Posted in Shopkeeping talk, tagged merchandising, Thrift on October 24, 2012|
Oh wow! A typo that would make perfect sense in a NFP donate-only thrift shop with a re-purposed display case 😉 Make some “fake food” donuts (slices of pool noodle?), get a Dunkin’ Donuts box to display them in, and
See more posts here and here and here for non-profit resale shops. Or settle in for some good reading by clicking the “Thrift” word, over in the right column>>.
Posted in Not-for-Profit Resale, Shopkeeping talk, tagged blogging, Thrift, web on October 18, 2012|
This snapshot by a newspaper reporter is the ideal photo for any resale, consignment or thrift shop. In this case, it’s NFP thrift shop founder Janet Hamilton accepting a donation for Journey Home, her shop which benefits hospice care. But it works equally well for (more…)
Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk, tagged resale shopkeeping, small business, Thrift on September 18, 2012| 5 Comments »
the NFP resale shopkeeper, manager, and staff. It should be obvious to your customers and donors as well. I mean, it says “Serving those in need” or “Exodus House” on your signs, right, and that says it all,
doesn’t it?
Well, no. Just like a restaurant frames its reviews, and a for-profit consignment or resale shop has its Brag Wall of professional affiliations and thank-you letters from clothing or household pantries, so a nonprofit thrift store needs to give its supporters as many reasons to support the store as you possibly can.
This is one universal that I have come across in each and every consultation I have done with nonprofit thrift stores: they don’t use the reason why the store exists to
In every case, I give the strong recommendation that they make a point of showing shoppers and suppliers just why the store exists.
Even as well-known as Salvation Army or Goodwill or St. Vincent de Paul stores are, do their customers realize what the stores help finance? I’d be willing to bet my best thrift-store treasure that the answer is “no, they don’t know everything we do to help the community.”
The photos here show how beautifully and effectively this can be done. TheResaleShop of the National Council of Jewish Women sponsors a wide range of charities, and they’re not shy about putting that information out there. On the soffits. On colorful banners flanking an entry. As a well-lit backdrop for a display area.
And don’t you think that this knowledge would Tell us by commenting below: how, where, and how often does your thrift store educate its customers and donors about “why we do this”? Or do you think the retail operation should stand on its own merits? Maybe your customers just don’t care… all they want is bargains?
Posted in Shopkeeping talk, tagged holidays, resale shopkeeping, Thrift on August 6, 2012| 2 Comments »
Before you bag up all your unsold summer clearance items, click to take a look at this PDF that HowToConsign.com offers consumers. Maybe it’ll give you
Collecting up unsold past-season goods to create a costume department in your shop is more than just a way to recycle. It’s more than just a way to make a few extra bucks late in October for the Hallowe’en-shopping folks.
It’s a way to
* Build traffic
* Create incredible Word Of Mouth
* Introduce a whole new demographic to your shop
* Have LOADS to talk about on your blog and Facebook… maybe even some hilarious photos of outfitted customers
* Have loads of fun and laughs
If you truly want to do all that, you need How to have a Frightfully Good Halloween and Build your Costume Business Year-Round which is available as a PDQ, and which, to be quite honest, is one of the most
After all, we as resale shopkeepers know how to use everything to the max, right?
From Shop Sizzle:
Keep an eye out, when sorting through incoming, for items that you might not SELL, but that you could use as fixtures or equipment in your shop. Some ideas from Shop Sizzle include: flat velveteen pillows as a jewelry display piece, a well-washed linen tablecloth as backdrop in a display picture frame, a hand mirror to hang from a pretty ribbon in a dressing room for a back view.
And more ideas on this post to get you looking at things twice before you get rid of them: Can’t Consign It? Maybe you should…
Posted in 5- Minute Fixes, Shopkeeping talk, tagged kidswear, sea of sameness, Thrift on July 3, 2012| 1 Comment »
I went out this morning to mail my TGtbT.com orders, and encountered (more…)
Too Good to be Threw is the flagship site of the TGtbT Family of Sites for the Professional Resalers
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 