It's day 2 which means it is time for me to talk about getting any type of baby/child equipment ready. When I say equipment, I basically mean high chairs, car seats, strollers, bumbos, etc.
Equipment is great to sell because not only is it one of our top sellers, but many people find they can get a great chunk of money back out of items they have gotten a lot of use out of. Things like Bumbos are easy to sell for $20 which is more than half of original retail. Simply wiping them down with a clorox wipe makes them look like new and they are in huge demand. During the last sale. we sold at least 25 of them and literally had none left at the end.
Items like car seats become a little harder to sell simply because they tend to show more wear and they get recalled more often. They also expire which many people don't know. Car seats are required to have a date stamped on them when they are made. This is usually on a sticker underneath the actual seat. Carseats are considered expired after 6 years but we at Encores and More North don't take them after 5 years. It is important to keep in mind how old your car seat is when it comes to pricing. If you have a Britax car seat that is 4 years old, it's hard to realize it may only be worth $30-$40 but keep in mind in another year or so, it's not worth anything. Another thing to note(especially with Britax), you can sell the covers without the actual car seat. Many people will buy a replacement cover for their Britax.
In my opinion, the most important thing to do when it comes to equipment is to make sure it is clean. No one wants to get home with a high chair that has loads of yucky food under the seat covering. If you keep your items clean and in good shape while using them, you will certainly be able to price it higher when it comes time to consign. If you find that you break a piece off your equipment during use, don't forget to contact the manufacturer as you can usually buy replacement parts directly from them.
I have found that generally on equipment you can usually get half of the original cost back out of the item. When you consider the amount of use you get out of things like exersaucers, swings, etc. I think this is a great return on investment. When I am purchasing things at the sale and then it's time to resell it again, I have found I get almost 100% back out of the item based on the original consignment price.
So while you are getting your clothing and shoes tagged, don't forget to tag your equipment. You'll be shocked at how quickly your consignment check quickly goes up when you get rid of equipment!
Tomorrow's post: puzzles and games
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1 comment:
Another nice thing to do with any plastic (Whether it's a swing or large play item) is to rub it down with baby oil. If you do this when you first get it it won't fade or turn yellow in the sun. If you do it right before you sell it, it gives it an amazingly like new look ;)
~CSQ
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