Over the last few weeks, I have been liquidating a ton of older inventory that has been sitting dormant in my closet for over a year. I have learned that if an item hasn’t moved in a year after I have updated pricing, images, and descriptions, then there is a high likelihood that it will not sell within the next year either. To liquidate these items as quickly as possible, I have been taking them to buy-sell-trade stores and sending them to ThredUp. As a former Once Upon a Child and Plato’s Closet employee, I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve when it comes to making the most money possible when selling to these stores. Today, I wanted to share with you how I was able to make almost $200 at Plato’s Closet using these tips and tricks.
General Tips for Selling to Buy-Sell-Trade Stores
Whenever I bring in items to sell to a buy-sell-trade store, I always make sure that my items are freshly laundered and free of any damage or stains. Additionally, I will place my items in either a large reusable bag or tote (I highly recommend checking with the store ahead of time to see how they prefer that items be presented.) Before selling my items to the store, I always try to set realistic expectations for myself when it comes to how many items they will purchase from me and how much money I will end up with after they look through my items. As someone who worked in this environment, I know that there are many factors at play when it comes to how many items they will buy in and how much money I will receive per item. That being said, I wanted to share with you a few tips and tricks that I have personally used to increase the number of items that a buy-sell-trade store will buy in from customers.
Tip #1: Call The Store Ahead of Time for Inventory Needs
I HIGHLY recommend calling the store ahead of time to see exactly what their inventory needs are on the day that you are planning to bring your items in. Many of buy-sell-trade stores in my area will share a list of their inventory needs on their social media platforms. However, many of these lists are not always up-to-date as inventory needs change weekly. The easiest way to go about this is to call the store shortly after opening and explain that you are planning on bringing in items to sell to them that day. Ask the employee what their inventory needs are and many times they will say that they are being very selective with inventory and are only buying in specific items. Additionally, they may openly share with you what items that they are looking to buy in for a specific store event that may not be posted on their general lists found on their website and/or social media platforms. Once you know what items they are looking for, those should be the ONLY items that you are bringing into the store for them to look through.
Tip #2: Place the Most Desirable Items on Top
As someone whose main task was to buy in items at a buy-sell-trade store, I have some insight into the mind of a buyer. Before a buyer even looks at your stuff, they have a prepared list in their head of the items that they are going to be looking for. If they don’t see any of those items at first glance, then there is a good chance that they are not going to thoroughly go through your items and will buy in little or no items. In order to minimize the chances of this happening, you should place the more desirable items on the top of your bag or tote. If a buyer is consistently finding the items that the store is looking to buy in, then they will continue to sort through your items as they are inclined to believe that you may have more in-demand items than what they observed on top.
For example: On my last trip to Plato’s Closet, I called the store ahead of time and the employee that I spoke with told me that they were looking to buy in high-end activewear like Lululemon and Gymshark for an activewear event and denim. When I was putting my bag together to take to the store, I specifically placed all of my Lululemon items on the top of the pile and all of my denim towards the bottom. As a result of me doing this, they not only took most of my Lululemon items but also the majority of my denim. [Note: Most buy-sell-trade stores are looking for non-skinny jeans right now.]
Tip #3: Not all Buy-Sell-Trade Stores are Created Equally
When it comes to selling items to buy-sell-trade stores, we must remember that not all stores are created equally. Each store has different inventory needs, payout percentages, and staff. I highly recommend learning about all of the buy-sell-trade stores near you and see which stores will meet your needs. Personally, I have a few stores near where I live that are my go-to stores when I need to sell inventory. Over the past four years, I have spent quite a bit of time experimenting with various buy-sell-trade stores in the area. In that time, I have learned which stores I prefer to sell to and buy from as each store is unique.
I hope that you find this post helpful! If you have any questions or just want to chat, please reach out!
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