Before I had my baby, I went to a few consignment stores to see what kind of deals I could find. I left overwhelmed, discouraged and empty-handed. The clothing racks were so crammed into the tiny space that a normal person could barely move around. Now imagine being six months pregnant with swollen feet and trying to move around in this tiny space. So that was strike one. Next, the clothing itself did not look like something I would want to take home to my newborn. It looked like they accepted every piece of clothing brought in the door. Some of it was stained, very wrinkled or even smelled bad. That was strike two. And finally, the prices. While they were obviously much cheaper than retail, they really weren't that much better than what a savvy shopper could do with Carter's coupons and shopping the Saturday morning doorbuster specials. So that was strike three. And with that I thought I was done with consignment shopping.
Then when my baby was a couple months old a friend shared a facebook page called Rhea Lana's. They were a special pre-sale to their consignment event for new moms and people who liked them on facebook. A few of friends said they were going, so I figured it was worth checking out. The racks were spread out nicely and the big ticket items were set up in a separate room to make browsing simple. I immediately felt more comfortable here than I had at the consignment shop. The prices were better here too. Toddler jeans were priced $3 a pair, infant pajamas were bundled together in sets of 2 for $3, onesies were bundled in sets of 3 or more for $3. It was great. I was all set to start loading up and then I saw the check out line. It wrapped around the room! It was like Black Friday just for new mommies. And with that I left again empty-handed, but intrigued.
That was at the fall sale for Rhea Lana's. I did some research and learned that they had one every spring and fall. I did a little more research and learned that if you consigned items then you got to shop early and if you volunteered with set-up, check out, etc. you got to shop even earlier. So I decided I would give consigning a go in the spring.
Consigning was really simple. I loaded my item descriptions and prices in online. I didn't know what to expect, as far as how much of my stuff would sale. I tried to price it really reasonably and bundle some good items together to make them more likely to sell. The drop off process went smoothly and I learned one of the reasons why the clothes looked so much nicer at Rhea Lana's than a regular consignment shop. The check-in ladies are very picky! One of my onesies had a very tiny stain that I hadn't even noticed at home, but under the store's fluorescent lights you could just see it. The check-in lady made me remove it. At the time, I was slightly annoyed, but in retrospect I understand that this is truly a service they are providing to all of the shoppers. It's no fun wading through the stained, smelly items to try to find that awesome deal. So I get it now.
When the consignor pre-sale time arrived, I prayed that it wouldn't be as crowded as the new mom and facebook pre-sale I had attended the prior year. I was so thankful to see that there was probably only 75 to 100 other shoppers entering the store with me. I was able to browse, though I would recommend browsing quickly to snatch up all those great deals. I bought my daughter tons of footie pajamas at great prices. Those seemed to be one of the first items to go. Also, toddler jeans went fast and shoes that were priced right. Some people seem to think they can still get half of what they paid out of their used shoes. They just aren't going to sell at that price. But the ones priced $10 or so, those move quickly. I spent about $120, but I had my daughter's next season daycare wardrobe. We also found an amazing deal on a walker that turned into one of Zoey's favorite play things. I felt like super-mom!
I was also excited about the online tracking. It updates live online as people shop, so you can log in to your account and find out how much you have made throughout the sale. I might have become a little obsessed with checking to see if something new had sold! What can I say, it was exciting to see those numbers continue to go up. I ended up making about $115. So yes, I spent more than I made, but basically I traded in my daughter's outgrown clothes for next season's wardrobe, plus a few toys. Now I think that is a win!
Tips and Tricks
- Get there right on time for your pre-sale group's shopping time!
- Take a tote bag or something else large with a shoulder strap to carry around your finds.
- If at all possible, leave your child at home!!
- Know your shopping list in advance - such as I want 5 pairs of footie pajamas, 5 pairs of jeans, 1 coat, etc. Look for your wish list items first! The best stuff moves fast!
- Check your sales online! It's fun!
- If you have time, iron your items! They will sell faster!
- Bundle items together: if you have one plain skirt and one really adorable skirt, bundle them to help add value to the deal!
Good luck, Sparkly Mommies! Happy shopping!
*I am in no way affiliated with Rhea Lana's other than being a happy shopper and consignor.
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