Seasonal consignment sales are sweeping the nation. But many people don't understand what a consignment or seasonal sale is or how it is different from a garage or yard sale. Today I want to talk to you about how these "sales" are different.
Pricing: A yard sale typically has lower prices than a consignment sale, and haggling is encouraged. Consignment sale prices are not only higher, but the prices are firm. However, a consignment sale will usually include a half price day or times and the prices will fall into the garage sale range. Which has better pricing? Yard sales typically have lower pricing.
Sizes: A consignment/seasonal sale has lots of consignors, which means a much larger selection for you. You will usually find lots of sizes and a huge selection of styles. Garage/yard sales typically just have the sizes and styles of the family hosting the sale. Which is better for clothing sizes and styles? Consignment/seasonal sales have the edge with a huge selection of sizes and styles.
Items: Because of the large volume of consignors, typically seasonal sales will have a huge variety of toys, gear, equipment, layette and more. With a larger pool of participants, there is a larger pool of items. Yard sales again, typically are limited to one or two families and a smaller selection of items. Which is better for selection? Seasonal sales are better for one stop shopping.
Location: Most yard sales are held outside on very warm days. Some may be held inside, however most are not. There may or may not be tents set up for shade. Most consignment sales are held indoors in heated and air conditioned spaces. Which has the better location? Consignment sales have the better locations.
Time Frames: Because of outdoor locations, most garage sales pop up on a weekend, have limited hours and may be cancelled due to bad weather. Seasonal consignment events do heavy advertising and are also located indoors. They have longer hours and do not cancel when inclement weather strikes. Consignment events also are held for several days vs. one or two days. Which has the better time frame? Consignment events have the better time frame for shoppers and sellers.
Attendance of Seller: With a yard/garage sale the seller must remain on property at all times. With a consignment/seasonal sale, the sale organizer remains on property, however, once the items have been dropped off, the seller does not need to return to the property unless they want to shop or it's time for pick up of unsold items. Which is better if you don't like to deal with the public? Consignment/seasonal sales are better if you don't want to deal with people rummaging through your stuff.
Money: Who makes more money, sellers at a yard sale or at consignment sale? Let's narrow this field down to the limiting items that would be accepted at a sale so that we can compare apples to apples. Let's talk specifically about childrens items. At a yard sale you will sell lots of baby items at a low price. Shoppers may or may not be picky about stains because the prices may be in the.25-.50 cent range. At a consignment sale your items will have to pass inspection (no stains or visible damage) however the pricing will generally be $2 or more per item. Which is the better money maker? If you were to sell the exact same things at a yard sale vs a consignment sale, you would find that as a seller you will make significantly more at a consignment sale than at a garage sale.
Overall yard/garage sales are convenient. You gather up your stuff, put up a few tables out in the yard, put a couple of neon signs out on the road and your in business. Seasonal/consignment sales are a little more picky, but they attract lots (hundreds to thousands) of people which means you make more money.
Consignment sales are extremely trendy. If there isn't one in your area, you may want to think about starting a sale to help families in your community. Sale organizers generally receive 30%-40% of the selling price of each item, which can lead to great income for part time work.
Jenifer Gifford is a seasonal consignment sale organizer and author of Consignamania- The How To Guide To Starting Your Own Seasonal Consignment Sale Business http://www.consignamania.com Jenifer has been involved in the seasonal consignment industry for over 8 years and hosts one of the most successful kids consignment sale in Nashville, TN. To preview the Consignamania Table of Contents, visit http://www.consignamania.com/Consignment_Sale_Start_Up.html
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