Prepping Your Items

Please contact us if you have any questions BEFORE you prepare your items!!! Remember…only bring items that you would buy for your own children. If you wouldn’t buy an item, most likely no one else will either.

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[box]Prepping Your Items: TIPS

  • The following items are helpful to have on-hand during preparation: hangers (preferably wire), scissors, clear packing tape, safety pins, card stock in your designated color (or white card stock with designated color stripe), zip lock bags, narrow ribbon, note cards, loop fasteners.
  • For an item in excellent, like-new condition, it is often helpful to attach a print-out or information sheet to your item regarding the original retail price. This shows the shopper what a wonderful deal your item is, making it much more appealing!
  • Presentation is EVERYTHING!! Make your items as attractive as possible!
  • For ALL sales, please do NOT pin through the tag and then the hanger. Use a separate safety pin for each tag and additional safety pins, if needed, to attach items to hangers.
  • Hangers stay with the item when it’s sold, and are not returned to the consignor, so use either wire or plastic hangers for easiest pinning. 
  • 10 tags print on a page. Work with 10 items at a time. Remember that tags are color coded by your consignment number. Click HERE to learn more.
  • Pay attention to the upcoming season. Not many customers look for out of season items. Keep those items for the next sale if you are close to your limit. Save yourself time and tag in season or year round clothing to maximize selling the most for each sale. The more you sell the better your profits and the less you have to pick up or donate at the end of the sale. Can’t figure out what is in or out of season. Look at what the department stores have on display.
  • For more information, check out our Common Mistakes page. [/box]

CLOTHING:

Clothing Requirements

  • All clothing items (including baby clothes) should be hung on wire or plastic hangers.
  • Hangers should be in the direction of a question ? mark with the opening on the left side. Use children’s hangers up to size 6/8 + or if the clothing continues to slip off, then it’s recommended that you use adult hangers. 
  • Remember, all items should be washed, zippers zipped, buttons buttoned, with no stains, holes, tears, extreme wearing or pilling, stains on knees, snags, or older than 5 years.
  • Shake Test: if it falls off the hanger, pin it to the shoulder or get a larger hanger
  • Accessories: headbands, socks, bibs, etc are best attached to an outfit. Bundle multiple similar accessories and tag as one item.
  • Hanging Items: Only pair items that are the SAME SIZE and SAME BRAND. We do not accept mismatched sets unless it is indicated on the tag. Exception: “Outfits” with pieces from different brands can be matched together as long as the tag clearly states the different brands. Example: Tag would say “Carters/Gap, Short/Shirt Set”, not “Gap, Short/Shirt Set”.
  • In general, clothing items should be on hangers, and not in baggies. However, accessories can be in baggies, and pinned to the outfit.
  • Feel free to sell jeans and pants separately! Many shoppers are looking just for jeans or pants. The exception to this is an outfit or set that are the same size and brand. Sets always sell well, but if your pants or jeans don’t have a match, just sell them separately.
  • You may use pant hangers if you are selling only a “bottom” item (pant, skirt, shorts, etc.).
  • Pants/bottoms must be pinned to the top of the hanger and not folded over nor pinned to the bottom of the hanger. Tops should not be pinned to the hanger unless they will fall off (i.e. swimsuits, spaghetti straps, etc.). You will be responsible for making any changes at check-in.
  • Groups of onesies (same size) may be folded nicely and put into a zip lock bag. Do not seal the bag shut so we can inspect items at check-in. Tip: Onesies generally sell better on hangers. Note: MBC will not sell the set if any of the items do not meet MBC standards, and/or different sizes are put together. 
  • If an outfit contains a top and bottom, pin the pants/skirt/ bloomers/etc. to the back of the top using two safety pins, going THROUGH the hanger (this allows buyers to examine the item without it slipping off the hanger or getting misplaced). This includes overalls, jumpers, etc. Please do not “assemble” outfits…use our pinning guidelines. The only exception is if an item contains more than one top (i.e. shirt and jacket with bottom, or shirt and sweater with bottom). You may “layer” the items as long as you leave as much of the inside layer exposed as possible. Still safety-pin the bottoms through the tops and hanger to prevent slipping or misplacement. This also prevents items from getting torn as items are pulled off the racks. 
  • Note: If you have items that will be sold together for multiples, please follow these preparation instructions:
    • Prepare your clothing per MBC guidelines. Switch the hanger on one piece so that it is a backwards question mark.
    • If desired, twin clothing sets can be sold together (i.e. matching pieces) by using ribbon. This means that each outfit will be prepared individually on separate hangers, and then tied together with ribbon (top of hanger) so the pieces stay together as a set. For example, dresses for twins will be on separate hangers and then tied together.
    • Complete the tag for the SET. Be sure to include in the description that it is a set (i.e. Set of 2; Set of 3) OR handwrite on the tag in a blank space. Your price should reflect the set, not individual pieces. For example, if you have dresses for twins, you would price the SET at $10 (because you might have priced each individual dress at $5).
  • After your items are completely prepared and tagged, sort them by gender AND THEN by size.
  • Shoes: Use ribbon or a zip-tie to attach shoes together. Infant shoes can go in a zip lock bag. MBC will have some zip-ties available at check-in. Carefully secure your tag to the pair of shoes, preferably with a safety pin. If you are using packing tape, please remember not to cover the barcode with tape.
  • Dollar Rack – Miss a stain or other imperfection when prepping? No problem! The Dollar Rack is a great way to sell it all and make some money back for those “no thank you” items. At check-in, consignors will indicate whether or not they would like their clothing items to go on the Dollar Rack if MBC finds an imperfection before the sale starts. (Imperfect items found after the sale starts will be returned to the consignor.) These items will be specially marked and remain $1 throughout the sale. The Dollar Rack will be displayed when floor/rack space becomes available. (First priority is given to items meeting MBC standards.) Un-sold items will be returned to the consignor.  NOTE:  Please do not intentionally bring items for the Dollar Rack. MBC would like to maintain our standards for quality items. The Dollar Rack is a courtesy option for items with minor imperfections. Excessive amounts of items not meeting MBC standards will be placed in the consignor’s tub.

SCROLL DOWN FOR EXAMPLES/PICTURES [box]Need some suggestions for pricing your items?  Check out this great resource.  Pricing Guide.[/box]

TOYS, BOOKS, BABY ITEMS, EQUIPMENT:

TIP: Attach any instruction manuals or owner’s guides to your toys and equipment. Again, any extra information can really grab a shopper’s attention!

  • All items must be CLEAN! Taking the time to wipe down your items will make them MUCH more appealing to shoppers. If an item is not cleaned to MBC’s standards, you may use baby wipes at check-in or remove the item from your inventory. (This includes highchairs and car seat covers & straps.)
  • If any item has multiple parts, please label each part with a generic tag (NOT a duplicate MSM tag) that indicates they belong in a set: “1 of 3; 2 of 3; 3 of 3”, for example.
  • Secure all small parts belonging with toys in a zip lock bag taped shut. Secure the bag to the toy using clear packing tape or ribbon. Loose items are easily misplaced.
  • All tags need to be attached to the outside of bags for ease at check out. Using clear packing tape works best.
  • Hole Test: if your kids can poke a hole in the bag to get to the toy, use clear packing tape over the Ziploc bag
  • Books: Be sure there is no writing in the books. Books may be sold individually, but often sell better in a grouping. If you decide to group your books together, place them in a zip lock bag secured shut using clear packing tape or Saran Wrap with clear packing tape to secure the books together. Do not use a rubber band or ribbons, as books become separated too easily.
    • Attach your tag to the bag using clear packing tape (never scotch tape). Be sure not to cover up the barcode. It is also helpful to attach another paper listing the book titles so the shopper knows what he/she is purchasing.  Again, please be sure there is little to no writing in books!
  • Puzzles: All pieces must be present. Saran Wrap around puzzle and secure with tape. Tip: After verifying all pieces are included, handwrite “all pieces included” on the tag to increase seller confidence.  
  • Games: Must have all parts and working properly. Put all parts in Ziploc bags, including the manual, and keep it organized. If the game requires batteries, then they must be included and working. Please do not tape the box closed. We will do that after inspection. Tip: After verifying all pieces are included, handwrite “all pieces included” on the tag to increase seller confidence.  
  • Electronics: Must turn on and be in good working order! If it’s tiny, tape it to a large piece of cardboard, then put it in a Ziploc bag. Tape the bag so holes can’t be made.
  • Video Games: Do NOT seal the case. MBC staff will remove the disc, place it in baggie, and label the tag and baggie. The baggie will be placed safely behind the cashier’s table. The empty case, with properly labeled tag, will be placed with other video games in the sale.
  • All battery operated toys, electronics, and games must contain working batteries. They will be tested at check-in. Battery operated toys containing non-working batteries will be sent home with the consignor.
  • Blankets: Please hang blankets over the bottom of a hanger, using safety pins at each end to make sure they don’t slide off. If you have a bedroom or crib set, package everything together and make a separate card (other than its price tag) listing everything in the set. Tape this to the outside of the package. Or, tie everything together.
  • Instruments: Make sure the instrument is clean/disinfected.  Include all accessories.  At check-in, we will look over your instrument and confirm you have a list of included items.  You have two options for display:  1) Attach your “included item” list to the outside of the instrument case.  Then, we will zip tie the case closed and attach a label for shoppers on how to view the item. Your instrument case will be on display on the top shelf of the electronics table near the Holding Area. OR, 2) Bring a print out with detailed pictures of the instrument and items included. Tape your price tag on this sheet.  The sheet will be displayed on the electronics table near the Holding Area and your instrument will be secured behind the cashier table.  If you choose option 2, you are responsible for providing the “details” sheet with pictures.

Click on the pictures below for more details and examples of how to tag and hang various items. (Items shown are from previous sales)

[box]Mulberry Bush Consignment reserves the right to remove any item from the sale, even after check-in, if we discover a stain, tear, or non-working order.[/box]

[box]Please visit the following pages for prepping, pricing and tagging details: