With so many beloved succulents gathered in one place, simply browsing a succulent market (event) is a joy. And if you discover that one special plant, it’s even more exciting! After attending as a customer for a while, your home collection might be looking pretty good. You might start thinking, "Could I join the sellers at one of these markets?" Or maybe, on the flip side, you’re realizing you need to seriously slim down your collection before it takes over your living space.
"I want to try selling at a succulent plant market!"
But honestly, when you consider being a vendor, there are so many unknowns: How do you even sign up? What do you need to prepare? Where do you start? I know because I was in that exact spot myself.
In this article, I’ll share the process and key points I learned from my own experience selling at a succulent market for the first time last year. I hope this guide is a helpful reference for anyone dreaming of setting up a booth someday.
First things first—can someone like me, with zero experience, really participate?
It’s a basic but super important question, and there’s one key thing to keep in mind:
To the market organizers, vendors are also "customers." Any business wants more customers, so organizers will hardly turn away newcomers who say, "I’d like to participate!" Of course, the final call is always up to the event host, but don’t hesitate to take that first step and declare your intent to join.
If you’re interested in selling, you’ve probably already checked out various markets and have some favorites in mind. But surprisingly, it can be tricky to figure out who the organizer is and how to contact them. The PUKUBOOK Event Guide often lists this information, but not all events clearly display the organizer’s details.
Start by searching the web to see if the event has an official website. Larger events are more likely to, and if you find one, look for a "how to apply" page or application form. If it’s available, just follow their procedure to apply.
These days, even events without a website will usually have some sort of social media presence. If you find their account, follow them and send a message stating your interest in selling. Even if it’s not the official contact account, most organizers will let you know how to proceed.
If you absolutely can’t track down the organizer, check out the list of vendors at your target event. You can DM them online, or better yet, visit the market in person and directly ask, “I’d love to sell here—who organizes this event?” or “How did you apply?” Vendors you shop from are often happy to help.
The organizer will ask for more details later, so when you first reach out, a simple "I’d like to participate—could you tell me what’s required?" is usually enough. Of course, including a message about how enthusiastic you are to join is a plus. If there’s a screening process, expressing your passion will definitely help. Just keep your message friendly and to the point.
#Many large events have an application form with a field for your "motivation for joining."
Not every event admits every applicant, and there is usually a screening process. The criteria vary, but likely include things like the type of items you’ll sell, the quantity you can bring, your online presence (like your social media followers—how many customers you might attract), whether you run a shop or have prior experience, and previous sales history.
Usually, if your application is rejected you won’t be told the specific reason, which can be tough. But don’t get discouraged! If it doesn’t work out, just keep searching and apply to other events.
Before your own debut, scout out similar (or ideally the same) markets in person. Focus on these points: What kinds of products are being sold? At the busiest booths, what are they selling, how, and at what price points? What signage, shop names, descriptions, or pricing strategies help make shops stand out? How is each booth set up and laid out? What essential gear are other sellers using? If you know when you’ll be vending, vendors will generally let you snap pictures if you ask politely.
If you have the time, check out the loading areas, parking, and access routes too. Notice peak busy periods through the day, and scout out nearby dining or shopping spots—gathering info you can share with your customers.
When you visit as a vendor-to-be, you’ll notice things you never did as a shopper. It’s hard not to get distracted by all the alluring plants, but try to stay focused on your research! (Easier said than done… I always end up just staring at plants!)
If this is your first market, figuring out "how much to bring" can be tough. Too much is a pain to haul in, too little and your booth will look empty—and, of course, your sales depend on your inventory. Balance is key.
Standard propagation trays are about 60x40 cm. A 120x60 cm table fits three trays. For a 2.5m-square booth, you can fit in three tables—so nine trays. You shouldn’t overcrowd your trays when displaying, so let’s say you can put 20 plants on each tray. 20 x 3 x 3 = 180 plants. If your plants are smaller (fitting 50 per tray), and you can lay two more trays flat in front of the tables, then 50 x 5 x 3 = 750 plants.
Say your sales goal is ¥100,000. Only about 10% of your inventory sells on average (20% if you’re lucky), so you’ll need to bring items worth ¥500,000 – ¥1,000,000. For plants averaging ¥1,000 each, that’s 1,000 plants. At ¥500 per plant, you’ll need 2,000 plants. If you can only bring 100 plants, you’d have to price each at ¥10,000 to reach your goal.
If you rent a Kei-van "HiJet" (a super useful, highly rentable delivery vehicle), your cargo area is 190cm deep x 100cm wide x 120cm high, fitting six trays flat. You can’t really stack them upright but, in theory, if you could, you’d fit a stack of 6. Each tray can squeeze in 30 plants for transit, so 30 x 36 = 1080 plants (if the plants are only 10cm tall, technically double that). Of course, you'll need room for other gear, so you'll end up carrying a little less, but that's your max.
All three approaches lead to roughly similar numbers here—just a coincidence, as your needs will totally depend on the size and price of your plants. But your "Booth Size" is usually the biggest limitation: you may need to hold back some stock as backup instead of putting everything out at once (though when you’re new, frequently swapping things in and out is tough).
Markets usually accept applications 3–6 months in advance. If you want to sell, watch out for these periods.
If you get approved, your actual booth date will be 3–6 months (or more) later. Plan so your plants are in top condition at that time. If you need to source new plants, do it 1–2 months in advance. Re-pot and settle the roots about two months before. Do pest management a month before. 1–2 weeks out, do final touch-ups: remove dead leaves, add fresh top dressing, and price everything. If you want pristine plants with perfect white powder coatings, you'll need to start over six months ahead... so draft your timeline early!
Next, let’s look at supplies. "Fixtures" means furniture used in your booth—shelves, tables, counters, things like that.
Besides plants, there are tons of extras you’ll need. But I absolutely don't recommend buying everything upfront. Until you try, you won’t know what works—items you think are "must-haves" may turn out to be useless for you. Even if renting is a bit more costly, try that route first, or just get half of what you think you’ll need. Only buy once you know what fits your needs.
For me, the first set of tables was awkward to assemble and store, I didn’t end up needing a tent, the counter was great for one person but tiny for two, I bought half the number of folding containers I thought I’d need but had extras anyway, and the portable battery was way overkill... every time, my needs changed. If I’d bought it all, I’d be broke.
Hinata Rental for camping gear
General rental giant Rentio
Some events supply tables for you, but usually, you’ll need to bring your own. Some vendors set a board across plant cases to create their own display tables.
A 120cm x 60cm table is a good size. For a 2.5m-square booth, you can fit three. For 3m x 3m, you’ll fit four.
For outdoor events—especially in rainy or super sunny seasons—you may want a canopy tent. Personally, I haven't been forced to bring one, and surprisingly, many sellers don’t.
When I sell, I need to light an LED bulb and run an iPad for checkout, so I always bring a portable power supply. A 20W LED bulb for 5–6 hours only needs about 30,000 mAh (the smallest model with AC plugs meets this), so buying a giant radio-sized battery is overkill. I keep a tube-shaped model (about ¥10,000) on hand. Plus, it could be handy in emergencies.
Even if you don’t need a power outlet, a dead phone battery is a crisis, so always bring a mobile battery providing at least two full charges.
You simply can’t rent this item (lol). Many guides suggest preparing change for at least ¥100,000, but unless you expect massive cash sales, ¥50,000 is usually enough. Also, if you set all your prices to round ¥100s, you can avoid 1, 5, 10, and 50 yen coins and make change faster (even rounding to ¥10 and ditching 1 and 5 yen coins helps a lot).
Here’s a sample breakdown: You don’t need many ¥500 or ¥5000 bills since they’re rarely used, but if you run out, you’ll hand out up to 9 ¥100 or ¥1000 notes at once, which means managing your stash carefully.
If you change money at the bank, there’ll be about a ¥700 fee—just treat it as a necessary business expense. (Bank staff may apologetically warn you "There’s a fee, is that okay?" but I always reply, "Of course, I know it’s extra work for you!")
Recently, many booths take cashless payments. If you have the capacity, definitely consider adding this option. If you just use your smartphone, there’s almost no upfront cost. Even getting a small credit card reader costs just ¥3,000–¥5,000 (try Mercari for deals). There’s a 3–4% processing fee, but you don’t have to make change, you won’t miscalculate, and—best of all—it’s much faster. Consider that 3–4% fee a bargain.
Square (international) and Smaregi (Japanese) support lots of payment types, though setting up your checkout system takes some tech patience. PayPay is simple to get started—just put out a QR code. I use Square myself, so can’t speak for the others.
Square
Smaregi
PayPay Store Owner Signup
You might get asked for a receipt, so bring some just in case. I haven’t been asked so far, and many vendors just say, "Sorry, I don’t issue written receipts," or rely on credit card statements as receipts for cashless sales.
Since stores now charge for plastic shopping bags, many shops have stopped giving them out, but at plant markets, a lot of vendors still hand out free bags—maybe to help avoid dirtying customers’ own bags with spilled soil? No one really knows. At my booth, I provide paper bags, which also avoid fees. (Paper bags are expensive? I happen to get them at a special price!)
Also, bring paper to wrap pots and prevent soil from spilling in bags. Cut-up newspaper works great. I use the same clear cellophane that works for shipping plants.
For small craft markets, some people manage with just a suitcase, but for a plant market, a car is practically a must. I don't own a car, so I rent a Kei-van, which easily handled everything for a 3m-square booth. An hour’s drive each way used less than a liter of fuel! Of course, some vendors make do with just a sedan's trunk and back seat.
To transport your plants safely, you’ll need plastic containers or cardboard boxes. Most vendors use professional-looking, stackable plastic totes, but unless you have a greenhouse, storing them off-season is tough.
I recommend folding crates, called "ori-con." Personally, I like TRUSCO’s 50L folding crate, which are affordable and a great size. MUJI also sells them now, same size, but their color options and side-opening feature are nice—though they’re twice the price. I use these to move large potted plants and supplies.
For transporting propagation trays, which don’t stack well, cardboard boxes are inexpensive and effective. I bought a set of 10 boxes sized 60x40cm from Danboru One, which solved all my tray transport headaches.
It’s quite tough to run a booth alone. At least for setup before opening, time is tight, so bring as many helpers as you can—family, friends, or even your followers. Personally, I recommend the Timee app for short-term hirings—it's a game-changer for this kind of work. Thank you, Timee!
Let’s get real for a second.
Costs will vary based on event size and distance from your base…
All up, you’re looking at ¥50,000–¥100,000 per event. You can spend less by buying fixtures cheap and using them for years, using your own car, or only "paying" staff in meals for family and friends. But hidden costs matter, too—they make your business more sustainable long term.
Sales depend heavily on turnout and weather…
For example, if you set a target of ¥100,000 in sales (given ¥50,000 in expenses and a 50% product cost rate, you’re in the red unless you clear ¥100,000).
If the market is 5 hours long, that’s ¥20,000 per hour. With customer spend at ¥2,000, you’d need 10 customers per hour—one every 6 minutes. That’s 50 customers total. It sounds doable… but getting 50 actual visitors to your booth is surprisingly tough!
On the other hand, imagine being a super popular shop with a permanent line: if you can ring up one customer every minute at ¥3,000 each, that’s 3,000 x 60 x 5 = ¥900,000—that’s probably the absolute theoretical maximum.
By the way, when Gyudon chain Matsuya battled its food truck between Shimane and Tottori prefectures, the results were ¥300,000 and ¥400,000 in a day. Even with huge advertising and constant crowds, those were their highest mobile sales ever—some real-life, humbling perspective!
With ¥50,000 in expenses and needing ¥100,000 in sales, breaking even can be tough.
But, if no one was making a profit, markets wouldn’t continue. Plenty of shops run in the black, which is why these events keep going. Plus, some vendors spend even more to travel the whole country, so with effort, good profits are clearly possible.
Even if it’s hard to profit, there are other rewards—real exposure for your shop, and live interaction with customers. For connecting with fellow plant lovers outside your local area, markets are priceless opportunities. Sometimes, even if you walk away with zero profit, the experience is worth every bit.
This guide comes from the perspective of a "just-starting-out seller" with only two or three events’ experience. As I gain more knowledge, I’ll keep improving this manual.
Selling at a succulent market takes effort and preparation, but there’s nothing like handing your home-grown plants directly to happy customers. Best of all, you’ll get to connect with fellow succulent enthusiasts—definitely the biggest perk. If you’re on the fence, why not take the leap? You’re sure to discover something new!
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