Michigan - ALL CITIES
Guest Post by Sara Dawson, owner of KidSense in Pottstown, PA
- Not all consignment sale events are the same. Just like regular retail stores, consignment sales come in many forms. There are small, medium and large events. There are discount sales and high-end boutique sales along with everything in between. Make sure not to judge an entire industry on one event or style of sale. Shop several events – get a feel for what you like!
- Most sales have special offers, contests and sometimes they even have coupons. If you haven’t signed up for your favorite sales mailing lists or aren’t following them on Facebook you are probably missing out!
- Sale owners can spot the really good consignors easily! Their items are clean, in good working order. They have priced their items to sell. They read sale policies and follow those guidelines and rules. Likewise we can spot those who are on the other end of the spectrum. (A good way for consignors to judge where they fall is to compare their sell through rate to that of the sale as a whole. )
- We rely on our volunteers to make the sale run smoothly. If you have signed up to volunteer we are counting on you. If you can’t make your shift please at least try to contact us so that we know what is going on. We probably won’t be able to replace you on short notice, but at least we will not worry about you or waste valuable time trying to contact you.
- Word of mouth is precious to sale owners! If you have a favorite sale or two – tell others. If you are a consignor, there is a bonus – more publicity generally equals more foot traffic – which may increase the amount you sell and earn!
- Showing up early or late for drop off and pickup appointments makes our jobs immensely harder. Most events are timed down to minute increments. Having too many or two few people at the wrong time is a big issue. We want to present a well run, organized and prepared environment. Following posted timelines and adhering to appointment timeframes goes a long way to helping keep us all on track!
- When people complain about registration costs we feel that they don’t understand the costs involved with hosting our events. We have overhead, advertising, equipment, rental, regulatory, and operational expenses to cover. Registration fees defray those costs. (Should registration costs be an issue for you many sales offer barter exchanges for things like meals, office help and photography.)
- Yes, we know about online yard sale groups. There are several reasons why we don’t like them – but the biggest one is safety. Consignment sale events offer you protection in that you aren’t meeting complete strangers to carry out transactions. Most of us search our sales for recalled items. (Plus with consignment sales you don’t have to haggle over pricing, take pictures, respond to posts, use up all your gas or ever face the dreaded no shows…)
- We value all our friends and family that shop our events! THANKS! Please don’t be offended if we are crazy busy and don’t have time to stop and chat. Don’t think less of us or question our relationship…we are simply in the midst of a crazy environment being pulled a million directions!
- Our “job” as sale owner is more than just a weeklong commitment per sale. There are many behind the scenes things that have to pull together to execute a well-run event. We “work” year round, even though our efforts are only on display for a short period. We are human. We make mistakes and we have feelings. We love to hear your thoughts but want you to understand that we might not be execute every suggestion.
About the Author
Sara Dawson owns KidSense, a bi-annual children’s consignment sale located in Pottstown, PA and has been an avid consignment sale patron for eight years. Sara has a passion for children, families and great deals!
loved your article. There are two great and huge consignment sales in my town and I have been debating on starting up a small one of my own. The two events in town are huge and incredibly popular. I do them both and if someone started a third one instead of me I would join. I think the VIP consigning for busy moms is super important. I would also like to include space for mommas or anyone else that has a crafting business. Do any of you ladies have any pointers for me? Do you think a third sale is a good idea? ( I can get a discount on a space at my work or I would do a sale out of my town) They would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
As a 2nd time consignor I found this really helpful! Thanks for sharing your tips and suggestions.
Great article and spot on. Been running my sale for twenty years and found all your points to be true in our sale. Thanks – a good read especially during a sale.
This is perfect!!! If only everyone could know how much work and effort goes into making these possible 🙂