How to prepare for a consignment sale

Are you new to consignment and need to know how to get ready for the upcoming sale season? It seems that all the sales have thier own set of rules, but if you look closely, they all have the same basic set of rules and if you these rules, then the rest is just fine tuning.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Safety pins 1 inch or larger
• 3 x 5 index cards
• black ball point pen
• Red Sharpie Marker
• Metal hangers
• clear packing tape
• gallon sized ziplock
• Freezer bags

1. Collect all of your seasonal items that need to be sold. You will be selling the upcoming seasons items, so if it's a Spring sale held from Feb-April, you will be selling Spring and Summer items. Fall sale from July-November, you will be selling Fall and Winter items. Once you have collected all of your seasonal items, games, toys, books, and equipment, inspect all items to insure that they have no stains, rips, tears or missing parts. If you have a florescent light in your house, this will really help make the stains pop out, and keep you from wasting valuable time by tagging items that may be rejected for stains.
2. The next thing that you will want to do is hang all of your items on wire hangers. Wire hangers are best suited for the seasonal sales and are very durable and easy to present your items on. Always hang items with the front facing you and the hanger in the shape of a question mark (facing left). If you have a set, hang your shirt first and then attach your pants, shorts, skirts etc to the back of the outfit, pinning the waist to the shoulders and catching the metal hanger in the middle of the pin to support the weight of the second item.
3. Next organize all of your clothes by size and gender and you're ready to begin tagging. With a 3x5 index card vertically, you will begin one inch down from the top. This 1 inch area is where you will place your safety pin to attach the tag to the clothing item. The top left is generally where you will place your consignor or seller number. Across from that on the right you will generally place your items size. In the middle of the tag you will write a brief description. Bottom right is generally the price and no discount mark. Make sure that all of your tags are in black or blue marker. Do not use pencil. You'll want your no discount mark to be in Red Sharpie, nice and big next to the price. This lets your check out person know that you absolutely do not want this item discounted. The lower left is generally reserved for a donation mark, where if you plan to donate that item, you would mark that area with the required mark. Attach tags with a one inch or larger safety pin at the top of the tag.
4. Take your toys and small items and put them all in zip lock bags. Secure the top shut by sealing it with clear packing tape. Attach the tag to the outside of the bag with clear packing tape in the area of the tag where you safety pinned the tags to the clothes. Tape above your seller number, not over it.
5. Put all of your items in bins and tubs and take them to the sale!

Tips & Warnings

• If you make a mistake on your tag, start a new tag. You don't want any confusion as to what the price or item is that you are selling.
• Always use ink pens and not pencil. Someone can erase your price and put a lower price on a tag that is written in pencil.
• Always use a big bright no discount mark so that there is no confusion as to your intentions.
• Wire hangers can be obtained from any local drycleaner.
• At first preparing for a seasonal sale can be overwhelming and time consuming, but once you participate in a few sales, it goes quickly and you'll find yourself looking forward to preparing for the upcoming sale season.