Kids Sale Weekend

The focus of this weekend was the local PTA kids sale.  My only experiences with kids sales were those mammoth sale from Just Between Friends in the Seattle area.  For those sales, I printed out specific tags using their website, dropped off my items at a designated time and that was it.  I set the prices and JBF received a percentage of my sales.  The sale took credit cards which made it very easy, especially for higher priced items. I could track my items online to see what sold and within a few weeks of the sale I'd receive a check.  I admit it, I got a little spoiled.  All the work was during prep but you didn't have to sit at a table for hours at a time.  I also had the choice of donating whatever didn't sell or I could pick up only specific items.  

Today's sale consisted of just 4 hours (not 3 days) in a high school cafeteria.  For $15, I had a round table to put any/all kids stuff that I wanted to unload.  They also had a large item area but I opted to keep my larger items at my table so I had the option to negotiate.  In hind sight, I really should have tried to sell some of my higher end children's items before we moved to Ohio.  The kids sale culture out here is very different than those that I was used to in Washington.  Since those sales took credit cards, you could expect to find some nicer items and be prepared to pay more.  There have been 3 big ticket items that I've wanted to sell - a Beco Butterfly baby carrier, a Peg Perego Diner High Chair with Leather seat, and a Beaba BabyCooker.  I sold the baby carrier a few months back through CraigsList but sold it for less than half of what I paid for it.  I haven't had any luck with the high chair or the baby cooker so was hoping that I could sell those at the sale today.  The moment I saw some of the other chairs today I knew mine wouldn't sell. Some weren't very clean and priced EXTREMELY LOW (saw one for $3, $5, and $10).  Anyone who knows Peg Perego knows that they are high quality products.  The chair I have runs about $199.  I paid $100 for it.  I just couldn't compete with other chairs that were going for $3.  Were they the same quality? No. But this was a cash only sale and not too many people would be looking to buy a high chair for $60+. As for the baby cooker - it's been my perception that not too many people make their own baby food out here.  The Beaba retails for about $120.  I think I paid $75 for it.  I'd be lucky if I get $30 for it out here.  

I'm still glad I participated.  Not only did I support the group I'm now a part of, I've met even more of the moms and managed to make $50+.  And the highlight was that I scored a $5 trike for Simon!