There’s profit sitting in your consignment, resale or thrift shop right now… in the most unlikely form. Unsaleable, unsold, even discarded items can make the merchandise you DO sell look so much better, that your profits can soar!

Use… and reuse, to increase the perceived value of your goods

For-sale, unsold, even unsaleable books make great risers in vignettes, displays and swing-shop tabletops. By varying heights and putting goods on a “pedestal”, you show that a simple statuette or vase could look wonderful in their decor. Same idea: costume jewelry as brooch on cocktail dress or clutch bag, silk flower pinned on straw hat.

(Photo courtesy of Ciao!)

How this works: Show merchandise in the context of customers’ dream lives to build its value to them. Tuck some flip flops and a pair of sunglasses into a straw beach bag, fill a playpen with stuffed toys, loop a bandanna in the strap of a coverall.

Use… and reuse, to increase sales

For-sale, or even not-good-enough-to-resell, tables, lamps, baskets and trays gather and present goods, leading to sales of items which might look forlorn on their own. Here’s an example:

Click for more ideas.

How this works: Props take a mundane resale shop into the realm of treasure chest.

Use… and reuse, to build multiple sales

Pile on not only your current merchandise, but even, perhaps, “saved” goods which didn’t sell before. For example, this great belt display on a mannequin needs LOTS of belts… the first layer of which could be some saved, not-so-great belts:

Click for more recycling = profit ideas

How this works: Showing a multitude of belts (or beads or candlesticks) all in one place makes your browsers crave more than one!

What are some ways you have used unsold or unsaleable goods to build your shop’s profits? Share with us in the comments!