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FAQs

Why Should I Consign? Consignor’s Get a Great Deal!

You will receive one VIP Pre-sale pass to shop before the sale is open to the public – Thursday, October 21, 2010, 5pm to 9pm. Make some extra cash! You are in control of setting the sales price and you will receive 60% of the final sales price (excluding sales tax). If you are a second-time consignor, you will receive 65% of the final sales price. If you are a third-time consignor, you will receive 70% of the final sales price.  You will receive your commission check approximately 2 weeks after the event. Relax while we sell your items. We will handle all of the stress and costs associated with selling your items. We will take care of marketing the event, organizing and displaying your items once you drop them off at the event venue, packaging your remaining items after the event is over and either donating them or returning them to you at your scheduled pick-up appointment. You don't have to pick-up your consignment items if they aren't sold at the event - they can be donated!  All you have to do is authorize your items to be donated, if not sold, as you enter your items into your inventory on your Consignor Log-In page. We will coordinate getting a tax letter to you for your donation. Free up some valuable closet space!

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I’m Too Busy to Prepare and Tag My Own Items. Can Elly’s Closet Prepare My Items For Me?

If you’d like to consign your items, but don’t have the time to prepare and tag them – we can do it for you through our Express Drop Off Service! We will inventory your consignment items, hang them and tag them – for a service charge of an additional 20% of your profits, plus a $10 storage and transport fee. Consignors normally receive 60% of the final sales price, but if we prepare your items for you, you will receive 40% of the final sales price (and you will still receive one VIP Pre-sale pass). If you are a second-time consignor, you will receive 45% of the final sales price.  If you are a third-time consignor, you will receive 50% of the final sales price.  All you need to do is: Register as a Consignor and then sign and mail the “Consignment Agreement and Waiver of Liability (For Consignors Who Want The Company to Prepare and Tag Their Consignment Items)” form to us (available on your Consignor Log-In page), along with your $20.00 non-refundable fee for registration and storage/transport; Wash or dry-clean (where necessary) your consignment items; Fill out the “Express Drop-Off Inventory Sheet” (available on your Consignor Log-In page) and provide us with a copy; Fold your non dry-clean items or hang them neatly. Your items have to be provided to us in the order that they are written on your "Express Drop-Off Inventory Sheet";  Provide hangers for all of your items. If you do not have hangers, we will deduct a hanger fee from your commission heck of $2.25 for every 10 hangers. Contact us directly at (301) 801-5763 in order to schedule a drop-off appointment. If you are interested in this hassle-free option, you should contact us prior to October 3, 2010. We will not accept drop-off appointments after that date.

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How Do I Register to Consign?

Click on the "Log In or Open Account" button on the top right hand side of this page. Print out the applicable Elly’s Closet, LLC Agreement: (1) “Consignment Agreement and Waiver of Liability (For Consignors Who Will Prepare And Tag Their Own Consignment Items)”; or (2) “Consignment Agreement and Waiver of Liability (For Consignors Who Want The Company to Prepare and Tag Their Consignment Items)” form available on your Consignor Log-In page. Return your completed, signed and dated ”Consignment Agreement and Waiver of Liability” form to Elly’s Closet, LLC, c/o Eleanor Hunt, 45755 Hollow Lane, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653, along with a $10.00 non-refundable registration fee (or $20 non-refundable fee for registration and storage/transport if you want us to prepare/tag your items) made payable to Elly’s Closet, LLC.  You can also pay your registration fee on the website by pay pal. You can begin entering your inventory into your Consignor Log-In page, however, your registration is not complete until we receive your signed registration form and registration fee.  You must input all of your items into our inventory and select the "Inventory Complete" button on your Consignor Log-In page no later than 12:00 a.m. on OCTOBER 4, 2010.

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How Many Items Can I Consign?

Each Consignor is limited to 50 consignment items per registration fee paid.  If you have more than 50 items that you would like to consign, then simply indicate how many accounts you are registering for on your registration form, and pay an additional $10.00 non-refundable registration fee for each set of 50 items.

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What Can I Consign?

All consignment items must be in like-new, excellent condition and clean (ironed or dry-cleaned, where necessary) with the name brand or designer label intact. If your items look good and smell good, they should sell!  We reserve the right to reject items with strong odors - smoky, musty or otherwise. We accept consignment items in the following categories only. Apparel, limited to: pants, skirts, dresses, blouses, long-sleeve shirts, sweaters, suits (pants suits/skirt suits/dress suits), blazers, coats, athletic wear and formal wear. Accessories, limited to: purses/handbags, totes, wallets, belts, scarves, sunglasses, hats and jewelry. Shoes, limited to: flats, heels, boots and tennis shoes. The following is an example of brand name and designer labels that are acceptable for consignment: Armani Abercrombie Ann Klein Ann Taylor Ann Taylor Loft Banana Republic BCBG Benetton Bill Burns Brooks Brothers Burberry Carlos Falchi Chanel Coach D&G Dooney & Bourke Eileen Fisher Ellen Tracy Fendi Ferragamo Furla GAP Gucci J. Crew J. Jill Jones NY Juicy Kate Spade Lilly Pulitzer Liz Claiborne Louis Vuitton Michael Kors Neiman Marcus Nine West Prada Ralph Lauren St. John Susan Bristol Talbots Tommy Hilfiger/Tommy Bahama 7 For All Mankind If you have questions about a specific brand name or designer, then feel free to contact Elly's Closet, LLC by e-mail using the Contact Us page.

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What Types of Items Are Not Acceptable For Consignment?

The following is a non-exhaustive list of unacceptable items: Items that are improperly prepared (i.e. not tagged properly or that are wrinkled) Items with strong odors - smokey, musty or otherwise Items from the following stores: Walmart, K-mart, Target, Cato Fashions, Fashion Bug, Dress Barn, Old Navy Items with holes or tears, snags, excessive pilling, stains, non-working zippers, missing or broken buttons, belts or strings Socks Sweat shirts and sweat pants Underwear, bras, slips and lingerie Pajamas and bathrobes Clothes that are out of season (i.e. for the Fall/Winter Sale, we will not accept any Spring/Summer Items) Items that are out-of-date (typically more than 5 years old) Dirty items Apparel/shoes/accessories that are not in excellent condition We understand that it’s easy to overlook a small tear or stain, so please don’t be offended if we reject an item. Unacceptable items will be returned to you after review at your scheduled consignor drop-off appointment. We can’t overstress the importance of quality and excellence in condition! Let’s make this a successful and quality event for both our consignors and our shoppers!

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How Should I Set My Sales Price?

Price your items to sell!  A good pricing rule of thumb is to consider how much you would pay for the item at a consignment event (not at a yard sale).  Typically, 50 to 75% off the retail price is advisable, but it is ultimately up to you.  You are required to price your items in whole dollar increments only.  (i.e. $1.00, $2.00, $3.00 and so on, and not $1.25 or $2.50) At our last event, designer purses that were sold ranged in prices from $5.00 to $100.00.   Suits in mint condition, sold from $20.00 to $50.00.  Suits priced over $50.00 were less than likely to sell.  Shoes that were sold ranged in prices from $5.00 to $40.00.

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How Do I Enter My Items Into My Inventory Page?

Once you create an account on the website, you will be able to enter your inventory on your Consignor Log-In page.  You should select the “Enter Inventory” button.  On the Inventory page, you should enter the requested information for each item under the headings provided.  Don’t forget to select multiple tags if your item consists of two or more pieces, and for all shoes, don’t forget to select two tags (one for each shoe).  For items requiring multiple tags, you will need to photocopy or print out the amount of tags necessary to tag each item in the set.  The database does not automatically generate multiple tags for you.  Once you enter all of the information required for a particular item and select the "Save" button, your information will automatically be stored in our database.  (Note: You do not need to enter your inventory in a particular order or all in one sitting.)  After you have entered all of your items, you should select the “Inventory Complete” button.  At that point, your Inventory Page will freeze and you will no longer have the option to edit or remove your inventory.  You should "Refresh" the page, or log out of your account and log back in, and on your Inventory Page you will see a link to print out your tags. Your tags will be sorted in the numerical and categorical order that you are required to provide to us at your scheduled drop-off appointment.  Follow the "print setting for tags" instructions shown on the page in order to properly print out your tags. You must input all of your items and select the “Inventory Complete” button by 12:00 a.m. on October 4, 2010.

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What Items Will I Need In Order To Properly Prepare and Tag My Items?

Adult Sized Hangers.  Metal-hooked hangers are preferable because they are cheaper and easier to hang your clothes, but they are not required.  (Tip: Check your local dollar store or dry cleaner for inexpensive hangers, or ask a department store if they can give you hangers free-of-charge.)   If your items are made of delicate fabric, we will fold those items and display them on a table as opposed to hanging them.  Safety Pins (not straight pins).  Use to attach your tags to your apparel. Tagging Gun.  If you prefer to use a tagging gun to tag your items, then you are not required to use safety pins. Rubber Bands.  Two-piece (or more) items should be hung on separate hangers and the hangers should be attached to each other by rubber bands tied at the neck of the hangers. String or Ribbon.  Use to attach your tags to your purses, handbags, totes and accessories.  One-Hole Punch. Use to punch a hole in the tag for tagging purses, handbags, totes and accessories. Clear Packing Tape.  Use to attach your tags to the soles of your shoes and to attach tags to ziploc bags.  Do not use scotch tape – it tends to peel easily and will not secure your tags. Ziploc Bags (varying sizes).  If you have accessories that cannot be tagged (i.e. a wallet), you should place it in an appropriately sized ziploc bag.  Do not use shopping bags! Make certain that the description of the item clearly appears on the tag. White Paper or Card Stock.  Use for printing your tags. Card stock is preferable because it is more durable, but white paper is acceptable.

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How Do I Prepare And Tag My Items?

Once you have completed entering your inventory, and you have received your final tags, you should print out your tags on card stock or white paper, and attach them to your consignment items as follows: Apparel Instructions: All apparel should be freshly laundered, and ironed or dry-cleaned (if necessary) and hung, with the exception of delicate fabrics, which we can fold and display on a table.  The hanger should look like a question mark (?) when the hangar is held in front of you.  Buttons must be buttoned, snaps snapped and zippers zipped.  If you hold the hanger in front of you and the hook appears in the shape of a question mark, place the tag on the top right-hand side of the item and secure it with a safety pin or tagging gun.  The safety pin should not cover any identifying information on your tag.  Two-Piece (or more) Items:  If your item comes with two pieces (or more) each piece is required to be hung on a separate hanger, each item should be separately tagged and the hangers should be attached to each other by rubber bands tied at the neck of the hangers.  If the item consists of two or more pieces, then when you enter your items into your inventory, you should make certain to select enough labels – one for each item.  Delicate Fabrics: If hangable, delicate fabrics may be hung and covered with clear plastic, such as plastic from the dry cleaners, with the tag securely attached to the plastic bag by a safety pin or tagging gun.  If your delicate fabric items are not hangable or would be damaged by a safety pin or tagging gun hole, then attach a tag to the label of the item by a safety pin or tagging gun. Accessory Instructions: Purses, Handbags and Totes:  You have two options for tagging these items: Cut a piece of string or ribbon approximately 12” in length.  Using a one-hole punch, punch one hole in the tag and insert the string through the tag.  Make certain that the hole is not too close to the edge of the tag (as it can easily be torn off if too close to the edge).  One-half inch from the outer edges of the tag is a good guide.  And make certain that the hole does not remove any information about your item.  Tie a tight knot to adjoin the ends of the string and secure the tag; OR Place the item in an appropriately sized clear ziploc bag.   Zip up the bag and tape the tag on the top right of the bag with clear packing tape.  Do not use scotch tape. For display purposes, it is preferable to use the string method.  It will be easier for shoppers to view your purse, handbag or tote (and the item will be more attractive to them) if it is not covered with a ziploc bag. Wallets, Belts, Scarves, Jewelry and Other Small Accessories:  You have two options for tagging these items: Use a safety pin, string, ribbon or tape to secure the tag to the label on these items or to the items themselves; OR Place the item in an appropriately sized clear ziploc bag.   (For belts, roll the belt and place it in the ziploc bag).  Zip up the bag and tape the tag on the top right of the bag with clear packing tape.  Do not use scotch tape. Shoe Instructions: You have two options for tagging your shoes: Place one tag on the sole of each shoe with clear packing tape (not scotch tape).  (Each shoe should have its own tag. When you enter your inventory, you should make certain to select two tags – one for each shoe); OR  If shoes have shoelaces, the shoes may be tied together by their shoelaces.  You should still place one tag on the sole of each shoe with clear packing tape (not scotch tape). Shoes will be displayed on tables and/or shoe racks at the event.  Shoes that have worn soles, scuff marks, an unpleasant odor or that are not in great condition will be rejected. If you have questions about tagging a specific item, feel free to e-mail us through the "Contact Us" page.

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When And Where Do I Drop-off My Items?

After you create a username and password, you will automatically be assigned a consignor number.  At that point, you will have the option to schedule a drop-off appointment and a pick up unsold items appointment.  Your consignment items should be dropped off at the event location during your drop-off appointment in accordance with the quality standards and tagging instructions previously mentioned.  It should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete the drop-off process. When you drop-off your consignment items, they should be organized in the categorical and size order that your tags were generated.  In case you don’t remember this order, you can arrange the items in the numerical order of the tags.  (i.e. Start with Tag 0001, 0002, 0003 and so on)   At drop-off, a volunteer will review your consignment items for compliance with quality standards and tagging instructions.  Any unacceptable items will be returned to you.  You will sign the inventory page in our records to confirm the items that you dropped off.  After your items have been accepted, a volunteer will place them in the appropriate section in preparation for the event. We do not have the capacity to handle walk-in appointments. If you are early or late for your drop-off appointment we will get to you as soon as time permits.  If time is of the essence and you are unable to wait for your items to be reviewed, simply drop them off to a volunteer at our “Expedited Drop-Off” table, located at the event.  You will still need to sign the inventory page in our records to confirm the items that you dropped off.  However, if any of your items are unacceptable, they will not be returned to you – but will be donated, at our sole and absolute discretion.

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When And Where Do I Pick Up My Unsold Items?

Once you are registered to consign, on your Consignor Log-in page, you will be provided with access to schedule an appointment to pick-up your unsold items.  If you choose to pick-up your unsold items, they will be organized and available for your pick-up at the event site during the time frame that you have selected.  At that time, you will be required to sign our records to reflect that you have picked up your unsold items. If you would like your unsold items donated, then as you are entering your inventory, you can select the option to have a particular item donated, if unsold.  It is your responsibility to check our “Tagless Items” table for items that were not sold due to missing or lost tags.  This will be your only opportunity to review the table and collect any missing items from your inventory.  We will not be able to address any issues regarding missing items after your scheduled pick-up appointment. If you are unable to pick up your items during your scheduled pick-up time, please call or e-mail us prior to October 3, 2010 to schedule an alternate pick up location, date and time.  If you do not pick up your unsold items or schedule an alternate pick up date/time in advance, your unsold items will become the property of Elly’s Closet, LLC, and can be kept, resold or donated, at our discretion.

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