If you’re not sure how to maximise your profits when selling second-hand clothing, this blog post is for you. In preparation for our Pre-Loved Pop-Up Market this Sunday, we’ve put together some tips on curating a successful stall that your customers (and your piggy bank) will love!
CURATE, CURATE, CURATE!
It’s really worth thinking about how you set your items out and how they will look together either on a rail or a table. For clothes, consider arranging them by colour palette for an immediate visual hook that will draw customers towards your stall. For table displays, consider lifting some items higher than others by using boxes beneath a table cloth to add height.
THINK ABOUT THE SEASON WE’RE IN
It’s almost spring, so your chunky knitwear and Borg coats may not spark as much interest as your summer dresses and sandals. Homeware, decorations or party supplies for upcoming seasonal holidays (Mother’s Day, Easter etc) are also worth putting in the spotlight.
ENSURE YOUR OFFERINGS ARE CLEAN AND WELL-PRESENTED
There’s nothing that’ll put a customer off faster than browsing a stall and noticing rips, stains and/or odours. Ensuring your clothes are all washed, ironed and presented nicely will keep your customer browsing. It’s also worth making one final check for broken zips or pulled threads when your stall is ready to go.
DON’T ‘OVERSTUFF’ YOUR STALL!
Think about approaching your stall as a customer - does it look cluttered? By making sure your items are all presented well, you avoid the customer feeling overwhelmed and they are more likely to stay and browse. Think about creating the sort of environment you’d like to shop in and going from there.
DON’T FORGET YOUR FLOAT
Card payments are not the norm at a second-hand market, so ensure you have plenty of cash in your float in the form of pound coins and notes. Think about your pricing when it comes to putting your float together. For example, if you’re pricing things around the £5 mark, ensure you have lots of £1 coins as well as £10 notes and £5 notes. If you have lots of £1 toys or books, having a handful of 50p coins and 20p coins will be useful.
BE PREPARED FOR HAGGLERS
It’s a thrifters right to haggle, so be prepared on what you’re willing to offer them. Do you have high-end items that are non-negotiate on price? If so, consider putting them on their own separate rail. Sticking to your guns is fine, just remember to be respectful! And if you’re willing to negotiate then have an idea of these prices before the customer asks.
NO PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT
It’s important to strike a good balance between not being too pushy but being around if your customer has any questions. I always find that it’s best to hover nearby with a smile and let your customer know you’re there if they need you.
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!
Do you have a wide range of clothes in multiple sizes? Labelling your items with a size will help customers make quick decisions. Ensure everything is individually priced with a label for any additional information that may not be immediately available.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Tell all your friends where you’ll be setting up a pre-loved stall so that they can make arrangements to come and browse. The more shoppers browsing, the more money you’ll make! So tell your best friends and your loved ones to meet you there.
MAKE NEW FRIENDS!
Get to know your neighbours when setting up and throughout the day. Events at The Cattle Yard always have a big community feel, so be prepared for lots of friendly faces and the possibility of new friendships.
We are so excited to welcome 25 different stalls to the market as well as Poke Nom Adventures who will be setting up with their mouth-watering Hawaiian-inspired Poke bowls! Coffee, tea and cake is being sold in aid of the King’s Lynn Men’s Shed too. So come hungry - grab some lunch and get involved in this exciting community event at Happy Valley Norfolk! See you there this Sunday the 23rd March 11am - 3pm.
