Clean up your goods before putting them on the consignment market. Dust,
dirt, and stains are not appealing. A cute dress or a lovely ceramic vase may
be unappealing to the consigner and the potential buyer if the overall look
says neglected. Even when poorly presented items do sell, they typically go for
much less than if they had been given even minor attention beforehand. A few
minutes of preparation time can make a big difference in the appeal and income
potential. Really bang-up preparation can mean hundreds more dollars over the
long haul. Consigners surveyed note that clean up is the biggest problem within
the industry and that many items could and would sell if prettied up a bit.
Here are a few tips for getting items ready for consignment:
Clothing
Clothing should be washed, pressed, hung, or folded neatly. Using dryer
sheets to give the items a clean and fresh smell will increase appeal. Mentally
picture pulling a favorite hoodie jacket out of the dryer fresh with the scent
of a fabric sheet. Capturing even a hint of that will have the same appeal for
potential buyers.
It’s also important to make minor repairs on clothing. Tightening up a loose
button or repairing a minor opening in a seam makes all the difference between
an item selling or not selling. Even in a department store, managers will
greatly mark down for minor, reparable flaws noted. In the secondhand realm, a
tiny defect may cancel out any chance of moving a piece for any price.
In some cases, dry cleaning can pay off. Since the price per item for
professional cleaning is high, this is a riskier investment. For designer and
some big brand name pieces, taking the time and spending the money to visit a
dry cleaning shop makes sense. When in doubt, ask your consigner for guidance
before hiring out the clothes cleaning.
Clothing often goes really low in terms of price, because the items are not
cleaned up and presented well. Since clothing tends to be one of the most often
offered and most purchased groups in the secondhand merchandise pool, the real
secret is to make sure the item is looks like it’s ready for immediate wear.