Markets can only survive if customers support the traders. Regular customers form the basis of trade and passing trade brings the bonus. The overheads of market traders are far fewer than shops. The added advantage of market trading is the fact that a trader can select which days he goes to his chosen Town. The advantage of a shop is that it is static and more secure.

Traders can attend an established Charter Market only to discover that it is very slow and hard to break even. Quite often they will never return to a slow market. Obviously, they will seek the most profitable Towns.

Some products attract more customers but have lower profit margins. Themed days such as Farmers Markets have been popular in recent years. Continental representation such as French, German or Italian markets occasionally get arranged.

I am now well established with my Thursday market stall in Wokingham Market Place and find that most traders are quite pleasant characters.