Is Consignment Worth It? An Honest Look at the Pros and Cons

If you have clothes you don’t wear, you’ve probably wondered whether consignment is worth the trip, or whether you should just donate them or try selling online. The honest answer: it depends on the item and on how much your time is worth to you. Consignment is a great fit for some pieces and some people, and not for others.

Here’s how to think it through, from the team at Rire&Co, the resale shop inside The Elementals Laundry in Acworth. We’d rather you make the right choice than bring us something that won’t sell.

When consignment is worth it

• You have quality pieces in good condition. Coats, suits, designer items, occasion wear and leather tend to sell well.
• You don’t want to do the work. No photos, listings, buyer messages, haggling or shipping.
• You want a fair return without the hassle. Earning a share of the sale is often far more than a buy-outright store would pay on the spot.
• You’re clearing out a lot at once. Dropping off a bag is much faster than listing items one by one.
• You’d like to avoid meeting strangers or shipping packages. The shop handles buyers for you.

When it may not be worth it

• The clothes are worn, stained or fast fashion. These rarely sell, and donating is simpler.
• You need cash today. Consignment pays when items sell, not on drop-off.
• You enjoy selling and have the time. Selling yourself lets you keep more of each sale.
• It’s strongly out of season. A heavy coat in May may be better held until early fall.

A simple way to think about the numbers

Say a coat would sell for $100. Through Rire&Co’s Full Service consignment, you’d earn $50, with cleaning, photos, pricing and selling handled for you. Selling it yourself online, you’d keep more after platform fees, but you’d spend time cleaning, photographing, listing, answering messages and shipping. The real question is what that time is worth to you.

Try this: estimate how long it would take you to sell the item yourself, from cleaning to shipping. If you’d spend an hour or two to earn an extra $20 or $30, consignment may be the better deal. For a high-value piece, selling it yourself might be worth the effort.

Comparing your options

• Donate: no money, no effort, good for worn or lower-value pieces.
• Sell outright to a store: fast cash, but usually a low offer.
• Consign: a meaningful share of the sale, with little effort.
• Sell it yourself: the most money per item, the most work.

The hidden benefits

• Better presentation: at Rire&Co, items are professionally cleaned and pressed, which helps them sell.
• Less clutter, faster: your closet is clear the day you drop off.
• Less waste: good clothes get worn again instead of sitting unused. Read keeping good clothes out of landfills.
• Store credit option: payouts can go toward dry cleaning at The Elementals Laundry.

How to get the most from it

• Bring pieces that buyers want. See what sells best on consignment.
• Time it right. Here’s the best time of year to consign.
• Check condition first with our prep checklist.

The best of both

Many people mix approaches: consign quality pieces, sell an occasional high-value item themselves, and donate the rest. If you like selling but hate the prep, our Resale Prep Only option cleans, presses and photographs items for $15 each so you can sell them and keep 100%. Compare the options in Full Service or Resale Prep Only, or read what consignment is and how it works.

Common questions

How long until I get paid? Payouts are monthly, once each sale’s 7-day return window has closed.

What if nothing sells? Items stay listed for 75 days. After that, you have 10 days to pick them up, or we donate them.