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A shopkeeper asks: 

This bandwagon of Plastic or Paper? Neither. has me thinking that we as resale shops should pay especial attention and try not to add to the litter of merchandise bags. But re-using old grocery sacks just doesn't do a thing for my shop's image. What can I do that's not only eco-savvy, but will build my shop's reputation and word-of-mouth?

Auntie Kate answers:

Oh wow am I glad you asked that! Here's what I had to say recently on my blog:

Here's the deal. Think of your customers and suppliers (consignors, sellers, or donors, doesn't matter how your resale shop operates.) Now imagine how many tote bags, shopping bags, mesh bags each one has accumulated:
Canvas "registration" bags from conventions
Totes that the cosmetic companies give away with purchase
Bags they got free when they signed up for a loyalty card
Totes that PBS sent them when they contributed to a fund raiser
Fabric shopping bags they received at a charity gala
Special-event totes handed out at festivals and fairs

I mean, they alREADY have reusable totes. And how many, after all, can one person use?

Well, let's say they're not overly fond of carrying a tote that says SillyFest 2004 on it. Or using the Lancome bag to carry stuff home from Target. Well, how's about they SHARE... and let people who have, gasp, come shopping in your resale shop without their reusable tote... get their items home in fine shape anyway?

Okay, so Ms. Overstocked-with-Totes brings in the half-dozen she and her family own but don't need. She donates them to you (if you're a charitable resale shop) or to an account which benefits a charity (if you're a for-profit shop.)

You tag them with a nice eco-message price tag (I'd suggest cutting up a brown paper bag to make these, and tying them on with twine) saying something like: A Fellow Citizen brought this in for you to use... because recycling means we ALL take part... or whatever you come up with.

You price them at a nominal price, and add to your tag that proceeds or profits will be donated to [name a LOCAL eco-friendly charity].

So every day, in your shop, you can have a 2-way or 4-way full of donated neither-paper-nor-plastic totes which your shoppers can use.

They don't want to buy a 50-cent or $2 recycled tote? Rent it to them! Tell them to take one for the price on the tag, and when they bring it back within a week, you'll take that $1 or 2 back out of your wild-flowers-in-the-median or save-the-blueguills fund and give it back to them.

Of course, you will still have to have some merchandise bags on hand for the sour-pusses who could care less.... but you could charge 'em for those if you like... and put the nickel right in a big clear glass jar in front of them, labeled "I needed a bag so I'll pay the price... all nickels donated to [your charity again].

Because you are helping a charity and being eco-conscious, these events can be turned into a newsworthy story that might get you some free press. 

For more promotional ideas of all types to help your shop, TGtbT's Products for the Professional Resaler offers 109 Promotional Events Especially for Resale. In addition, Grabbing Their Attention: How to Make the Media Love You will help your shop get noticed! 

A shopkeeper asks: 

Should I add knick-knacks to my mostly-clothing resale or consignment shop? I see some really nice stuff, and I know my current consignors and sellers have things that I could sell. Tell me why I should....or shouldn’t.

Auntie Kate answers:

Little sit-arounds, knick-knacks, dust collectors can certainly enhance the look of your shop...or make it look incredibly junky. There are pluses and minuses. Let’s take a look:

More to sell Adding additional categories to your merchandise mix gives your shoppers more to buy. Assuming, of course, that the hard goods you add are those which your target audience wants. Not a lot of sense adding glass figurines to a childrenswear shop...but adding nursery lamps and crib mobiles will build sale totals.

No problems, basically, with fit Sure, there’s style and color to consider when choosing a decorative screen for your boudoir... but at least most of the time it’s the right size, unlike that coveted peignoir set! A shopper who comes into your clothing shop and finds nothing to fit today can still be "rewarded" by finding a cunning little perfume bottle, a shell wreath, or a desk organizer set.

Attracting a whole new segment of the consumer market, a segment that is ripe for "re-education" about how great your major area of merchandise is. There’s many shoppers out there who won’t hesitate to buy a second-hand vase, a gently-used statuette, or a previously-owned occasional table, but who disdain gently-used clothing. You could show them how wonderful your selection is...if you could only get them in! Home furnishings can be your gateway to greeting these types of consumers. This, to me, is the most compelling reason to consider adding hard goods to your soft-goods shop.

Attracting new suppliers as well: Those pickers who specialize in decorative items will now know, and love, your shop. And that means, more eyes and ears out there looking not only for hard goods to bring to you, but for soft goods as well. 

There are some aspects which might be negative, though, as well, to adding bric-a-brac to a mostly-clothing business:

Do you have the space? Will these home-furnishing items be a wise use of the space you do have? Before you make a decision, know your sales per square foot, and apply this figure to any area which will be switched over from clothing racks to bric-a-brac shelving. Will this be a wise choice?

Communication with suppliers: What about being so selective, you upset your suppliers? How will you tell them that you are looking forward to specific items? Be wary of publishing any "no" lists, focusing instead on suggestions of what will sell.

Do you want to acquire the knowledge necessary? Do you have the time and interest? Is it wise to spend a lot of time researching or would it be a better use of your time to focus on some other aspect of your business?

Diluting your image: Carefully-edited selections can enhance your shop’s look, function, and appeal to shoppers, but ending up with too wide or unfocused a selection means that your shop may begin to lack depth of choice, something vital to instigating repeat visits, multiple-item sales, and word of mouth.

Packaging: You will have to find, supply, and store paper to wrap breakables in (and the counter space to accomplish this task!), merchandise bags or boxes sturdy enough to get things home in.

A narrow focus on what you will accept may well upset your suppliers. It can be genuinely difficult for a supplier to understand that yes, the zebra-striped ottoman is great, but the Early American maple magazine rack isn’t. (Or vice versa!) Be prepared to explain why, and to deal with their unhappiness.

Layaway? Where will you put that ottoman if it’s sold on layaway? Or will you have to refuse layaways on bulky items, which will be a black mark on your customer service.

As you can see, starting to add hard goods to your clothing shop is not a decision to be made lightly...at least, if you want to enhance your image, customer service, and profit margin. We have gathered information from several Products for the Professional Resaler into one focused file for you. Focus: Home Furnishings is a focused reprint of Short-Stop #7: Household and Furniture Items and Used News #U7: Tips for Furniture and Decorative Items Shops . Not one word has been omitted. In addition, FOCUS: Home Furnishings contains new material never before published.