eBay, Consignment Store, or Craigslist?

[songsparrow]

Hello Hive,

 

I have some kids' items I'd like to sell - e.g., holiday dresses and shoes, winter coat (Lands End), heelys, rollerblades. I haven't had the best of luck selling on eBay lately, but I've never tried a consignment store. Craigslist makes me nervous about having strangers coming to my home.

 

In your experience, what is the better way to sell - eBay, consignment store, or Craigslist?

 

Thanks!

[mlktwins]

I'm not sure how much help I'll be :tongue_smilie:, but I can at least tell you my experience.

 

I usually sell my boys' stuff (toys, clothes) at our twice yearly multiples group yard sale. I set the price and get 80% back (the club gets 20% -- it is a non-profit group). We do allow people to sell at our club that are not members, but the club gets 25% of the sale. This has been great for me for 7 years now. I'm doing my last one in the Spring. Maybe there is one of these near you for you to try. The nice thing about these is they are usually well advertised and I don't have to haggle with anyone.

 

I have never sold clothes on Craigslist, but I have sold quite a few toys and baby items with really good success. I have never allowed anyone to come to my home (although I would if I knew DH was going to be there). I have only gone to someone's house twice and felt comfortable after talking to them on the phone. Most of the time I meet at a very busy parking lot to make the exchange. I only accept cash and state this in my ad.

 

After our last multiples group sale (the fall sale), I took a few of my better items to a kid's consignment (my first time). It is a place that either buys the clothes for cash or gives you a store credit. I was greatly disappointed in what I received from what I brought. I had a like new Land's End coat (for 2T I think), some worn once Gymboree christmas sweaters, a like new fall Baby Gap sweater, etc. All really great condition. I only received $15 cash for the 15 or so items I brought in. So not worth my time or energy to drive there and wait. I have not tried a consignment where you leave the stuff and get paid if it sells. I wish I had given it to charity...

 

I have never sold anything on eBay.

 

Anyway, I hope this helps some. Good luck!

[Kathleen in LV]

I've sold a lot of children's clothing and toys on Ebay over the years. Of your three proposed choices, you'll probably get the highest prices on Ebay. But over the last couple of years, children's clothing has been selling for less and less on Ebay. (I hardly sell anything on there anymore -- just trying to get rid of my existing inventory.) Then Ebay takes a cut and PayPal takes a cut. Also, it's a lot of work to photograph, list, and ship. And for items that weigh over 13 ounces, shipping costs start getting expensive, so even if you charge them to the buyer, they will cut into what the buyer would be willing to pay for the item.

 

So it's probably not worth the small difference in price to go through all the trouble to sell on Ebay, unless you have lots of time on your hands & can't find anything better to do. ;) Craigslist will probably get you the next highest prices, but I personally don't like to have strangers come to my home, and meeting them out costs gas & is an inconvenience for me.

 

So my vote would be consignment shop or a children's consignment sale if you can find one. Or have your own garage sale (and list it for free on Craigslist under sales/garage sales -- don't waste money on expensive newspaper ads).

 

Good luck!

[LaxMom]

I'm not sure which would be the better venue, but the consignment stores around here take things by appointment only, and those appointments are in January (for spring/summer items) and July (fall/winter).

 

Maybe the answer is somewhere in the middle: list them on eBay while you wait for an appointment or consignment sale to happen, then take anything that hasn't sold to those?

[ocelotmom]

I have some kids' items I'd like to sell - e.g., holiday dresses and shoes, winter coat (Lands End), heelys, rollerblades. I haven't had the best of luck selling on eBay lately, but I've never tried a consignment store. Craigslist makes me nervous about having strangers coming to my home.

 

Craigslist and meet somewhere mutually agreeable (grocery store, library, coffee shop, something like that), or be willing to drop off at their house (within reasonable distance) accompanied by someone else?

[A.Balaban]

Hello Hive,

 

I have some kids' items I'd like to sell - e.g., holiday dresses and shoes, winter coat (Lands End), heelys, rollerblades. I haven't had the best of luck selling on eBay lately, but I've never tried a consignment store. Craigslist makes me nervous about having strangers coming to my home.

 

In your experience, what is the better way to sell - eBay, consignment store, or Craigslist?

 

Thanks!

 

Consignment stores work differently from store to store, so you'll have to look around to see which one works out best for you. Some stores pay cash upfront, some do store credit. Consignment stores will only accept current season, and may also have size limitations on what they will accept based on their current inventory. Your best bet is to call and ask.

 

You can also find a lot of Facebook "Yard Sale" groups popping up which I have found are better and more reliable than CL. (If you do Facebook) it may be an avenue to explore (but you lose the anonymity that CL gives you)

 

CL is a needle in a haystack - seriously - I have ads that run for months and then finally they sell, and then I have some things that I can't get it listed fast enough before it is sold. For CL, I used to live in a pretty public area so they could meet me in front of a bank next to my apartment building, so that was convenient. Here, I try to schedule times when DH is home.

 

For meet-ups in other locations: Gas stations are awesome.

 

I have been trying eBay and so far I am having good luck - of course, I am selling brand name clothing at rock-bottom prices. There can be a multitude of factors that affect people buying on eBay (the picture, the quality, the information, the *starting price*- I never start an auction above $0.99)... but eBay comes with the hassle of shipping, too.

 

My plan is to do something like a rotation, where I go from one area to another. Try and sell some things locally (baby gear, shoes, etc.) and sell somethings on ebay (brand name clothing). Other things will get brought to consignment. What they don't accept, will get donated or Freecycled.

 

If there was an area yardsale then that is what I would do if you had a high quantity of items.

[gardenmom5]

It really depends where you live. If you're rural - stay with ebay.

 

If you're city and have a techie population, craigslist can be great. If you don't want people coming to your house, meet them somewhere. my experience with craigslist is it is not for "everyday" items - unless in a lot.

 

I relied upon kids consignment stores when my olders were little and the one I used most is still in business 30 years later. look at the selection and quality of merchanidse to tell if they will draw business.

[carlamom2ansnm]

As a consignment sale owner, i would definitely tell you to sell it at a Consignment sale ;)

[jennyradmer]

Where I live we have consignment stores and consignment sales that are seasonal. I have sold clothes and toys at both and have paid for the next season's wardrobe for my daughter (shopping at consignment stores of course).

[Mommyof4ks]

I have tried many places, but our local consignment Facebook page seems to be my most successful place at the moment. eBay is too much trouble for me now with the fees, shipping, and scammers. If you go with Craigslist, then meet in a grocery store parking lot or some other public place. I do that several times a week with our local Facebook selling page.