The best thing, in my view, about consignment and resale shops, is the PERSONALITY. There’s an amazing variety of styles, approaches, and emphases in our industry. Some do it one way, others another. But I think doing it WELL can be summarized with these 4 Rules of Making it Big Time. What do you think? Have I overlooked a key to success that you rely upon?
Keep these points in mind if you want to make it in resale:
1- Look around you with imagination and enthusiasm. Examine all possibilities. Cultivate connections. Opt into opportunities. Your curiosity and business sense can lead you into exciting new directions for developing your business. Saying This won’t work or That’s only for the big guys has a way of coming true if you let it.
2- Pay attention to what’s happening in your shop and figure out why. Good things happening means you do more of the same. Bad, slow, unprofitable? Get rid of it. Simply rearranging your floor layout has a way of freshening customers’ energy and sparking sales. Before you decide that a category’s not selling, figure out why. A modest shop increased home decor sales 250% overnight just by painting the backs of the shelf units a vivid color.
3- Keep learning. You do not know it all, no matter how long you’ve been in business or how well your shop(s) are doing. There’s always a new twist, clever strategy, wondrous wording. Even if you think I’ve tried that before and it didn’t work…it might now, with a changed set of personal and global perspective. At the very least, learning something new will remind you that you did it before and it was great…how did you ever forget it?
4- Surround yourself with people who do it better. Face it, we have strengths…and we have weaknesses. If you can’t count on yourself to get those consignments checked in today, find someone who can. If you do boring displays, find someone whose imagination and technical know-how surpass yours.
(The 5th way to make it big in consignment? Get emails from this blog! That’s https://tgtbt.blog/follow/ )
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
#2 is a strategy I always find helpful, especially because we have a fair number of regulars. I’ve been looking for a reason to paint the backs of two shelving units we have, and now I’ve got one. Yay! Now to decide on the vivid color, and which volunteer I can use to help me.
But, my personal number 1 to making it big is:
Customer service! Being knowledgeable and excited about my merchandise, and conveying that to the customer. Having the tools handy that I need to make a sale – tape measure, light bulbs to show how a lamp glows, available electrical outlet to show that a vintage blender really works, batteries to show a clock ticks, and a reasonably-priced and trustworthy delivery service to get that beautiful sofa home to your 3rd floor walk up.
Thanks, Heidi, how right you are that enthusiasm and the proper tools work wonders.
good ole’ fashion advice. Grass roots approach. Thank you. You continue to be my wise mentor.
I love all 4 points but # 2 really says it all. It is amazing how just moving an item from one spot to another can make it sell. Your regular customers have a set pattern they usually follow through your store. If it’s not in their walk way, they haven’t seen it before. We move things every day and when customers comment about it, we tell them we have to to make room for all the cool stuff coming in each day.
[…] I’ll be looking for ways to help you, Dear Readers (who are mostly “real” stores), work with, partner with, benefit from the seasonal sales that are getting so much press. They have some great opportunities and terrific marketing angles that we all can learn from…and adapt to our businesses. Remember Point #1! […]
Kate,
I agree with point 1 completely! I see my little shop (1,000 s.f.) as simply a mechanism for me to have a business and am using the Internet and old fashioned networking to expand my reach. Now large items are not an instant no but rather a let me see how I can help you. I’ve also started a more generous split for artists to give my shop a look that is unique.
As always, thanks for your great tips!
Gayle