Please take a moment to carefully read how to prepare your goods for sale...
We realize that this page is long and full of minutia that may seem overwhelming at first. However, we feel these details are important in order for the sale to run efficiently, to have a consistent and organized look, and to, therefore, be easy and enjoyable to shop.
Be assured that we want our Consignors to sell as many of their items as possible! We do not want you to come away from the sale feeling that your time spent collecting and tagging your pieces was wasted, and we want your checks to be as large as they can. The best way we know to help with that is to provide Consignors with a set of guidelines to prepare and tag your pieces. Hopefully, this will take the guesswork out of the process and get everyone on the same page.
Consignors must have a minimum of 15 acceptable items of any type, or one large item (ie., crib, stroller , exersaucer) to participate. Children's clothing sized 12 months and smaller are limited to 15 pieces per size for each gender - all other sizes are unlimited. Multiple garments submitted on one hanger (ex. a two piece outfit or a set of three sleepers) will be counted as one item. Children's shoes are limited to 10 of your best pairs, regardless of size or gender. Maternity clothing is limited to 15 items, regardless of size. You may bring as many items of of other categories as you would like! Toys sell especially well, so please take the time to clear out your play room!
All Consignors will complete a Consignor Agreement verifying that none of their items are have been recalled for any reason. If there is an item that causes you any doubt, please consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website at www.cpsc.gov, or call their hotline at (800)638-2772.
(all items must be in GREAT condition!)
- Children's clothing, infant through size 14, gently used or new with tags (Fall/Winter only)
- Maternity clothing (current styles, Fall/Winter only)
- Kids Halloween and dress-up costumes
- Clean Fall/Winter children's shoes in like-new condition, including cleats, dance shoes, etc (limit 10 BEST pairs)
- Children's furniture in good working order - cribs (except drop-side), changing tables, toddler beds, bassinets, highchairs, etc (must be assembled at Camp Harlow during consignor drop-off); if you are in doubt as to whether a large item is acceptable for the sale, you may email us pictures for pre-approval before you drop-off
- Baby equipment - pack 'n plays, strollers, exersaucers, playgyms, bouncer seats, baby carriers, etc
- Carseats and booster seats under five years old (please call DOT @ 800-424-9393 to ensure that they have not been recalled) Carseat waiver in PDF
- Nursery items - clean, gently used bedding, Boppy pillows, baby bathtubs, monitors (under five years old), mobiles, etc
- Kids' toys, including small ones like action figures and blocks, as well as large ones like play kitchens and rocking horses (all toys must be in good working order with batteries included and no broken or missing pieces)
- Pretend play, dress-up clothes, and very gently loved dolls
- Sports equipment, clean and in like-new condition
- Children's bikes, ride-on toys and wagons in GREAT condition
- Books, including children's storybooks, as well as those on pregnancy, childbirth and childcare
- Children's games, with all associated pieces
- Electronics, including Leap Pads, Nintendo/Playstation systems and games, handheld video games, etc
- Movies on VHS and DVD
- Any kid-related item in good condition!
(please look your items over carefully to ensure they meet our standards before spending time tagging them)
- Clothing that is out-of-date, out-of-season, stained, torn, faded, with missing buttons or broken zippers
- Any recalled item - check the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website at www.cpsc.gov if in doubt about a particular item
- Cribs with drop-side rails, due to recent safety concerns and recalls
- Sling infant carriers, due to recent safety concerns and recalls
- Magnetic toys, due to safety concerns and recalls
- T-shirts from schools, camps, sporting events, vacation spots, etc. (basic t-shirts or those that coordinate with outfits are accepted)
- Basic white onesies, unless new in original packaging (we will accept printed or embellished onesies and ones that are part of an outfit)
- Adult clothing, with the exception of maternity clothes
- Used bottles, sippy cups, plates, utensils, pacifiers or nipples
- Stuffed animals (except those that "do" something, like Tickle Me Elmo, Build-A-Bear animals with accessories, etc)
- Underwear (unless new in original packaging)
- Cloth diapers or diaper covers, unless new
- Potty seats/chairs, unless new and never used
- Diaper pails that have not been used with liners (those such as Diaper Genie, Diaper Champ, etc will be accepted)
- Battery operated items without batteries
- Carseats, booster seats or infant carriers older than five years
- Anything broken or with missing parts
Tips to help your items sell better:
- Infant clothing 12 months and under does not sell as well as larger children's sizes, since so many people get lots of clothes in these sizes as gifts and babies outgrow them so fast - price to sell!
- All clothing items should be clean, pressed, and have all zippers and buttons closed. Stains sometimes rise up after being stored - please check each item carefully before tagging! Also, sometimes clothes that have been stored take on a stale scent that can be erradicated with a quick run through the wash, making your items infinitely more attractive to shoppers.
- Clothing in sets generally sell better than single items - match up outfits or hang two or three pieces as a set (especially in the case of infant sleepers, etc) whenever possible.
- If your item is a recognized name brand (ex. Gymboree, Hanna Anderson, Janie & Jack), be sure to write it in the description on the tag to draw attention to it
- Include instruction manuals for strollers, carseats, and other equipment whenever possible.
- Price items reasonably by looking at them objectively, taking into consideration their brand, popularity and condition; ask yourself, "What would I pay for this item?"
- When tagging a larger, more expensive item such as a crib, it can be helpful to provide the original retail price paid in order to demonstrate to the shopper what a savings they would be getting
- Try to avoid putting your goods in bags whenever possible, as shoppers sometimes overlook items in plastic. Consider joining pieces together with zip ties, twine, or safety pins if appropriate.
- Make sure that tags are securely fastened to your items - we cannot sell an item without the Consignor number and price!
Materials Needed to Prepare Items for Sale:
Hangers (wire are preferred, but you may use plastic if you cannot obtain them)
White or light-colored cardstock to print tags from online tag creator (do NOT use copy paper)
Scissors or paper trimmer to cut the printed pages of tags apart for individual items
One inch or larger safety pins (no stick pins!)
Ziploc bags
Clear packaging tape
Blue painter's tape
Tagging Instructions:
NEW THIS SALE: Rather than using handwritten index cards as we have at our past sales, Consignors will enter their inventory into our online tag creator, then print the tags (see example above) and attach them to each item. This new automated system is a breeze to use, and will save time (and hand cramps!) compared to our old archaic system!
Every item that Consignors include in the sale MUST be tagged with a cardstock tag...please do not print on copy paper or other thin paper, as these will likely tear and become separated from the item. The tags must be attached to clothing and other soft items with one inch or larger safety pins, pinned horizontally through the top of the card and through a seam on the top right side of the garment. Plastic items like toys should have their tags firmly affixed with packaging tape, while on items such as books, tags should be attached with blue painter's tape, so as not to damage the covers.
Size - Sizes must be numerical, as clothing and shoes will be organized in number order - no Small, Medium, Large, except in the case of maternity clothes.
Description - the description field gives you an opportunity to give information about the item...the brand name, what it is used for, what pieces are included, etc. In the case of a more expensive item, such as a piece of furniture or a stroller system, it is sometimes helpful to include the original retail price, thereby demonstrating to the shopper what a good deal it is. The Consignor may also occasionally provide a comment or extra bit of information about the item, such as, "jacket is reversible," or "instructions included in the box." The online tag creator does not allow much room in the description field (only 2 lines, 24 characters on each line), but you may handwrite more information on the back of the printed tag, or attach a separate handwritten tag if necessary.
Price - Consignors set their own prices using only whole dollar increments (no items under $1.00). A general rule for pricing items is to calculate 25-50% of the original retail price paid. When deciding on price points, the Consignor should keep in mind the popularity, brand, and condition of the item. Again, we encourage consignors to set their prices at levels they are comfortable with, but if you need a reference, click here to consult our Pricing Guide.
ND or No Discount - On Half Price Day, the last day of the sale, anything that Consignors have not marked "ND" will be sold at half of the price listed on the card. If the Consignor is planning on donating the item to charity if it does not sell, it would be wise to allow it to go for half price on the last day.
Donate - At the end of the sale, any unsold items will be sorted back out into Consignor number order so that individuals may easily come to Consignor Pick-Up (Saturday, October 16th 7:00pm - 8:30 pm) and grab their piles. At that time, Consignors often choose to donate some or all of their unsold items to CASA for the benefit of foster children in Lane County. If you know in advance that you will donate a particular item if it does not sell, please check the "Donate" field when you create the tag for that item, and we will take care of getting it to a child in need!
- PLEASE carefully check your clothing for stains that may have risen while being stored BEFORE hanging and tagging them! We do not want you to waste your time preparing items that WILL be returned to you at drop-off, or later pulled from the sales floor if a stain is discovered after the sale begins. Consider how frustrated you would be if you purchased an item at the sale and later discovered that it was stained...please look carefully with that in mind. Lighting can affect your ability to see stains, so view them by natural light whenever possible. Stains sometimes rise when clothing is stored, but often a quick wash will remove the stain and the item may still be entered in the sale!
- Clothes should be hung on hangers with the hook pointed to the LEFT as you are looking at the garment (see diagram below). Wire hangers are preferred if you are able to obtain them, but we will accept plastic if you are not. Please use child-sized hangers for infant and smaller toddler sizes (OR adult wire hangers may be bent down on the sides to adapt them to fit the smaller garments). Please see the FAQ page for more information on where to find wire hangers and why we request you use them when possible.
- Tags should be pinned VERTICALLY to the RIGHT side of the garment (through a seam is best) with one inch or larger safety pins - no straight pins or tiny gold pins may be used. If you believe the material would be damaged (as in the case of silk, very lightweight cotton, etc) by pinning the tag directly on the garment, you may affix the card to the garment's tag.
- Pants should be pinned by the waistband to the top, angled sides of the hanger in the manner shown in the example below - don't pin them to the bottom of the hanger, as the pins will slide, causing the garment to look sloppy.
- If shirts or dresses are in danger of sliding off the hanger, it is advisable to pin the shoulders of the garment to the hanger as well. Items will not sell if they are in a wrinkled heap on the floor!!
- In the case of a two-piece set, first hang the shirt, then turn the hanger over and pin the pants by the waist to the back of the hanger, with the pin catching the hanger to support the pants. Alternatively, for larger sizes, you may pin the pants to the top, angled sides of the hanger, then slip the shirt over top of the hanger.
Preparing Shoes
Shoes must be exceptionally clean and in like-new condition - bring only your best 10 pair, regardless of size. No scuffed, worn or dirty shoes will be accepted, nor will those that are not appropriate to the season. If the shoes can be securely attached together through the laces with a large safety pin, ribbon, or plastic zip ties, it is preferable to do so, as items generally sell better when they are not in bags. However, if there are no laces and they may not otherwise be kept together as a pair, place the shoes in a Ziploc bag with the tag taped with clear packing tape.
Preparing Toys
Toys should be very clean, in good working condition, and include all associated pieces. Tags may be attached to soft toys with safety pins, and to plastic toys with clear packaging tape. If a toy comes with multiple pieces, those pieces should be placed in a Ziploc bag, and then the opening of the bag should be securely taped shut with clear packing tape, with the tag taped to the outside. Imagine your toy in the hands of an industrious little toddler and tape accordingly! We are not responsible for lost or damaged pieces. Toys typically sell very well, particularly those appropriate for ages 3 and above, so clean out those toy boxes!!
Preparing Books, Videos, Games, Puzzles
When attaching tags to books, videos, games, or puzzles, please use blue painter's tape (which has a more temporary hold than some other kinds of tape) to avoid ruining their covers. Board games and puzzles in a box MUST include all associated pieces (please write "all pieces included" on the tag so the shopper is reassured that is the case), with the box securely taped shut with painter's tape so they stay together. Puzzles that are not in a box (such as board puzzles) may be covered with cellophane wrap to keep the pieces in place, or put inside a Ziploc bag with the opening taped closed with clear packing tape, tag attached to the outside. Often people put bedding sets in large plastic bags in order to keep them clean, but this makes it difficult for customers to view the pattern or visualize their room dressed with the items. If you put bedding in a bag, consider printing a picture of the set on the bed and attaching it to the set so that customers are more likely to want to take a closer look! Multi-piece decor sets may be sold as a group and tagged 1 of 3, 2 of 3, and so on. Alternatively, you may consider offering pieces such as rugs, lamps, and the like individually for shoppers who may want to add one or two pieces to their child's room without buying the whole set.
Preparing Bedding and Room Decor Sets
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