How to Sell Your Clothes At A Local Consignment Shop - Dina's Days (2024)

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We love sharing the many ways you can shop secondhand here on the blog and podcast, but I must admit, the idea of shopping and selling my clothes at a local consignment store has always been a little out of my comfort zone. I always assumed consignment stores were overpriced and that the selling process would be too complicated. I decided to get out of my thrift comfort zone and sell my clothes to a local consignment store for the first time this year. Here’s what I’ve learned:

first, how does consigning work?

Consigning your clothes refers to an arrangement where you entrust your clothing items to a consignment store to sell them on your behalf. Unlike buy / sell / trade stores, you do not receive cash on the spot. Instead, you will get paid if and when your item sells. Think of the consignment store as an intermediary, displaying and marketing your clothes to potential buyers in their store. The consignment store will take a fee, typically anywhere between 30-50% of the item. So, say your item sells for $20, you and the store will each receive $10. After the consigning period is over, you can cash out and take any remaining unsold items.

Consignment can be a mutually beneficial experience, allowing you to earn money from your unwanted items while the store gains inventory to offer to their customers. Plus, consigning your items every 90 days or so is a wonderful way to develop a system of decluttering and maintaining your closet.

Research a Locally Owned Store

Let’s face it, the buy / sell / trade chains are just too unpredictable. Locally owned stores are more likely to need more inventory and have better consigning fees. Plus, it’s always best to support local when possible. Here in NE Ohio, we love Gerri’s Closet and Best Bib and Tucker.

Find out what’s in demand

This is by far one of the most important steps to successfully consigning your items. Call ahead and ask the store which brands, sizes, and seasons are in demand. You should also walk around the store and take note of popular brands, displays, and trends.

Inquire about consigning hours and item limits

Most stores have specific consigning hours so you might not be able to just walk in at any time to sell your clothes. Be sure to check ahead of time before you lug your items to the store! Also, inquire about the quantity limit of the items you can bring. Some stores limit each customer to 25 items per visit.

Prepare Your Items

Make sure your items are in good, clean, and presentable condition. Wash or iron if needed. Place them neatly in a basket or tote versus throwing them in a trash bag.

Lower Your Expectations

Unless you plan on consigning a luxury item where you can predict a decent sale, expect to make on average $7 per item. Walk around the store and get a sense of how items are priced, then divide that number by half: that’s most likely going to be your profit if your item sells. For example, if the majority of the items in the store range from $20-50, you will most likely make anywhere from $10-25, depending on the value and condition of your item.

Don’t Forget about Décor and accessories

Many consignment stores carry some small home décor items and jewelry. I was pleasantly surprised when my local store took a summer-themed tablecloth from my items!

Thanks, it’s Thrifted is a podcast about secondhand style and sustainable living hosted by two treasure-hunting friends, Dina & Shannon.Follow on Instagram @dinasdaysand@thanksitsthrifted.pod. For more about the podcast visitdinasdays.com/podcast.

How to Sell Your Clothes At A Local Consignment Shop - Dina's Days (2024)

FAQs

Is selling to a consignment shop worth it? ›

Lower Your Expectations. Unless you plan on consigning a luxury item where you can predict a decent sale, expect to make on average $7 per item. Walk around the store and get a sense of how items are priced, then divide that number by half: that's most likely going to be your profit if your item sells.

How to prepare clothes for consignment? ›

After gathering all the clothing you want to sell, throw it in the wash so that it looks (and smells!) it's best. Run an iron over wrinkled pieces – or use Downy Wrinkle Reducer (Love this stuff! Gets the wrinkles out & makes the clothes smell good too!).

Where is the best place to sell clothes? ›

Best Places To Sell Clothes Online
  • thredUP. Founded in 2009, thredUP is a major online consignment and thrift store that specializes in secondhand clothing, and it's also one of the easiest to use. ...
  • eBay. ...
  • Depop. ...
  • Shopify. ...
  • Poshmark. ...
  • Etsy. ...
  • Vinted. ...
  • Bottom Line.
Feb 21, 2024

How does clothing consignment work? ›

Consignment is an arrangement in which goods are left with a third party to sell. The party that sells the goods on consignment receives a portion of the profits, either as a flat rate fee or commission. Selling via a consignment arrangement can be a low-commission, low-time-investment way of selling items or services.

What percentage do most consignment shops take? ›

The percentage of sales taken by consignment shops varies, but typically ranges from a 40% to 60% cut. Each consignee creates its own consignment arrangement. The distribution of sales revenue often depends on a consignment business's brand reputation and sales volume.

What are the disadvantages of consignment sales? ›

Although selling on consignment may seem like a practical solution, it has disadvantages for the seller:
  • Sales uncertainty.
  • Lack of motivation to sell.
  • Necessity of a good agreement.
  • Lesser incomes.
  • Logistic limits.
  • Uncertainties on the condition of the products.
  • Competitive risks.

How to hang clothes for consignment sale? ›

Consignor tip: hanging clothing 💙 Lay garments flat on wire hangers with the hook facing left (like a question mark). 💚 Attach garments to hangers with safety pins so items won't get lost! Be sure to secure outfits together with safety pins, rubber bands or cable ties. 💙 Outfits do sell!

How do you package clothes you're selling? ›

If you're sending just a few items, then a bag will be fine, but if you're posting bulky clothes, then a cardboard box is best. If you're shipping clothes in a box, just fold them neatly and either wrap them in tissue paper or bubble wrap to give them a bit of protection during transit.

How do you make clothes look good when selling? ›

Present your clothes properly.

Either lay or hang the clothes so that the customer can see them clearly. Consider putting them on a mannequin or fluffing them, so they look full-bodied and vibrant. If they're made of material that wrinkles easily, make sure everything is ironed and looking at its most presentable.

What is the quickest way to sell clothes? ›

  • thredUp. If convenience is important, then look into thredUP because it does everything for you. ...
  • Tradesy. If you sell used clothes or accessories with Tradesy, you need to upload photos of your items to the site. ...
  • Poshmark. ...
  • The RealReal. ...
  • Swap.com. ...
  • Le Prix. ...
  • VarageSale. ...
  • eBay.

What clothing sells the most? ›

As of 2019, hoodies (67 percent), T-shirts (67 percent), and footwear (66 percent) were the best selling product categories in sportswear for global retailers in this industry.

How do I sell unwanted clothes? ›

GH TIP: If your clothes don't sell online, don't forget that some high street stores, such as Levi's, H&M and Zara have collection points in some branches for unwanted, clean, dry clothes and they'll give you a voucher to spend in-store when you use them.

Is it better to sell or consign? ›

How Urgent It Is to Sell: If you need to sell your items quickly, an auction is the better choice. If you have more time to wait for a buyer, consignment could be a better option.

How to organize a consignment sale? ›

How to Prep for a Consignment Sale in 5 Easy Steps
  1. Collect all clothing, toys, and other baby/kids items; gather consignor supplies. ...
  2. Wash all clothing and organize by size; take note of any items requiring ironing. ...
  3. Group clothing to be sold individually or in sets and determine pricing.
Sep 28, 2020

What is the consignment payment method? ›

Consignment. Consignment in international trade is a variation of open account in which payment is sent to the exporter only after the goods have been sold by the foreign distributor to the end customer.

Can you make money with a consignment store? ›

Consignment shops are a great business idea for making money in 2022. More than 20,000 US-based used merchandise stores have a combined annual revenue of $17.6 billion, according to First Research.

What is the profit margin for a consignment store? ›

As we have observed, consignees will typically take a 40% commission on sales - that is, a 60:40 split favouring the maker. However, there may be circ*mstances when the consignment shop's percentage might be higher.

Are consignment shop prices negotiable? ›

As mentioned earlier, consignment furniture is meant to be affordable, but some can still have high price tags. If you find one that you like but is expensive, you should ask about it because you can still get it at a lower price through negotiation.

Why do consignment shops fail? ›

Several factors contribute to the failure of a consignment shop. These include poor financial management, lack of marketing, and inadequate inventory management. By analyzing these factors, SimpleConsign helps our stores avoid these pitfalls and set them on the path to success.

References

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