Consignment store vs Consignment sale

[kajs22]

I have used consignment stores to sell my children's used clothing and it is an easy hassle free way to make a few dollars, but, the payout is very low. I have the opportunity to sell at a consignment sale this year, but, wonder if it is worth the trouble? Will it be that much more with the % the sale keeps? I will also probably need to pay someone to tag my items... Which is better?

 

[zoemurr]

I found the sale to be much better. The most important thing to me is that I get to set the prices. If a Gymbo dress doesn't sell for the $8 I mark it then I can take it home and try again next year. I once had a consignment store sell a brand new pair of Stride Rite's for $2.50. I was not happy. I'd rather give them away.

It is a lot of work but once you get going it's not bad. I found it was easiest if someone helped me. I take a piece of clothing, iron and hang it while describing it to DD who types in the tag. Then I hang it up and pin the tags on. Maybe DH or a girlfriend can help for an hour or so? I wouldn't pay them to do the tags. It really doesn't take that long.

I usually make about $300 a year with a few hours effort. That's about 100 pieces of clothing and a laundry basket of toys in Spring and Fall.

Have fun!

 

[dancin'girl]

A friend of mine just participated in a consignment sale and she did REALLY well. It's the volume of people that they get in there that I think made the difference. Her stuff was sitting for months at the consignment stores, but she was able to sell almost everything in just the one weekend that the sale was held. She said people were lined up waiting to be let in each morning.

 

[2fortheShow]

I take part in a consignment sale here in RI that happens twice a year. I do better with the consignment sale than the stores. Depending on how much you have, I think you will do better with the sale, especially if it is one of the larger sales in your area.

 

[chimilady]

I'm selling for the first time this Saturday. Wonder how it will go.

Got a bunch of hangers and hung everything, and just printed the tags and will fill them in and pin them tonight. I was watching TV while hanging everything, and it really didn't take too much time.

 

[HHMcG]

I do a seasonal consignment here in NJ. I love it. I get stuff out of my house and make a little $. It does take some work, especially the first time figuring it all out. In the beginning I had a really hard time determining how much to price. But now it's old hat. Plus I'd prefer to go low and have it sell then have to bring it back home.
I'd say I invest 10 hours of prep per sale and usually profit around $200. I do 2-3 sales / year.

 

[zoemurr]

I'm selling for the first time this Saturday. Wonder how it will go.

Got a bunch of hangers and hung everything, and just printed the tags and will fill them in and pin them tonight. I was watching TV while hanging everything, and it really didn't take too much time.

Just curious.. how do you do the tags? The one I have done is all on the computer. We type it in and it prints out the item description and has a bar code on it. Nothing to hand write..

 

[amylevan]

I do a sale twice a year and usually net about $300. Everything is done on the computer and is really easy - choose a category, enter a description and a price and when you are ready you print them out, cut them into tag sizes and pin to item. (I don't use a tagging gun, just safety pins, but I know some moms who have a gun.)

 

[platamama]

I've done both sales and stores.

At my store I get 40% commission and am able to keep track of my sales with their online login site for consigners. They tend to price higher than what I've seen similar items priced for at consignment sales.

With our local consignment sale, I could get 60% commission, plus pay a $15 fee to participate, and have to do all the tagging myself. I've had things stolen from me (missing at pick-up) several times and the person in charge of the sale wouldn't do anything for me except take down my description of what was missing. I've had someone stick my "high-priced" item tag onto something I never even brought in...I suspect that person took my nice quality Gymboree outfit and put a lower price tag on it.

If something I brought in goes missing from my store, at least they give me credit as if the item had sold. And I can come in and pick up stuff I brought in at any time, especially before it starts to get marked down.

Anything that I can sell directly on eBay or Craigslist for more, I do that.

 

[kajs22]

I am thinking of using a service to tag and prep items - they take a percentage - I just don't have the time or patience to go through every item and prepare it for the sale. This will take a chunk out of the profit so I am reconsidering whether or not it is worth it. I know the consignment shop I just drop off and pick up the cash. What they don't buy I just donate - hmmm...

 

[MommaB]

I did a few in the Northern VA are and found it to be a ton of work. Once you factor in time, ink, tagging gun, kid sized hangers, the right cardstock and your actual items I felt like the money I did make wasn't breaking even. My local consignment shop lets me set the price and I get 75%. Plus they tag, input and hang everything for me.

We also had 10-20% of our items stolen at 3 separate sales. The organizers claimed "You overlooked them when picking up your stuff" but later I found they had a really serious rash of theft. Including a gang of thieves who walked in, distracted them and stole 4 laptops off the check in stands!

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

Sorry for hijacking this thread.
At the big consignment sales, what age group are people mostly looking for? I have it all - baby gear, baby girls clothes, baby boys clothes and boys clothes up to size 8. I have a limit of 300 items so I need to choose carefully. Thx!

 

[amylevan]

Sorry for hijacking this thread.
At the big consignment sales, what age group are people mostly looking for? I have it all - baby gear, baby girls clothes, baby boys clothes and boys clothes up to size 8. I have a limit of 300 items so I need to choose carefully. Thx!

In my experience, the boys items do MUCH better than the girls. There is usually not as much boys clothes as girls clothes. And in general, bigger sizes tend to do better than baby clothes because, again, there is usually an overload of baby clothes.

Baby gear does well, though too.

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

In my experience, the boys items do MUCH better than the girls. There is usually not as much boys clothes as girls clothes. And in general, bigger sizes tend to do better than baby clothes because, again, there is usually an overload of baby clothes.

Baby gear does well, though too.

 

[HopperFan]

I would suggest that you have attended one of the Consignment Sales organizers events to be sure it's right for you. I worked lots of hours with lots of very nice teen clothes after the organizer assured me that they sold teen clothes and they were in high demand. When I dropped off I was afraid I made a mistake as most seemed to baby and the under 10 group .... it was. I ended up picking up most my stuff and I think my final cut was less than $20. It's a huge great sale, but I would not take someone's word for it next time.

 

[AZMermaid]

I did a sale last year. All of my toys and baby gear sold right away. The clothes didn't sell well, maybe 20% of the stuff and the clothes were a ton of work. I just donated whatever didn't sell. What irked me was the organizers said sets sell best, so I matched up a bunch of super cute stuff and those didn't sell. I think they would have separately.

I've been just selling to kid to kid since then, which I know is a rip off, but I get store credit and use it to buy stuff so it works out okay. If I had a lot of big toys or gear to get rid of again, I'd do the sale, but the clothes weren't worth the hassle.

 

[cel_disney]

Sorry for hijacking this thread.
At the big consignment sales, what age group are people mostly looking for? I have it all - baby gear, baby girls clothes, baby boys clothes and boys clothes up to size 8. I have a limit of 300 items so I need to choose carefully. Thx!

My experience....TOYS are best, followed by baby gear that is not a stroller, and then clothes for 2-5 year olds...newborn clothes is slow going...coats and snow suits (or bathing suits in good shape) are also good for the over 6 months crowd. Also PJs sell well, but I don't think they are the best money makers...

I also prefer the sale approach to consignment - but the payout is the main reason - instead of getting 10-20%, I get 90% and set my own prices etc...

 

[kajs22]

Maybe that is the best way to go - give toys, books, DVDs and smaller sized clothing to consignment sale with he intent on donating what hasn't sold and better clothing to the consignment store knowing I will get little for them, but, will have less hassle. The local consignment store is Once Upon a Child and they give you very little for anything, but, super easy to just drop things off and they buy nearly everything I bring them.

 

[MAD4EEYORE]

When I first starting doing the consignment sale I wasn't sold on it. It was a lot of work and had a lot of rules but the more I did it the easier it got. I enlist my DD and her friends to help. It's not hard to hang clothes or pin a tag on it. I find going through everything and putting in the descriptions the hardest part.

I think it's well worth it. I set my own prices and if I choose on the last day of the sale it goes half price. If I don't want to pick the item up it goes to charity. I get 70% of the price and the other 30% goes to a woman and children's charity.

I would try it out and see how you like it. Like you said put toys books and some clothes in the sale and the rest in the store. I would put the bigger sizes in the sale before I would the smaller sizes. They sell better.

Good luck!

 

[hpsalb]

I've done both in my area. Our bi-annual Kid's Consignment Sale is better for kids clothes, so I only take my stuff to one of the consignment stores. One of the stores here will only accept things on certain days and then I have to call after a certain day to find out if I have a check. Unless I have a lot of stuff, it's not really worth it. Plus I don't know what they actually put out for sale or how much they price it. The other store is the same, but I have to have an appointment and they go through the clothes and send what they don't take with me.

The sale is very organized and they check your items in the beginning to help with those issues pp's have described. Baby and toddler clothing, as well as certain baby gear and most toys, sells best. Bigger kids clothing is hit or miss. I can get back what doesn't sell and there are set days...not like waiting a month or two for it to sell or not sell at the store. I do have to tag it, but at least I can set the price (and whether I want to discount it on the last two days).

FYI - At our sale, most stuff does better in sets, which also helps with tagging. Put a top and pants together and sell as a set, or two tops, etc.