the last few weeks Cheryl & i have been out & about every single day we can…to other consignment stores in MA & RI…we have found some amazing treasures, found new places, met new people…and seen things we love & honestly would like to never see again…
some of the things we LOVE:
~racks organized by COLOR…it’s still a rack of sweaters but it’s by color in stead of size, for the sheer reason that we carry hundreds of brands…every single MEDIUM is a different size…so why not look at all of the sweaters in brown if that’s your thing, instead of limiting yourself…a BEBE medium is drastically different from a GAP medium…(and seriously i take a size 8 in GAP jeans but would need a 14 in Arden B jeans…) so we’re changing it up come March 1st.
~friendly shop people….
~cute & friendly shop dogs…
~an overall sale…the ENTIRE store is 20% off of the lowest ticketed price…
~fitting rooms you can “fit” into…it’s not always easy in these small spaces, but REALLY???? fitting rooms can be a very daunting place for women to be…why not make it appealing, good lighting, a good mirror & dare i say maybe a little bit “fun”???
~APPOINTMENTS…yes, it’s happening, we are going to appointments for drop offs/consigning partners…get ready, call now…there are a few reasons for this, so hear me out…first, we have NO IDEA what is in store for us on a day to day basis…we open & just wait…saturday it was a relatively slow day, then from 4-6pm i got 6 drop off’s…SIX! if we know what we are walking into on a daily basis we can plan better, serve you better..i don’t have to call Cheryl at the last minute begging her to come help with the mountain of clothing we got in…MARCH 1st…call first, get your day/time, and come on in…
some of the things we don’t LOVE:
~the musty/dusty smell…it’s tough to know it’s there when you’re in it all day, but having other peoples clothing that comes from many different homes it can start to smell…well, funny…we try really hard to make sure our shop doesn’t stink…
~rude shop people
~where there’s no rhyme or reason….then there’s no place to start, then i give up…i need a starting point, or something…if you don’t have signs on your racks (which we don’t have on most) at least tell me how it all works when i come in…”this is new stuff”, “this is sale stuff”…”if you like black, which clearly you do, then start HERE”…
~too much information on a ticket….i mean, i’m good…but i’m not THAT good…
~no information on a ticket…but an expectation that everything you tell me when i walk in will stick in my brain the entire time i’m there…”if there’s a red line on a ticket it’s half off, all outer wear is 20% off, that include coats, hats, gloves, but not boots…boots are 40% off…” i want to shop, not do math…
and there you have it…we’ve been into a LOT of shops…met some amazing people…and gotten some great ideas…it’s a fantastic business & we want you to love it as much as we do…so GET OUT THERE and see them!
our favorites you ask???
wish in Newport RI….open on mondays (huge plus for us…)
The French Bulldog…East Greenwich RI…
She’s a Gem…there’ are TWO!!! Grafton MA & Westboro MA…and Carol is insanely fabulous…
happy recycling…..
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
my “likes” and “dislikes” align with yours! I also don’t like too little info (if I have to do a lot of hunting and figuring out the math, it’s a real turn off) or too much info (keep it brief, I don’t need a complete dossier on each item!).
I can’t wait to see the changes to the shop you’ve hinted about. Very smart to visit other local shops as a customer so you can better serve your own. Way to go ladies!