How much would you pay?

[blairinargentina]

so a friend and i are opening up a new and used baby/kids store. we'll sell some new clothes, accesories, etc. but mostly NICE resale clothing and baby gear. mostly brand name stuff with no stains, nothing too ratty, etc. so, here is what i want to know... how much would pay for these things in excellent used/like new condition:

onsies or tees
pants/overalls/sweats
sweaters or jackets
shoes

also, what brands would you suggest for NEW, eco-groovy, cute, but not boutique-price items? (i.e. no $20 onsies or $30 blankets!).

i know this ddc has some thrifty mommas, so i'd love your input! thanks!

[NewAtThis]

I love your idea! We bought EVERYTHING used as a matter of moral principle , and these are the prices I pay for dd's stuff...
(keep in mind all my purchases so far have been 0-6 mos, bigger sizes may warrant higher prices)
onesies/tees - $1-3
pants/overalls - $5 max
sweaters/jackets - $7 max
shoes - haven't bought any yet, so I don't know.

My general rule is it has to not look used, and cost at least 1/2 as much as it would new to make the purchase worthwhile!

Good luck! I would love to hear how your plans work out!

[blairinargentina]

Originally Posted by NewAtThis

My general rule is it has to not look used, and cost at least 1/2 as much as it would new to make the purchase worthwhile!

Ooooh, that's a good rule. I am writing that down!

[mamamilkers]

Oh this is a tough one! There is a consignment shop in my neighborhood that is SOOOO over-priced! For instance, they had an Old Navy hat and mittens sit (brand new, with tags) but they were asking a dollar more for it than I could have gotten it at Old Navy on sale! Of course, I wasn't going to drive half an hour to the nearest Old Navy, so I paid a dollar more, but come on. I also bough a baby monitor, again, new in the box (but still several years old), for $16. I ended up returning it because it was actually missing a cord, but then I went to the regular store and bought a brand new monitor from Target for the same price. Grrrrr. Yesterday I was looking at the strollers and they wanted $70 for a Duoglider that wasn't even clean and was several years old. I also did buy DD#1 a pair of Oshkosh B'Gosh pink pants yesterday for $4, which I thought was very reasonable. It is hard to find used clothes in 4T that are in good shape and cute!

Okay, sorry, rant over!

Just saying, unless you really can corner the market there, be fair with your pricing. Don't charge more than someone could get the item brand new on sale! Know your brands so that you can charge more for, say, Gymboree clothes than you do for a Target brand.

Sounds like fun! Let us know how it goes!

[blairinargentina]

oh, that sounds like bad juju to me, mamamilkers... i think i would stop shopping there!

about the market... this is a small town (7000k), very isolated by big snowy mtns, with NO other place to get childrens clothes/gear new or used (other than wal mart 30 miles away). most folks are average/below on the income scale it's a community of folks who try to live lightly and support small business. so, i think we definately have the cornered market.

i was wondering about the brand thing... so you all would definately pay more for something from gymboree than something from kmart? me too but i wondered about this one.

love the feedback folks, thanks a ton, keep it coming!!

[mamamilkers]

Originally Posted by blairinargentina

i was wondering about the brand thing... so you all would definately pay more for something from gymboree than something from kmart? me too but i wondered about this one.

Oh absolutely! I mean, look at Ebay-- the Gymboree, Hanna, and other brand name stuff goes for so much more than other brands. I very often get outbid on Gymboree stuff that is from lines that were out two years ago! However, I tried to sell a 7 piece set of Carter's on Ebay and everything was pretty much brand new (worn once or twice). I started the bidding at $5 (with $5 S/H) and no one even bid on it!

If I'm at a consignment store I often only buy the brand names because I know if my DDs keep them in good shape, I'll be able to re-sell them again, too.

I think it would be hard when starting out to know what brands are the pricier ones if you aren't a big shopper. I bet the internet will be your best friend for researching stuff.

At the same consignment shop I was mentioning before I saw a cute dress that was used and the price tag was something crazy, like $40! It was an Oilily (sp?) so I guessed that must be a super fancy label or something. I would have never known, but I looked it up online and their dresses are over $100!

[peilover010202]

Originally Posted by NewAtThis

My general rule is it has to not look used, and cost at least 1/2 as much as it would new to make the purchase worthwhile!

this is my rule of thumb too.

and blair - I definitely would pay more for Gymbo, TCP, ON, etc than I would for Kmart or Walmart stuff. In general, it's made better and the fabrics are much nicer. Oh, and they seem to fit longer.

Many, many times I go to the consignment store looking for specific brands and if I don't find them, I go home and buy them new. I just really like specific brands (Oshkosh being my all-time fav for ds1 and TCP for ds2 right now.)

[blairinargentina]

Originally Posted by mamamilkers

At the same consignment shop I was mentioning before I saw a cute dress that was used and the price tag was something crazy, like $40! It was an Oilily (sp?) so I guessed that must be a super fancy label or something. I would have never known, but I looked it up online and their dresses are over $100!

yeah, new boutique stuff like oiliy, tea, baby lulu, etc would never sell here new. if we got them at a price that we could afford to re-sell them reasonably they would be awesome.

as for brands of new items, i was thinking... zutano, osh kosh, babylegs, baby banz, and hopefully some organic stuff. there is sooooo much online, i just don't know where to start!

[veganf]

We have a few resale shops that also sell new items, one just around the corner from our house (which is why I have WAAAAYYYYY too many clothes for the boys--can you say twice yearly $5 stuff-a-bag sales for 4 years?!).
Some even sell used maternity clothing.
Here are their websites if you're interested:
Children's Orchard
KidToKid
I know there are others in other regions of the U.S.

I definitely pay more for name brand, but will pay just as much for no name stuff if I really like it.
As far as new items, they often stock Melissa & Doug wooden toys, wooden instruments, personalized hair barrets, Flap Happy sunhats & bathing suits, Robeez (those baby slippers everyone seems to like, though I personally won't buy anything new that is made of animal products, and I know there are cruelty-free knock-offs available).

What I'd pay maximum:
onsies or tees - $3
pants/overalls/sweats - $5
sweaters or jackets - $10
shoes - $6

There are never enough boys pants in good condition...obviously!
Brands I like: Gymboree, Baby Gap, Old Navy, Hanna Andersson, Du Pareil Au Meme (DPAM), Babymini Par Catimini, Back From Bali, L.L. Bean, Jean Bourget, Marese, Baby Lulu, Naartje, Osh Kosh B'Gosh, Zutano, Miniman, Clayeux, Painting Red Rhinos, Flap Happy, Agabang, Ralph Lauren

The ComfyKids website can give you an idea what most of this stuff costs new.

[blairinargentina]

wow! thanks for all the resources and feedback mamas! soooooo helpful!

[taradt]

I agree with what has been posted. I usually only buy name brand (we need the adjustable waist for DD) but have found if I go to Children's place factory outlet at sale time I can get things so dirt cheap that I stock up for the year that way and it ends up being much cheaper then our consignment stores.
Winter wear and jackets I purchase locally, I am very specific about outdoor clothes as we spend so much time outside.
I also get small toys at the consignment stores for birthdays and other holidays.

tara

[SummerTwilight]

Vegan: What do you mean that Robeez isn't animal cruelty free? I would appreciate any info on this and where to get knockoffs cause I do buy Robeez and don't want to support a company like that.

[veganf]

They're leather.
I know there have been a few threads in the Vegetarian & Vegan forum about where to get cruelty-free baby slippers.
We have a fleece pair made by Patagonia that are great for winter and stay on well.

[blairinargentina]

aren't IsaBooties cruelty free? dunno but i think i remember that being their niche of sorts-- leather free and all?

we like our patagonia fleece slippers too. although they still make for cold feet if it's the least but windy (well, in wyoming atleast!).

[blairinargentina]

Okay, a followup on the brand name deal...

Would you pay slightly lower than regular retail prices for a NEW with tags items in a resale store? For instance, Gymboree. Would you pay $17.50 for a $20.00 item that was new, with tags, current style, etc?

[taradt]

Originally Posted by blairinargentina

Okay, a followup on the brand name deal...

Would you pay slightly lower than regular retail prices for a NEW with tags items in a resale store? For instance, Gymboree. Would you pay $17.50 for a $20.00 item that was new, with tags, current style, etc?

I personally wouldn't, but that is because I am cheap I am a serious bargain buyer. I really don't care about cuurent styles and would rather get last years stuff in the under $5 bin

But that is just me...

tara

[veganf]

Originally Posted by blairinargentina

Okay, a followup on the brand name deal...

Would you pay slightly lower than regular retail prices for a NEW with tags items in a resale store? For instance, Gymboree. Would you pay $17.50 for a $20.00 item that was new, with tags, current style, etc?

No, because I get my NWT items from Gymboree off the sale racks with Gymbucks coupons (50% off), so it comes to at least 1/4 off the original price. I get the Gymbucks when I sign the kids up for play classes at Gymboree play & music.

[2 in August]

Originally Posted by taradt

I personally wouldn't, but that is because I am cheap I am a serious bargain buyer. I really don't care about cuurent styles and would rather get last years stuff in the under $5 bin

But that is just me...

tara

No, not just you. That's me too. I never buy anything that's more than $10 for kids clothes. I am super cheap. My parents go to every goodwill type store in about a 50 mile radius so they get most of the kids clothes. Baby clothes are usually under $3 and clothes for my 5yo are usually under $5. I guess I'm just really spoiled by it. They have almost all brand name stuff too, like Children's Place, Baby Gap, Old Navy. I go into those stores and can't believe how much the original price for their clothes are. I have to admit though I've never seen hanna clothes or anything like that anywhere around here used or new.

[Kirsten]

Originally Posted by blairinargentina

Would you pay slightly lower than regular retail prices for a NEW with tags items in a resale store? For instance, Gymboree. Would you pay $17.50 for a $20.00 item that was new, with tags, current style, etc?

No, for the same reasons others have listed. I don't buy anything at full retail price unless the kids are in dire need of something specific. I have threek kids, the oldest being ten, and I can remember twice paying full price.

Once for a Baby Gap raincoat for dd1; I love it and kept checking back every week to see if it had gone on sale yet. Three weeks later and it was still full price and sizes dwindling and it is still raining... I broke down and paid full price. All three kids wore that raincoat though so it was worth it - and it still is in good shape and I could consign it.

Other was when (again dd1 I think) needed black pants to be in a play for school. We didn't have any, and I was tight on time.

To answer other questions, I would really only even look at Gymboree, Hanna Anderssen, Lands End, Gap - regardless of price. Having had three girls and seeing firsthand how various brands hold up through multiple kids, the other brands just wouldn't interest me.

It would have to be not only half or less of full retail, but take into consideration what we could buy it for on sale or with GymBucks or at the Hanna outlet store 20 minutes from my house.

I don't consider $17.50 for a $20 item to be a good deal when I am actually at Gymboree! I don't pay more than $10 for jammies brand new anywhere. I wouldn't buy onesies, jammies, socks, shoes used - that is just me.

I go into our consignment store to buy Girl Scout stuff new. They also have cute raincoats, rainboots, socks, tights - all new. It is a good place to find Halloween costumes for the kids for a good price; those are used. Also used toys.

Good luck!

[Bay Area Babe]

In comparing NWT to EUC, I would pay a little bit more for NWT because you know that it's brand new. That said, I would never pay anywhere close to full retail unless I just HAVE to have it. Like the orange thermal onesie from Old Navy. We all like to wear orange so we can match our truck.

I buy a lot of used clothes on eBay (since the local used kids place doesn't have a lot of the brands I like and it's easier to shop for somewthing specific ie: 6-12 GAP khakis) but I don't pay more than 50% of the original price even for NWT.

I'm totally cheap too - I scour the sale racks.