Selling Baby Items
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
- Selling Maternity, Infant Clothes?
- Best way to sell gently-used quality baby clothes
- Good place to sell baby clothing and equipment?
- Second-hand Diaper Covers
Selling Maternity, Infant Clothes?
Oct 2007
Finally cleaned out the closets and I have a fair amount of nice, great condition, recent, mid-level brand maternity clothes to get rid of. And quite a bit of similarly softly-worn (or not worn at all) baby clothes.
The archives are all over 3 years old and I'm wondering where I should go to recoup at least a little of the cash spent on clothes I will never use again.
Can this be done at one place? Or do I need to go different places for maternity and kid's clothes to maximize my return? I don't need it to be a great experience, but I don't want to support businesses with lousy customer service, either. And I don't have the time or patience to sell pieces individually on Craig's List, etc. Back into my old clothes
There's a store in Alameda. I forget the name, but it is on Park Street, just off Lincoln. They will buy kids clothes and sell maternity clothes on consignment. If they don't accept your clothes for sale, you can leave them and they will donate them for you. I have found it easy and convienent, but you don't get the prices you would if you were to sell on your own. The owner also has some strange taste in what she accepts and doesn't. For example, I see used Mervyn's T shirts for sale in her store, but she didn't accept some fancy European clothes I wanted to sell. Oh well, she knows her market. not into individual sale either
I highly recommend you check out Fashion After Passion. Please tell Jaye, the owner, that I sent you.
1205 Lincoln Ave Between Bay and Sherman St (between Haight Ave & Santa Clara Ave) Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 769-6667 Tue-Sat 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Jessica
The only places I know that take both maternity and kids clothes are: Crackerjacks (on Glen Ave just off of Piedmont by Peets), Lauren's Closet (Park St in Alameda), Fashion after Pashion (Alameda) and Child's Play on College. Baby/kids clothes are bought and you get cash or more in credit; maternity wear is usually consignment only. I know Crackerjacks will only take in season maternity, but any season for kids clothes. Fashion After Passion and Child's Play are less picky than Crackerjacks and Lauren's Closet.
Other places that just take kids clothes are:
Laura's Closet (College Ave) Solano Kids (Solano Ave, just up from San Pablo) Hannah's (top of Solano) Little Rasberries (San Pablo in El Cerrito)
I usually opt for credit as you get more money that way, and use it to buy the next age clothes. anon
Best way to sell gently-used quality baby clothes
August 2004
I need to try and sell a bunch of gently used baby clothes, and am not sure how to begin...does anyone have a recommendation for a particular resale shop, or is it best to just sell items individually or as a ''lot'' here on the Marketplace newsletter? Is one shop better than another as far as amount they pay you, or brands they accept, etc.? I have quite a bit of name-brand stuff (Baby Gap, Gymboree...) as well as some nice things from Mervyns, Target, etc. It's all stain and rip-free so I'd like to get a decent price for them. (I'm donating a lot to charity too...) Is it worth the time and energy to iron all the wrinkled things first? Any recent experiences, advice, and recommendations FOR or AGAINST any shops will be great appreciated. Thanks. heidi
First, you need to sort the items by season. Even though I think there is plenty of summer left, I have been told that stores are now buying for Fall.
Laura's Closet on College (I think now called Laurens)- unless the item is immaculate, trendy, brand lable, don't waste your time. Allthough this is a family run store, I was made to feel like I was offering rags to the high school aged buyer who looked at my stuff. It was not a positive experience, but if you have good stuff and/or are thick skined, it is worth a shot.
Child's Play on College. They are less picky and their prices are lower, so they seem to take more stuff. I don't like the fact that the buyer sits with a calculator and punches in the numbers without telling you how much she is selling the item for.
CrackerJacks- off of Peidmont, same street as Peets coffee. I have not yet sold here, but there is a new owner and the store looks a lot better- cleaner, nicer stuff.
For bigger ticket items, like baby equipment, I have sold successfully on the BPN. Selling at the shops is a lot of work and you have to decide whether donating the stuff and getting the tax write off is a better use of your time.
Hope this helps. resale mama
Since you have quality items, Laura's Closet may be your best bet, but as you'll hear, they are incredibly picky. Another place I have not seen mentioned here or on the website is Bearly Worn at 1619 N. Broadway in Walnut Creek. It's a relatively small place that is PACKED with all sorts of used baby and children's stuff, from clothing and books to videos, toys, strollers, high chairs, and other furniture. They've been pretty easy going about taking stuff, and I've found plenty to take home in return, some of it really great. I think you need to call to make sure they can accept your items: 925-945-6535. Burr
Please take a look at Fashion After Passion on Webster St in Alameda. Jaye, the owner is wonderful and she accepts a wide variety of clothes and is not restrictive of seasons. She also sells new and used maternity clothing and has the best selection of nursing and maternity bras. Please tell her I sent you. Jessica
I highly recommend Kids Again in Dublin. It is only about 15 minutes away once you get onto Hiway 13 or 580. It is consignment, and only takes through age 10, but they have lots of great clothes and some toys and furniture. You do have to sort through what they have, especially as your child gets older. I have never had any problem finding clothes to use up my credit (which they keep track of). They do have seasons, and started taking only winter clothes as of July 15th, I believe. Also they have a limit on the number of clothes you can bring in at one time, although they have been flexible about that when I say I live in Oakland and can't get there very often. They are now only open on Saturdays on the weekend, unfortunately. They have great sales just before the change in clothes for the next season, and then things are half off the already good price. I have also had a poor experience at some resale stores, and find this better, especially since they will donate things they can't sell, so you don't have to come home with anything. They are very careful about the condition of the clothes they put on the racks, and if you find a problem they just take it back to donate. They don't take regular shoes, however, only specialty shoes such as rain or snow boots, ice skates, tap shoes, etc. Their phone number is 925-828-7334 Susan
I heartily recommend Hannah's, on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. Regardless of where you go, if you haven't done this before I don't think you're going to feel that what you receive is a ''decent price'' -- you'll be surprised at how little is taken, and how low a price you get for it -- but Hannah's certainly gives you at LEAST as high a price as the other local stores, and unlike some of them, Hannah's is FRIENDLY and POLITE. They also are incredibly nice about the clothes they sell TO you -- they take them back any time, as long as the tags are still on, as opposed to Lora's Closet, which has a return period so short it's hard to return anything unless you live in the neighborhood.
I second the post about Lora's Closet (they recently changed the spelling): they take almost nothing (much less than Hannah's), and make you feel bad about having sullied their store with your unworthy stuff. (I also had a bad experience when I placed maternity clothes there on consignment.)
Darla's Baby Boutique on San Pablo also takes used baby clothes, but they have a lot of rules about sorting by season, etc., that Hannah's doesn't (I believe Hannah's takes things regardless of season), so I've never tried them out. Anonymous
I recommend Lauren's Closet in Alameda as a great place for reselling baby's and childrens' clothes (not to be confused with Lora's Closet in Berkeley). I live in Berkeley and used to shop at Lora's Closet but no more, for the reasons stated by others-- they do not take my stuff for resale anymore (even the clothes I bought from THEM!), they are not friendly about it, and their store reeks of perfume. For example, they once told me they did not take Elefanten shoes because ''they do not have a high resale value.'' This is simply not true. By contrast, Lauren's Closet in Alameda takes lots of my stuff, is super-friendly, and there is a lot more of a selection of the things that I need there-- leggings for my 3 year old, shirts for my 8 year old, books, shoes. So I can take a bag of clothes in, get a credit and buy a few good items all in one trip without spending a dime of new money. The selection is huge of USED stuff, not like Lora's Closet, which has mostly toys and ballerina costumes. Karen
I missed the original post, but I wanted to chime in on Hannah's and Lora's closet. Despite having the best selection of stuff, I agree with the other posters that the people who run the latter storeare rude and insulting by making you feel that they are doing you some kind of favor by buying your clothes. I also don't like their practice of taking your stuff in the back room and coming out and giving you a price for it. (The other stores go through it in front of you--Lauren's Closet gives you a tab of the stuff they will buy from you). They used to be ''Lauren's Closet,'' the same as the one in Alameda (which I highly recommend--more later) but apparently had some sort of falling out and are no longer affiliated--hence the name change. I've always had good service at Hannah's, and it's true you can return at any time, but I find, as a buyer, the selection to be hit or miss--I often don't find what I am looking for. Finally, I want to recommend Lauren's Closet on Park St. in Alameda. I drive all the way there b/c I think Lisa, who own's the shop, gives the fairest price, and though not the warmest person on the planet, is very straitforward about her business. They've also recently expanded to have a huge junior section, so smaller mom's like myself can shop and trade there. She also sells new and used toys, furniture, etc.... and there is a playroom for little ones to use while you shop. Though on a busy street, I always find parking. I've been shopping there for over three years now. Faithful to Lauren's Closet
Good place to sell baby clothing and equipment?
Aug 2003
Where have people had good experiences re-selling baby clothing and baby items (like a baby bjorn, swing, bouncy seat, stroller, etc.)? I have checked previous recommendations and don't see many recent posts. Thanks, Bridget
Cracker Jacks - off Piedmont Ave Fashion After Passion - Webster in Alameda Child's Play - College Ave in Rockridge Making Ends Meet - Fruitvale Ave - Dimond District Lora's Closet - College Ave in Elmwood (very particular there) Happy Sales!
The best place I have found to sell or purchase used baby items is Making Ends Meet (510-531-1135) store hours are 10 to 6 Monday-Saturday they outright purchase your things for cash or give a little more in store credit.. I'm not sure of the address but the store is on upper Fruitvale in the Diamond area of Oakland. jsobie
Try ''They Grow So Fast'' in Lafayette. The owner and staff are really nice and the shop itself is great. There's also ''Fashion after Passion'' in Alameda- I've always had great experiences at both establishments. Good luck! Marian
Lora's closet on College is VERY particular about what they buy back. It pretty much has to be a good brand (Gap, Petit Batou, Baby Lulu, etc) in immaculate condition. I have literally bought something there & then tried to resell it after only a few uses & they refused.
Darla's in El Cerrito is not as picky, but you can only get store credit that is good for 60 days. They do buy & sell lots of new & used gear, though. I've not found much among their used clothes, though. They do have a section of new clothes & all-important pajamas.
Hannah's on Solano is good for clothes. It is a TINY store. You can get cash or good forever credit. Their inventory is updated all the time, so you have to check thier racks a lot.
I've also heard good things about Child's Play on College & Lauren's Closet on Park in Alameda, but never sold there, only bought.
Good luck, virginia
Why not try this newsletter first (Marketplace)? Otherwise hanna's on top of solano is great for selling clothes or Darla's on San Pablo in el cerrito for baby stuff and toys and they take some clothes too but not many. I have stayed away from the re- sale store on College Ave. because previous postings on this newsletter relayed that the owner unethically scoured charitable yard sales claiming to be from a pre-school only to re-sell the items for much more in the shop. chris
Second-hand Diaper Covers
Sept 2003
I'm thinking of trying cloth diapers on my six month old son, but I don't want to invest in brand new diaper covers. I'd like a variety of brands, and would like to be able to look at them (ruling out ebay). Does anyone know of a thrift store around Richmond/El Cerrito/Albany/Berkeley/Oakland or thereabouts that carries them, or do I just have to shop around? Jennifer
I am sure you will get quite a bit of response, as luckily the Bay Arera is home to many many cloth diapering families and baby resale stores!. I live in Alameda and recommend Fashion After Passion on Webster at Haight (here in my town). The owner is reaslly nice and they usually have a large number of diaper covers.
I would also say keep your eye out at any thrift store, or baby resale shop. Though I know you wish to look at them you can buy almost new and gently used diapering goods online at http://www.mothering/com/discussions
I recommend this for another reason: The forum communtiy has a diapering board that is very active and a wonderful place to ask questions about which diapers/ covers are useful for which situations, washing methods, and rashes. I have received a lot of good advice from the board. Kudos to you for taking steps to put your precious baby in cotton! tabitha
Try e-Bay. I've seen lots of diaper covers for sale there. Emily
Darla's Baby Boutique on San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito usually has some used diaper covers. If you ask, they will hold them for you when they get them in. Also, new ones are available for pretty reasonable prices at tinytots.com, which is one of the local diaper services. A cloth diaper using mommy
The best selection I have found is at ''Fashion After Passion'' in Alameda (I think its on Webster). They run from about $2 to $5 each, depending on condition. You will probably also need diaper clips to hold the diapers together when the baby starts crawling. I haven't been able to find them used, but you can order these from the diaper services. anon
I have a 4 month old and have been cloth diapering her the whole time with Mother Ease diapers and used diaper covers. I have found a few good consignment stores to look for them: Fashion After Passion (Webster and Santa Clara) and Lauren's Closet ( Park St.) in Alameda and Crackerjacks on Glen Ave. just off Piedmont Ave. near Kaiser. They range in prices from $2 to $4 usually but occasionally they will have some new ones for $5. All of them have been good deals for me, especially if you compare them with the prices in BabyWorld for new ones ($8 each or more).Hope this helps you out. Heidi
I didn't see your original post, so I don't know what sizes you are looking for, but I have a pile (maybe six?) of used diaper covers, size large (20-30 lbs), I have been wanting to pass along to someone for a while now. e-mail me and they are yours (for free)! Karen
I get my used diaper covers at Child's Play on College Ave. in Rockridge. She usually has a a variety of sizes, priced well and in good condition. In fact, I know she just got a bunch in. If you need smaller sizes (11-16 lbs.), I have a few we're about to take down there. Contact me if you want them. shari
Most of the twins/multiples groups in the area have an annual rummage sale. You usually don’t need to be a member to sell at them, and they draw hundreds of people. You can check Twins by the Bay, Contra Costa Parents if Multiples, and the Twin Valley Mothers of Twins Club, to name a few.
Your instincts are pretty on point, in my experience. Basically, the things you specifically sought out are the things other people are likely seeking too. The things that are hard to find used and that are in good condition are more likely to sell for more. Generally I post things at half of their current list price and see if I get bites, then drop to around a third of list if I don't. If no one wants them for that, I donate them to BANANAS. You can also take clothes to swaps or to local secondhand shops, and you can post the baby gear on BPN in addition to Facebook groups--that's actually where we've had our best luck!
We are traveling for a few years and are getting rid of everything. We started 3 months ago, and from kid stuff alone, we’ve made close to $10K.
From our exprience, here’s what sells:
FB Marketplace:
strollers, dressers, beds, lamps, cribs, carriers, some furniture, like chairs and small tables. It’s a lot of work for some ROI. It’s sort of like CL, you have to deal with a lot before you get to the gold. But you can do well. Just be ready for some flakiness or the crowd who wants it right now.
eBay: my least favorite chore in the world is going to the Post Office. Now I go two times per week, with big loads all packaged up. This is where I sell clothes. I have so many indicigisial pieces of clothes from kids. I spend 1 hour per week taking photos and posting Ann’s I make sure that everything sells by the same day so I can be efficient and take items to Post Office between work and pjckups. I make sure everything makes $5.00 min. So if it’s not worth someone paying $8.00 for, then I don’t sell it, I donate it. eBay has brought in $6,000 if kids clothes (and some stuffed animals). It’s amazing how the accumulation adds up.
Next up: not buying so much.
We’ve made another $15k on our stuff and furniture so far. Pop-up garage sales with a sense of urgency. (We really are in need of urgency because we have to be out of our home by August 1, so we don’t wait around for anyone. We take money up front if they want us to “hold” it. I have learned not to hold anything for anyone.
Baby carries (like Ergo baby or Infantino) sell pretty well. I had a surprisingly hard time finding anyone who wanted to buy my like-new walker, but perhaps that was just bad luck. People also don't seem to want car seats even if not expired and in good condition.
It all depends on the condition of what you're selling. If it's got wear and tear and has been used by more than one kid then I'd sell for 20-25% your original purchase price if you want to get rid of it quickly. Otherwise, you can try to get more, but you'll probably have to keep reposting and deal with people like me trying to haggle you down :P
For clothing items that you want to resell, we often bring our clothes to Grove Street Kids, on Shattuck and Rose in Berkeley. We often consign lots of our kids clothes there, and use the credit to get clothes for the next size up!
For items that you decide to give away, in addition to Bananas (which I like because the items also go straight into the local community to people who need them), I've been giving away items on Toy-Cycle (toy-cycle.org). It's a site where you join a local group and can receive and give away toys for free. Its relatively new and still growing, and most toys posted seem to be for preschoolers or below, but I occasionally pick up good items for my older elementary kids, and have used it to pass on items from the toddler years to other parents in my local community. I usually try Toy-cycle first, because I like the idea of supporting a local circular economy, then do Bananas if nobody wants them on Toy-cycle.