ITEM PREPARATION INFORMATION
Ask yourself this question: “Would you want to buy this item in its current condition from someone else?"
Then truthfully answer that question.
Items will be checked before the sale, any item that MyConsign deems doesn't meet the criteria will be declined. A declined item will be returned to the consignor or, if it is marked for donation, the item will be placed in the designated donation area.
The sale will be locked at 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2007. Once it is locked you won't be able to add or edit tags, so don't wait until the last minute!
Recalls
Be sure to check the Consumer Product Safety Commision Web site for information on items that have been recalled - we cannot accept any recalled item.
Quick links to
Supplies, Clothing Preparation, Larger Items, Smaller Items, Toys, Maternity, Games and Entertainment,
Shoes, Pricing Tips, Tagging Tips, Organizational Tips
Supplies
- Hangers – get them from dry cleaners, Walmart or dollar stores TIP: Wire and/or coated wire hangers are much easier to pin you clothes on. Hang all items with the hanger facing like a question mark.
- 60-67lb. white cardstock/coverstock – any office supply store for $8 - $10 for 250 sheets. Do not use anything BUT 60-67lb. WHITE cardstock because the scanner will not be able to read the bar codes on any of the other paper products.
- Ink jet or laser printer (dot matrix printers are not able to print the barcode fine enough for the scanner to read it). If you have a color printer, be sure to select "Black Cartridge Only".
- Safety pins – Walmart or dollar stores - after you hang your item on a hanger, it is strongly recommended that you pin it to the hanger. This prevents your clothing item from falling off the hanger. Otherwise, you may have to spend some time going through the lost & found section at the end of the sale.
- Clear packing tape – Sam’s or dollar stores – this is used to seal the Ziplock bags to prevent the loss of pieces as well as protection against little hands opening up your bags prior to purchase. However, NEVER put any tape over a tag's barcode. The placement of tape over the barcode prevents the scanner from being able to read it.
- Ziploc bags – Sam's or Walmart for the large and X-tra large bags; any dollar store for the smaller ones.
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Clothing Preparation
- We are only taking in Spring/Summer clothing .
- Clean and iron all pieces of clothing. A little ironing and starch can make any gently-used piece of clothing look almost brand new.
- Please put the size that is listed on the tag found on the article of clothing. If no tag, estimate a numerical size if the clothing's size is S, M, or L. If you need help determining a size, this Wikipedia entry on US Standard Clothing Size may help.
- If you are selling several items together as a set, safety pin all the items together at the top of the hanger on each side.
- Check the piece of clothing carefully and repair it as needed. A little bit of sewing to fix buttons, hems, seams, etc. can mean the difference between selling the item or the return or donation pile. Don't forget to check zippers and snaps to be sure they work properly. TIP: Go ahead and zip the zippers, button the buttons, snap the snaps, and tie the ribbons for a better presentation to the prospective buyer!
- We will not accept ANY clothing with stains, holes, tears, pilling, or napping, so please check your items carefully. TIP: Check your clothing items in direct sunlight (outside), instead of indoor lighting, especially any clothing that is white or has a white background, as you will be able to better detect a stain.
- Hang ALL clothing with the hanger facing the left. Pin safety pins through the clothes and around the hanger to prevent it from slipping off the hanger. Tip: for any article of clothing (especially vintage and designer), you can use one safety pin to secure an item to a hanger by pinning the clothing tag to the bottom of the hanger.
- With the front of the piece of clothing facing you, use a safety pin to attach the tag in the upper right edge. Be careful to place the pin in the top middle of the tag.
- Use safety pins at the TOP of the hanger at each side to hang pants.
- If your clothing has two pieces, pin the waistband of the pants or skirt to the back shoulders of the shirt (catch the hanger with the pin to support the weight of the pants or skirt).
- You may also sell socks – but be very picky about the ones that you place in the sale, especially with white ones. Put the socks in bunches and place them in a Ziploc bag.
 Hanger curves to the left. |
 Tag goes on upper right edge. |
 Pants hang with 2 safety pins. |
 Pin pants to back of shirt. |
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Larger Items
- All larger items, such as furniture, must be clean and in good working condition. All pieces must be included and no broken parts.
- Equipment that operates by batteries must have them in AND working. If the item doesn't work, it will be removed from the sale.
- Items that have accessories or instructions must have all of the pieces in a Ziploc bag, sealed with clear packing tape, and attached securely to the item.
- Items that have covers or cushions can have the tag attached by a safety pin. Otherwise, attach tag to the item with clear packing tape. DO NOT place tape over the barcode of the tag as the scanner is unable to read the barcode through tape. Think about where to attach the tag so it does not damage the item when it is removed (i.e., not over any paper or stickers).
- If you want to donate any items that we do not accept (except stuffed animals), there will be bins for you to put those items in. All donations will go to charitable organizations and/or selected families in our community that are in need of such items.
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Smaller Items
- Smaller items such as bows, leggings, hats, mittens, scarfs, socks, hair accessories, purses, and belts must be in Ziploc bags with the tag attached to the outside of the bag with clear packing tape (do not cover the tag's barcode with tape). Package several similar items together. Use clear packing tape to seal the bags closed.
- Items such as backpacks do not need to be placed in a Ziploc bag. However, if there are accessories or instructions, place these in a Ziploc bag and securely tape it to the item. The tag may be pinned with a safety pin to the item or taped to the bag.
- Books, DVDs and VHS tapes can be packaged together or sold separately (to prevent damage from removal of the tag, it is suggested that you place these items in a Ziploc bag). Do not cover the barcode on your tags with tape, as the scanner will be unable to read it.
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Toys
- All toys must be clean and in good working condition. All pieces must be included and no broken parts.
- Toys that operate by batteries must have them in AND working. If the item doesn't work, it will be removed from the sale.
- Toys that include small parts must have all of the pieces in a Ziploc bag, sealed with clear packing tape, and attached securely to the item.
- Attach tag to toy with clear packing tape. DO NOT place tape over the barcode of the tag as the scanner is unable to read the barcode through tape. Think about where to attach the tag so it does not damage the item when it is removed (i.e., not over any paper or stickers).
- Games and puzzles should have ALL pieces, and be in original boxes or Ziploc bags that are tied or taped closed.
- NO STUFFED ANIMALS THAT DO NOT OPERATE WITH BATTERIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
- If you want to donate any items that we do not accept (except stuffed animals), there will be bins for you to put those items in. All donations will go to charitable organizations and/or selected families in our community that are in need of such items.
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Maternity Items
- Maternity items must be in excellent condition and must be for the Spring & Summer season. Do not bring outdated or faded maternity clothes, as they will not sell.
- As with other clothing, secure the tops of the clothes with safety pins so they will not fall off the hanger.
- Don't forget to sell nursing bras, Bella Bands, cuddle pillows, breast pumps and all other maternity related items.
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Games and Entertainment
- All toys and games must be clean and in good working condition. All pieces must be included and no broken parts.
- Toys that operate by batteries must have them in AND working. If the item doesn't work, it will be removed from the sale.
- Toys that include small parts must have all of the pieces in a Ziploc bag, sealed with clear packing tape, and attached securely to the item.
- Attach tag to toy with clear packing tape. DO NOT place tape over the barcode of the tag as the scanner is unable to read the barcode through tape. Think about where to attach the tag so it does not damage the item when it is removed (i.e., not over any paper or stickers).
- Games and puzzles should have ALL pieces, and be in original boxes or Ziploc bags that are tied or taped closed.
- NO STUFFED ANIMALS THAT DO NOT OPERATE WITH BATTERIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
- If you want to donate any items that we do not accept (except stuffed animals), there will be bins for you to put those items in. All donations will go to charitable organizations and/or selected families in our community that are in need of such items.
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Shoes
- Shoes must be in EXCELLENT CONDITION. We will not accept shoes with scuff marks, dirty shoelaces, worn down soles, dirty insoles, or are dirty-looking in general.
- Don't forget to sell ballet, tap or sports shoes (e.g., baseball, basketball, soccer)!
- To tag shoes for sale, tie the laces together and either use a large safety pin or punch a hole through the tag and use ribbon to tie the tag to the pair of shoes.
- Another great way to tag shoes is to place them in a clear Ziploc bag and tape the tag on the bag (being careful not to tape over the barcode).
- MyConsign reserves the right to decline items that it deems does not meet this criteria. A declined item will be returned to the consignor or, if it is marked for donation, the item will be placed in the designated donation area.
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Pricing Tips
- You should mark your items approximately 75% off retail price on non-brand items (e.g., Circo, Faded Glory, etc.).
- However the name brand items (e.g., Limited, Gap, etc.) will sell for more, so those can be marked 60 to 65% of new retail price.
- Use only 50 cent increments when pricing items (i.e. $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, $4.00, etc.).
- Remember - the nicer the condition the item is, the higher you can price it. However, don’t over price your items, as everyone likes a GOOD deal when shopping. Items priced right will fly off the racks, while items that are overpriced will more than likely be passed over for better-priced items.
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Tagging Tips
- We use an online bar-coding system. It is SIMPLE and EASY.
- Once you have registered for a sale, simply log in to enter items, print tags, manage your inventory, and print reports. See the Registration / Log In page to register or log in.
- For help using the online tagging software, you may download the Seller's Manual in .pdf format. You will need Adobe Reader to view the document.
- Tips for printing:
- Use 60 to 67 lb cardstock/coverstock white paper (smooth, not textured).
- The barcode will print best in Normal or Draft mode (best quality might make the barcode too dark and cause it to bleed).
- Make sure you select Black ink if you are using a color printer.
- Before you print all your tags, print a test page to check your printer settings and make sure the barcodes are crisp and clear.
- We will not accept any items that have ANY markings on the tags. If you need to make a correction to a tag you must make a NEW tag.
- For larger items with multiple pieces, put the tag on the main piece with a note "1 of x" (with x being the total number of pieces). Your consignor number and item number should be written on masking tape and placed on the additional piece(s) in case they get separated.
- If an item with multiple pieces is smaller, another option is to put the pieces in Ziploc bags and then wrap tape around ALL of the bags (thus making one big pile). Tape the tag on the bundle.
- DO NOT print multiple barcode tags for the different pieces of the same item even if you put $0.00 on the extra tags. Each item with multiple pieces can ONLY have one barcode tag.
- If an item is found without a tag on it, it will be placed in the lost and found section.
- In addition to the tag, you may write the complete barcode number on a piece of masking tape. For clothing, place the tape on the label, for other items, place the tape on the item or bag where it can be seen. If the tag should be separated from the item, this will assist us in finding the owner.
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This is how the tag should look, but with your information.
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Organizational Tips
- Go through all your closets and storage areas, pull out everything you want to sell and put it in one area.
- Spot check all the clothing that you want to sell. Look for napping, pilling, holes, buttons missing, loose strings, etc. and put them in a separate pile. Decide whether to fix them or pull them out for donation (we will have boxes on-site to help you with donations).
- Sort clothes by items (pants, tops, dresses, vests, etc.)
- Match up the clothes either by sets or by brand name, then stack them.
- Iron your items (ironed items definitely sell faster). Try just doing 10-20 items a day while watching TV.
- Hang your items and pin them to prevent them from falling off hangers.
- Clean all toys and equipment – inexpensive laundry baskets are great to hold them
- Input all items – keep your descriptions brief with few words (e.g., Gap matching blue/green outfit; Limited black pants/Circo yellow Polo shirt; etc.). You can mix and match different brands, but your tags MUST accurately reflect the brands of the items.
- Once ALL items have been entered, you are ready to print your tags (make sure you print ONE page first to make sure your bar codes are printing correctly)
- After printing your tags, cut them out and start pinning and/or taping them to your items. Do not cover the barcodes on your tags with tape as the scanner can't read the barcode through tape.
- After the sale, you will be able to print a detailed
report for tax purposes of all entered items that did NOT sell AND
were marked for donation. Just log in through our Registration
/ Log In page, go to Manage Inventory, then select Items Marked
Donated.
