More on Consignment Sales

Our living room is always a mess around consignment times. I'm always a consignor for at least one sale every Spring and Fall. The process is a bit time consuming but it's a great way to fund my addiction and to make room for more stuff! When you're a consignor you get to shop the day before the public does.
Here's what I've learned about consigning:

• Shop at least one of the sales to get an idea of what to expect and what to charge for your things.
• Decide which sale you want to participate in. Compare what they charge and what percentage they are going to pay you. I also recommend the sales that are completely on-line. You're able to make all of your tags with their program instead of hand-writing them. These photos are from one of my fav's, Mom's Marketplace.
• Go through whatever is taking up precious space in your home first, just in case you run out of steam. For me it's usually my daughter's clothes but sometimes toys have taken over. Don't forget holiday or seasonal items; Halloween costumes, swimsuits, Easter baskets etc.
• Follow the sale's rules of what they accept and how to tag and price your items.
• When pricing your items keep in mind you do not want to see these things again. I put $3-5 dollars on most items and donate what doesn't sell. I find that most of my things sell the first few days rather than 1/2 off day. Remember these people are looking for a deal, we do not want to pay full retail or even half retail price on anything, even if it is Gymboree. Every sale contains a consignor who thinks someone is going to pay her $8.00 for a Target t-shirt. You will spot her items at the end of the sale because they're still on the racks and not marked 1/2 price. Sadly, she has wasted her time.
  
• Be prepared for a volunteer to look through your items closely at drop-off. I'm sorry to tell you that she's usually the snotty and most fake mother out of the lot. These moms seem to enjoy telling you of a spot on anything that's white or she's "just not sure if it will sell". Try not to smack her. Personally, I consider anything sell-able if it's priced right!
• Consider volunteering. There are different incentives for volunteers. You may earn more of a percentage on your items or get to shop before the consignors. I always find some treasure that I missed while volunteering, it's rather hard not to shop while "working".