Auntie Kate The Resale Expert

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Okay, before you have your final summer clearance, before the bag sale or the dollar rack or the BOGO just-get-it-outta-my-sight sale:

Pull your pakaways. They’ll do more for your business at a later date than they will right now.

What am I saying? Take stuff that didn’t sell and like, KEEP it?

Yes, indeed, that’s precisely what I suggest. Sort through what’s out-of-date, tired, that you’d gladly sell for 75% off just to see the back of this slow and torpid July, and put all of it away for another use…one that that will help your shop thrive.

Click to get Pakaways: More Freedom, More Profit for your professional reference library.

What could these unsold (unsaleable?) items do for your business? Those kelly-green coveralls that didn’t sell for summer? The size 13 flats that never found a foot to match? The giant black wrought-iron candlestick or the stained Spongebob T-shirt size 18 months?

Well, they could be the start of your Halloween collection to debut sooner than you think. A clown, a party decoration, a costume for a baby squid?

And how about: The red or green camisoles, the ruffly white blouse, the pinecone basket, gold table runner, blue-and-white napkins, candy-stripe hairbows? You see where I’m going with this, right…holidays?

And you know what? It’s not really about the dollars such a pakaway might put into your till when it sells on October 5 or November 15 or whenever.

The real value of pakaways is in the seeding

of an upcoming season. If clients see the beginnings of a holiday department in your shop, they’ll spread the word, they’ll bring in more of the same that will help build your business in this area, and they will start buying.

And the value of pakaways is also in the fluffing

of the departments you have. That $5 green camisole is going to enhance the $50 reindeer v-neck sweater and the gold runner shine under snowflake plates you’ve priced at $15 each. Even if you only save 4 candy-striped hair bows from your summer stock, they’re enough to give a festive feel to the green velvet bows you have for holiday picture-taking outfits. (Or to tumble into that punch bowl set that comes in on December 1!)

And don’t forget to pull out before summer clearance sale, the too-exotic-for-Oshkosh bikinis and mesh halters… stuff that’ll look terrific in a resort swing shop on January 2. I mean, Cabo will be JUST the place for that leopard-print sarong even if Oshkosh isn’t ready for it.