Any NNS NCT Sale Seller Veterans out there? Advice please!

[wadadlis]

Hi

I have a place to sell at the Colchester NNS in October. I have been starting to get our stuff together - mainly toys, children's clothes, maternity clothes.

Am waiting for sellers pack to arrive.

Does anybody have any advice about what to sell/what not to sell, what to do/not to do, please?

Particularly what sells well, and what doesn't...Not sure if it's worth selling my maternity gear, for example, though it is good nick - sadly I have only been able to have the one DC. Also have lots and lots of very good condition sleep suits/vests etc but realise that people may want to buy new for their precious newborns (I did!) - should I just hand them over to charity?

Whilst I have bought tonnes at this sale before, I have never sold...

Thanks

[nellyjelly]

IME good label stuff sells well. Next, Gap, M and S plus anything posh such as Joules or designer. Supermarket stuff not so popular. Wooden toyas and jigsaws sell well too. Put sleepsuits etc together in a pack of 3 is a good idea.

I sold a shedload last time I did it. I found that of people were buying from NCT they were not precious about buying newborn stuff second hand.

Good luck!

[wadadlis]

Thanks for this, I remember going for the decent labels too.

When you sold the sleepsuits, did you hang them, or stick them in a bag? I had thought about bundling them. I have soooo many....

[nellyjelly]

I had matching sets and put them on those triple hangers you get with kids stuff. Think I had some folded in plastic bags too but think prefer to see the goods.

I would just label up everything you have if it is in good nick.

[wadadlis]

I agree, if you can see what you're getting you are more likely to buy.

Any tips for where to get lots of triple hangers? I have got 2 enormous bags of mixed hangers from mothercare so far but few of them are the multiple hanger sort.

I could go back for more but fear they may lose patience with me soon!

[nancerama]

Get hold of as many hangers as you can and deliver your items ready to display. Stuff sells much better off the hanging rails than it does on the display tables.

Maternity wear sells pretty well too - again, deliver it on hangers.

Things like shoes, swimming trunks, bibs sell less well.

[BikeRunSki]

I bought sleepsuits at a NNS last winter - 3 days before DD was born. I wanted girly stuff, but only had boys stuff, but too tight to buy lots of brand new for only a few weeks. I agree with decent labels, but I bought a pile of Sainsbury's new born sleepsuits because they were really cool purple and rainbow stripes.

[wadadlis]

Ok, well here's a question for you....

I have a really really LURVELY turquoise blue Formes maternity dress (posh label, right?), chiffon sort of material, knee length, strappy, fully lined - in perfect condition, only worn once. It cost £175 new (don't ask!!!) - how much do you think I could sell that for at the NNS???

Was hoping for at least £20 but do you think I am mad?

Probably

[lindsell]

I used to organise our local sales - ime:

People want bargains so price sensibly (for big equipment we usually say a max of 1/3 rrp) for clothes much less.

If you're selling things like sleepsuits they must be in excellent condition (no bobbling etc) otherwise they just won't sell and best to bundle say 3 together for £1 (unless good make).

There is always TONNES of 0-6 month stuff so if you know they have rails put nice stuff on hangers so it gets noticed.

There tends to be much less older children's stuff (ESP boys) so that usually goes quite well.

Follow the rules for your sale - eg we say do not put things in plastic bags (as everything has to be inspected for stains etc).

If your sale is the type where you put labels on and it all gets sorted into categories then if you drop your stuff off in the morning towards the end of the drop off time it's likely to be put on top whereas stuff dropped off first tends to get buried (ESP the 0-6 mth stuff)

Always ensure things are complete and if eg a jigsaw write complete on the label to encourage purchase

If you're selling something designer/expensive put the rrp on the label so the buyer can see how much of a bargain it is.

To help the organisers - make sure you label properly following the instructions and attach securely - we always have loads of items where the labels have come off and then they can't be sold.

Does that help? Pricing sensibly and good quality control are key - good luck

Oh and at our sales there isn't much maternity stuff so if in good nick worth a try.

[lindsell]

You might be better selling the formes dress on eBay as you'd likely get more but you could certainly try for £20 (put rrp on label!)

[wadadlis]

lindsell

that's really helpful, thanks

I am intending to deliver all clothing on a hangers and securely labelled. Assume that this would mean that it doesn't matter what time I drop it off, as it will all end up somewhere on the correct rail?

Hadn't realised there would be so much 0-6 month old stuff, I have a lot of the rest too and it's all for boys so that's good news.

Will follow your advice on labelling the toys too. Any tips on those toys which have lot of 'bits' e.g. sorting games etc - they don't have boxes...?? stick the shape in that slot etc...

[wadadlis]

Oh god I don't understand ebay, I'm far too old!

Will try the RRP and cross my fingers

Also a bit worried stuff might get nicked? Obviously that's a risk but do you have any idea how common it is?

[wadadlis]

Safety pins - best place to buy 4 zillion of those??!

[BikeRunSki]

We have a bouncer on thee door at our sales because things have been nicked in the past. He is the very large and shouty husband of one of our members.

I agree with everything lindsell said.

Maternity stuff does not sell well at our sales, I think people only come into the NNS sales once they've had DC or are quite far on in their pg. However, I'd bite your hand off for boy's clothes.

[wadadlis]

Yes there is a noticeboard, that's a good idea. Will consider - need to find very pregnant size 12 friend to model it!

Good tip on safety pinning the arms up, thanks

[lindsell]

If your sale has lots of hanging space then that's fine - at ours hanging space is at a total premium so sometimes stuff is put on the tables even if it's on hangers. So in that respect dropping early is prob a good idea if all on hangers (just to give contradictory advice )

Yes if lots of 'bits' for toys then put in securely fastened clear bags well attached to the main bit of the toy (things can get shoved around a lot and easily detach) and label clearly as complete.

Theft - I was involved in organising sales for a few years and we only had v rare instances of items a seller insisted they had brought but neither it not it's label (to show it had been sold) could be found. Yes it can happen but ime is not a major problem.

[wadadlis]

BikeRunSki - seems that I should prioritise the kids clothes over the maternity gear then? I'm only allowed to sell a certain number of items.

[fuckityfuckfuckfuck]

ime, sales are meant to limit the number of items a seller can put in, but this is never enforced. They simply don't have the time or resources (read, can't be arsed) to check. If you deliver it to them, it'll be put out to be sold. Maternity stuff never does well at ours as I agree, people tend to hear about NCT sales far too late on in their pregnancy or when they're already parents. concentrate on clothes. Safety pins and string, masking tape all from the pound shop and dedicate a day to it. If yuo really want rid of it then price it to sell. If you have the free time, volunteer to help on the day. You don't have to be a member and it means if your stuff hasn't shifted by about the halfway mark you can go and ammend your price labels.
I'ver been labelling up my stuff for our next sale tonight and it's a giant pita really, but it's only twice a year and dd's now at the age where I can bribe her to clear out by giving her any money her stuff makes. Toys will sell particuarly well at the autumn sale as people get ready for Christmas, both clearing out the old stuff, and buying 'new'

[lindsell]

We limit by only allowing each seller 100 labels but some regular sellers have labels left over form previous sales etc and fuckity is right - we never check - there's enough to do without counting up every sellers' items

[wadadlis]

Thanks FFFF - helpful.

Not sure I can face helping out, it's a complete scrum there and I'm not convinced that I would ever find my stuff to mark down, even if it was still there at the end!

Will attempt to discover the delights of ebay for the maternity gear, I could just sell it as one large bundle, probably much easier.

Will stick to the kids stuff for the sale

Not convinced I can sell however much I like, they give you a set number of labels IYSWIM

[wadadlis]

lindsell

so what do i do, photocopy some more labels??

[HoratiaWinwood]

Prioritise maternity, I reckon. We always have a squillion 0-6m outfits that nobody buys because pfbs only wear new and psbs wear sleepsuits.

Theft is always an issue so don't put your dress in.

Decide whether you want to get rid (price low) or make money. A lot of NNS shoppers just want a bargain and aren't fussed what brand things are.

If you aren't allowed many items, definitely double up. People like buying multiple items in the same size esp two tops or two trousers, etc rather than an outfit.

[lindsell]

No we would spot photocopied labels - you can always ask the organisers if you can buy extra labels - we used to sell extra packs to sellers who wanted more but stopped doing it because we already had loads of stuff and if there's too much buyers can't find anything but your sale organisers might allow it, every branch does things a bit differently.

[nellyjelly]

I am not suprised but still makes me sad that people would steal from a sale whick is for charity.