Michigan - ALL CITIES
With a little creative shopping, a few early Saturday mornings and investing some time online, you can boost your consignor check by a few dollars or a few hundred dollars! Moms across the country are discovering the advantages of using Craigslist, meet ups and yard sales to boost their consignment inventory and bring home a bigger check. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Yard Sales:
Check your neighborhood yard sales for high demand items, like baby gear in great shape, brand-name clothing (especially for boys in the 2T to size 7 range and boutique brands for boys and girls), and popular toys, like Little Tykes and outdoor toys. Most people price these items pretty low or are willing to negotiate on pricing. If you have room to organize and store items, you can put together a nice inventory for a small investment of time and money.
2. Craigslist:
Use Craigslist to search for yard sales, as well as sets, lots and individual items by category in the for-sale section. Items are often sold below consignment value or combined in sets or lots because people want to get rid of them. Other items are priced low because they were gifts and people don’t know the resale value. You can also search for store closeouts and overstock sales for additional items to buy.
3. Meet-Ups:
We recently shared tips on consignment sales and meet-ups. Use meet-ups to invest in the same types of items you’d buy at yard sales. Name-brand clothing, toys, baby gear, furniture, etc. A good rule of thumb for buying is to take into account what your profits would be after cleaning and prepping something for the sale. If it will cost more in gas and supplies to pick it up and fix it up, it won’t be worth buying to sell at your favorite sale.
Be creative and think outside the box when you’re looking at ways to increase your consignment sale check. With a little time and effort, you can be cashing in on consignment!
Important Recall Note:
It is critical that you ALWAYS check items you are purchasing for resale against the national recall database. We recommend the WeMakeItSafer.com mobile app. Just access their website on your smart phone and you can quickly search to confirm that your items are “resale-able.”
About the Author
Elizabeth Renfroe has a passion for all things consignment sale-related. She enjoys coordinating the Children’s Market Sale at First United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, Alabama.