Consignment Sales-have you ever participated?

[ariesfl326]

So I was reading this article on Yahoo today about making extra money. The article referenced this site called Just Between Friends Consignment Sale. Here's the linky: http://www.jbfsale.com/default.cfm

It sounds pretty interesting and I know some of you (as well as myself) want to make some extra dough! LOL I am wondering though have any of you been involved with this group before? It appears to be different franchises around the U.S. I'm thinking of doing the one in September in Central Florida so if you have had any luck selling your items with them please let me know how it was. Any problems, what did you learn from your experience, etc?

I like the idea that this is a short term sale and that my goods don't sit in someone's shop forever. I also like that you can determine your own price based on their criteria of pricing items at a minimum of $3. They will also take your items (if you want) and donate anything that is remaining at the end of the sale.

[lhaslem]

I've done them for the past year and a half...did JBF once and then another franchise a couple of times. Here in my market, I found the other franchise to be a better sale, but it is always a few weeks before the JBF sale and I think that may be the reason it does better? Anyway, I found the sale beneficial for sure...it's a lot of work to wash, hang, tag, sort, etc...but definitely better money than a garage sale would get you. Good luck!

[Julie Billingsley]

I've done children's clothing consignment for a few years. I haven't done that particular company, but it looks to be basically the same as the ones I have done. One thing I've realized after doing it a few times is that it really matters when and where the sale is going to be. Having it a few weeks before school starts is good... having it a few weeks after school starts is less awesome here. You'd think the consignment companies would have this figured out, but each one is different. Some of them set up in an empty store on a busy street, some of set up in an empty warehouse in the industrial district (that one was a total bomb). So now I know to sign up with one in a good area and good weekend. I always price clothing on the low side because I want my stuff to sell. I've also had good luck with selling large items there. I sold Logan's old Kettler Trike there for the same price that I originally paid for it new. A couple more tips- print your tags on heavy paper like this. If your tag rips off you will not be able to sell the item. I also bought a tagger gun on ebay, but lots of people just staple their tags on. Ask your consignment company what they want. Start asking places for hangers now. The consignment people want everything on kid hangers. They might have a tip on getting some. I know in my area there are a few kid's clothing store outlets that give away hangers. Don't even ask Gymboree, they reuse all their hangers. I actually ended up buying hangers at a hanger factory to use because I couldn't find enough hangers. (I had over 300 pieces of clothing my first time.) Anyway, hope that helps! Good luck on making some money!

[Kim Mauch]

I'm currently selling stuff at a consignment sale here in Portland this weekend. This is my second sale. Last time, I made about $250. It IS tons of work to prepare the items, but is totally worth it to me. You get to clean out your kids closets, and make money at the same time.
I also buy at the consignment sales. Just got tons of baby gap and gyboree yesterday for very good prices. I love the feeling that they money I am spending is helping out other local families.
I see myself doing this throughout my daughter's childhood. It's really a win-win for me.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.

[Leah]

The consignment shops are kinda gross here. I would love to see a really nice one though!

[Kara]

I've never done one or been to one, but my SIL does them and seems really happy with how she does.

[Jengerbread88]

I don't consign for one simple reason: I am a member of multiple online mommy-sale facebook groups. There are several in my specific area. You post pictures of what you're selling, list a price, and people come pick it up from your house and give you cash. I love that I can post the pictures and people can come to me to get it- no tagging, no collecting hangers, nothing.

If it weren't for those groups, I probably would consign, but things sell pretty quickly on there, plus I don't have to wait for a sale (I can just sell whatever I have as he outgrows it). Plus, you can sell anything kid or mom related (maternity clothes, kid clothes, kid toys, bottles, some home decor items), more than what some of the consignment sales allow (some allow everything, but some have really tight restrictions).

I just like the convenience factor of mine... I don't price mine quite as high as consignment prices, but once I factor in that I'm not printing tags, tagging, buying hangers, paying the sign up fee, etc, then I figure it's about the same.

[pewtertm]

I love going to the JBF sales (we have 2 a year in OKC, and 2 in Norman as well)...but I haven't put clothes into it. Never wanted to deal with the hassle. When Rachel was a baby/toddler her clothes went to Infant Crisis Services, and now they are going to a friend with 2 girls who could really use them.

[Joana1n]

I haven't done JBF but there's another group here that does a huge sale in the late winter for spring/summer stuff and again in August for fall/winter. I've participated in that a lot since I was pregnant with my daughter - first as a consumer and later as a seller and even volunteer. I just finished up a sale with the last one and all I sold were kids' toys and DVDs - I made about $125 and it wasn't too much work. Clothing does take a lot longer to prep, but if you have a ton it can be worth it if you price your stuff to sell. They recommend 25-30% of the retail price unless it's the baby sizes (newborn-12 months), then they recommend 20% because there is just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much of it that it doesn't sell as well.

[Jenn Barrette]

My town has a few re-sale FB groups, and I have sold over $500 in used crap from our closets and basement! I was so surprised at the amount I could make.

[rach3975]

Here most of the consigment sales are done as fundraisers for schools or churches. I've been volunteering through one of the school sales for about 6 years now, and I've consigned a few times, too. Some of the consignors have it down to a science; they take their stuff from sale to sale until it sells, and they make a lot of money. Others stick to just this one sale but still do very well.

What I've found, though, is that it depends a lot on what you have to sell and what condition it's in. People who buy better clothing to start with (Gap, Gymborie, Janie and Jack, etc) obviously can get a lot more for it when they consign. My kids have a lot of clothes from Kohls, and those don't go for nearly as much. For the time it took me to price, tag, and hang it all, it wasn't worth it. Now I pick and choose what to consign, only bothering for the bigger ticket items. I consign baby gear, big toys, coats, a few nicer outfits, maternity clothes, and some seasonal items that didn't get a lot of wear. But for everyday t-shirts and pants, I just donate them.

[ariesfl326]

Thanks for all the stories and advice. I have a lot of nice kids clothing that is name brand; the stuff that is cheaper and maybe worn more I will donate. I was going to put the stuff on Ebay but then started looking at the JBF website. I may still go with Ebay; I'm completely undecided.

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[JennNtheBoys]

I have done consignment shops in the past, but around here they are all on a 3 month term and if it doesn't sell it gets donated. I never made much for it to be worth it because it was just a little here and there over time. I do use the local FB groups for yard sales and auctions though... I've made a lot by doing it that way and it was nice to have more control over my own stuff too. Sometimes things went for super cheap (like certain scrapbook supplies for example) and it killed me knowing how much I spent on it, BUT in the end it was just sitting collecting dust plus the dollar here dollar there added up quick and I made a couple hundred quickly... was able to get rid of clutter and "junk" and then get something I actually wanted or needed. I try to think of it this way... if I have 500 things (no matter how big or small) and the average selling price way $1 (and almost everything went for more than that), that's $500 easy peasy..... that right there makes me smile and makes it easier for me to let things go for cheap.