Furniture Consignment Gallery Blog

     6:35 AM Today:  "As of last night at 7:00PM papers are signed, and more importantly money is finally down!! I would like to proceed with consigning the furniture -- if that is alright with you. Are you available on March 2nd?"  

     All week long we have been fielding calls from customers eager to schedule furniture pick-ups. The signs are there that the Spring real estate market is coming in like a Lion!  "As soon as we have the sales agreement in hand, you can come get the furniture" says one, happy to be setting off on a long-anticipated retirement adventure consignor. Another is joyfully moving into a new home. "We move on March 6th. Can you sell our old dining room set? It is too big for the new dining room. And I found a new set in your showroom that will fit the new house perfectly!"  

     After years of waiting out the recession, people seem to be on the move again. That is always an emotion-filled journey, one that we're happy to share with our customers. When we are helping customers who are moving, we witness the full range of emotions in those who are selling and buying homes. Sellers are sifting through memories of lives well lived and coming to terms with the decision to make a change. Buyers are eagerly looking forward to fulfilling their dreams of creating a new home.

    A big move creates anxieties, but it is typically mingled with excitement and anticipation. Decisions must be made. Some hesitate and fret over the details. Others leap from one decision to another with the speed and agility of a star hurdler.

     One of our customers is making her fifth move - in five years. Having seen her through all these transitions, we are beginning to feel a bit like family. We were at her home this week swapping out beds, cleaning out some high quality pieces from her basement and trying to get her squared away before her 2PM showing. She was calm -- I was stressed! "We've got to get these beds made!" I exclaimed. "Don't worry. They'll either like the home or they won't", the wily moving veteran said with cool composure.  

     In the next town over, we recently sold a dining room set for a customer who was moving out of a lovely colonial in the suburbs. We were back at the same house the following week - delivering a different dining room set to the new homeowner.

     Strange things happen during a move. Emotions run high. Some folks make good decorating decisions under stress. Others don't. Furniture that fit perfectly in that big family colonial may not work in the chic new retirement condo. The formal dining room set that looked so elegant in Newton may not work in your casual house on the Cape. Some people are able to anticipate that certain pieces won't work in the new home before the big move. Others incur the expense of moving the items, try to cram furniture built for a large home  into a small home and then make the decision to consign the items. 

     We wouldn't think of offering advice about moving - every family handles that challenge differently - but we do have one suggestion: Keep Furniture Consignment Gallery on speed dial.

     You never know when you might need us. And we promise we'll do our best to help you.  

     7:03 AM Today: "Let's do Thursday, March 1. I'll make it work." says yet another client on the move. 

Hey this is Christa, your friendly, FCG computer nerd and photographer!

We've had some great new features added to our website recently by our team.We've been on the quest of making the site even more user friendly for all of our valued customers! You may have noticed the red price tags. not only are they snazzy to look at but right underneath that tag we now have the next drop down price and the date it will drop down. That brings me to our first tutorial!

TUTORIAL: Email Reminders for Price Drops

This way you can have the computer automatically send you a friendly reminder that that wonderful piece you wanted has dropped to the next price (usually 10% off)! It's really easy to do this:

STEP 1: click the button circled in red below that says "Schedule a price drop reminder"

STEP 2. Type in Your name (this helps keep your important reminder out of that automated spam folder)

STEP 3. Type in the email address you would like to recieve the price update to (make sure it's something you check often so you don't miss out on a great item!)

STEP 4. Click the "Set Reminder" button

STEP:5 Click "OK" to confirm the email subscription to the item

STEP: 6 You should see this screen saying you'll recieve an update the day before the price drop and then you can just click the "Close Window" to continue shopping your heart out.

TUTORIAL: Email an Item to Yourself or a Friend

The other new feature that you may have noticed in your browsing on our site is the "Email a Friend" button. This little gem will help you email a piece you think would be perfect for that friend or relative without having to copy, paste and send the link from your own email.

STEP 1: Click the Purple button that says "CLICK to email This Piece To a Friend"

STEP 2: Type your name (so the recipent knows who sent this awesome piece of furniture gold to them and can thank you later for your brillance)

STEP 3: Type the recepient's email

STEP 4: Write a short message it you'd like about why this is right up their alley or leave it blank, whatever you'd like

STEP 6:Click "OK" to send the message on it's way

STEP: 7 Revel in your greatness of finding that perfect thing for him/her and click "Close Window" to return to your shopping bliss.

Seller's remorse shifts into overdrive when we think about what we paid for something and look at the realities of the marketplace for similar pre-owned items.  Inevitably we stare off into space and say to ourselves, "what was I thinking??"

We are working with a customer who spent over twenty thousand dollars each on a handful of fine Persian rugs that no longer fit their living space.  They are moving cross country where the styles are different and the rugs need a new home. Finding a buyer for these rugs at even a few thousand dollars a piece will be a challenging task.  This couple is struggling with this reality.

Getting beyond Seller's Remorse is very difficult for many couples.  Here are three ways to combat Seller's Remorse:

1. Think logically about your situation. Did you purchase a product or a vision?  Paying for upgrades and customizations to achieve the exact right look for your living space often leads to overspending.  It happens a lot and it is not worth beating yourself up over it.  Move on!
2. Consider that even though you may be forced to part with a piece for far less than what you paid for it, feel good that someone else will use it and will appreciate it.  Accept the silver lining as it beats the alternative of paying additional moving and storage fees for furniture that you will never use again.
3. Make up for it on the other end.  There is a great deal waiting for you on your next purchase.  Spend some time hunting before you jump. We know of a great Furniture Consignment Store in Hanover, Massachusetts where you can quickly counter your loss.

You got married in 1969 and it took a few years to establish yourself so you bought your furniture in 1982.  That was a good year.  The year you rennovated your kitchen, put on an addition and bought new furniture. 

Fast forward to 2010 and the 4 Bedroom colonial in the quiet neighborhood that used to be home to your crazy kids now is the playground for someone elses.  With much debate, and sleepless nights your decision is made; it's time to downsize.  However, many challenges lie ahead.  All of that stuff has to move.

What a great place in life to be, but the challenge of letting go is much more difficult than you anticipated.  The kids don't want much.  In fact, they hardly want anything at all.  The boys will take back their trophies and baseball cards, but the daughter in-laws don't have interest in much else.  You are not offended becuase you hardly blame them, but you're disappointed all the same.  This was nice stuff.  Expensive stuff.  You worked hard for it!  But you get it. 

No problem. The family doesn't want it.  Somebody will. You hope.  Or are your items dated?

You have 2,800 square feet of quality home furnishings to divest.

Styles come and go so quickly:

• Pastel Rugs
• Flame Stitch Queen Ann Chairs
• A Speckled Cherry Bedroom Set
• Washed Pine End Tables
• French Provincial Dining Set
• Dark Pine Bunkbed and Desk
• Colonial Cupboard and Kitchen Sets

It's not that all of your home furnishings are dated and undesireable, they could still find a great home, but the styles from the 1970s and 80s now have a very limited market.

The very traditional chippendale and Queen Ann styles still are marketable as long as the wood is not speckeld, but upholstered pieces from the 80s are going to be at the end of their useful life.  These are hard conclusions and certainly consult with your local consignment shop, but be ready for the bad news:  your furniture might be dated.

If you are Selling your home and you have furniture that you no longer need, the buyer of your home should be the first option to purchase these items and here is why:

• If you can secure the sale of your furniture with your buyers, you remove what can be a stressful task from your list of things to do.  You have enough to worry about when moving so take this off of your plate right away if you can.
• You may be able to avoid costly moving and storage fees.
• You get your money with less hassles and get it right away.
• You eliminate the risk of damage by leaving the furniture right where it is.

How do you agree on price?

• Don't be greedy.  
• If your furniture is 5 years or older be prepared to sell it for a quarter of what you paid for it.
• If your furniture is newer than that and in "Showroom" condition, then push your asking price to half of your original purchase price.  
• For the sake of simplicity, you are willing to sell the items at a discount from what you could achieve on the open market and you need to explain this to your buyer.  

Too many people make the mistake of shooting for the stars and turning off the most logical suitor -- the buyer of your home.

If you are unable to work out a deal with your buyer, it is not the end of the world.  If you have upscale items in excellent condition, then the next stop should be a high end furniture consignment store.

Though it is true that there are many Craigs List-selling-success-stories, it's important to remember that the Craigs List business model lends itself to every scheme imaginable.  On very rare occasions, those schemes can turn into unimaginable tragedies.

It's important to remember that Craigs List is a completely unregulated market.  While you could easily have a seamless, painless, and fair transaction selling your items on Craigs List, there is a chance you won't. The real problem lies in the transactions that don't go so well. As a result, experts are advising potential sellers to take precautions by taking their items to public places where there are many watchful eyes. 

On last Friday's Good Morning America show on ABC, there was a segment highlighting the best ways to handle a Craigs List transaction. One of the suggestions was to meet in a coffee shop or a busy parking lot.

Furniture is different. It is large and hard to move (a dining or bedroom set is not the easiest thing to whip out of your SUV and set-up in a Best Buy parking lot for evaluation). This means that people usually need to look at your furniture in your home.  Though we all try to assume the best in people, you never know an individual's true intentions.  So take precautions to protect your home address and to qualify the character and seriousness of your buyer.

If this latest round of issues teaches us anything, it is that predators can be anywhere, and that there is tremendous value in privacy and confidentiality when selling your items.  If your furniture could be considered upscale, a predator could logically assume that the rest of your possessions are also upscale. While this risk may be relatively small, it is smart to consider all the options.

One option is a trustworthy, local, consignment store to sell your high-end furniture or home furnishings.  With this option, your identity is protected and your confidentiality preserved.  An upscale consignment service should also have the ability to pick-up items from your home to save you the aggravation of transportation. 

It is possible to net equal or even greater profit through a private sale than through consignment. But, if you net a little less and are able to market your furniture anonymously without the aggravation and risks of selling and moving your furniture; it may be well worth it in the end.

On the other hand, there are other individuals who will make a spectacle of selling an old coffee mug. So how you sell your personal items, and specifically your furniture, depends on your personality, how much time you have and how much effort you are willing to expend. There is a different method of selling for each seller!

Consider the Newspaper: If you have vintage non-antique items dating from the 1940s through the early 1970s.  It is true that the newspaper readerships are plummeting faster than a piano out a seventh story window, but buyers for pieces from that time frame still tend to get their information from old fashioned print. Therefore, print media still has its place. Newspaper advertisements run from $15 - as much as you want to spend depending on the publication and size of the ad.

Consider CraigsList: If your items have minimal resale value associated with them. For starters, it is free to post an item on there. Secondly, there is a great market on www.CraigsList.com where individuals are looking for something functional for a low price. This is the perfect place to sell your sofa for $50.

Even for high-end furniture CraigsList can still be effective. If you have the time, like the sport of selling your pieces and want to maximize your proceeds from the sale, CraigsList can get the job done. You may have to deal with some missed appointments, low ball offers, and a shady character or two, but you may be pleased with the results. Spend some time researching the active scams before agreeing to an offer.

eBay: is the most difficult avenue for selling furniture as most people want to see it, feel it, sit on it and touch it in person.  Though furniture certainly sells on ebay, it tends to be expensive to ship.  eBay does a great job of maintaining privacy and confidentiality for sellers.

An Auctioneer: is a great option for vintage 1940s pieces and older.  Auctioneers are especially effective if you have a rare piece, have items that include collectibles, jewelery and silverware, etc.  An auctioneer is generally not going to be very interested in "newer" items.  Auctioneers operate on a percentage basis and also charge a buyers premium.  A good auctioneer should offer a pick-up service for your items.  Be sure to check reputations and references before selecting an auctioneer.

An Estate Sale or Tag Sale is another great option for an upscale estate looking to sell many pieces of furniture. This option allows for quick payment and divestiture of your items. Your estate sale specialist should be extremely trustworthy, a good marketer and have a plan for items that don't sell.  Comfort and trust are paramount in an Estate Sale as they will be dealing with handling the general public in your home while you are not there. Estate Sale specialists will take anywhere between 15% - 35%.

Consider Consignment for most situations. Similar to an estate sale, it is important to be comfortable with and to trust the business owner. Consignment stores generally have space constraints and serve a specific market based on their business model. It is important to partner with a consignment business that sells the types of things that you have. A well-run consignment store should have good customer traffic, and as a result will be able to show your items to a lot of buyers. This allows you to achieve a strong purchase price. Merchandising is also important in a consignment store. If you had a living room grouping in your home that was coordinated to go together, it would be great if the store has the appropriate space and layout to display the pieces together.

Unlike an estate sale, consignment stores offer anonymity and confidentiality when selling your items. They protect your home and your name from the prying eyes of the general public. Most importantly, consignment stores give your items time to land in the hands of the right buyer. A consignment store will take a higher percentage for the conveniences and overhead that they must supply.  Consignment stores take anywhere between 30% -70% for the sale.

There are positives and negatives associated with all of the options. The solution is different for each individual.  Sometimes the right solution is a combination of the available options.  Someone might swear that CraigsList is the answer and that he or she would never pay a consignment store half of the sale. The next person would never subject him or herself to the in-home risks of dealing with anonymous strangers from the Internet under any circumstances. Every piece of furniture, seller, and buyer is unique. Likewise, so is every sale.