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Archive for the ‘economics of resale’ Category

Why Resale Does WELL when Consumers Cut Back

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk on February 10, 2008| 2 Comments »

ReSell, RePlace, ReJoice! What Recession?WHAT Recession?When money gets tight thrift, buy-outright, and just about every other type of secondhand business does, it’s true, look the specter of lower sales in the eye. Couple shopkeepers’ gut feelings about the disposable income floating around in their towns with news stories, higher gas and grocery prices and sprouting For Sale signs on local lawns, and yup, you have some worried secondhand shopkeepers around.

But you know what? There’s an UPSIDE to all this negative stuff. And it is two-fold, which means you, as a retail owner, (more…)

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Looking over the year….

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk, tagged on January 21, 2008| 2 Comments »

map1.jpgNow’s the time when the bravest of us start gathering our previous year’s information together and mulling it over. A whole year’s info can be a sort of treasure map, if you look at it from the right angle.

In my case, “mulling it over” means “avoiding doing the actual math that I need for my tax return.” I find mulling much more rewarding, and less…umm, taxing if you will… than adding and subtracting line 39 from 57 1/2.

Using my statistics, some insights into the resale and consignment industry as a whole:

♦ Too Good to be Threw, my site for shopkeepers, was busiest in (more…)

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Razzle-Dazzle Them: Your New Year’s Resolution?

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , on December 29, 2007| 7 Comments »

The old razzle dazzle makes resale money every time!If there’s one thing that I wish every Too Good to be Threw resaler, heck, every RETAILER, would resolve to do in the upcoming year, it’s to polish up their shop so that it razzle-dazzles their clientele.

Shopping used to be a joy. It was FUN. They made jokes about the ladies in the department stores squirting perfume. They ohhed-and-ahhed over the fantasy Toyland at Macy’s. Women looked forward to (more…)

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Kate learns something new

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk, tagged on October 15, 2007| 23 Comments »

After all these years, I didn’t think there was anything new to learn about resale. But my volunteer job at a consignment-only, not-for-profit shop has proved me wrong!

You’ve heard me preach forever about the disadvantages of item limits on incoming. It’s inconvenient for the consignor, she selects the wrong things to bring, the best consignors won’t put up with it, and so on.

Well, here’s another reason to NOT have item limits:

It messes up YOUR head.

The shop where I’m working has a 20 item limit. Canny consignors bring in 25 or 30 things. So what did I find myself doing? Choosing the 20 “best” items from those offered. After all, the consignor interprets the 20-item limit as I am entitled to bring in 20 items. . . and so, kinda, did I.

Even if that meant I was accepting things I wouldn’t accept if there was no limit. Without limits, I’d choose the 2 or 12 or 22 best. I’d choose what would sell and not accept the things that wouldn’t.

But no, I was taking 20 from each consignor, even if the last few were not things I really thought I should. And I was forced to reject some mighty fine stuff once I had gotten to #20 with the folks who offered the 25 or 30 really good things.

By thinking “20 item limit” and mentally turning that into “20 from each person, regardless of quality”, the “bad” were driving out the good!

Is that any way to run a consignment shop?

This article was originally run on TGtbT.com, and is reprinted here because it is more important than ever to operate any retail business with care and thoughtfulness.

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