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"Swap meets" gave rise to "flea markets" where the original swap meets were gatherings where items could be traded instead of purchased. At some point people started asking to purchase items instead of bringing items to trade and now it is very unlikely you will find a person willing to trade goods unless they can resale it at a profit. There is a definite distinction between flea markets and swap meets still in the United States. The swap meets are usually geared toward a specific type of goods such as motorcycle parts, car parts, clothing, farm equipment, tools, etc and are usually held on a specified date in various locations. Flea markets will cater to every item available from new to antique in specific locations with set dates and times. Some flea markets are open year round on weekends only or open every day but a swap meet may be only one weekend of any given year or month.
A 'flea market' is a place where vendors come to sell or trade their goods. The goods are usually inexpensive and range in quality depending on several factors, which might include urban or rural location, part of the country, or popularity or size of the flea market. Shopping at a flea market is a popular pastime for many people around the world. The car boot sale is similar to a flea market, but is more popular in the United Kingdom.
The vast majority of flea markets in rural areas sell goods that are second-hand. Larger selections of newer but usually inexpensive items can be found at some of the larger or more urban flea markets. They have also sometimes been used as an outlet for bootleg movies and music or counterfeit goods ranging from clothing, shoes, handbags, fragrances,etc. The semi-spontaneous nature and vendor-oriented open-market layouts of flea markets usually differentiate them from thrift stores. Some flea markets offer concerts and carnival-type events to attract shoppers.
Flea markets have analogous specialty counterparts in gun shows and hamfests, both of which offer new and used merchandise for gun or ham radio enthusiasts. Like the general flea markets, gun shows and hamfests offer surplus goods.
Some television shows focus on the appraisal of second hand goods often found at flea markets that are worth far more than the buyer paid. The most popular of these shows is Antiques Roadshow in the United Kingdom, which spawned American, Canadian, Swedish and Dutch versions of the show.
The original flea market is likely to be the ''Marché aux puces'' of Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris. It is a large, long-established outdoor bazaar, one of four in Paris. They earned their name from the flea-infested clothing and rags sold there. From the late 17th century, the makeshift open-air market in the town of Saint-Ouen began as temporary stalls and benches among the fields and market gardens where ragpickers exchanged their findings for a small sum.

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★ Where did the term flea market come from?

★ List of Flea Markets in USA

★ Antique Fairs in USA