If you've never visited Around the Block furniture consignment shop you might be surprised by our store's wide selection of merchandise. From unique and eclectic contemporary furnishings to more vintage and antique pieces, a quality furniture consignment store like Around the Block is a treasure trove of hard-to-find and one-of-a-kind home furnishings.
But how does our furniture consignment shop come by such fantastic pieces? Where do we find a wide variety of furniture, home accessories, and decor? Do consignment shops like Around the Block buy their furniture, or do they get products another way?
If you've never shopped furniture consignment or consigned furniture yourself, you might have questions about how consignment works. In this article, we explain our processes and offer a few tips about how to sell furniture on consignment.
How Does Furniture Consignment Work?
Unlike a traditional furniture retailer that buys new products directly from a factory, marks up the price, and sells to a consumer, a furniture consignment shop takes in second-hand furnishings from its owner, also called a consignor. Rather than buy the furniture outright, the furniture consignment shop agrees to pay the consignor a percentage after the item sells.
How to Sell Furniture on Consignment at Around the Block
If you live in the greater Toronto area and are interested in consigning furniture, home decor, or accessories at Around the Block, you would:
- Make sure we accept the type of items you want to sell. We generally take high-quality and gently loved furniture, lighting, china, porcelain, crystal tableware, figurines, silver plate, sterling silver, original artwork, hand-knotted rugs, decorative mirrors, home décor, ladies' designer bags and accessories, fine jewelry, and marked costume jewelry.
- Note our in-store processes (outlined here), which vary slightly depending on the size and number of items you want to sell. If you have any questions, reach out to us at unique@aroundtheblock.com or call us at your convenience.
- Make an appointment to have the items evaluated and appraised. Our CPPAG-accredited appraisers are only available during specific days and times, so be sure to call ahead and schedule an appointment with one of our appraisers.
- Understand our pricing policy. Our experience helps us accurately price items so that they will sell as quickly as possible while getting you the best return on your consignment. We set the initial price during the product inspection for the first 60 days. If your items have yet to sell after 60 days, the selling price will be reduced by 10%. Unsold items will continue to be reduced by 10% every 30 days until the items have sold. Once your items sell, you'll receive 60% of the final sale price.
Tips for Selling Furniture on Consignment
Here are a few best practices when selling furniture at a consignment store.
Know Your Product Details
To get the best price on your furniture consignment, come armed with all the relevant information and details regarding the original purchase or provenance.
Understand that Condition Matters
Your items will be assessed on their quality and condition before being accepted into Around the Block's inventory, so be sure you bring in things that are in the best possible condition. While we expect used items to have some general wear and tear, make sure your goods are as close to perfect as possible, within reason. The better the condition of the items, the faster they will sell and the higher the price they will command.
Think Seasonally
If you are interested in seeing that items sell quickly, try to bring them in for consignment at the appropriate season or time of year. Rather than bring in garden furniture in December, wait until closer to the spring when shoppers will be most interested in your items.
Set Your Expectations
Sometimes it's hard not to be offended when a furniture consignment store doesn't take what you are offering or prices an item below what you want. Just because your item isn’t right for the store doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. We’re in the business of helping you make money on your unwanted items, so trust our expertise on what will sell and at what price in the greater Toronto area.
Final Thoughts
At Around the Block, we believe used furniture consignment, done well, takes care of the consignor, shopper, and the community. We've offered quality resale services and a distinctive selection of home decor and furnishings in the GTA for 14 years. If you have unwanted furnishings and would like to try selling on consignment, we hope you consider Around the Block, Toronto’s go-to destination for quality furniture consignment.
