Kit Davey, Interior Designer
18 Years in business - Over 2,600 homes transformed!
Tips From Kit March 2007
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Furniture Consignment Shops
By Kit Davey
There's a growing trend in home furnishings sales: the consignment shop.
Talk about a win-win-win situation! Consumers are offered high quality, next-to-new pieces at below retail prices; homeowners have an alternative to garage sales; and shop owners don't have to go into debt to fill their stores.
What's a Consignment Store?
Consignment shops accept high-quality, used furniture, artwork and accessories from individuals, designers, estates and furniture factory representatives, and offer them for (re)sale to the public. They do not buy the pieces outright, but display them in their show rooms, taking a 40% commission on every sale. Furniture and artwork offered for sale is in excellent condition and priced far below retail.
An Inexpensive Option
Consignment shops offer an inexpensive source of high-quality home furnishings to the consumer. These shops fill the gap somewhere between garage sales and the big retail showrooms and antique shops.
Pieces on display are in excellent condition and are often one of kind---from high quality designer pieces with unusual fabrics to family heirlooms. Prices are low because items have been slightly used and because the shops have low overhead, as there is no investment in inventory. Unlike most retail stores, bargaining is acceptable to make the sale, resulting in greater savings.
An Alternative to the Garage Sale
This type of store offers great advantages for someone with surplus household furnishings. Garages sales are time consuming and can be tedious. Moreover, they expose your home and neighborhood to the (nosy) public, and offer little hope of getting more than a 10 to 20% return on your furniture investment. Placing your furniture in a consignment shop guarantees your privacy and possibly gives you up to a 50% return on your furniture investment. (Please note: it also may be to your benefit to donate your decorative castoffs to a local charity, rather than sell them. Tax savings may result in more money in your pocket in the long run, as well as helping out a worthy cause).
Thinking of selling?
If you have some items you'd like to sell, here's what to do. Make an appointment with the shop owner to come to your home to inspect your pieces (You can also take your treasures to the shop, but call ahead). Your pieces will be carefully inspected for soil, wear and style. If the shop owner thinks the piece is too far gone, or is otherwise un-sellable, it won't be accepted. If the piece is sellable, you and the retailer establish the selling price. Most shops take a 40% commission (less any pick up fee or credit card processing fee incurred by the purchaser), and you get 60% out of the sale.
The consignment shop may ask for your permission to lower the price by as much as 20% to make the sale. If a customer asks for a greater discount, you will be consulted before the sale is made.
Consignment stores are hot places to shop and things don't hang around on the floor for long. Your piece should sell in under a month and you'll get a check within about two weeks after your piece is sold. If your treasure doesn't sell, you'll be responsible for picking it up or donating it.
Buying at Consignment Shops
Because the turnover is rapid in these stores it's a good idea to know what you're looking for and be prepared to buy it when you see it. Take measurements and fabric samples with you and visit the shop every few days to inspect new arrivals.
When you find a piece you want, but aren't sure if it'll work in your home, ask for a "test drive". You'll need to leave a check or credit card draft as collateral. If it doesn't work out you can return it the next day and get your money back.
If you find the couch of your dreams, but it seems a little pricey, make an offer. (If you offer 20% less than the asking price you'll probably have to wait until the furniture owner can be reached to discuss your offer). If your offer is accepted, you can save yourself the delivery fee by taking it home yourself.
Kit Davey, Allied Member, A.S.I.D., is an interior designer specializing in room re-design, design consulting, staging and professional organizing. Call her at (650)367-7370 or write her KitDavey@aol.com You can visit her website at www.AFreshLook.net.
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