorporate some half bushel baskets too. Usually for winter squash. I have always displayed my tomatoes in the plastic tubs that you see in one of the pictures below. It keep them from rolling around. I also like my customers to pick them out. They pay by the pound. Onions and potatoes are also in these tubs. These are the tubs I pack them in and it is sure easy to fill at home, put lid on, set out at market and take off lid and you are ready to go. If time allows, I add more and start piling them up. At another market I am limited to only one 10 by 10ish stall. I usually stack stuff up on multiple layers. It is just a simple 2 by 4 frame. I wish I would rebuild it and make it fold up, it takes up space in my truck. Usually it is through on top and strapped down! From a couple years ago, A picture from my Winter Market Booth

Oh believe me it takes me the entire set up time to make things pretty! Then I get a ton of compliments but not all those people buy. I am aiming for a certain kind of customer though and they trust me and buy from me. Indeed I am always still finishing up when the bell rings! Also our market does not sell per pound so we have to take from whatever vessel you transport in and put things into till baskets. Most of the other vendors will fill a few from a half or bushel basket and then leave the basket behind the till baskets and fill as needed. The two larger farmers next to me use a lot of plastic bins; one uses a lot of trugs. I use banana boxes for transport and then put out everything into squat baskets or crates or whatever.

Types of Booth Set ups: Long and one sided, I had to turn the last table to allow customers access to the sidewalk Good: long walk for customers to see your stuff and eventually stop, easy access to refill from behind Bad: Vendor has to cover 48 feet of table space Another long display at our winter market Double Sided long (come into booth) This is my most used set up, every Saturday. I have two tents, lined up (only have one up when this pic was taken). Stalls at the market are 10 wide by 20 long. I like this booth as it is in the corner. The port-o-potty is beside the white car in the background, so there is a space to pass through in the corner. Also, I got approval to park my truck at the end of the 20 feet, to serve as a road block to stop cars from driving this direction as there is no outlet. This allows bike shoppers to have a place to park their bikes right beside my booth. Many are now good customers now! With this set up and in this location, I am able to sell from 3 sides of my tables. My oldest, in the blue, is standing behind the cashier table. It is mostly empty. It gives me space to weigh, bag and customers to set down their bags to pay. Also, behind the guy is an exit. This helps keeping traffic moving through the booth. Single U shape With this set up, most people feel trapped. I really try not to use it. Double U with a table in the middle This is my Wednesday night set up. I always put my best selling thing on the table out front, tomatoes in this pic. Then I put really colorful or really unusual items at the ends of the other two tables. These three items are my "get people to stop" items. If they don't come into my booth, I can still sell to them as they sell on the outside. If they come in, they can easily go out the other side and not feel trapped. View from inside the booth Just some observations. I am always busy doing something, whether restocking or just rearranging and sometimes, I will completely restock an item to appear busy. When a new customer comes up, I usually say "Hello, can't keep these __________ in stock, need any _______. I always say hello and am friendly, even when I am running on 1-2 hours of sleep. I had a customer tell me one time, they always like buying from me, because I am happy and they always leave my booth with a smile or laughing. I make buying produce fun. You have to sell yourself, then your produce. I let my produce sell its self. I always have the cleanest, best looking stuff around (that is what customers tell me). Buyer behavior is part of the equation, seller behavior at the market stall has lots to do with what sells. Jay

That is a wonderful gardening tale!