Best Consignment Shop Software

[Ana]

I;m just curious...how do other consginment stores deal withr eturning unsold items to consignees? We have found this to be a big problem. WE used to pull all the expired items from the shelf,s ort and bag them. Then call the account holder and asked them to pick them up within 7 days. needless to say, less then 10% of people ever pick it up so we would add it to our donate pile. Does anyone have a better system? Is it unethical to donat 'return' items if they remain unclaimed?

I'm hoping some other shop owners might have some enlightening information.

Thanks!
Ana
PlayIt Again Kids

[Brendaho]

Ana,

Beware this is long.

Hi my name is Brenda and I have a shop in Texas, I have been in business for 2 years now and I have struggled struggled struggled with this. Here is what we have done and for the past 3 mths it has worked for us. I am going to start from the beginning of intake because for us that is where it all starts.

1. When the person comes in with items, they tell us right then if they want to donate or not. I know a lot of other shop owners and message boards say not to do that, but for me that is the only way. I explain the options to them in detail and then they choice. Note: On our agreement we have a place to initial for donate yes and a place no I want to pick up my items.
2. We have a intake form. Basically where we write up each item. On the form there are places to circle size, color, types of items – so it is pretty fast write up. Then I enter them into BCSS.
3. If they donate – I go into the Configure Barcode Appearance (in BCSS) and change the color of the label to Green and under Top comment I have the name of my shop and then a YES (this sounds time consuming but it really isn’t if you do all the yes together and the no’s together) - I enter the items into BCSS and print the labels. So I can just look at the label and poof see it is Green Yes – it’s a donate. If you don’t use the Barcodes you can set a special code up in the configuration in BCSS that will put that on the other labels for you automatically
4. If they do not donate – I do the same thing except I change the color to Red and the top comment I say No instead of Yes
5. So now by looking at the label I know quickly if they are yes or no.
6. When they bring their items in – whether it is the first time or the 6th time I have a card – postcard size – It has Name, Date, things like that and then it has a place to initial for donate or not. That way if they change their minds we have it and then it is a back up for us. This card follows the items all the way until they are on the racks and then they are filed by end dates. There is just one card per consignor.
7. On the back side of this card we have (for us to use)
* Name – We write their names big and put then face up with clothes pens on the items. If we walk into our back room and need to find their we see the name nice and big – we also write their consignor Id on the card
* We then have Needs to be written up / waiting on labels / needs to go out – and a check box by each one, then if I go in the back room I know what stage the items are at
* Intake date
* End date
* starting # ___________ - ________ (this helps in writing them up and also when it is time to pull them)
* Do they donate? Yes / No
* Did we have any NTY’s? Yes / No
* Did we put any next door for the next season? Yes / No

8. Ok the items are ready to go out on the racks and SELL
9. I felt so bad about donating items even when the agreement says if you don’t pick up or call us before your end date we have the right to donate. So using the intake cards we pull the cards of the ones that will end and that DO NOT DONATE (only these – so there is not that many). We have another postcard that is preprinted with a message about their end date and their different options. We write in their name and consignor ID and the End Date: Here are the options we give them. a. pickup (but we tell them they MUST call us and they must give us 2 to 3 days) b. Donate – and I explain where we donate and how good it is to donate to these places c. Then we say if Starting Over does not hear from you by ________________ then we will donate your items. (Of course in a very nice way).
10. If they want to pick their items up we set a pick up date (we make it 2 to 3 days out). If they don’t call then we can pull them and donate them.
11.
This seams like a long process but it really isn’t. It is much better than not knowing what is going on with out looking at each tag and then a list of do’s and don’ts or holding them until they came and or how long do you keep them and then just the worry about donating without them saying OK. One thing I didn’t mention above is that we do put notes in BCSS when we send the card out and if they call or if they don’t.

I know this is long and I am sorry, and I typed it fast so if any of it is confusing please email me. I’d be glad to share more details or my cards with you. I believe in helping each other. Hope this helps its just one way out of many.
_________________
Brenda Hobbs
Starting Over Consignments
468 Shannon #14
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
www.startingover.info

[Ana]

Thank you Brenda, for your helpful reply. I would be veryinterested in seeing the cards you use.

We are a small store with very little storage space, so solving theseinevntory problems is a beg priority for us. Thanks a gain for you helpfulness


Ana
Play It Again Kids