Pricing clothes for consignment can be tricky, but by following these 5 steps, it will be quick and easy process. Need help preparing? Here’s a supply list.
5 Easy Question to Ask Yourself When Pricing for Consignment Events
1. Is it Too Dated for Consignment?
We all know the condition of the item will be without any rips or stains to price for consignment. A good question to ask yourself is, “is this item dated?” Some consignment stores or events do not even allow clothing items that are older or outdated (I usually stay away from those because most of my kids wardrobe are second-hand, not brand new).
This link provides a definition of consignment sales if you are new to consignment.
Also, if you look on the tag of the item, you may find a date of manufacturer. Ex: BabyGap. Expect to sell items at a less amount if they are older than 5 years. Expect to price consignment items low.
Do not price a BabyGap toddler shirt manufactured older than 5 years ago for around $3.00. If it was manufactured and used for more than 5 years, it most likely has wear and is not worth pricing at consignment events higher. If you want to price it higher, I would suggest selling it online through Poshmark or eBay.
2. Is the Fabric Too Faded for Consignment Pricing?
Every time a piece of clothing goes through the washer and dryer, the color fades. It is the easiest way to tell how used an item is. If the color of the item is very dull, do not price it for consignment events. It does not matter if it is BabyGap or Tea or any other well-known brand. It will not sell at a consignment event. With clothes, you want them to sell the first day of the consignment sale so price it right!
An easy way to make the color less faded is to soak in fragrance-free Oxyclean. However, cleaning clothes takes a lot of time and effort. Put aside the clothes that have stains or need a color boost. Concentrate on the clothes that look gently used, without any stains or rips. Work on the clothes with stains when you have time. Do not start soaking clothes a week before the sale. It will save you a lot of time.
3. How Much Would You Pay at a Consignment Event?
If you were shopping for items at a consignment event, would you want to pay $5.00 for that used BabyGap 3T shirt? Uh, no. I would definitely not pay that much. You can go to The Gap store and buy a $5 or less shirt at the clearance section. Why would I pay $5.00 at a consignment event for a used piece of clothing?
Consignment events are a fast and easy way to make money! Why? Click here.
This is what is running through my mind when I look at the price tags of some items. Some items at consignment events are priced way higher than they should be in order to sell.
I have gone to consignment events on the first day and have seen items that are priced very high. Then, revisit the consignment event on half-off day and still find the same item, just sitting there on the rack. You know the item is priced to high for consignment when it is too expensive on half-off day.
4. What is the Size?
Is it newborn? 5T? Junior size?
If it is newborn, price it very low. I start pricing newborn onesies at $1.00 with a discount of yes. As you go up in sizes, price it a little bit higher, maybe $0.50, depending on the condition.
5. Use Price Guides from Consignment Event
If you are really unsure of the price of an item, look at the price guide. It is provided from the consignment event company. It is almost always listed on the event website. Pricing guides, like this one for example, are a great tool to use when thinking about pricing consignment.
6. Do you want to sell this item immediately?
If you plan on picking up your unsold items at the end of the consignment sale, then maybe you can afford to price higher in hopes that you will sell for more money. Some people will pick up their unsold items and at the end of the sale, hold them and transfer them to another sale in hopes it will sell there.
The only time I will go back and pick up my unsold items is if there is an unsold expensive piece of equipment. The consignment events are always over a half hour away so traveling is more expensive and time consuming then picking up and selling the unsold items at the next event.
It is another reason why I like to price my items to sell, in hopes that I do not have to take the time to pick up the unsold items. Is this your first time participating at a consignment event? Read about my first time here.
Need help preparing for a consignment event? I have a blog post about that too!
How about checking out these other informative blog posts:
Kids Consignment Sale: My First Experience as a Consigner
How to Prepare for a Consignment Event in 7 Super Easy Ways
A Guide to Donating Household Items
Meg's Consignment 
Meg's Consignment 
Meg's Consignment 