mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most clever consignor of all?

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the most clever consignor of all?

Got some mirrors, pillows, prints and purses laying around that aren't being used? Consider consigning. It is the most popular way to sell items you no longer need, but are still of value. Buying and selling through consignment is also the ultimate form of going green, it's recycling. Now, to become the most clever consigner of all follow these few simple guidelines.

Clean your items & repair any damage. Something with cobwebs or dust sends a message to the potential buyer that the item was kept in a garage or attic because it wasn't valuable enough to be on display in their home. No one wants to feel like they are buying broken cast-offs. They want to feel like they have found a treasure.

Don't hold onto items until they are outdated. The rule of thumb for your clothes, if you haven't worn it in a year it's time to get rid of it, goes for your home items as well. If you have had a lamp or necklace buried away in a closet for over a year, chances are, you are never going to use it again. It is just creating clutter in your home. You'll get more bang for your buck if you part with an item when it is still current then you would if you held onto an item until no one wanted it anymore (including yourself).

Don't expect unrealistic prices for your items. With furniture and home accessories you can expect to get about 50% of the original store bought price. With clothing you can expect to get about 25% of what you paid for an outfit new. The lure of the consignment shopping experience is the incredible savings that you can expect. Without that, potential buyers of your item will just go buy new. Shops will reduce prices after an item has been in the store too long to help an item sell. However, when this happens, you usually get less out of your item then you would have gotten had it been priced accurately to begin with.

Get to know the employees. You know the old saying, you can catch more bees with honey... Well, that works with shop keepers as well. A smile and a soft hello will go a whole lot further than a grumpy old bear. Want your items to be located in the "prime real estate" of the shop, or the employees to be on the look out for that special something for you? Be nice, not demanding. The shop wants your item to sell as much as you do. They don't make money if you don't make money. So, know that they are on your side. You're a team.

Knowing some of the tricks of the trade to consigning will help your experience be more profitable and enjoyable. So, rummage around in your closets, attics, and garages for all those hidden treasures and take them to your favorite consignment shop. Then sit back and watch the dollars roll in. As they say, one man's trash...