Discover 11 types of products that are most frequently sold consignment. Learn more about the pros of each type of item.
Consignment sales are becoming increasingly popular for many types of products. This practice offers many perks, such as the fight against overconsumption and the sale of local products at affordable prices.
Several types of products are sold on consignment in retail stores. In this article, learn about 11 types of products that are frequently sold on consignment:
The principle of consignment is based on a business model where the retailer does business with a seller or a shipper in order to sell their merchandise by keeping part of the profit made.
Retailers that sell on consignment are often specialty retailers that want to sell diverse and unique products.
A thrift store is more or less attached to an NPO and this type of business gets its inventory mostly by donations. On the other hand, a consignment shop is a company seeking profit by selling products on consignment.
Consignment sellers are typically the owners of products who want to take advantage of a retailer’s storefront to sell their goods more easily, in exchange for some of the profit.
Companies that ship products on consignment are usually warehouses that store several types of products for e-commerce.
Here are 11 types of products commonly sold on consignment:
Vintage items are sometimes sold in auctions, but they can also be sold on consignment.
Whether it’s vintage items, antique furniture, or collectibles, you’ll find a dealer willing to resell any of those products for a good price!
Ex. video games and consoles, dolls, trading cards, board games.
Selling children’s toys on consignment is becoming more and more common nowadays. Children’s toys can be expensive, but selling them on consignment allows parents to get back some of their money when their children grow up and no longer play with their old toys.
This type of sale makes children’s toys more accessible for young parents and encourages the action of giving to others, as the toys are usually sold for a cheaper price.
Handmade items are often sold on consignment. The retailer who sells artisanal goods on consignment doesn’t pay for them and gets a cut once they are sold.
Consignment of handmade products allows creators to sell their works in stores that do not have large financial means to hold a large inventory in stock. It also promotes local arts and crafts.
Ex. ceramics, pottery, jewellery, paintings.
Selling furniture on consignment is advantageous for the seller, because they can put their furniture up for sale without having to store them at home. They can avoid the hassle of cluttering up their space!
It also allows sellers to offer their furniture with a physical advertising window, and not only on online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji and Ebay.
Ex. desks, sofas, mirrors.
Books have always been shared. Once they finish a book, many want to share it with others. Selling used books on consignment in a store helps to share stories and knowledge.
It also allows independent authors to sell their books even when they do not have the means to publish them in large quantities. Thanks to consignment, they can sell their books while keeping the majority of the profits.
Ex. cookbooks, comics, manga, school books, novels.
Selling clothes on consignment is already a widespread practice. Indeed, thrift stores and consignment shops are increasingly popular with consumers.
Clothing consignment sales allow clothing owners to sell their items to a local retailer and extend the life of a garment in order to avoid the overconsumption and excesses of the fashion industry and textiles.
Ex. sweaters, dresses, pants, jewellery or accessories.
Music is a passion that is shared. Selling musical instruments on consignment allows those with smaller budgets to still have access to quality instruments and develop a passion for music.
This also makes it possible to sell custom-made or specialized instruments to expert-level customers who are looking for instruments tailored to their needs.
Ex. piano, guitars, drums, basses.
Jewellery consignment sale makes it possible for any designer or jewellery designer to put their creations on a sales shelf. Boutiques or auctions that display those jewellery keep a profit on the sale of these products while promoting the local creations of local artisans.
Ex. necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings.
The shoes that frequently find themselves on the shelves thanks to consignment sales are often collector’s shoes like Nike’s Air Jordans, the YEEZYs sold by Adidas or Nike’s Air Max.
Specialty shoe stores offer a diverse collection for collector’s sneaker enthusiasts through consignment sales.
Seasonal items, such as Christmas decorations and beach items, are often sold on consignment after the corresponding season. Decoration shops and online shopping websites are popular places to sell used seasonal items. In this way, you will find decorations or second-hand items more easily.
Ex. beach items, Christmas and New Year’s decorations.
Trends in the sports industry change regularly. Sports equipment is then sometimes used for a short period of time (for example, a season) before becoming outdated or no longer in use.
Consignment sales allow consumers to have access to newer equipment at an affordable price and to participate in extending the life cycle of expensive equipment.
Ex. hockey equipment, tennis rackets, ski helmets, golf clubs.
In summary, consignment sales offer an ecological and economical alternative to the purchase of products.
There are many types of products that are frequently sold on consignment, such as vintage products, children’s toys, handmade items, furniture, books, clothing, musical instruments, jewellery, shoes, seasonal items and sports equipment.
If you’re looking for a specific product, it’s important to know where to look to find the best deals: local stores.