Part One
Ok, full disclosure, I own a home consignment store, Consignments Ltd., so I have a vested-interest in this particular blog. I’m sharing some insider secrets about consignment shop best buys here though, so I kind of think the plug is worth the trade-off. Home consignment stores can be a great source for all types of items and the price is definitely a reason to check these places out. On average, prices at home consignment stores are 25% of original retail – that’s an amazing savings. There are categories of items that, even by this standard, are truly best buys and there are so many to talk about. I’m breaking this blog into a “three-parter.” So for part one, consider shopping consignment for these consignment shop best buys:
China: Truly A Consignment Shop Best Buy
Good china is expensive. Most china is purchased by the 5-piece place setting and these settings can cost in the hundreds of dollars – EACH. Most consignment stores, however, sell china by the set instead of by the place setting. This is where the savings really kicks in. Depending on the maker, a service for 8 of china tableware, with serving pieces, can cost only a few hundred dollars. That’s a great way to set your table this Thanksgiving for sure! And it makes china one of the greatest consignment shop best buys, for sure.
Artwork: Save a Ton on Consignment
My store was honored to be voted “Best Art and Antiques in Southern Rhode Island.” That is no small feat because in receiving that award we beat out all the great art galleries in the Southern part of our state. What?!? It says a lot. And what it says is that art is abundant at my store and at consignment stores throughout the land. Galleries may have more cutting edge pieces and be able to really drill down on an artist or a genre. But consignment shops, by the shear amount of art that they carry, are a brilliant way to buy original art as well as prints, geeclays, sculpture and pottery. Gallery prices are high, by their nature. The secondary market for art at consignment shops saves you a ton and makes art one of the consignment shop best buys.
Lighting: A Consignment Shop Best Buy
When we built our house in South County I was stunned by two things: the difficulty of actually getting the punch list (items that the builder needs to address post-closing) taken care of and the huge expense of the lighting fixtures that were going into our home. I had rarely replaced lighting in our houses to that point, and had only purchased them one at a time. Buying all the lighting for a home (with the builder’s tiny monetary allotment) was tantamount to searching for the Holy Grail. Fairly boring chandeliers cost thousands and bathroom and bedroom fixtures in the hundreds – EACH! Enter the consignment store, where lighting can be purchased at a small fraction of original retail. It’s just the nature of the beast and it’s a great thing to shop for in consignment stores.
Furniture: It’s a No-Brainer, Consignment Is The Way To Go
According to industry sources, furniture mark-up, from wholesale to retail is between 200-400%! Yes, you read that right, 200-400%! Holy moly! What other industry, besides maybe pharmaceuticals is doing that to the American consumer? So, given that, it is an absolute given that furniture is a bargain at consignment stores. The bulk of what I sell at Consignments Ltd. is furniture, and I will tell you, there is no better deal in the store than relatively new furniture at resale. A couch that originally sold for $4000 is likely to be $1200-$1500 if it’s in like-new condition. That’s a savings of over 62% off original! Get thee to a consignment shop for furniture, Ophelia, and PDQ!
For more on best consignment shop buys, check out my previous blog: Best Travel Items To Buy on Consignment.
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