Questions about selling clothes/consignment shops

[dakotadenise]

I have decided to take some things to local consignment shops to make some extra money to help pay bills. Any tips, tricks I need to know?? What's a "good deal" at a cons. shop?

Also, what's more frugal - selling clothes when they are still in good shape or saving them for hand-me-downs. I have clothes from my 7 year old that are in great shape, but my next boy is only 2. Do I save them, or just sell them now?

[missyali]

I saved all of my stuff in bins in the basement. As I decide to get rid of it I take it. I don't make very much from the consignment shop. I get a little money and the stuff gets reused. I think I'll do a 50 cent an article at my yard sale this summer like someone else here suggested, first. Then send it off to the consignment store.

[M55FF]

I have decided to take some things to local consignment shops to make some extra money to help pay bills. Any tips, tricks I need to know?? What's a "good deal" at a cons. shop?

Also, what's more frugal - selling clothes when they are still in good shape or saving them for hand-me-downs. I have clothes from my 7 year old that are in great shape, but my next boy is only 2. Do I save them, or just sell them now?

I've never done consignment shops but you must let us know how that all goes and the details of using one.
I've found kids clothing goes like hotcakes at garage sales.

[DJ1972]

i take things to our local consignment shop all the time, and i shop there so i usually just use my credit from things i have sold to buy things we need. I get half of whatever they sell my items for..so more than i would make at a garage sale (and i hate stockpiling stuff for garage sale)

[JanieD]

I'm trying to sell at consignment stores too. Just dropped off 15 or so items about a month ago. I'm not sure how items are selling so far, but plan to check after the first of the month since she cuts checks then. Also, I can use a store credit whenever an item sells if I want, but really trying not to shop right now. I'll get 40% of the selling price & they get 60%, which is standard in my area. Keep in mind, some store wait until the ended of selling period before paying. After the 90 day selling period, the unsold items will be returned to me. Some store keep the unsold items & donate them to charity. You may want to find out the details before you decide to consign, stores can vary a lot. Hope this help!

As far as keeping items for the younger child, I guess it depends space & if the items will really be used. I would consider keeping the nicer, more expensive items (jeans, shoes, coats). Good luck deciding what will work best for you!

[Auntie Kate]

The best tip: know the shop you are dealing with... and what the deal IS. Visit (leave your credit cards or cash at home, if you're trying to be frugal...the selection can be very tempting!) a few. Are they friendly? Is this a shop which sells what you want to pass on? Are they organized and friendly? Organized is needed so they offer your items to their buyers in a way to get them sold; friendly means not only YOU are happy dealing with them, it also means they have more shoppers to BUY your items!

Next, pick up the consignment procedures brochure for the shop and READ it. How long will they showcase your items? What will you receive when items are sold, and when will you get paid? Now's the time to clarify things.

Should you choose a CONSIGNMENT shop (where you and the shopkeeper share in the selling price at a stated rate, but you both make money only if an item sells) or a BUY-OUTRIGHT shop (where you get money now...but you make less, since the shop assumes all the risk)?

You will ALWAYS make more money (and spend less time and effort!) consigning than holding a garage sale if you deal with a reputable shop. And after all, do you REALLY want to spend a week of your spare time preparing for then holding a garage sale? Let the professionals do their job for you, while you enjoy your family!

Oh, and BTW? You can literally SAVE enough money to pay for your child's college education SHOPPING resale.... but that's another question (or answer!)

More info at the site called HowToConsign and so on ("You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more", they say!)

[Bethany]

I would just make sure that the clothes are clean and wrinkle free. Some shops want them to arrive on hangers. Just check with your shop ahead of time. They should have everything regarding a consignor contract in writing.

[forHISglory]

I really got burned at a consignment shop, and it will take a while before I ever try it again. This particular shop doesn't list what you bring in. So I made my own list. And I had some very nice things. I was supposed to get 50 per cent of the sale. When I go in to see if anything had sold, all I could find of my items was a cassarole dish. I had taken in an almost new baby bed, high chair, massage chair, pressure cooker, crutches, dishes, etc. They told me that they had no record of any of my stuff selling. So I asked them where it was, since only the cassarole was on a shelf. The woman said that it was all in the back. I asked to see it, and she refused. I came in a week later and spoke to a different person. This person said she had no idea where my stuff had gone.

Well, it turned out that they put the wrong consignee number on my things. I found the number on the cassarole and it was not my number! (I knew it was my cassarole as it was an unique handmade piece). I showed them my list of things, and they thought they remembered having them. So they gave me a check for $20. I asked them what the baby bed sold for, and it was $25. The high chair was $15. The pressure cooker was $15. And the list went on. But they wouldn't give me any more, and I was out all my stuff except the cassarole dish. I was so upset that I just left the dish on the shelf and never went back.

So....... long story to say that you really need to have them document every piece that you bring in. This store absolutely refused to do that.