HELP! Sometimes, you just need a knowledgeable friend to take a look at your resale shop situation. Here's Auntie Kate, with her advice to consignment, resale, and thrift shop owners and managers. Too Good to be Threw offers free articles and resource links. The articles on this page are here for only a brief time, so be sure to bookmark and come back often. See more at BUILD, GROW and THRIVE. In addition, see "Today I MUST" for seasonal issues in resale and consignment. More articles are available exclusively to Treasured Sponsors of HowToConsign.com, our consumer-oriented web site.
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Auntie Kate yields the table to
Tanya, whose guest essay is
graciously shared here with her resale peers.
Become a ReFashionista this year and “RE” your way to success! What is “RE”? It is a ReVolutionary way to think about your store, your employees, your customers and clientele! RE starts with Me! ReMind! Remind yourself and your employees of how appreciative you are of them and should be of each other! Maybe it is writing a quote of the day in the bathroom or break room or a simple “thanks” at the end of a busy day. ReMind your people to Thank the customer for their business- they have a choice, and they have chosen to grace your doorstep, creating an opportunity for you and your team to meet a need. ReTrain! Yes, take one topic; make it a discussion point with your employees. The consignment agreement one week, color-coordinating racks the next, followed by a healthy dose of how to spot a potential consignor. Train your team in chunks,- taking five minutes to ReView with your staff what should be featured on the mannequin is worth is weight in $$$. How many times have you simply moved an item that has been sitting around, and then it sells that very same day? Teach your staff to touch! ReStyle! Make sure to change your merchandise around, so eyes can see it,- look for areas in need. For example, “did a lot of jewelry sell today?” If yes, go change it up so the jewelry center does not look so sparse. Receive in a batch of green for spring? Set up a quick vignette at the front of the store for an eye-catching reminder that “Green is the New Black” in the ReSale world! Don’t be afraid to move whole racks; recently we moved dresses to an entirely different spot, and they are selling like crazy! ReInvest! TIME! Do you immediately think of money when you look at the word Invest…? Stop and think about investing time! Time in your customers, time in your employees, time sprucing up your office- stop and think about what time you can invest in one area. Focus on bringing your time and attention to it. Don’t let the busy-ness of the day-to0day choke your time! ReEngage in ReVenue-generating activities such as calling 5 customers, sending 5 thank you notes, sending 5 brochures to the weekend garage-saler! It will absolutely pay off. ReCruit! Being a ReFashionista is easy! Now is not the time to telescope (like the big retailers are doing) ReCruit new customers everyday! Make them a fan of ReSale while they are feeling frugal and watch your sales flourish now and into the future! Again ReState the value of being frugal, the fun of ReSale and the ReSponsible choice they made by shopping resale. ReFer! This is the most important aspect of consignment! Take a tip from the multi-level marketers out there tell your wonderful consignors to refer your services! Did a great consignor drop off dresses in size 6? Tell her to tell anybody that is size 6 that your store has great dresses in size 6 right now! Help her, help herself! You can also ReFer your business! Are you a store that utilizes coupons? Throw a coupon from your store in the tip jar…give a coupon to the person in the drive-through window. Tuck it into a fund-raising gift! ReFER your business with a name badge or simply a badge, and wear it everywhere!! One example of a fun badge: B.Y.O.B- a great conversation starter, you can talk about your store and the concept of bringing your own bag or bringing a bag of clothing in to earn money. Pay close attention to the multi-level marketing groups out there… they all wear name badges, some carry a bag with a clear pouch and have their catalogs showing, so people can approach them! Some give samples away…. Think about the last time you were approached by the cooking lady, or the latest cosmetic treatment or anti-oxidant trend… What exactly started that conversation? |
ReSTATE your value to the community! Toot your own horn. I know, I know, this is a ReVolutionary way of thinking for those of us that are so modest, but if you don’t know your value, neither will your customers! What did you do for a customer today? Did you give them an extra stamp on their rewards card…Tell them! What value does your store provide for your community? The consignment message is a great one, here are some examples:
Empower the use of “RE” today! You can ReNew your store, ReFresh your outlook and ReVolutionize the Resale industry! You are a True ReFashionista!!!! The History of
“RE” Thank you to all the hard-working ReSellers on the tgtbt sharing board, sharing board hostess Kate Holmes and to the group of Flamingoettes in Florida for a time of ReSpite and work! You have all blessed me in one-way or another, May all of you be blessed and prosper!
(That's Tanya, seated at right) TAGS Consignment, A Green Living Resale boutique, is located in Oakdale, California. Sandra Reed and Tanya Bruchacek, sisters and partners, are working on ReVolutionizing the value and industry of consignment. TAGS Consignment: The ReCycling center for adorable clothing! Copyright 2010 Tanya Bruchacek. All rights reserved and enforced. |
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Okay, Kate, I want to
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