Are You Ready for Consignment? Part 2
March 08, 2010 | By
In the first installment of this series, I talked about pricing your items for consignment sales. In this installment, I want to cover how to select items for consigning and how to make a pitch to a consignor.
Brick & Mortar vs. Online
My focus is on brick & mortar consignors since that is what I have experience with, but some of the tips can be applied to online consignors too. Just be careful when you are dealing with an online-only business. I prefer dealing with B&M consignors because I can visit their store, check on my product, make adjustments to the display, and take inventory. When you are dealing with an on-line consignor, you have no way of knowing how they are storing your product, if they still have it in their possession, and sometimes even whether they really exist!
Make Sure Your Product is a Good Fit
Have you visited the store where you are looking to consign? You want to make sure that your products fit into the overall theme, feel, and quality of the store. Just as you wouldn't sell your priceless sterling tea service from the 1600's at a garage sale, you don't want your products to be similarly disconnected from the store they will be featured in. If your product leans toward "shabby chic", don't approach stores that are "modern art deco" unless you have a compelling case for why those two would fit together well. Consider your price point as well - if the store doesn't have anything for sale over $50, your $2,000 Italian leather handbag may not fare well there.
Pitch Your Best Product
When you are presenting your work, you want to present the best of what you have. It should go without saying that you should not bring anything that is worn, torn, stained, marred, damaged, or otherwise is not in salable condition. When you arrive at your appointment with the consignor, be sure to have multiples of each item to choose from - the buyer may choose to select items on the spot to carry in their store. When I made a pitch recently, the buyer gave me feedback that they liked a particular item but not the fabric I had chosen for it; if I'd had more variety, they would have chosen more of my items for sale. Be prepared!
Consider Prepackaging
If you have product that is easily damaged from handling (such as greeting cards getting stained, or fragile items with delicate parts) prepackage the items in clear cellophane or vinyl containers. The packaging can still allow the person to see the item without touching it directly with their potentially-grubby fingers. You may also consider leaving an open sample that people can touch to get a feel for the product, but still enables them to buy an item in pristine condition.
In the next installment, I will cover the basics you should have in any written consignment agreement. Never leave your items at a store without a written agreement in place!
Photo Credit: Ebony Love
Ebony is an avid quilter & crafter in the greater Chicago area, and you can see her work via her online portal at LoveBug Studios.
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