I've never done this before and I just got an email about a spring consignment sale coming up in February that I'd like to sell stuff at. I would love some helpful tips from other moms who have done it before.
EDIT: This is one of those 3 day kids consignment sales. It's at St. Ephraims church in Bensalem. I'm also signed up for emails for other organized consignment sales. I do know that you print labels and price your own clothes. This organization is Lil' Angels and they give you 70% off your selling price. I just need some tips on how to make it successful for myself. I have NB to 6 or 9 month sizes sorted out for boy clothes so I think I am going to start there. I'm having a girl in 3 weeks so I went through all my sons clothes and pulled out any unisex looking stuff and left the 'boy' looking clothes. I wouldn't even think about putting out clothes that are stained and I am going to think about it from a shoppers point of view when I select and price items. Any other helpful advice is appreciated. I do want to 'try' to get involved in selling items at other sales too (like, whatever doesn't sell at this one). I'm new at all this. I'm going to run out of room to store all these kids clothes so I need to make room in my attic.
I take used items to resale and consignment stores all the time. It's a great thing to do. I've walked out of a store with over $400 once. I always make sure my items are clean, not too wrinkly, and in good condition and not stained. I also make sure my non-clothes items are not dusty. Ask yourself if you saw this on a shelf/rack would you buy it. Have fun.
Proud Mommy is right. And price them right. The one sale had a minimum $3 and I could get a pack of onsies for $3 new so that was ridiculous. Also,
if you volunteer, you can shop first. The few items I wanted were usually sold to other volunteers.
I love consignment shops! Both to shop at and to sell my stuff! Most shops take a limited number of items and decide what to price them at. Some shops make you sign a "contract" asking if you want your unsold items back or if you want to donate them to a charity but for the most part, whatever the store sells your item for, you will get 50% of the sale. So, if they sell an item of yours for $20, you just made $10. Some stores will ask you what you paid for larger items so they price it fair, other stores price it just to get rid of it. It's a good idea to take a peek at the store you are considering because if the store sells stuff very cheap, then you might not make as much but with some shops (I call these the "high end consignment shops) you can make a bunch of money!
The best event for kids locally is Snugglebugs. You choose your prices and you get a HUGE part of the profit. I think it is 70% but don't quote me. Check out the website, which I believe is
www.snugglebugsconsignment.com. If I am wrong, just google it!
For adult clothing, I love Avalon Exchange. Nothing to fill out, just go in with your bag and they pay you immediately for what they want. You can even get a larger amount if you want store credit instead of cash. I love to shop there! I can get designer jeans (orig $200) for $35!
Love Savvy Fox too. You must pay a one time fee of $20 and then you can consign any time. They have adults and kids items and you get 50% of the price they decide. However, if items don't sell after 3 months, you don't get anything and it goes to Goodwill.
Good luck! Email me any questions. I am a resale fanatic! :)
I was shocked that you didn't get more advice on this since these sales are so popular. I am not sure how St Ephraims will run their sale but I have done the Snugglebugs sale in Pittsburgh that someone else made reference to.
I will say that newborn - 24 month clothes can be a tough sale. There is such a volume of those clothes out there and the babies grow out of them so fast that they typically do not look worn or stained.
If you have anything that needs ironed - iron it! I personally do not want to buy anything I will have to iron so if you make it look like it is wash and wear...well your chances of selling it are better :-)
Toys and baby gear typically fly out the doors of these sales.
If you have to put everything on a hanger make sure it is on the correct size hanger. If it falls to the floor than noone will pick it up let alone buy it.
Typically you want to hang everything on the hangers in the same direction.
Some sales claim that outfits sell better so to group items. I am not completely sold on this idea unless it is a Gymboree outfit etc. Of course it could all be in how the items are displayed at the sale. I know at the SB sale, the outfits are hung on a lower rack and I gravitate towards the upper rack with the separates...maybe it's just me.
Don't mismatch sizes. It irritates me when I see a size 18 month bottom with a 3T top.
I don't believe you are near Pittsburgh but the Snugglebugs website does provide some good guidelines for presentation etc. It might be worth a peek especially since you didn't get a lot of responses.
