It’s Wacky Wednesday once again. A free giveaway for consignment, resale, and thrift shop owners/ managers.
And this week’s thought-provoker, which I think will get you reflectingon your career and all you’ve learned, is
What sticks in your mind as the most SURPRISING thing you’ve learned in your resale or consignment shop?
You can do all the preparations in the world, you can read every word on TGtbT.com, HowToConsign.com and the hundreds of blog entries here…you can attend classes and talk to business advisors and go to NARTS Conferences… but there’s always something that makes you sit up and smell the coffee. What was it for you?
So tell us your thoughts on what the most SURPRISING thing you learned about this business after you opened your shop? You can also tell us how that changed your way of doing business, which we’d love to hear…but that’s not mandatory. You become eligible for the drawing simply by commenting here, and it’s no harder than putting your 2-cents’ worth over at Sharing on the Premiere Site for Professional Resalers, Too Good to be Threw.
Remember, at least 20 responses are necessary before the drawing’s a go, so clue your resale buddies into this too!
To fit in with our Wacky Wednesday question this week,our sponsors
Mark and Kathleen at Tags by Markatcc
are donating a selection of their passion (well, their second passion, after making sure you get the best deal of price tags for your shop!), gourmet coffee. Too bad the Internet doesn’t have Smell-o-Vision yet, but you can at least look at the yummy coffees they offer.
Read the rules for our giveaway. Your comment must be posted by midnight Eastern time Sunday Feb. 28 and we must have at least 20 entries (so getyour resale buddies to enter too!)
Read previous Wacky Wednesday entries and GREAT responses from consignment, thrift, and resale shopkeepers.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
My answer as to what SURPRISING thing I’ve learned in 13 years is that there is such a WIDE RANGE OF VIEWS on how to run this type of business. We are all basically doing the same thing — selling used stuff. We have different views on advertising, tagging, markdowns, intake, etc. and we all struggle in different areas. I’ve learned that we all must work together to make the resale name better and we must continually learn from each other. I still have much room to improve and welcome that. Thanks to all of you for the great networking you do, it helps ALL OF US that choose to use it.
I think the thing that always surprises me is the consumers need to bargain on pricing when the shop has signs that clearly state that all prices are final and that 90 cents to each dollar goes to our not for profit. Many times, I believe, it is just a game to play. I love it because it actually gives us the opportunity to re-enforce our mission and direct the conversation to our needs-volunteers, donations etc.
Although I am no longer with this organization, I wanted to post a comment since we are still members of NARTS. If, by chance we win the drawing, correspondence can be directed to Megan Harless at: Megank@workingwardrobes.org
I was super surprised when I first heard that it might be wise to consider keeping your consignors seperate from your buyers. I know we don’t always have a way of controlling this but one way is NOT offering an extra discount if the consignor uses their money in their account for a store purchase. Also mailing checks monthly helps keeping the two seperate.
I was shocked when I first heard this (I think from Kate, yeah DEF from Kate!). I thought ‘what?! Don’t I WANT them shopping here?”
then I soon realized the answer is NO, I want them shopping at the expensive mall and then consigning the stuff with me soon after they buy it and are bored or done with that trend.
I was also super shocked to learn how expensive advertising is!
It always seemed like such a dream to be in business for yourself… and it is… but noone tells you what to do. That is a blessing and a curse at the same time. If you don’t want to get out of bed and you just want to relax, you have no boss to tell you to get to work, however nothing gets done in your business if you don’t go to work. It is rewarding to see your business grow and succeed and all your efforts start to blossom but nobody is there to pat you on the back and say good job (well nobody but your friends at TGTBT). I don’t think I realized those aspects quite up front.
Two things stand out to me.
First, I thought we’d be bombarded with sellers which we have not been still after almost 18 months in business. This really is a good thing. We get good quality merchandise and are rarely overwhelmed.
Second is how fabulous my customers are! On the con list on opening this business was having to deal with the general public. My general public has been one of the best things about opening the store! I love going to work because it is a very happy place.
The third is related to being a small business owner and gaining an awareness of a belief by some that there is something negative about profiting from your work, known in other realms as a paycheck.
One last one of course is a terrible realization with the CPSIA of just how quickly and irrationally a government regulation can make you choose from being an outlaw or bankrupt.
Everyday has new surprises… but
How much I love and the satisfaction I get daily from my store, consignors and customers who have became my friends.
I strive to make sure every person who walks through the door is welcomed with a big smile, hello and make it personal. Almost everytime the simple Hello and smile turns into a conversation.
I have cards under my counter that I put into bags (not every bag) but for that special customers who comes in and brightens my day (just a little something they will find when they get home to brighten their day- Thanking them for making me smile today and hopefully put a smile on their face!)
At the end of the day…I am already looking forward to tomorrow!
I would say the most suprising thing for me would be that, like Marriette, my customers don’t want or recognize the better brands and designers. I had read (several times) that you need to carry what your customers want, not what you want. I really thought I was filling a need for better name brands and designer clothes, but in fact, my customers would rather have St Johns Bay, and many don’t know what a St. John is.
MollyB!
I really had to think about this and now, a few days later I came up with an answer and I see it repeated in all of the above….
I never believed I could become as successful as I have…in the customers’ eye, my families eye, financially, employing 6 women,
I never would believe it to be so much fun to go to work each day…to hang out with my girlfriends and play dress up!
I am so surprised at how many women shop for now reason and end up with closets full of unworn clothing to consign, how sad,
I am so surprised that a little consignment shop can become the meeting place in the community where friends meet to laugh and shop, and just be themselves,
I am so surprised that I would meet the most meaningful friends I have ever had through the internet on a site called tgtbt and through the membership of NARTS,
Not only am I surprised, I am so blessed and so happy, happiest I have ever been in my life. I love my life, and I love who I have become in this life. I love the resale business and what it has allowed me to become.
I think what suprises me the most is how many people bring things in with the tags still on that they never wore. Its really suprising when its items that they paid 3 or 4 hundred for and then never wore and never took back to the store. I just had a lady bring in a Michael Kors pocketbook with the tags on, she paid $350.00 and never used it.
Value is in the eye’s of the beholder. For consumers that make Wal-Mart their dept store of choice, our prices for name brands not found there, seem rather high to them. We will hear comments such as “I can get this new at Wal-Mart for this price!” Upon further examination, I doubt you will find Lucky Brand or Silver Jeans at Wal-Mart.
On the flip side, label fashion consumers can see the value of a pair of Silver Jeans for $20 or a Chico’s Shirt for $15.
I think the thing that surprises me the very most is how much I love my job.
You wouldn’t think one would find joy in going through things someone else doesn’t want and trying to make clever displays out of mis-matched items, but I just can’t wait to get here in the morning.
While I’m not making as much money (yet) as I did in my old joyless job, I’m happier. I don’t even feel like I work.
I have had some very personal surprises in regard to this business…such as how many of my strengths, past training and abilities have come together (I’m old at 58) and are being used in a very fulfilling way. My previous commercial art background (in fashion), love and training in computer graphics, love of personal service and interaction and the independence of being my own boss have all come together. I wasn’t expecting all that when I decided to open this business.
Alexa
Otra Vez Couture Consignment
There are two “most surprising things” that I have learned since opening in June of 2009:
1) The resale business is more competitive than I ever imagined. We have to stay on top of what other shops are pricing, what they are taking/carrying, how they are marketing etc and it can feel very intense.
2) I never imagined how many consignors we would get so quickly. The system we started with (how we coded tickets, processing, intake, managing floor flow etc) all has taken on a new life with efficiency being the top goal.
I guess what has suprised me the most was becoming a friend to hundreds of people. I never would have imagined how close I would become with so many people. They have cried to me, laughed with me, shared photos, invited friends and family to meet me and see their favorite store. I love to see the babies grow up into toddlers, see them walking and talking. I love the 6yr old who runs up and hugs me everytime she comes into my store and asks me if I have a new book for her. Some of the kids, including my 4yr old, thinks my store is my house and all those toys are mine, lol. Many of my regular kids will come up and ask me if it’s ok to play with some of my toys and if I want to play too.
It’s only been 3yrs but I feel like I’m an important person in many of their lives.
As far as the question about what I have learned from this suprise….I have learned to get to know your customers. This will help you in having that special book kept in your backroom for that little girl who comes up and hugs you and wants to know if you have any new books for her. It will help you with word of mouth. You don’t want to be that grouchy or stuck up shop owner.
Wow–this is a hard one. I’ve been doing this for 16 years and I’m trying to come up with the MOST surprising thing—hmmm.
I think the thing that surprises me most is how successful a business like this can be. I’m not saying that I didn’t think it could be successful, but when I bought my store all those years ago, it wasn’t doing all that well, and now I consider it to be a very big success. I’ve had people ask me if I ever thought my business would grow as it has, and my answer was “no”, I didn’t. But now, I feel like I’ve “made it” and I think it can truly keep growing and getting even better.
I’m very fortunate to have a family that encourages me to grow the business because I’m a person who doesn’t really like change all that much. So with them giving me a nudge here and there, the store has grown and prospered like I never dreamed it would.
I’m very grateful for the knowledge I’ve gained from all those who share on Kate’s site, and from the people I’ve met thru NARTS!! Thank you all.
How much therapy there really is in resale therapy! I feel pretty honored when I think about all the things my customers will share with me when we’re one on one. Gushing over new grandchildren, break-ups, moves, family secrets. Successes and fears of all kinds seems to spill out so easily amongst all the denim, cashmeres and silks. My favorite one this week was a new customer who went on and on about her late mother. She lived to be 105 and was just full of stories she shared with me as if we were long lost friends. I can’t wait to shop with her again and her more stories.
Since opening up our store six weeks ago, the most important thing we learned is that just because you opened a beautiful boutique, everybody is not just going to come running in to see it or shop for that matter. We are on the east coast, and the recent snow storms have really played havoc with our opening, but we are soldiering on, and quiting is not an option. We been brainstorming and trying to figure out our moves for the coming spring season, and the pleasant weather that we know will begin to bring people out to shop. When we do get some people in the store, we sell, sell, sell. They don’t always buy, but we make the experience memorable for them, and we have a feeling everyone of them will be back. Thanks for all the good tips, and information.
The most surprising thing I’ve learned since opening my business is just how attached some people are to their stuff. I never knew that giving up “things” could be so emotional for people. And I’m not talking about the first baby outfit or christening gown, things you would think they would get sentimental about. I’m talking about things like breast pumps (I had a consignor actually cry when I took it) and swings (the consignor would walk by it wistfully when she was in and it was on the sales floor – even telling other people walking by it had been her son’s and touching it a lot).
I have been watching the show Hoarders or A&E a lot and some of the behaviors shown on that show are very much like what some of my customers go through when they finally part with their stuff.
I love being able to take my time with these people and make sure that they are ready for consignment – sometimes they are not and that’s okay.