Just Between Friends: Redux

Like I mentioned previously, I shopped a 'Just Between Friends' consignment sale for the first time recently. I wasn't overly impressed, but it was fine. These sales are franchised and the Johnson County franchisee has two sales each season: one for Overland Park and one for Shawnee, though they are in the exact same location on different weekends so it's a little weird. I generally get rid of my old kids clothes that are better brands in good condition on craigslist. I could make more on ebay, but it's such a pain to deal with selling each item and shipping it, that I choose not to. Likewise, I won't split my lots on craigslist because I don't want to deal with people buying a single shirt. I don't sell at garage sales because I feel I make more with the charitable deduction on my taxes. This season I wasn't having luck selling my spring lots on craigslist for what I wanted to sell them for so I decided to sell at the Shawnee JBF sale, which started today.

It was way more work than I anticipated. Mostly because I decided to sell about two days before drop off day so I didn't have long to get things ready and they are very particular on how to prepare your clothes. If I sell again, I will definitely plan ahead. They charge $10 to sell and then you make 65% of your sale prices. You can make more if you volunteer, but I so have zero interest in that. I would have to be selling a lot of clothes to feel like 5% was worth 4 hours of my time. If I feel I make enough this time, I will probably sell every other year going forward so I can sell larger groups of clothes to make that $10 fee worth it. This year I might not make as much because girls clothes make more than boys, but very small sizes make way less because the market is so saturated with those sizes and this time I am selling mostly girls 18 months clothes, which is a pretty small size.

One of the benefits of volunteering and selling is you get to shop earlier than the general public when the selection is presumably better. But I spent yesterday dropping off my clothes and getting them inspected so I didn't really want to go back over there (I am spoiled. Driving to Overland Park is a real trek to me) to shop when I only needed a very few things to round out spring wardrobes.  So I sent Jason, who works very close to the sale. I knew it was a little risky because I am incredibly picky on quality and style for my children. He definitely came home with a few questionable items and bought more than I would have, but overall he did really well and got the rest of the things I needed for Spring for the kids.