Stir Crazy Mom: Consignment Clarity

Consignment Stores:

Kid to Kid: Kid to Kid opened up in December in South Durham near Southpoint. It's a chain consignment store where you can pick up baby/kid/maternity clothes and gear. The selection of clothes is great and toys is growing. You can make an appointment to drop off clothes and other items. Sales reps will go over it with you and give you money on the spot based on a list of prices provided by the company. You can either take the money that they give you in cash or get 20% more to take store credit.

-What we liked: There are plenty of items in each age group and style. Plus, the prices are very reasonable. The consignment process was easy because we could just drop off items and get money on the spot instead of having to wait until the items sell.

-What we would change: Currently, their toy selection was small and primarily for younger children, but that might change as they are open longer. In addition, currently you have to wait several days between the time you call and the time you can get in for an appointment to consign your items. I've also received comments from readers that their customer service needs a little work, but I haven't seen that firsthand.

bien-aime: Bien Aime is an upscale consignment store located in downtown. They sell a variety of high-quality boys and girls clothes. Here, you drop off items and receive your payment each month as they sell. Items are kept for 60 days before they are donated and the consignor receives 40% of the final sale price.

-What we liked: Items are good quality, and it's a great place to find nice clothes for your kids. I was still able to find very reasonably priced everyday wear for my son.

-What we would change: Since you don't get any money until your items sell, you're not guaranteed money back. Plus, it's a clothing consignment store and does not have toys or other kid gear.

The Red Hen: The Red Hen is a resale store located in University Mall in Chapel Hill. It sells baby/kid/maternity clothes and gear for reasonable prices. You can make an appointment to bring in items, and they will give you money for the items at that point.

-What we liked: When we shopped there, we thought they had a good selection and good prices, and the quality of the items was nice. I also like consignment policies where you get to take home money immediately.

-What we would change: It is in Chapel Hill, so it's a bit farther away for us Durhamites. Just as a caveat, their website recommends making sure items are on hangers and in very good condition when you drop them off, so there might be a little bit of work to get them ready to consign.

Baby Bear Boutique: Bear Boutique is a small consignment store located in an old house on University Drive. One of our bloggers frequented Baby Bear as a year-round stop for inexpensive baby and kid gear as well as maternity clothes.We are currently not aware of their consignment policy.

-What we liked: The location is convenient and the owner is friendly. It occasionally offers sales which further increases your discounts. Items are continually coming in so there are always new things to find.

-What we would change: The store is small and difficult to maneuver with a stroller.  The store's organization is eclectic, so some sizes can be difficult to find at times.

Consignment Sales:

Kids Everywear: Kids Everywear is a semi-annual consignment sale that takes place in the outlet mall in Morrisville near the airport. It is large, taking over somewhere around nine of the empty stores in that mall. They have a HUGE selection of toys, clothing and any other baby and kid gear you can think of. You can consign clothing and items by printing and tagging your items at home and then bringing them in. By volunteering or consigning you can shop early to get the best selection.

-What we liked: The selection at Kids Everywear is tremendous. I typically go and buy most of the play wardrobe that my kiddos need each season as well as fairly inexpensive toys. Shopping early can get you a huge selection while shopping later can get you items at even more discounted prices.

-What we would change: While you can get money, it is a lot of work to get items, especially clothing, ready to consign. As with most consignment, you don't get money unless your items sell.

Kidcycle: Kidcycle is a semi-annual consignment sale that takes place in University Mall in Chapel Hill. They have a large selection of toys, clothes, and baby gear at great prices. You can consign any items by tagging and preparing them at home (following the procedures on their website).

-What we liked: There is a great selection of toys and clothes at really great prices. I've been able to pick out some awesome, inexpensive toys for my kiddos there.

-What we would change: As we said earlier, preparing for consignment sales can be a lot of work. Plus, we found the checkout line was long, but that could have just been the time we came in.

Chapel Hill-Durham Mothers of Multiples Sale: We've never been to this one, but we thought we'd pass along the information. Click here for the sale's Facebook.

Consignment Sales vs. Consignment Stores: In all of our Triangle-area consignment experiences, we've found there are a ton of good options; it all depends on what you want. Consignment stores are available year-round, and you don't have to drop off everything you have all at once. You can head in and usually find inexpensive items that you need. However, consignment sales offer a much greater selection. You can drop off a whole bunch of items at once, but it tends to be more work to put everything together. What do you think? What are your favorite and least favorite resale options in the Triangle? Let us know in the comments and we'll add your input to our information.