Eavesdrop on a consignment experience.
This video is a great case study for shopkeepers and accepting staff. If we look at it not as “how to consign”… but “how to treat a potential consignor” we can take the opportunity to fine-tune our shops.
See if you can spot the lessons to be learned (I’ve listed some after the video.)
Okay, in order of occurrence:
At 0:30 she recounts a bad experience… hope you never react with “disdain”!
At 1:00 the consignee actually introduces herself to the incoming consignor. Do you and your staff do the same? It means a lot… makes the interaction between two people, rather than a person and a business.
At 1:15, the consignee gives the consignor a compliment on her items. I’ve bolded and italized that because you know? It seldom happens that a consignor hears a positive before a potential negative.
At 1:30, consignee takes the conversational opportunity to put in a plug for larger sizes by saying “big is great ’cause we don’t have enough.”
At 1:50, consignee passes on a NTY, without volunteering a reason. I’m sure she had one, but the CONSIGNOR (as seen by her video editing) didn’t consider it important. So if the consignor doesn’t care why, the consignee needn’t throw negative comments into the mix like “out of style,” “fake,” or “are you kidding, this is SO 20th-century.”
At 2:00, the consignee gives the consignor a good reason/excuse not to be concerned with unsold items at the end of the consignment period. Notice the lack of “if you want unsold items back, you must pick them up at X days”… because all most consignors hear is “you must pick up…”
At 2:10 the consignee has a great spiel about the charity the shop uses. Sweet!
At 2:30 the consignee might develop a good spiel about using store credit. The consignor had to ask, and the reply was not as motivating as it could have been.
Did I miss any lessons to be learned? Comment below!
My thanks to verygoodlooking.com for creating and posting this video. A blog I’ll be watching daily. I like Ms. Horchow’s presentation. Usually, these types of commentators are so smarmy and self-important, but I actually like Sally!
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Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
[…] You could even create a video on how to clean closets and prepare for the consignment/ selling trip. Here’s an example that has lessons galore. […]
reasons are so important. i feel so…irritated when i am not offered one! even if i don’t end up agreeing with them 🙂
You’re right Kate , nicely done video! I would suggest that you greet the consignor with name exchange, if there is something in the bunch that catches your eye immediately, make a positive comment, but then ask her to look around for a few minutes while you go through her items. This gives you a chance to examine fully and her a chance to shop!!!! We separate the NTYs and hang on a rack by the door for them to take when they leave. (we try to always have some other NTY hanging there to not make them feel bad). We go through the contract with them and help them fill it out, answer any questions and end the exchange with something positive about her items. Like the video we do not get into explanation of NTY unless they ask or appear to be upset by them.