Accepting, Sorting, and Displaying New Inventory

1. Intake: Accepting and Processing Incoming Inventory

Your goal is to keep intake fast and organized. Always check every incoming item’s quality, ensure paperwork is accurate, and tag inventory before it gets mixed with your existing stock.

• Set intake hours: Have set “accepting days/hours” so you are not overwhelmed during peak selling times.
• Check, sort, decline: Quickly inspect for stains, rips, missing parts, and sort into accept, clean/repair, or return piles. Decline any unacceptable items with a positive explanation to the consignor.
• Complete intake paperwork: Use an intake form or consignment software to log consignor details, description, category, and pricing notes.
• Immediate tagging: Tag items or print labels with barcodes, consignor ID, and price before anything enters the back room or shop floor. This ensures total traceability.

2. Sorting New Inventory for Fast and Easy Display

• Group by category first: Clothing, shoes, housewares, toys, jewelry, etc.
• Sub-sort by size or style: For apparel, break down by size, season, gender, or brand. For non-clothing, sort by function or color family.
• Prioritize seasonally: Bring out “in-season” inventory first. Store next season’s or slow-moving stock in a clearly labeled area for future dates.
• Designate a “quarantine” area: For items needing extra cleaning, repair, steaming, or price review. Don’t put these on the sales floor until ready.

3. Displaying Inventory for Maximum Sales (Visual Merchandising)

• Front and Center: Place fresh arrivals in a “New This Week” or “Just In” display at the front of the store or by the register.
• Shopable Layout: Make sure racks are not overcrowded and there’s room to browse. Organize by color, size, or type for easy discovery.
• Rotate inventory weekly: Move older stock forward, bring new arrivals to eye-level keeps the space feeling fresh and encourages regulars to stop in.
• Creative displays: Use mannequins, themed tables, or shelf groupings to promote outfit ideas, gift sets, or special brands.
• Label displays clearly: Prices, sizes, and categories should be unmistakable. Consignment software makes printing pro labels fast.

4. Speed Hacks: How to Process Inventory Like a Pro

• Batch similar items (all jeans, all glassware) for faster pricing, tagging, and sorting.
• Set aside one or two weekly “new item” days for team members to focus on intake and re-stocking without shopper interruptions.
• Take a quick picture of featured items and post on your social media for instant traffic boosts.
• Use inventory and sales reports to see what is selling, and adjust your displays and intake focus accordingly.

FAQ: Accepting, Sorting, and Displaying Consignment Store Inventory

Quick Reference Checklist

• Designate intake, sorting, and display areas
• Process, tag, and log every item as it arrives
• Group by category/size and prioritize seasonally
• Rotate displays, restock, and update tags weekly
• Use shop software for faster intake and label printing

Next Steps and Action Items

• Write and post intake and sorting procedures for staff/volunteers
• Take a “fresh eyes” walk through your displays every week
• Schedule inventory clean-outs at the end of each season
• See managing unsold items for next steps