https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:45:14 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968469 Thu, 25 Oct 2018 04:12:57 +0000 Sal 1968469@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The demograph at our consignment shop is definitely young and hipster (male and female) - I think their eye is pretty good but definitely labels help...........</p> <p>I used to get a lot of homewares from thrift shops - sometimes slightly curated shops - but I think with the rise and rise of online auctions, and resellers etc, it is harder to find stuff.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I don't buy a lot of this sort of thing now anyway as my house is mid sized and full enough.&nbsp; &nbsp;I have old crockery, glasses, vases and tablecloths for lots of guests!!</p> <p>I don't buy bedlinen or towels second hand - not because of fastidiousness - just because I buy new and use them til they wear out (except for the odd child's duvet cover that we have sold or donated)</p> <p>It is always a balance with time/money/environmental factors/style....... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968465 Thu, 25 Oct 2018 03:55:20 +0000 Anonymous 1968465@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Items good enough to sell and in season go to a consignment shop that will give an extra large part of the proceeds from sells to a group I belong to that uses it for scholarships for women. The group has been getting hundreds of dollars a month from this arrangement. I donate other things to a homeless shelter and to the local library which has a big box of donations of warm items in winter for those who need them. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968367 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 21:15:57 +0000 cindysmith 1968367@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lately, I donate or pass things to a friend. She takes what she wants &amp; donated the rest to her favorite cause (which is something through her church, which I'm ok with) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968356 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 20:07:50 +0000 LaPed 1968356@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I had a long thoughtful response written out this morning and then my connection timed out. :(&nbsp;</p> <p>In a nutshell: I think for consignment and resale to be worth it, you have to enjoy the process, otherwise it is just a burden and a chore with very little return. It also seems that regional differences matter a lot. Urban areas with higher volume seem to be more discriminating about what they take in, but rural areas probably have less variety to choose from which makes using one's store credits less interesting. I'm really lucky in that I've managed to find consignment venues that align with my lifestyle and preferences. I don't really have many clothes that would be suitable for Dress For Success type orgs.&nbsp; </p> <p>To be honest, consigning at the gear shop feels like a good solution. When I was a student and just getting into outdoor activities, having a place where I could go and find high quality used gear at cheap prices was SUCH a boon; I really appreciated the things I found there. So I consign my stuff and imagine young folks with little disposable income coming in and finding just the right thing for their next adventure. :)</p> <p>Not many of my clothes go the rag route; we cloth-diapered DS, so I have what feels like a lifetime supply of car-cleaning and floor-cleaning rags. Thank goodness for municipal textile recycling.&nbsp;</p> <p>Also -- I tried ThredUp once and I agree the cash you get back is so dismal it's hardly worth the effort. I have a Poshmark account but find buyers and sellers there much less professional/courteous than on eBay, so eBay remains my preference for online sales.&nbsp;</p> <p>I haven't yet amassed enough housewares to need to donate them. In fact, I'm very grateful to all of you who do take unwanted housewares to the thrift store because that's where most of my dishes, flatware, candleholders, vases, etc come from! I'm a big mid-century modern fan so I love scrounging for Canoe Muffin silverware and Fiesta dishes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Our Humane Society actually turns away sheets and towels because they receive more than they can store. I'm just in awe of people who have extra towels to begin with. Our relatives have learned to bring their own when they come to visit . :D&nbsp;</p> <p>Okay, I guess I re-wrote my long response! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968332 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 18:30:35 +0000 Suz 1968332@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I tried consigning where I used to live but the store's owner refused most of my stuff because of size or cut. She knew her clientele and most would not buy what I had. Plus, I could never find anything in that store for myself, which meant visits felt like a waste of my time. I started donating to the women's shelter instead. I also give quite a few things to my step-daughter, who is close to my size. She won't take silk or wool or leather items, however, so ironically, some of my higher end pieces are the ones that end up in donation! &nbsp;</p> <p>I might try consigning something here in Vancouver. There are a number of excellent higher end shops here. I'll certainly do a bit of consignment <b>shopping</b> in these parts, and already have! I am thinking that I'll look in particular for statement outerwear here at consignment.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968321 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 17:52:29 +0000 Kathie 1968321@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't generally buy high-end enough, nor do I have enough wardrobe churn, to qualify for the minimums at the women's consignment place close to me. When I have time, I do sort, and take items to the most appropriate place- children's clothes to a non-profit that works with families, husband's to a men's shelter, etc. But, sometimes, I simply drop off at the closest staffed drop-off location. I did try consignment for household items, but with a trip to drop off items, then another to pick up the ones they didn't take, and a third trip a few months later to pick up the items that didn't sell, it wasn't worth the effort for me. That said, I get all my kids' dress clothes at the local kids' consignment place, and I do love that other people drop their stuff off there. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968305 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:46:39 +0000 Anonymous 1968305@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No, it’s not worth my time to consign. It’s not like I lead such a busy life but I like to keep things simple, and doing the consignment thing equals Not Simple. It takes some mental effort that I apparently don’t have :-)</p> <p>I also don’t like doing garage sales, or selling on Kijiji. I prefer just giving things away—the person getting the item is doing me a huge favour by taking the stuff!</p> <p>I guess my philosophy is rooted in the fact that sunk costs don’t bother me that much. Or at least, I try not to let that bother me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968303 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:40:10 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1968303@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've used ThredUp several times but in the last six months they haven't been sending out bags (except for donation ones) - I guess they've got a lot more people wanting to send in than buy. So now I just drop everything off at goodwill. I'm determined not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good - getting it out of my space and out of my mental real estate is the most important, even if I'm not completely maximizing my money or charitable potential.</p> <p>I used to shop consignment and quite liked it but it requires a certain population density and wealth that my current area doesn't have. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you/page/2#post-1968300 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:31:52 +0000 Greenjeans 1968300@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For years I wished I could get it together to consign but the process is&nbsp;emotionally charged enough that I've decided that for me it feels better to just let things go.</p> <p>Also, I'm with <b>Sal</b> on turning soft discards into household rags. &nbsp;I like the way it feels to see part of an old towel or tee turn up in the garage.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968296 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:04:30 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 1968296@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Christine’s reply reminds me that I did Thredup once. Not sure how much i made, because notices of small amounts (a couple dollars) trickled in for quite a while. But this summer, they weren’t buying. Had I known what was going to happen, I would have had them send bags for donations </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968285 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:37:54 +0000 Flytigress 1968285@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We were cleaning out our attic, and I took some of my 65-year-old husband's high-school clothes to Buffalo Exchange.&nbsp; (Think Johnny Carson sport coat, etc.)&nbsp; The young girls there went crazy for his stuff, and I walked out with about $100 cash. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968282 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:28:37 +0000 Laurel 1968282@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Figuring out the "right" (perfect?) destination for excess clothing from a closet edit can be a HUGE stumbling block to tackling the task---and I've finally made peace with the process. The "cream" of the crop (maybe 5% of things) which are seasonally appropriate go to the consignment shop, where I may eventually get a check large enough to cover lunch out. &nbsp;Then, I sort the rest into a few bags---one for a smaller thrift store where they aren't so overwhelmed with donations and I believe there's a good chance they'll get to a person who needs them, one for Goodwill, where I'm not so sure they can handle the MASS of donations. &nbsp;I recently discovered a local store that collects bras for a shelter, so I take bras there. &nbsp;And, lastly, if I have any Eileen Fisher items, I take them to the store and receive a $5 credit per item, which I convert eventually into a new garment. &nbsp;My shoes are almost always either sports shoes that get recycled at the running store, bike shoes that I donate, or in style shoes that go to the consignment shop. &nbsp;Or, rarely, just TRASH. &nbsp;Oh, shoes. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968271 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:06:57 +0000 Angie 1968271@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do zero consigning. I have a much <i>better-for-me </i>way of passing on great wardrobe items. Not negatively judging those who like to consign at all. I simply prefer to do something else. It's a choice, and respect our varied choices.&nbsp;</p> <p>I pass on many of my items to Dress For Success Seattle who sells them at their quarterly Closet Treasure Sales. That way I know that the money is going to an excellent cause, and it's another way of making a donation. Plus I love how appreciated my items are. Like gifts that keep on giving.</p> <p>I also have a group of friends who wait for me to pass on my bags.&nbsp;</p> <p>The less than perfect items are dropped off at clothing recycle points.&nbsp;&nbsp;<i></i> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968269 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:00:52 +0000 AviaMariah 1968269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I find that it's really rewarding to immediately remove purged items from the house so it's not worth it to me to list on eBay or anything else that's time consuming.&nbsp; I do donate all my kids clothing to a couple different friends but they are willing to take it all and purge out the too worn items themselves which makes it easy.&nbsp; I used to pass on my clothing to nieces but they have all outgrown me.&nbsp; The only thing I do occasionally is send nicer pieces to Threup because I feel like I'm at least getting&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968268 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:00:13 +0000 Christina F. 1968268@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p> <div>I definitely don'r have high end enough stuff to consign in my area. If I needed to part wit some of my bags, I might have some luck, btu I usually just pass them on to my mom.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have done ThredUp and Ebay in the past. ThredUp's wait times and payouts started getting too long. Ebay is a lot of trouble, because in my area the post offices are difficult to deal with, and packaging is more expensive (I could buy online in bulk, but then I'd have to deal with storage issues). The few bucks I made these ways became not worth the trouble.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a donation box i my apartment building's basement. The charity is one I support, and I even had my wedding reception at their used bookstore. (Fantastic event space.) I'm at peace with donating. I do have a J Crew Lady Day Coat I need to pass on. It's in great condition and was a gift, but no longer fits well. I'm contemplating trying consignment for that. Most of my other coats go to a local annual coat drive, run by another charity.<br /></div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968263 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:54:45 +0000 Ginger 1968263@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I usually donate to a local crisis pregnancy center; they have a large thrift store and have gladly taken everything I've had to donate, including furniture and housewares.&nbsp; I've also successfully sold a fair number of boots and shoes on Poshmark.&nbsp; Vintage I sell on a Facebook group.</p> <p>I looked into consigning once, but basically nothing I have is from the "right" name and certainly not recent enough. From what I'm hearing the returns are far less than on Poshmark or other platforms, too. So if I'm going to sell it will be online. But mostly I donate, because having items listed and not selling is a big mental burden. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968255 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:37:41 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 1968255@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You have better cast-offs than I do. I had a couple ikea bags of our stuff that I took around to several consignment shops. One of them had me leave it there, then wanted me to come pick up the things they weren’t buying and the money for things they did want right away. I wasn’t planning to be in that area again for 2 weeks, couldn’t see driving down there for something like $8.80. They said they’d donate the rest, so I let them. Otherwise I would have taken them to a donations place myself. </p> <p>I was very upset during my move that College Hunks Hauling Junk’s Service that purports to take your things to donation centers of your choice (from their list) and discard the rest does nothing of the sort. I found out after the fact that they had loaded up very usable furniture and gone straight to the dump with it. Financially, I know it is the same to me, but thinking about it makes me sick. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968251 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:25:09 +0000 Bijou 1968251@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>All of my son's clothing goes to my nephew who is 2 years younger and loves to get my son's clothing. My son is really funny - I will buy him a number of items, but he only wants to wear certain ones and so those get worn out and the hand-me-downs that go to my nephew are basically new...My nephew loves to get these items, so it is nice to know that they actually get worn. My sister-in-law has a circle of friends that appreciate the clothing too - so it gets recycled yet again.</p> <p>As for my clothing I deliver it to a number of stores as donations. Unfortunately if you leave the items in donation bins, they often get stolen from the charity - I have seen people shamelessly taking items. So I deliver it to a number of charities if friends and family don't want it first. My best stuff goes to the RSPCA store, but I do try to split my donations (that when I get around to editing seem to be large in number) to a number of charities. I always make sure that worn out clothing and shoes are thrown away. Apparently charities often incur high costs in discarding worn out clothing. I am pretty strict in making sure that the item is worth providing to the charity in the first place. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968242 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:06:00 +0000 Anonymous 1968242@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm a donator, and fine with that. This past summer, I did sell some of my better handbags on Facebook, and did well with that little experiment . &nbsp;I also sold some of my better clothes at a garage sale we had last month, and it was worth getting maybe $100 for a few pieces of clothing I would have otherwise donated. But that was a one-off occasion. &nbsp;I recycle &nbsp;old towels and sheets to save for painting jobs. &nbsp;Local consignment stores - I did it many years ago and made good money doing it for a year or two , but I don't have enough of the high-end stuff anymore to be able to participate in that market now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968240 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:00:38 +0000 Janet 1968240@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I will sometimes try to sell things that seem to command a good price (researching eBay sales, for instance, lets me know if that pair of Frye boots are selling for $20 or $75, which can make a big difference in my motivation). But lately I just don't feel much like messing with the photographing, writing descriptions, listing, collecting payment, and packaging and shipping. If I add up the time invested in doing all of that, the money I get back is usually pretty paltry in comparison. I usually end up donating (I do make a list with estimated values for the tax write-off). Or giving to my niece or a friend who I know would appreciate the item.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968231 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:12:41 +0000 Anonymous 1968231@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Most things i just donate. The things in good condition go to the local disabilities fundraiser shop, the others i toss in the bins-assuming they're just sold for rags. Housewares/furnature get donated too most of the time. Especially now that the standard deduction is 12k, its not worth getting a receipt for the write offs. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968208 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 12:36:54 +0000 Jules 1968208@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p> <div>Everything goes in a bag for donation which gets picked up regularly from my doorstep. It's a life simplification thing that works for me.<br /></div><div>When my kids were younger we did the hand-me-down thing in my circle but it dwindled as they got older. It doesn't tend to work out any more based on lack of storage, differing taste, size, etc - although now that my oldest is a teen, her friends hand things down within their circle on their own, so I guess we modeled that well. <br /></div><div>Both grandmothers shop thrift stores as a hobby so they still get and wear some second hand items. But both kids have their own taste now so not every grandma pick will get worn. The nice thing about not using that stuff is that we know it didn't cost much and don't feel guilty about putting it back into the donation cycle. <br /></div><div>Vintage is in with the kids, so my daughter wears an old LaCoste sweatshirt that was my brother's, and a pink &amp; blue polo she found at a thrift store I dragged her into looking for housewares. I don't think recycled fast fashion has the same appeal. I don't hold too many illusions about the consignment or donation value of my own items either.<br /></div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968198 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 11:54:38 +0000 nemosmom 1968198@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I consign, donate and recycle as well. Thanks to a handful of major lifestyle changes, (going from a corporate job to tech startup then stay-at-home-mom to working from home, plus moving from coastal Northern California to the snowy Midwest in the span of 6 years), I've generated WAY more than my fair share of excess clothing. </p> <p>All of my worn/faded/damaged items go to the textile recycling. It does involve extra sorting, but it is worth it to me. I keep a bin going throughout the year and drop it off when it gets full. Old towels and sheets are taken to the local animal shelter. I donated the majority of my corporate clothing to a local org similar to Dress For Success; I was able to successfully consign a few higher-end items. I haven't had much luck with local consignment shops, so I try to sell my boys' clothes and my "holding zone" items online through ebay or poshmark. Items that don't sell I will either send to an online consignment store for credit, or drop at a local thrift store. I don't get much money for any of the items that I consign or sell, but it helps offest my spending a bit. I have also started to shop secondhand more often, especially for the kids, and have found some great pieces at really great prices. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968189 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 10:36:54 +0000 Style Fan 1968189@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In the past, I have taken some of my higher quality "mistakes" to consignment stores.&nbsp; I had mixed results.&nbsp; One store in a town I lived had reasonable success but the other ones I used were disappointing.&nbsp; I then went through a period of donating everything.<br />I am now going to try and sell my clothes myself.&nbsp; I have a few ideas on how to do this.&nbsp; There are some facebook groups in our community that I am going to use first.&nbsp; That way I don't have to get into the mailing issue.&nbsp; Mailing is not ideal for me.<br />I am going to put some things on kiiji.&nbsp; That way I will get a larger audience.&nbsp; People will still have to come and pick the clothing up.&nbsp; We used kiiji to sell furniture before and it worked out well.<br />I am also going to use SLOWRE.&nbsp; This is through Gretchen's Closet.&nbsp; She has certain criteria (slow fashion) which some of my things meet.</p> <p>I donate my things to the Emergency Department of hospitals (I worked in a hospital that had clothing for people that needed things.)&nbsp; I also donate to other places that I know about (animal shelters for resale). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968147 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 06:10:00 +0000 Gigi 1968147@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have two consignment shops that I use. One is extremely picky, the other not so much. I make about 40% of the selling price at each place. I too don't expect to come anywhere close to recouping the cost of the original items, but it's nice to get a little back to put toward new things. </p> <p>I probably make around $150 a year from my consignment sales. I probably consign 20-25 things per year. It's not much of a return, but it helps support local business, and I know someone else is getting use out of my items. It is a pain to have to wash and iron everything to make it presentable, but if it helps the clothing have a second life, it's worth it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968132 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:19:52 +0000 JAileen 1968132@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I only donate my items. I used to give strictly to the thrift store where I volunteer, but lately have been giving clothes directly to the homeless at the shelter, especially practical warm clothes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968115 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 02:46:05 +0000 Jaime 1968115@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I fund my clothing budget by consigning, but I am not the usual case. Thrifting is my hobby, and I do buy to resell, as well as dress me and a small circle of friends and family. (Having previously worked at a charity shop, I can say with confidence that they are only looking to get rid of the huge amount of clothes that are donated and generate cash for their charity projects, and resellers are an important part of their income.) I also donate what clothes I cannot sell. By the way, charity shops also profit from selling clothing to the recyclers, at least around here. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968109 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 02:33:02 +0000 Jessikams 1968109@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In the past I tried to consign but never got a return that was worth the trouble.</p> <p>I don’t sell online because our household uses military mail, so mailing stuff to buyers becomes a big pain (and slow).</p> <p>I don’t buy from thrift shops because the ones available to me are like “vintage” rather than thrift, in other words they charge high prices.</p> <p>I donate a lot. Clothes and household goods. They go directly to people I know who are in need, or to our building’s trash pickers. Everything gets recycled/reused in some fashion, judging from the little carts that trundle around with piles of styrofoam, piles of electronics, etc etc. so that feels pretty ok. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968107 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 02:30:13 +0000 Anonymous 1968107@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>However, I’d do consignment if they were donating the funds, for sure. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/consignmentreselling-is-it-worth-it-to-you#post-1968106 Wed, 24 Oct 2018 02:25:44 +0000 Anonymous 1968106@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I strictly donate. And I don’t do write offs. For me, it feels like a good way to help someone else. </p>