[blockquote]The latest craze among bargain-shopping parents.[/blockquote]
Hundreds of people line up outside an entrance to a large rented facility with laundry baskets in hand. When the doors open, many already know where they are going. Some are heading to the aisles of brightly-colored children’s clothing, some the massive treasures in the furniture and home décor department and yet others are off to nab that plastic Little Tykes play set at a bargain price. Sounds a little like Black Friday. But it’s not. It’s the latest craze among bargain-shopping parents: seasonal consignment sales.
And it’s not only about scoring the bargain of the century. Many parents have looked to seasonal consignment sales as a way to get a return on all those items they have invested in for their home and family. It’s possible that you can find hundreds of dollars hidden in your attic, closets or rented storage buildings. It’s possible to turn the mounds of toys and bins of clothes that your children have outgrown into cash. It’s possible, and many parents are doing just that.
The idea of children’s seasonal consignment sales has exploded in the South in areas such as Atlanta and Nashville and has gradually spread north over the past twenty years. A consignment sale and a consignment shop are not the same. A consignment sale is only in operation several times a year at a facility rented by its owners, generally giving sellers a 65 – 70 percent commission on consigned items and allowing sellers to set the price of consigned items. A benefit to participating in a sale is that consignors attend presales not available to the general public.
The experience of attending a seasonal consignment sale is one parents won’t forget. The sheer volume of items is often overwhelming. One local sale boasts over 30,000 items from 250+ families. Besides clothing, parents can find toys, sports equipment, books, CDs, DVDs, games, shoes, accessories, costumes, holiday attire, children’s furniture and room decor, home furniture and décor, electronics and so much more.
The sales are designed to bring the experience of hundreds of yard sales to the buyer in one location. But you won’t find junk here. Owners of sales screen items for missing buttons, stains, style and wear. Owners look for name brand, gently used items that will sell quickly.
Two consignment sales open each season in Owensboro. The Tot, the Teen, and the Wardrobe is different than retail consignment stores because our merchandise is priced lower, at near garage sale prices. Clients make 70 percent off their consigned items, whereas most consignment shops offer only 50/50.
Pigtails and Cowlicks Consignment brings Owensboro and surrounding counties a one-weekend sale event, where over 250 families will be selling more than 25,000 kids’ items, from newborn to teen. Local families can stretch their budget by buying high-quality items at low prices. Consignors make 70 percent off the sale of their items.
Consignment sales appear to be a win-win for everyone involved: the consignors earn cash by cleaning out their closets, the shoppers get items at a fraction of the retail cost and the community benefits from all the items donated to charities after these sales.