Pricing
"How do I price my items?” is the most common question for new consignors. We can offer you some suggested pricing, but ultimately, the decision is yours! The most successful consignors will ask themselves:
What would I be willing to pay for this item?
Am I pricing too high because I have “emotional” attachment to this item?
A general rule of thumb is to price your items between 25% and 33% of the CURRENT retail price and then adjust from there.
“Best sellers” such as Large Outdoor Toys and Baby Gear in like-new condition can be tagged for as much as 50%! But some common items like clothing in small sizes, should be priced lower because there is a larger inventory of those items.
Other factors to consider when when pricing your items:
Condition?
How old is the item?
Brand?
How much to buy this item brand new today? What you paid for the item doesn't matter!
Size? There is a lot of inventory for clothing smaller than 2T!
How rare is it? Will there be others like it at the sale?
Keep in mind every shopper is checking prices online while they shop. It is sometimes helpful to put the current retail price in your tag description.
If your item is no longer being sold, find something similar and price accordingly. Remember, our shoppers are mainly parents. Chances are there won't be a collector to buy that super special discontinued Fisher Price toy that sells on Amazon for $200.
At the sale, there is no negotiating the prices, what it's tagged for is the sale price. Please remember, you cannot write on your tags if you change your mind about a price. You’ll need to print out another tag.
There is a minimum $1.00 price per tag, except clothing which has a $3.00 minimum per tag (sell items together to reach these minimum limits). Please only use increments of $.50 when pricing your items.
Here is a price guide put out by consignmentmommies.com that we think is applicable to our market:
Bargain brands: includes outfits from stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Carters and discount outlets. Consider bundling, discounting and pricing low for bargain brands.
Basic brands: includes Old Navy, The Children’s Place and Crazy 8, may have prices a little higher than discount stores, but there’s almost always a good sale. Most moms know about true retail value for these brands. They’ll skip any overpriced pieces. There’s usually a good variety of gently-worn outfits from these brands. Price competitively.
Better Brands: includes brands like Gymboree, Gap and Lands End. They have a reputation for holding up well and typically retain their resale value. You can price these popular brands for a little more. The majority of reasonably-priced items will sell.
Boutique Brands: includes brands like Hanna Andersson, Matilda Jane, Lulu Lemon, etc. For items in great condition, there is a market for these brands, however, there seems to be a cap of around $15 – $22 that buyers are willing to pay.
