Choosing A Consignment Store In South Carolina

It's a growing industry. Stores, shops and outlets are springing up all over South Carolina and the rest of the country. It's the business, and some say the art-of-consignment. These stores deliver on three promises:

• Generally higher quality than thrift stores.
• A way to get a real bargain on consignment items that are either new, or sometimes only slightly used.
• A way for the consignor to pick up some extra cash.

Consigning is actually nothing new, the concept has been around for quite some time. However, the popularity of the Internet-based business, eBay, has served to give consigning a much higher profile than it ever enjoyed before. While most consignment stores in South Carolina are still a larger city phenomenon, some are beginning to make their way into smaller population areas. While consignment is mainly used for clothing, other items from furniture, to musical instruments, to toys, and practically everything in between, also have consignment stores dedicated to those particular items. A few even consign several different categories of goods. With a few pointers for guidance, you can also consign your gently used goods into cash.

Finding a consignment store in South Carolina

In its most contemporary definition, consigning is placing items in the hand of another but retaining ownership until the goods are sold. Consignment means that you offer your used goods to a consignor who then sells the item, takes a percentage of the sale and returns to you up to 50% or even 60% of the sales price.

In South Carolina, there are higher-end consignment stores in virtually all of the larger cities in the state: Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and others. The best place to start is on the internet (www.Consignment.sc), or in your local phone book under the business listings. Bare in mind that you are looking for the specific consignment category. Consignment stores differ from pawnbrokers or pawnshops, because pawnbrokers acquire the goods in exchange for money up front, or the loan of money, and resell the items on their own behalf.

Some tips to keep in mind when finding and choosing a good consignment store to sell your good used items are:

• Be sure to do your homework! As with all businesses, there are consignment shops that are reputable and stores that are not. Some consignment stores have even been known not to return unsold inventory. Find out what percentage of the full sales price on your goods you will receive and the pricing policies of the store (how much you can charge for a given item).
• Get a feel for what kinds of goods the consignment store acquires and sells. Some stores deal with only higher-end goods.
• Examine the goods in the store for wear. This will give you a good idea of what the consignment store will accept for sale. Most require that the goods be in good repair and (in the case of clothes) they be cleaned, pressed and folded.
• Ask pertinent questions of the owner or staff of the South Carolina consignment store you are considering choosing before making a decision. In what time period and format does the consignment store report its sales? How often will you be paid for your consigned goods that sell? If you are selling from out of town where the store is located, how often can you re-stock with other used goods?

With a little investment on your part in the form of research, you can find a consignment store that will provide you with money for other projects.