Starting an antique mall booth: what to ask before you sign

Updated November 11, 2026

Renting a booth is a small business. Before you sign, ask the mall these questions and write down the answers.

Money

• What is the monthly rent, and when is it due?
• What commission does the mall keep on each sale?
• Are card fees charged to dealers, and how much?
• When and how are dealers paid: check, direct deposit, PayPal?
• Is rent taken out of sales, or paid separately?

Sales and discounts

• Do shoppers get a dealer discount, and do you have to allow it?
• Does the mall run sale days, and are they required?
• How does the register know which booth an item belongs to: your dealer number on the tag, a barcode, a QR code?

The booth itself

• How long is the contract, and how much notice to leave?
• Are you required to work days at the mall?
• What happens if something is stolen or broken?
• Can you put up shelves, lights or signs?

Plan to track it from day one

Write down what you paid for each item and the date it went out. It is much easier than trying to piece it together later. See our guide on working out booth profit.

How BoothNest helps

BoothNest tracks your items, tags, sales and profit after rent from your phone, and antique malls can use it to run their register and pay their dealers. Try it free for up to 50 items.