Maximize your Consignor Sales
Thoughts from a seasoned LFC Consignor, Volunteer, and Shopper
After many years of shopping and consigning, I have learned a few things that I’m happy to share. If you are a new consignor, or a seasoned one just looking to improve your sales, follow these tips and feel free to share others you may have.
- You can’t sell what you don’t bring! There have been so many times that I show up for drop off and see something that someone else is selling and remember that I had something similar that is probably sitting in the back of a closet somewhere collecting dust. Consignors who are really organized have a special room or area where they collect items all year long that they plan to sell. I’m not one of those organized people (even though I wish I was), so instead I need to check every closet, drawer, bin, and under the kids’ beds before each sale. I usually make the sale my excuse to do a thorough cleaning of the playroom, garage, basement, and kids’ rooms. The stuff I find to consign and the feeling of having purged items that are no longer used is worth the effort.
- Make it look good. We all know most of the items are second hand, but that doesn’t mean they need to look that way. Take the time to wash all clothing before you consign it. All of us have way too much laundry to do, but this extra step will help and, as an added bonus, you can skip the folding step – take the clothes right from the dryer and put them on hangers so they are ready to go. Put sets together, button everything up, and do NOT ruin your items by putting a tag barb through the soft fabric which will create a hole (use the tag or armpit). For toys and games, be sure to secure all pieces and include a description of what is included. Use painters tape on anything cardboard so you don’t ruin it. Clean everything – no one wants to buy dirty shoes, strollers, dolls, etc. even if they are only $1. Shoppers want items that look like they were well cared for!
- Price competitively! Pricing items is probably the hardest part of consigning. When you paid $30 for something that your child barely used, it may be difficult to price it at $4, but there are a few things to consider and these are the questions I ask myself:
- Why didn’t my child use this? Is it something another child will use or need? If yes, then price higher. If it is more of a novelty thing, then price it lower.
- Will there be a lot of these at the sale (Boppy pillows, baby blankets, generic brand clothing, etc.)? If yes, price lower!
- What is the condition of the item and how much life does it have left in it? Snow boots, for instance, usually get passed down and reused by many kids. Bathing suits, on the other hand, quickly lose elasticity and don’t have very long lives.
- What would I pay for this AT THE SALE? Do not think of what you would pay retail, think of what you would pay when you are looking at that item compared to the thousands of other items that are available for great prices. What price will make the shopper pick your item over another? For me, the magic number is $5 – I find that anything under $5 usually sells. I always have a few things that are more – coats, large toys, electronics, bikes and such, but for most clothing, toys, and games, I try to price between $1 and $5.
- Volunteer – You earn 70% of your sales when you volunteer, plus you get to shop early and avoid the crowds and long lines. The Little Flower sale is 100% run by volunteers so we need and appreciate your help.
I love consigning and shopping at consignment sales. I think it is great that we can share and re-use so many things and my kids look forward to the Little Flower Consignments sale every spring and fall. I get them involved by having them pick items to sell and I give them the money they make, which they quickly spend on something that will most likely end up in the next sale 🙂
I’m not an expert, but I hope you found these tips helpful. Good luck and happy tagging!
