Auntie Kate The Resale Expert

I’m easily set off on a resale rampage. Just tell me something that has NO basis in good business, and watch the froth build up around my lips.

This rampage, which I try to hold in check most of the year, is really important for me to let fly now, as the fall-to-winter-to-holiday shopping season begins, the most important time of the year for consignment and resale shops. Here’s what was said on our Sharing discussion board that set me off on today’s Froth:

I don’t want to set a layaway policy because I don’t
want to actually do them all the time. I don’t have room.

Froth #1: if you have a 5-foot rack in your back room or even your private bathroom, you have room not only for layaways…but room to offer the extraordinary service that sets youir business above the big boxes and the mall stores….and one you can offer for absolutely FREE.

Froth #2: Think about it: we resale shops PRIDE ourselves on buy it today, it may not be here tomorrow selection. But what if the perfect winter coat or a holiday serving platter just like the one that Grandma used to have attracts a customer’s eye, but she’s short of expendible income this week? You don’t want to let her walk out without it. You certainly (after all we ARE the queens of Live Within Your Means) don’t want to suggest she add it to her 28% interest credit card balance. So what to do?

Lay it away for her. So, you’ll have to find storage space for her purchase until she finishes paying it off in 2 weeks. In return you can please her, practically guarantee her spending MORE when she comes in to redeem her layaway, and regain the selling floor space for another item. And just THINK of the word of mouth! Plus chances are, since you are an Alert Resaler, in the time her item sits in layaway, you can find and suggest  the coordinating hat and gloves for that coat or the napkins that just GO with that DARLING platter. And yes, you’ll have to make up signage for the shop and train your sales staff to mention that It’s so great but you probably weren’t planning on spending that amount today were you? I can put it in layaway for you if that helps your family budget. But IT IS WORTH IT.

Final Froth: Sure, layaway’s not all peaches and cream. There’s the renegers and there’s the storage “problem” and there’s having to set a policy (although that can be eased instantaneously with TGtbT’s Layaway Sales Layout which includes the simplest, most-effective percentage and time period) and there’s a bit of research you should do about your state/province’s consumer laws re layaway deposits if it comes to that (hint: push-comes-to-shove, you have to refund the deposit but you of course won;t LET push come to shove)… but that’s a small price to pay for such GREAT customer service.

There. Now I feel SO much better. If you decide to start not only offering layaways, but actively promoting them, let me know if it hurts your business.