Updates and more!
Spring 2023
I am coming up on my 5th anniversary of owning Shop Girl Consignment (May 2023) and wow, what an amazing 5 years it has been! While the pandemic is an obvious feature of these past years, it is far from the most important or impactful event. No, the most important and impactful part of the last 5 years are - no lie, no schmooze - the relationships built with you, our consignment community. We brag on our consignors all the time, what wonderful items you bring us, and we shower our customers with love and encouragement as they search for the treasures that make them look and feel wonderful. I sincerely love every aspect of our work, and it is far richer and rewarding than I ever imagined.
I have also learned so much about... so much! As I compare our policies and practices with other consignment shops in the area and across the nation, we are in many ways right in line with what they do. In other ways, I've learned, we are a bit behind. There are some adjustments that we need to make in order to align with industry best practices, which you will see in the coming months.
Additionally, inflation has finally pinned us to the mat at Shop Girl Consignment. We held off making any adjustments to our prices for as long as we could, but our supplies and software costs have increased to the point that we have to institute some new practices. It's not a matter of increasing our profits - we're no major corporation with shareholders - it's simply necessary for us to be able to manage the higher costs we're facing. Whether it's bags, tags, or electricity, prices have risen for us just like they have for everyone. We have cut costs everywhere we can but we need to make other changes as well. Beginning March 1, 2023, these changes will be in effect:
I have also learned so much about... so much! As I compare our policies and practices with other consignment shops in the area and across the nation, we are in many ways right in line with what they do. In other ways, I've learned, we are a bit behind. There are some adjustments that we need to make in order to align with industry best practices, which you will see in the coming months.
Additionally, inflation has finally pinned us to the mat at Shop Girl Consignment. We held off making any adjustments to our prices for as long as we could, but our supplies and software costs have increased to the point that we have to institute some new practices. It's not a matter of increasing our profits - we're no major corporation with shareholders - it's simply necessary for us to be able to manage the higher costs we're facing. Whether it's bags, tags, or electricity, prices have risen for us just like they have for everyone. We have cut costs everywhere we can but we need to make other changes as well. Beginning March 1, 2023, these changes will be in effect:
- Reinstituted bag fee: In January of 2020, an Oregon law required businesses to charge at least 5 cents for bags. I froze this practice for the past two years during the height of the pandemic, but we must get back into compliance with the law.
- An inventory processing fee will be added to the selling price of each item and will be paid by the buyer, not the consignor.
- Consignors who want to pick up unsold items will have up to $10 deducted from their earnings (depending on the number of items) as a consignment return fee, to account for the work required to manage the pickup/return process. Items that are not picked up within the agreed-upon timeframe will simply become the shop's property to do with as needed. Consignors who want us to donate their items will not have any associated fee.
- Shoes, purses, accessories, and jewelry will be limited to 5 items each per appointment; 10 if there are no garments.
When SGC closed on March 14 because of the pandemic, everything inside seemed to freeze in time. We had just started putting out our late spring/summer consignments and now, all of those items have expired without having had a chance to be sold. We know you have questions about what's next, and we're going to do our best to answer them!
"What about the clothes at the shop from winter/spring?"
We are culling the heavier items to return to consignors or, if permitted, to donate. Many of the spring items that are on the floor or in the back will carry over into summer, and we will keep those out and give them new expiration dates. We will send an email when we are ready for consignors to pick up their items.
"When are you taking new consignments?"
We are hoping to take fall consignments in August. Sadly, due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in Multnomah County and Oregon as a whole, we are no longer planning to take consignments in July. Please check back, sign up for emails, call, or follow us on Facebook for the latest information.
"When can I get my check?"
As you can imagine, finances have been very challenging with no income but all the same bills over the last 2 months. Please call in advance if you want to find out about the funds on your account and, whenever possible, please consider using them to shop in-store until we are back up to speed.
"How else can we support Shop Girl?"
Oh, so good of you to ask! We have a few ideas:
*Shop, girl! Whether online or in the store, please come shopping, bring your local ladies with you, and send your out-of-town shop girls to our Mercari page to shop online!
*Consider donating (rather than consigning) your next round of items, which allows us to keep the funds from sales.
*Allow us to donate your unsold items (except high end brands), so we can quickly move out old inventory.
*Buy gift cards! Need we say more?
What did we miss? What other questions do you have? Give us a call at 503-618-1111 or send an email to shopgirlconsignment@gmail.com and let us know!
"What about the clothes at the shop from winter/spring?"
We are culling the heavier items to return to consignors or, if permitted, to donate. Many of the spring items that are on the floor or in the back will carry over into summer, and we will keep those out and give them new expiration dates. We will send an email when we are ready for consignors to pick up their items.
"When are you taking new consignments?"
We are hoping to take fall consignments in August. Sadly, due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in Multnomah County and Oregon as a whole, we are no longer planning to take consignments in July. Please check back, sign up for emails, call, or follow us on Facebook for the latest information.
"When can I get my check?"
As you can imagine, finances have been very challenging with no income but all the same bills over the last 2 months. Please call in advance if you want to find out about the funds on your account and, whenever possible, please consider using them to shop in-store until we are back up to speed.
"How else can we support Shop Girl?"
Oh, so good of you to ask! We have a few ideas:
*Shop, girl! Whether online or in the store, please come shopping, bring your local ladies with you, and send your out-of-town shop girls to our Mercari page to shop online!
*Consider donating (rather than consigning) your next round of items, which allows us to keep the funds from sales.
*Allow us to donate your unsold items (except high end brands), so we can quickly move out old inventory.
*Buy gift cards! Need we say more?
What did we miss? What other questions do you have? Give us a call at 503-618-1111 or send an email to shopgirlconsignment@gmail.com and let us know!
