This is a guest post by Katie Lennon of
ConsignmentMommies.com. She sent over some tips for fall consignment sale shopping.
Offers Smart Tips for
back-to-school
shopping at consignment sales and even through the fall.
Here are her tips:
Here are her tips:
With kids
back in class
, moms have hit the pavement
seeking the best back-to-school deals in town. But, where are the deals?
According to an online poll by ConsignmentMommies.com
, the leading national
consignment sale and store directory and social networking website, budget
conscious moms say they plan to save approximately $193 per child each season by
shopping at consignment sales and stores.
"More than 80 percent of the
consignment owners we surveyed saw an increase in traffic of at least 10 to 25
percent over last year," said Chrissy Freeman, ConsignmentMommies.com
co-founder. "That's significant growth during a down economy and proof that
dressing your kids in resale, not retail, is in." Freeman and the
ConsignmentMommies.com team also learned that nearly 95 percent of the moms
surveyed plan to shop at more than two consignment sales this year to stretch
their dollars.
For those mommies new to shopping
consignment sales, Freeman offers up seven tips she collected from in-the-know
ConsignmentMommies.com shoppers and consignors.
Prepping for
your purchases
#1: Make a list
It's easier to determine what you
need if you know what you have. Take inventory of your little ones' clothes,
shoes and toys—determine what they still wear or will grow into. Make your list
based on the items they've outgrown.
#2: Take a
tote
Don't forget to bring a tote or
two. Rolling suitcases, wagons, even laundry baskets will work. Whatever you
bring, it will certainly serve its purpose as you quickly collect piles of great
finds. Trust us, your arms and back will thank you.
#3: Shoes and
seams
Need an easy way to remember the
size of your child's foot or length of his leg? Trace his shoe on a piece of
card stock and cut it out. Use a piece of yarn to measure his pants from waist
to hem. Cut the string and affix it to the shoe cutout. This craft project
will be useful at the sale as you can easily compare shoes against your cutout
and be sure the pants you've picked are long
enough.
#4:
Volunteer
Want access to the cream of the
consignment crop before anyone else? Become a consignment sale volunteer. Moms
who volunteer shop before the public.
Shopping
suggestions
#5: Look high, look
low
Children's clothing sizes vary as
much as the weather. ConsignmentMommies.com shoppers recommend looking in the
sizes just above and below your child's actual size. A boutique dress could be
tagged a size larger than your daughter typically wears, but may actually fit
perfectly in both size and cost.
#6: There's an app for
that
Aren't sure about a brand? Is it
priced correctly? There's an app for that. Look up questionable items via the
Amazon or Ebay apps on your smart phone.
#7: Stockpile then
filter
It's important to grab everything
that catches your eye—remember, this isn't retail, there's probably only one and
you may want it. After you've accumulated an assortment of items, find a vacant
corner and sort through your collection. Those pants and shirts you found early
on may not be as nice as those you later uncovered. Once you've filtered your
finds, return the pieces you don't need and do a quick sweep to see what other
moms have discarded.
"Shoppers also should map out a
plan of attack to make sure they hit up all of the great consignment sales going
on in the area. Many sales take place on the same days," added Freeman.
Visit ConsignmentMommies.com to view a comprehensive list of
consignment sales and stores throughout the nation featuring ratings and reviews
provided by actual shoppers.
About
ConsignmentMommies.com
ConsignmentMommies.com is a free,
online consignment sale and store directory and premiere resource for shoppers
and consignors to get advice and share ideas. Founded in 2009 by a
mother-daughter team from North
Carolina, the national website lists more than 1,500
sales and 750 stores with over 5,000 ratings and reviews provided by the
ConsignmentMommies.com community of consignment shoppers and sellers. Follow
ConsignmentMommies.com on Twitter @ConsignMommies or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/ConsignmentMommies. For
more information, e-mail info@consignmentmommies.com or visit ConsignmentMommies.com.