This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Just Between Friends of Reading. This program is in partnership with Real Mom Media (www.RealMomMedia.com). All opinions are my own. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
For the last year you might have seen my posts on my shopping experience at the Just Between Friends – Reading consignment sale. I LOVE this sale. I get my kids the best clothes, books, DVDs, and more there at the best prices. This year not only am I shopping the sale but I’m consigning too! Woot! I have so much stuff in my house that needs to go. Clothes the kids have outgrown, toys they don’t play with, DVDs we never watch. Time to unload and cash in.
Did you know that the average JBF consigner makes $400? Yes, please. I’ll take that. And I have a friend that made $900 on the last sale! What?!?! If you just consign, you earn 60% of your sales. But if you help out at the sale, that gets bumped up to 70% (and it’s so much fun!).
I won’t lie, there’s a bit of a process to getting prepped but it feels SO good to clear this stuff out. I’m going to share with you how I’ve been preparing to consign to take the intimidation factor out of the equation. And please, if you have any questions let me know! I’d love to help you cash in too! Another great resource is the Sell section on the JBF Reading website. Tons of helpful info about every step of the process.
Preparing to Consign at Just Between Friends – Reading
1. Gather your stuff to sell and the supplies to tag.
I’ve been storing my kids’ outgrown clothes and toys in totes in the basement. And in no particular order. I’m not known for my organizational skills, people. 😉 I took the time to sort it out by season (you only want spring and summer stuff for this particular sale) in the basement, and then just haul upstairs to tag the stuff I was actually going to sell. So now I have all my goodies I want to tag in one place.
A couple of tips as you’re going through this stuff:
- Clothing: No rips, tears, missing buttons, etc. Sort items by size and hang them. Clothes that are clean and smell good sell better. I washed everything that had been in my basement.
- Non-clothing: Clean the items, make sure all pieces are there, check the recall list (on JBF website), make sure items work. If it’s battery-operated, it needs to have batteries in it so buyers have confidence that their purchase works.
Next, gather your supplies.
- White cardstock, 67#
- Coat hangers (wire or plastic are fine). Children’s hangers for sizes 5 and under. Adult hangers for sizes 6 and up.
- Safety pins
- Clear tape (like packing tape), plus Scotch or painters’ tape for books
- Hole punch
- Scissors (paper cutter for tags is handy if you have one)
- Clear Ziplocs of all sizes
- Cleaning supplies and Febreze
- Zip ties (for tying shoes together or separate pieces of a toy)
- Tagging gun (optional – you can just safety pin tags to clothes. Tagging guns sold on the JBF site or on Amazon. This is the one I bought, and make sure you have tags to go with it.)
2. Sort your items
When you drop off your items to sell they’re going to need to be sorted by size, like sizes banded together, and this is going to make it a lot easier to enter your tags into the tag creation system too. So just divide things up by boy and girl, and then by size. Unsure about what you can bring to this sale? These tips will help.
What Can I Bring?
- Seasonal items. Look on the website for a more complete list. But in general for Spring/Summer: Short sleeves and tank tops. The only exceptions are long sleeves are okay for sizes 24-month and below, and warmer clothing for a summer sports team is okay (i.e. Phillies sweatshirt is okay). Jeans are okay year-round.
- Sizes are infant to junior.
- Junior girls and maternity: Limit of 10 items in these categories. Expecting mamas and teen girls are fussy. 😉
- Shoes: They’re picky about shoes! No one wants dirty, smelly shoes. Make sure they’re clean and season-appropriate. Up to size 5 in kids’ shoes is accepted.
- Infant Necessities: Car seats, nursery equipment, room décor, gliders. NO FOAM FILLED BEDDING. So no crib bumpers, etc.
- Toys, books, games, DVDs (no VHS tapes), puzzles
- Arts and crafts
- Outdoor toys
- Ride-ons, wagons, bikes, scooters
3. Create your JBF account and register to consign
This part is really easy but obviously essential! You have to sign up to be able to sell! So go to the JBF Reading website and in the upper right corner, click Sign Up and create your account. After you sign up you’ll need to register for the event (this would be the Reading Spring/Summer sale) that you want to participate in. Every consignor has a consignor ID tied to your email address that’s good for every sale. You should only have one and it’s an alphanumeric series. So once this is done, it’s done! Easy peasy. To create your tags you’ll sign in to your account and have access to those screens too. Read on!
4. Create your tags
This is a really important tip: Use Internet Explorer to create your tags. I know, I know. I never use it either, but Chrome doesn’t seem to like the tagging system and you don’t want to get booted mid-tag creation. You can use Firefox too, just don’t use Chrome.
Log in, and look for Enter My Tags on the top of the page. Then get started! Here are my best tips for both creating your tags and attaching them to the items you’re selling:
Merchandise Hanging & Tagging:
- When creating your tags, use FireFox or IE. It doesn’t like Chrome. (Worth repeating!)
- Creating tags: Price items in increments of $.50. For your description, always lead with the brand name and try to be as descriptive as possible.
- When creating tags, you’ll be able to check boxes if you want to reduce the price by half on that last half-off day of the sale, and if you want to donate items that don’t sell. So make sure you check the boxes you want checked there.
- If you have items in European sizes, convert the size to a US size on the tag.
- Hangers must be facing to the left like a question mark. Put the tag on the RIGHT side. Or, put the tag where it won’t make a pin mark in the fabric. Sometimes there’s a seam in the armpit, or through the neck of the shirt. If it has a size tag in it, that’s a good place to tag.
- Multi-piece sets sell well. Make sure the pieces are the same size, same brand. Rubber band, tape, or zip tie the hangers together to keep the set together.
- To hang pants: You can use pants hangers, or safety pin the pants to the TOP of the hanger.
- Anything you’re putting in bags (small toys, figurines, etc): Tape the tag to the bag and tape the bag SHUT.
- Books: If you’re selling a set, use the bag guideline right above. For single books, tape the tag to the book using painters’ tape or Scotch tape so it doesn’t rip the cover when the tag is removed.
- When you get everything tagged, organize it by size and rubber band hangers by size/gender. Keep like toys together. This will make your drop off go much more smoothly.
5. Drop Off and Pick Up
If you have over 300 items to sell you’re considered a Power Consigner and need to scheduled an appointment for drop off. Here are my best tips to make this a smooth process:
Drop Off and Pick Up:
- Plan on about an hour for drop off. Busiest times are first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. If you can do midday that should be quickest. If you’re selling over 300 items you need an appointment.
- Drop of times are on the website for each sale. There’s a list of things you need to bring with you (waiver, one tagged item with your consignor ID on it, car seat waiver if you’re selling one, a postage stamp to mail you your check – look on website for complete list)
- Pick up times are firm. When the sale is over, if you are not donating items that didn’t sell, (you designate this one your tags when you create them) you have a window in which to pick them up. Don’t be late!
- If you do donate, you’ll get a receipt in the mail for the donated items to claim on your taxes. Saves you a trip to Goodwill, right?! I’ve got all mine marked for donation!
And that’s it! So it’s a little bit of a process but there is nothing hard about this. Nothing. And let me tell you, it’ feels AWESOME to be getting rid of this stuff. I can’t wait to see how much I make on it!! Here are the sale details so mark your calendars to shop, and start gathering your stuff to consign! Let’s make a few bucks this spring together!
Just Between Friends Reading Spring Consignment Sale April 30 – May 2
The Just Between Friends – Reading Spring/Summer sale will run from April 30 – May 2. and I have all the details for you below. I am SO excited to grab all my kids’ spring and summer clothing at the best prices!
Here’s all the important info you need:
WHAT:
Just Between Friends – Reading
WHERE:
Body Zone, 3103 Paper Mill Road, Wyomissing 19610.
WHEN:
Thursday April 30 – Saturday May 2, 2014
DETAILS:
Monday, April 27
- 5pm-8pm: Perfect and Power Consignors only. Appointment required for Power Consignors.
Tuesday, April 28
- 8am-7pm: Drop Off for all Consignors – no appointment needed. Please refer to the Drop Off page for details.
Wednesday, April 29
- Qualified Presale Entry Only (details on the website)
Thursday, April 30
- 9am-8pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC $3 admission fee; children and strollers welcomed. Get a free admission pass here!
- 8pm-9pm: 2nd Consignor Drop Off. Your chance to sell more stuff or drop off for the 1st time! Please Note: We only accept items that do not require inspection for the 2nd Drop Off. This means we will not accept any clothing or shoes.
Friday, May 1
- 9am-7pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. No admission charged.
- 7pm-9pm: Team Member + 2 friends 50% Off presale. Pass required and children/strollers welcomed.
- 7:30-9pm: Consignor + 2 friends 50% Off Presale. Pass required and children/strollers welcomed.
Saturday, May 2
- 8am-5pm: HALF PRICE SALE*
*Many items will be an additional 50% off all day; children and strollers welcomed!
Sunday, May 11th
- SALE CLOSED
- 5:00pm-7:00pm: Consignor Pick up unsold items
WHAT WILL YOU FIND THERE:
- Girls sizes preemie – Juniors
- Boys sizes preemie – 18
- No adult clothing except for maternity
- Maternity for all seasons
- Infant Care Necessities (diaper pails, bottles, nursing items, breast pumps)
- Kid Furnishings (room decor, furniture, pack-n-play)
- Toys & Play Equipment (large, small, indoor, outdoor)
- Books, Games, Puzzles, Arts & Crafts
- Strollers, Exersaucers, Bouncy Seats
- Car and Booster Seats
- Seasonal Items (Halloween costumes, holiday dresses, snow pants, boots and more)
- Sporting equipment, bikes and wagons
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?
Just Between Friends – Reading website, their Facebook page, and their Twitter page.
You can learn more from me, too! I’m going to be consigning and shopping the pre-sale on Wednesday April 29 and showing you the deals I find! Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see pictures of my best deals and look for hashtag #JBFReading to see what deals I’m scoring!
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