How to Get the Most from Consignment Sales: Shopping Follow-Up

Last week, in anticipation of consignment sale season, I wrote two posts on how to make the most of your consignment sale experience, whether you are buying, selling, or both. 


I had the opportunity to do both recently at Weepeats consignment event which is local to me here in upstate NY, and I'm really excited about my finds so I wanted to share them!


All in all, I spent $97 shopping at the sale's "Preview Day."  Preview Day is when consigners who have worked a volunteer shift are able to shop before the general public.  I got some amazing deals, with an average of $4.40 per item. 

What you see above includes:

• A Land's End Dinosaur Halloween costume -- $14
• Stride Rite girls sneakers -- $2
• Stride Rite Mary Janes -- $2
• Girls' Polaris winter boots - $5
• Girls' London Fog Winter coat with fleece hat - $6
• Girls' Janie & Jack pink cashmere sweater dress - $6
• Assorted books, coloring books, and sticker books - $1-$2 (I stock up on these for when the kids are bored and need a new activity or for car rides)
• Little People Doll House with all accessories --$9 (not pictured; I put it away because it's going to be a Christmas present!)
• Little People Excavator Set -- $4 (also not pictured because it's going to be a Christmas present)

All in all, I'm very happy with the quality and selection of items I was able to find. I wish I had found a boy's jacket and boots, but I'm realizing it's hard to find quality secondhand items for pre-school boys -- they are just so hard on their clothes!

As a consigner, I'm also pleased with how I did. About 95% of the items I brought sold.  All except maybe 10 of those items sold in the first 3 days of the sale. I'm so glad I wrote "Discount" on all my items -- indicating that I will let them go for half price on the last day -- because I certainly didn't want to take those items home again with me. 

Overall, buying and selling at a large consignment sale was a great experience, and I know I'll do it again in the spring. I have one beef that I need to get off my chest though; this is a personal pet peeve, but I wonder if other people feel the same way.

I can't stand it when sellers overprice their items, and then refuse to let them be discounted on half price day. Case in point: I saw a bike very similar to this one at the sale: 

This bike is currently on Target's website for $44.99, brand new. How much did this particular seller ask for a similar used bike? $45 -- and no discount. When I went to pick up my stuff when the sale ended, I saw the seller lugging this bike -- unsold -- home with her. I just don't get it. Isn't the point of selling your stuff to get rid of it??? I mean, I understand that we all want to make some extra cash, but I would much rather have $22.50 in my pocket and more space in my garage than $0 and another item to store. 

 Is this just me? I'd love to hear what others have to say about the consignment sale experience. I know you have stories!!