I once assumed a given garment’s brand played a critical role in determining its resale store value. Then I conveniently overheard the following conversation among a Buffalo Exchange newbie employee and a seasoned resale buyer:
Buyer: So, how would you price this Sunner top?
Newbie: That’s a pretty boutique-y brand, which means it retails for a ton…maybe $22?
Buyer: Too high.
CJ Interior Monologue: (Great answer, but why?)
Buyer: Sunner’s kind of an obscure brand, which means most people won’t know its store value.
CJ Interior Monologue: (Oh innnnteresting).
Newbie: I see. So it’d go for more like $16.95?
Buyer: Sounds about right. Now what about this top?
Newbie: Well, it’s BCBG, which is a more recognizable brand.
Buyer: And it’s new – still has its original tags.
Newbie: Right. So… $18.95.
Buyer: Exactly. New and recognizable means we price it higher than the almost-new, more obscure brand.
CJ Interior Monologue: (So…pricier brands sometimes cost less at resale if they’re unfamiliar to the masses? Can I get an AWESOME?!)
I experienced the above price point phenomenon when I found the shimmery, expertly ruched Reiss tunic at Greene Street Consignment.
Two of my besties are all kinds of obsessed with Reiss: I’m familiar with its retail cost is because I always drill my friends on what they buy new, and tsk tsk at them if it’s a top in the $100 – $190 range. They do not enjoy being made to feel guilty; I do not enjoy seeing them get ripped off. This means we agree to disagree until I take them thrifting, where they’re inevitably forced to acknowledge one of life’s greatest truths – that I am always right. Muhaha.
Anyhoo, this top proved the price point phenomenon extends to all resale – that a less familiar brand resells for less, regardless of its original cost. How can I tell?
My Reiss tunic cost me ten bucks. And the numbers never lie.
tags: 
Hah. Live and learn.
What a coincidence, I was reading about this brand just a little while ago!
Huh…maybe that explains why Old Navy tees at my local Savers cost $6.99 but my Tristan top was $4.99.
CJ (or anyone out there with insight/knowledge), how do you think labelless clothes would do for resale? I have a lot of well-made things I’d like to unload for consignment/resale, but the problem is I take the label off everything the second I get it home! (I just love the way my clothes look without labels — yes I am weird :p)
So I have some lovely DVF, Lepore, JCrew dresses in great condition but I’m afraid I’ll get shortchanged because the designer can’t be confirmed (unless an employee is already familiar with the particular garment).
Any thoughts or suggestions? thanks!
Ok so this is the first time I am experiencing this blog. And I don’t really get it…Why do you have to shop consignment to get a deal? I am in no way making the dough, but I find ways to find good name brand clothes but NEVER buy at full price. It’s called sample sales, plain old sales, and outlets. I could never wear clothes from Buffalo ex etc. Just going into that store grosses me out, and after touching the clothes in there my hands feel dirty. I could never imagine wearing these garments that were once in someone elses home.
wow! great to know!
LV, I think you may have problems getting any money for clothes without a label. People who buy from consignment shops love to know they are getting a real designer label and if there is no label . . . well!!! Also, from my experience working in retail (Talbots, years ago) garments without labels mean that piece came from an outlet store or from a store going out of business or from a store that had marked it down so far they had to take the label out so it can’t be returned to another branch.
Jax, (1) not everybody can wear a sample size; (2) clothes at outlet stores are not nearly as inexpensive as consignment stores; and (3)I would assume anybody buying from a consignment shop would launder or dry clean a garment before wearing it. As for not wearing garments that were once in someone elses home . . . you do know that garments are worn and returned to the store,quite often, don’t you?? And they are not cleaned before they are put back on the racks. Trust me!!
I actually used to work @ Buffalo in Williamsburg and can shed some light on the pricing scheme:
Most important is the LOOK or cut. Is the piece cute, current, desirable, in good condition? This has nothing to do with brand or era, simply: will someone today, August 3, 2009, look at this and want it as is?
The next factor of consideration is the brand and approximate year, which can skew the price up or down based mostly on the quality. If you have a 2008 GAP t-shirt, Buffalo really can’t price that for any higher than it went on sale for (probably $3.99 if you’ve ever experienced a GAP clearance rack). GAP (and brands like it) turn their inventory quickly so a basic piece from a mass retailer gets stale quickly. Alternatively, a t-shirt from a higher end label, say Helmut Lang, will usually be made with more interesting design details, higher quality materials, and better finishing processes (check out the seams on a cheap t-shirt and a higher end t-shirt or the hem finish on skirts of various brands).
So after cut, condition, and label are concerned, the buyer checks out the fabric. Poly-blend is going to go for lower, 100% combed cotton is going to go for higher, you can imagine why.
Additionally the current season (as in weather) will come into play. A fabulous MJ parka WILL be bought in August, but for a much lower price than if the seller brought it in in October. A good condition North Face jacket will probably not be purchased in August because it will certainly “come in again” in colder weather, meaning some other person will be trying to sell that style later and it’s not necessary to pick it up in the dead of summer. This is because Buffalo can only afford to hold onto stuff for so long before it goes on sale. Items purchased for the store in August will be put on sale for 50% off in October. At the end of October, they are donated. Having undesirable or out of season stuff in the store takes up space where cute, current pieces could be hanging.
Basically, if you wouldn’t give the stuff you’re selling to your sister/cousin/friend/mom to wear right now, some random girl shopping at Buffalo Exchange isn’t going to want it either.
Hope that helps!
Essie…FYI almost every sample sale I’ve been to has all sizes, not just sample sizes. And they’re stock merchandise, not actual samples