Opening a new resale store is an exciting venture—but success doesn’t stop at your store's grand opening. The real work begins with getting your name out there, attracting loyal shoppers, and making your mark in your community. Whether you're in the early planning stages or just opened your doors, marketing your consignment shop the right way is key to growing your brand and driving consistent foot traffic and sales.
Here’s how to market your new consignment store like a seasoned pro.
Consignors are the supply life-blood of a consignment store, so it’s essential that as soon as you know you’re opening (far before you actually open your doors to shoppers), you start soliciting consignments. There’s a few key items that will help ensure you’re set up properly to support consignor marketing:
Make sure your store shows up where your customers are searching. Claim and update your profiles on:
Encourage happy shoppers and consignors to leave reviews—it boosts your credibility and visibility in local search results. You can encourage shoppers to leave reviews by offering discounts, store credit, or other incentives.
Your social channels are a powerful (and free!) way to promote your consignment store. Share daily or weekly featured items, behind-the-scenes stories, staff picks, consignment intake tips, and more!
Instagram and Facebook are must-haves for resale store marketing. Use features like Reels and Stories to showcase new inventory the moment it hits the floor—it's a great way to create urgency and keep followers engaged. Don’t overlook TikTok either. Many younger shoppers turn to TikTok to discover resale and secondhand shops in their area, making it a powerful tool to reach new customers and build brand awareness.
Create buzz and on-going engagement with in-store events, special guest curation, or pop-ups. Invite your community in with a:
Capture emails at the event so you can start building a newsletter list—a crucial tool for long-term marketing.
Your email list is one of your most valuable marketing tools. It keeps your store top of mind and drives repeat visits.
Send regular updates like:
Complement your newsletter with additional marketing channels, such as shopping cart reminders, waitlists and wishlists for online stores, and special local partnerships with media and influencers.
*Pro Tip: Encourage shoppers to create TikToks featuring your store or their favorite finds by offering a small incentive—like a discount or giveaway entry. You can also always start creating your own fun, in-store TikToks to highlight new arrivals and show off your shop’s personality! Here are some examples in the Chicago area.
Marketing your consignment shop is ongoing. Use tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, and your consignment POS reporting to understand what’s driving traffic and sales.
Pay attention to:
This data helps you double down on what’s working—and ditch what’s not.
Marketing your new consignment store doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right foundation and a few strategic moves, you can build a brand your community knows, loves, and supports.