As you know, we strive to provide our customers with the tools for success. With that goal of growth and innovation, we are excited to announce that SimpleConsign has teamed up with Loyal Shops to provide you with a new way to sell consignment on Facebook live.

We have been able to build a system that works easily with our existing software. No need to upload every item in your inventory to your Shopify store, you choose what goes onto your Shopify. This is huge because most 3rd party Shopify apps charge based on inventory size. What this means for our customers is that they can easily pick and choose which items end up in their Shopify and more importantly what consignment items they can sell on Facebook Live.

By combining our inventory system and our Shopify plugin with LoyalShops you will now be able to sell your consignment products on Facebook live.

Prior to this, our shops were able to access their inventory from home and sell on Facebook live, but it was a convoluted system.

LoyalShops will allow consignment store owners to go onto Facebook live and sell their consigned items. The LoyalShops system tracks responses to items you are selling and will automate a lot of the heavy lifting that comes along with selling on Facebook live.

Combining that with our inventory system, you will be able to sell consignment items without having to manually do price splits, as anything that sells on LoyalShops will be dictated in SimpleConsign as well.

Let’s say you have to close your shop for some time due to cleaning, fumigating, or a pandemic, which would have been an outrageous idea before 2020. If a situation like this occurs, you can get on Facebook Live to provide your customers with your products and continue making a profit with your shop rather than having an unproductive day. This is next level consignment shopping and selling.

A lot of people prefer online shopping, this makes it easier and more entertaining to accomplish that. It’s also a great way to promote your business and get new customers.

If you would like more information on how LoyalShops can help your consignment store sell online with Facebook live, you can check them out here.

Check out our webinar with LoyalShops in our exclusive Facebook group built for Resale and Consignment Professionals.

Modern-day shipping for consignment stores is in high demand. Both consignment buyers and sellers can agree that nothing beats the thrill of finding the perfect vintage piece that really ties the room together. Whether it’s a mid-century modern couch or a Victorian-era marble statue, such items are hard to come by and may never be found again.

But consignment buyers and sellers also know that this excitement can quickly wear off when faced with the logistics of safely getting such a piece from Point A to Point B at an affordable price.

That’s why uShip has teamed up with SimpleConsign, the web-based management solution for consignment shops. To provide its sellers with fast, easy, and affordable delivery options for shipping large, oversized items.

Traditional shipping options have proved inefficient for consignment sellers, leaving them to deal with high fees and high damage rates. Parcel carriers, like USPS, simply aren’t equipped for these large jobs. They often result in exorbitant, unpredictable rates. On the other hand, freight carriers can carry large items via Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipping. However, they require sellers to spend extra time and money carefully packing and palletizing items.

ONE-STOP SHOP FOR OVERSIZED SHIPPING

With uShip, SimpleConsign users get way more than just bare-bones shipping options.

uShip’s solution for SimpleConsign sellers includes blanket wrapping, home delivery, and full tracking for both buyers and sellers. Consignment store owners can also rest easy thanks to instant shipping price estimates; affordable, full-coverage insurance; and first-to-final mile service, which can result in significantly lower damage rates.

On top of these features, SimpleConsign sellers get a key edge over competitors by having the ability to choose their own carriers. Every carrier on uShip has its own profile. This includes helpful information, like reviews and ratings from real customers, cancellation rates, and transport equipment. Before booking, SimpleConsign sellers can review each carrier who interacts with their listing and communicate about the shipment in advance. Giving them the power to choose the right shipping partner for their store.

MAKE MORE SALES WITH PREDICTIVE PRICING

Though today’s buyers have never been more confident purchasing large items online, 47 percent of Americans still say that high delivery costs at checkout caused them to look elsewhere for the same or similar item. For sellers of large antiques, offering free shipping might seem impossible, but with uShip’s shipping portal, sellers can utilize uShip’s predictive pricing so they can roll the cost to ship into each item, making free shipping a true reality.

Not sure which is the right shipping price strategy for your business? Take this quiz to find out.

WHAT ARE OTHER SELLERS SAYING?

Brad Stanwick operates an online store specializing in English antique furniture. His store, The Parsons Nose, now either offers free shipping on its items, with shipping rolled into prices, or displays a flat, up-front delivery rate right on the item’s listing.

“Using uShip has been better for my bottom line,” Brad says. “I ran the numbers and figured out that I can ship my furniture almost anywhere in the country for about $250 to $300 through uShip. So, I took a leap.”

A WIN-WIN SHIPPING SOLUTION

Better shipping options for SimpleConsign users don’t just benefit the seller. With this latest partnership, SimpleConsign customers can now get the perfect one-of-a-kind item shipped directly to their room of choice. In addition, both seller and customer can have the peace of mind provided by full tracking, feedback-rated carriers, and first-to-final mile delivery.

SimpleConsign Seller Exclusive: If you’re a SimpleConsign user, check out the uShip + SimpleConsign landing page to see how you can start shipping with modern-day shipping for consignment stores through uShip today.

Start Shipping

The results are in…Curvy Girl Kate’s rocks!

About a month ago, I challenged a reader to run a winter clearance DIY party, How to host a fun DIY class for your consignment winter clearance. The idea of turning sweaters into pillows, dog beds, gloves, etc. sounded so fun. I immediately got a response. Bobbie Jo Howard from Curvy Girl Kate’s in Idaho was up for the winter clearance challenge. Needless to say, Curvy Girl Kate’s rocks!

The invitation

Bobbie Jo, a former pre-school teacher, was confident she could teach the class. After all, if you’ve taught crafts to pre-schoolers for 30 years, how difficult can it be, right? They promoted the event on Facebook as well as in the store. Their specialty would be coffee cozies and sweater pillows all made from winter-clearance sweaters.

The evening

Although the class was small, they thoroughly enjoyed the event. Traxia not only provided the idea, but we helped with the cost of snacks too.

The fruits of their labor

From sweater pillows to coffee cozies to dog toys, class participants created some great items. Curvy Girl Kate’s is truly a family business and Bobbie Jo’s daughter Kate (also a pre-school teacher) got involved too.

What about you?

What are you doing to move out winter merchandise and make room for spring? If you’re looking for an idea, take it from Curvy Girl Kate’s and host a fun DIY class. If teaching a class is not your thing, read 17 brilliant ideas for inventory reduction. While your at it, read 6 tips for consignment shop spring cleaning. There’s more to getting ready for the next season than just clearing out old merchandise.

If you’re ever in Boise, Idaho, be sure to shop at Curvy Girl Kate’s. Bobbie Jo always offers a cup of tea and a listening ear. Tell her Traxia sent you!

Chris Fagan & her mother, Nancy Sheeler of Transitional Design

Resale partners, Transitional Design, truly puts service ahead of sales

When Nancy Sheeler retired from IBM, resale wasn’t even on her radar. Transitional Design, in Broadview Heights near Cleveland, Ohio, was started out of a desire to serve seniors in her area. “I wanted to help seniors downsize and oversee every aspect of their move. I wasn’t planning on selling anything, but I soon realized that one of their biggest stressors was what to do with everything they could not take with them,” Nancy said. So, out of Transitional Design services eventually came Transitional Design Resale and Traditional Design Online Auctions. Now, after 6 years in the business, Nancy says her expertise in “figuring things out” has paid off.

How does Transitional Design operate between services and sales?

There are 4 divisions in Transitional Design.

1. Transitional Design Services. We specialize in seniors, but obviously, work with anyone. We handle everything from complete estate closeouts to “aging in place” services which helps the senior de-clutter. If someone is moving, we help them sort, pack, move, clean and settle into their new location. 
2. Transitional Design Resale. Our resale shop is 15,000 square feet. Nearly 70% of the inventory comes from our downsizing customers. The other 30% is outside consignment. 
3. Transitional Design Online Auctions. We generally run 2 to 3 online auctions each week. We’ve had everything from mid-century furniture to cars and motorcycles. 
4. Transitional ReDesign. Local artists paint furniture pieces and re-purpose them or give them a face lift. These finished pieces are sold in the resale showroom.

Chris Fagan, RePurpose Manager for Transitional ReDesign

What have you learned about the resale business over the years?

We started with our online auctions first, but quickly realized items were selling way too low. We decided to open our resale store, Transitional Design. Literally, you could have read an entire book between customers that found their way into the store that first year. None of us had experience. Basically, we just played a guessing game on prices. We also allowed customers to negotiate prices in the beginning. Not anymore! We’re pretty savvy about resale prices in this area now.

Has your business model been a success?

Five years ago, Transitional Design grossed $30,000. Today, we have a gross revenue of $1.5 million. When an item comes to Transitional Design Resale, it will remain on the sales floor for 2 months before we discount it. If the item doesn’t sell in 3 or 4 months, it goes to our online auction. Practically everything sells once it hits our auction. We donate only about 1% of our overall inventory and that’s mostly clothing items. 

How do you handle the emotional side of senior care management?

I have an amazing staff. Transitional Design employs almost 30 hourly staff members who do everything from assist customers to move heavy pieces of furniture. We work with a lot of people in extremely emotional situations, but it’s rewarding to provide much-needed peace of mind. 

What’s the most interesting item you’ve had for sale?

One of our very first jobs was for a hoarder. We’ve actually had a few of those, but nothing requiring a hazmat suit… yet. This particular hoarder had collected coins which turned out to be worth over $800,000! Other than that, we’ve sold 3 camel saddles. (I guess there’s a large need for camel saddles in Ohio)

Transitional Design has been a SimpleConsign Resale Partner for almost 2 years. Head over to their Facebook Page and give them a “Like.” Leave them a message too!

If you’d like to learn about other wonderful SimpleConsign Resale Partners, read How Kari’s Treasure Trove was 23+ years in the making and Treasure hunting became a livelihood with Just For You.

Another fantastic Resale Partner. Just For You Shoppe

Joe Schroeder, co-owner of Just For You Shoppe in Grand Rapids, Ohio, likes the idea of knowing more about women’s handbags and apparel than any guy should ever know or admit. It means he and his business partner, Stephanie Ringler, are a well-oiled machine. Thanks to Stephanie’s knowledge of fashion merchandising and Joe’s business sense, Just For You Shoppe is 16 years and counting.

Why did you choose to go into the women’s apparel consignment business?

I just wanted to own my own business. When the owner of a local consignment shop was selling their business, Stephanie and I decided to jump on it! When we first opened, the bulk of our business was children’s apparel and infant furnishings. Since 2008, we’ve switched to home decor and women’s apparel. Stephanie and I are a true team. We really learn from each other which takes away the weirdness of being a man in this industry.

After 16 years, what is the best business advice you can give someone just starting out?

We weathered a couple of rough years after a strong start. You have to be prepared to learn. You can’t go into business, especially resale, as a jaded “expert.” You have to be willing to take advice, listen to your customers and consignors, and make your business your life.

The front window of Just For You Resale Shoppe

How do you measure success?

Success to us is a compliment accompanied by growth. Hearing people talk positively about our Shoppe puts a smile on our faces. Obviously, though, we’re a business and the bottom line is of utmost importance. If there isn’t monthly growth, we start looking closely at our business. Is the quality of our goods the same? Is our staff consistent in their delivery of customer and consignor service? Was the weather significantly different? We expect growth each month and we’ve achieved it.

What do you like best about the consignment industry?

I’m a treasure hunter! The fun of consignment is truly never knowing what’s going to be on the floor from one week to the next. As a “flea market picker,” diving into our intake boxes is always a thrill. It’s fun and exciting. I can’t wait to “retire” so I can spend more time working at the Shoppe!

What are you doing to counter the negative image of resale?

We were the first of our kind in the area. It was disheartening to hear, “Oh, it’s just used stuff.” We’ve countered with beautiful displays, attractive windows, plus seasonal and swing shop changes so that people can’t help but stop in. We constantly experiment with different lines and are always on the move. 

How has SimpleConsign helped Just For You Resale Shoppe?

The combined power of SimpleConsign’s POS and consignment management has eliminated costly errors and given us so much more free time to be on the floor doing what we love. The program paid for itself in the first year by helping us discover an employee theft situation. We lost thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise. We would have never caught on had it not been for using SimpleConsign. I can honestly say there isn’t a single thing I dislike about SimpleConsign.

Just For You Resale Shoppe interior

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d like to have a thicker shell and be able to stick to my guns more. I don’t care for conflict. I like to see people happy and pleased. Sometimes, this allows people to walk all over me and take advantage.

What accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?

My family. My wife and children mean the world to me. They make me proud every day. I consider their success my success and biggest accomplishment.

Be sure to head to the Facebook Page for Just For You Shoppe and give them a “Like.” Leave them a message while you’re at it.

To hear about another wonderful resale partner of ours, read, Resale Partners: How Kari’s Treasure Trove was 23+ years in the making.

Traxia has so many wonderful Resale Partners. Let me introduce you.

Life can take some interesting twists and turns, can’t it? Such is the case for Kari Thompson, co-owner with her daughter Catt of Kari’s Treasure Trove in Newman, CA. When Kari became a mom, she immersed herself in homeschooling and volunteering for 13 straight years. But, when the economy took a downturn, she found herself in need of extra income. During a stint as a bus driver with their local school district, Kari realized she wasn’t living the life she had dreamed of. It was time to start planning for the future. With a few more years of research and a little more dreaming, Kari’s Treasure Trove was born.

Why did you choose to go into the consignment art business?

I empathized with my artist friends and family who struggled to get exposure for their wonderful items. Venues for the Arts are difficult to get into. After researching different business models, the startup cost, risk and liability for a consignment art business was relatively low. With consignment, you control the inventory standards. Artists and secondhand consignors take care of the supply. 

Your shop has been open for less than a year. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?

Hold onto your money for as long as possible. We learned that lesson the hard way. A couple of months before we opened, we paid our deposit on our lease, our business insurance, our business license and the California State Attorney General Secondhand Seller’s Certificate fees. Plus, we started our paid subscriptions such as SimpleConsign, ADT, Spotify and newspaper ads. Unbeknownst to us, the building we were leasing would not be issued an occupancy permit, due to recent renovations, for over 2 months! It was a huge drain on our reserves.

Kari and her daughter Catt in front of Kari’s Treasure Trove

What do you enjoy most about the resale business?

I wanted to tie my business into our community and become an outlet for local artists. Both artists and art lovers thank us for making an artisan gallery locally accessible. Our artists and secondhand consignors like to hear how their treasures found a new home and our shoppers enjoy learning about the origin of their purchase.

What do you like least about the resale business?

It can be difficult for a consignor to hear that the amount of money they paid for an item isn’t even a starting point for current value. Some consignors feel offended. It can be very awkward. By contrast, artists are generally the most understanding if their price points aren’t a good fit for our community and usually adjust their prices.

How do you measure success?

It’s all in the numbers. With the help of SimpleConsign, we track as much data as possible. We only add our traffic count and then calculate our conversion rate. The higher that number, the more successful we are. Personally, when people enjoy themselves and linger, I can’t help but feel successful.

What’s the square footage of your shop and how do you calculate your prices?

We currently lease approximately 1800 square feet, 1500 of which is sales floor. We don’t rent booth space or charge buyers/sellers fees. All items are on consignment. Here is the formula we use to price our merchandise. It’s also clearly listed on our website:

To Calculate a Wholesale Price

Hourly wage ($) ÷ 60 minutes x minutes to make an item + materials cost = Wholesale Price (i.e. $10 ÷ 60 minutes x 45 minutes + $50 materials cost = $57.65 Wholesale Price)

OR

Hourly wage ($) x hours to make an item + materials cost = Wholesale Price (i.e. $10 x 15 hours + $150 materials cost = $300 Wholesale Price)

To Calculate Retail Price from Wholesale Price

Kari’s Treasure Trove consignment fee is a 55/45 split (55% to Consignor / 45% to Store)

(Base price x 45/55) + Wholesale Price (i.e. $57.65 x .82 + $57.65 = $104.92)

To Calculate the Price for a Specific Sales Commission

$$ wanted ÷ .55 = Retail Price (i.e. Consignor wants $250 for item: $250 ÷ .55 = $454.55 Retail Price)

General resale pricing for used items

Excellent condition: Up to 70% of current price for a new item     Good condition: Up to 50% of current price     Average condition: Up to 30% of current price

Where do you see yourself in 2020?

I see myself here, with my daughter Catt, in our shop. I hope to have generations to come work here.

Be sure to head to the Facebook Page for Kari’s Treasure Trove and give them a “Like.” Leave them a message that you’re glad to be with them on #TeamTraxia!