Consignment Sale Advice

While almost all of us LOVE the shopping part of this consignment sale gig, the tagging & pricing side of things can be such a pain!!!  I am very excited to share a WONDERFUL pricing guide from the Consignment Queen herself, Steph Seibert. 

The "Life Happens in a Hurry" Pricing Guide by Steph Siebert

I have constantly sold 80-90% of my clothing every year. Paired with the way I shop I actually turn a profit even after my kids have worn the clothes for a year or two. Why is this: Because I price VERY competitively. I sell in a CCS that has 300-500 sellers, depending on location. That means 300-500 OTHER people are ‘competing’ with me for the shopper’s money. I’ve put together a ‘quick guide’ for how I price my clothes. Keep in mind you may need to adjust your prices depending on location, size of sale, and type of sale, but this is a good starting point ;) For a detailed pricing guide and more information on pricing other items check out my Pricing Guide

• Birth- 12mo: This is one of the hardest sizes to sale. For the most part this size should range around $0.50-$2 per piece. Unless this is the ONLY size you are selling, I strongly encourage you to find somewhere to donate your baby clothes. Try your local women’s shelter.

• 18mo-2T: This size is a little bit easier to sell, but not much. This size clothes should be priced for $1-$3 per piece.

• 3T-10: This is the easiest size clothes to sell (Especially boys). This size range should be $1 per outfit per size number. In other words a Size 3T outfit (that’s top AND bottom) should be about $3., a size 8 outfit should be $8 and a size 6 outfit should be $6. If you’re selling just one item (top OR bottom) then just half the price of an outfit ;)

• 12-20 and Junior: Since starting with this size the kids are starting to shop with mom and can be picky about what their wear: it’s a little harder to sell this size (but fortunately not as hard as the infant sizes). This size should be priced at about $4-$6 per piece.

With all of the above sizes a good rule of thumb is to add $1 to the price if it’s new without tags, has an accessory that matches (Headband, socks, etc.), or if it’s name brand.

Maternity clothing should be priced pretty much the same no matter the size. Here are my suggested prices based on several years of selling and shopping:

• Tee shirt $1-2
• Casual Top $3-4
• Dress Top $5
• Jeans $5
• Jean Shorts $2-5
• Shorts $1-4
• Pants $1-4
• Dress pants $3-6
• Casual Dress $3-5
• Dress $5-8
• Suit $10-$15
• Swim Suit $5-10

Bottom line the best advice I can give you is to price your items as a buyer, NOT a seller (Or as a mother who has placed sentimental value on an outfit). Ask yourself “What would I pay for this outfit?”

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The Consignment Sale Queen, Steph Seibert, has been selling, shopping, volunteering and helping run Metro-Atlanta’s oldest Children’s Consignment Sale, All 4 Kids, for the past 15 years. She now shares her experience and advice with other moms, dads, and grandparents at www.consignmentsalequeen.com.