Starting My Soho Consignment Journey
So I just opened this little jewelry shop downtown – nothing fancy, just some silver stuff I make myself. Needed shelf space bad though. Walked past Soho Consignments a million times, figured I’d try tossing my necklaces in there. Sounds simple right? Ha! Let me walk you through the nickel-and-diming I uncovered.
The First Chat Surprised Me
Manager lady smiled all sweet then hit me with paperwork thicker than my divorce papers. First she points at this “consignment fee” – straight up 60% of whatever sells! Almost choked on my coffee. She’s like “Oh honey, foot traffic costs money!” Yeah, my foot in your– anyway. Then she waves at this monthly $35 “display fee” for using the pretty shelves. Plus another $15 “inventory sticker fee” for them to slap barcodes on. Already counting my profits flying out the window.
When Stuff Actually Sells… More Fees!
My sunflower pendant finally sold after collecting dust for 2 months. Got excited seeing the email notification… until it showed the payout. See, they take that 60% off the final sale price, not what I priced it at. Big difference! My $50 necklace sold for $38 during their “summer blowout” sale. So their cut became $22.80 instead of $30. Felt like getting pickpocketed twice.
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Hidden Slices They Don’t Mention Upfront:
- Credit card fee – 3% came outta my remaining $15.20
- Monthly statement fee – $2 just to tell me how broke I am
- “Damage assessment” fee – When someone stretched a bracelet? $7
Why I Yanked My Stuff Out After 90 Days
Did the math after 3 months – sold $220 worth total. Thought I’d pocket maybe $70 at least? Here’s the breakdown:
- Soho’s initial 60% clawback: $132 gone
- Display fees ($35 x 3 months): $105 down the drain
- Sticker fees & damage fees: Another $28 vanished
Actual cash in my hand? Negative $45. Seriously. Paid THEM to sell my jewelry. Wrapped my last ring so fast it left skid marks.
The Messy Breakup Part
Oh but leaving costs money too! Had to pay a $25 “removal processing fee” because Karen the manager claimed she had to “update systems.” My system says she upgraded her Starbucks habit using my cash. Found out later they charge unsold items $5 each to get released too – like some consignment jail bail money.
What I Wish I Knew Before Walking In
Basically Soho’s pricing is death by a thousand cuts. Look for places with:
- A straight commission without monthly torture fees
- Sales prices locked so you don’t lose more
- No freakin’ sticker ransom fees
My cousin’s stuff sits at a boutique now – flat 40% fee, no other garbage. Learned the hard way: read every line, assume they’ll charge you for breathing near their store, and pack running shoes.
