I must give credit where credit’s due, National Consignment Day came about because The RealReal established it as an official holiday in 2017. National Consignment Day 2020 is on October 5th, it takes place annually on the first Monday of every October. This holiday is made to bring awareness of our circular economy which is what consignment is all about. I know that 2020 has been a hard year for us all but we should all do our best to adapt.

Have a mask contest!

We all have to wear them, why not have fun with them? For National Consignment Day, your store can have a stand where people can enter the contest. Have them sign a sheet with their contact info, and be sure to take a picture of each contestant. You can encourage each contestant to follow your Instagram or your choice of platform to see the winner. This gives the customer a reason to follow your store which earns you some quick followers. Of course, you must decide on a prize for the winner, I’d suggest a discount or a gift card to your store!

Have an Instagram event!

On National Consignment Day have an area in your store designated for, socially distanced, pictures. Have your customers pose for a picture and post them on your social media using the hashtag #NationalConsignmentDay. The background for this image can be your store with a simple sign that says National Consignment Day 2020. You have your community to thank for your shops’ success, show them your appreciation in your post.

Have a donation day!

National Consignment Day focuses on our circular economy, as a consignment shop you have already played a huge role in helping the circular economy. As a consignment store, you have a duty to share the beauty of the circular economy. By having a donation event, your store will bring awareness to the matter and motivate more people to donate clothes and items they no longer need.  Create an event where members of the community to drop off clothing items on National Consignment Day to donate to your favorite place in town. If you need extra hands for this task you can also invite people to volunteer to help. It may seem small but it’s a wonderful way to promote helping the circular economy and bring good attention to your shop.

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National Consignment Day is October 7th. How do you plan to observe it?

On the heels of #SecondHandSeptember comes #NationalConsignmentDay. Started by the online resale store The RealReal, National Consignment Day is celebrated the first Monday in October. This is the third year to observe this important day. According to Julie Wainwright, CEO and Founder of The RealReal, National Consignment Day “allows us to raise awareness about the circular economy, especially as it applies to the luxury market.”

Observance #1   Run an Instagram contest

An Instagram contest is extremely easy to run. This year, The RealReal gave away 2 Louis Vuitton bags using an Instagram contest. See The RealReal’s contest page here.

In order to run a similar contest, first, decide your giveaway theme. Obviously, include the hashtag #NationalConsignmentDay as part of your theme. Create an exclusive hashtag using your store’s name too. Next, decide how people enter your contest. Have them follow your Instagram page, like the post, tag friends, leave a comment, or even repost the contest. To enter The RealReal’s contest, participants had to follow @therealreal on Instagram, like the post added on May 4th between 7 am and 12 pm, and tag 3 friends in 3 separate comments. Set a deadline for your contest. Choose your prize. When you post, list the legal jargon. It’s as simple as that!

Observance #2    Throw a Party!

After all, who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate? Since the day honors you, decorate like crazy. Balloons, streamers, banners, cookies, and punch required. Offer drawings for a variety of giveaways. Consider partnering with other consignment stores in your area. Create a consignment crawl. The shopper who visits all stores involved gets their name thrown in a hat to win a grand prize. Or, teach a class, “Designing with Consignment.” Whether you’re a furniture or clothing store, show customers how to use your one-of-a-kind items to create something fabulous. If possible, run a fun price contest. Choose any one of the Price is Right games. For instance, play Bonkers. Purchase 3 or 4 flip-chart-style presentation books. Amazon offers these for $11 each. Print the numbers 0 – 9 on letter-size sheets of paper. Arrange the books in random order and give customers 30 seconds to guess the correct price of the item you’re promoting. They can rearrange the numbers in any combination. You tell them whether they’re too high or too low. At the end of 30 seconds, see how close they come to the actual price. Offer a prize based on their final answer.

Observance #3  Make it a “Circle Day”

Since you’re promoting the “circular” economy, create a circle day. For instance, see how long someone can hula hoop. Play a “Draw the Circle” game. Print a giant sheet of paper with as many circles as possible. Invite shoppers to draw a picture using the circles. No two drawings can be the same. Or, create a giant spinning wheel to earn prizes or discounts. In addition, decorate a selfie wall. Draw a huge circle and add the words, “I am making a difference by shopping at STORE’S NAME. #NationalConsignmentDay.” Give away bracelets, rings, or anything circular.

If you’d like to re-post the National Consignment Day image, click here and download.

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