The May/June Report

If you follow @databutmakeitfashion like I do, you might be interested to know what kinds of things sell best on Consignment, particularly here in Christchurch. And we’re basically the best placed people to tell you!

If you've been thinking about consigning your clothing but aren't sure what's worth bringing in, this might be helpful. At Nifty, we assess hundreds of items every week. And while trends are always changing, there are a few categories that have consistently performed well in our Christchurch store over the last couple of months.

The Top Selling Category

Let's start with the top-selling category from the last three months. Are you ready? I bet you can guess… It's the mighty blouse!

It's the consumer science behind "a cute top and jeans". A blouse is one of the easiest purchases a customer can make. It's effortless to try on, easy to style, and if you ask me, a great blouse can reinvent an entire outfit.

It's also generally a lower-priced category, so customers don't mind picking up one (or two).

Blouses have the highest turnover of any category in our store, all year-round. If you've looked at our weekly intake reports, we started posting recently, you'll know they consistently dominate the number of items coming through our doors too, and for good reason!

Second Place: Knits

Second runner up is the Knit! The Knit sales hold strong here in Christchurch over many months throughout the year. Our cooler climate means our customers can find reasons to buy a knit almost year-round. And we’ve had one of the warmer starts to winter on record (I haven’t fact-checked this but it feels correct), so the knit has been an easy choice for the customer who wants to refresh their winter wardrobe, but maybe doesn’t need a heavy coat just yet.

Third Place: Jackets

No surprises here. It's cold, people want jackets, and picking up a quality pre-loved jacket for a fraction of the original retail price is a no brainer. Whether it's denim, leather, wool or an everyday layering piece, jackets continue to be one of our most reliable categories during winter.

The Brands That Sell Best

Now for the interesting part. Our highest-selling brand is actually "Unknown".

This category covers vintage pieces without tags, handmade garments, items with illegible labels, and pieces where the original brand can't be identified.

It's a good reminder that customers aren't always shopping for labels, they're often shopping for great clothing.

Some other brands that have consistently performed well recently include:

• Lululemon

• Zara

• Adidas

• RUBY

• Kookai

• Brandy Melville

• Patagonia

• AFENDS

• Assembly Label

• Kowtow

Lululemon deserves a special mention. Customers love picking it up pre-loved because it's high quality, performs well, and activewear can become expensive when purchased new.

What Doesn't Tend to Sell?

While every item is different, heavily worn clothing, damaged or unclean items, outdated fast fashion and off-season pieces generally have a lower chance of being accepted or selling.

To give your clothing the best chance of being accepted, we recommend bringing it in freshly laundered. If it's been sitting in a wardrobe, spare room or garage for a while, clothes can sometimes develop a musty smell without you noticing. A fresh wash before drop-off never hurts, especially during the cooler, damper winter months.

Looking to Sell Your Clothes?

If you have quality vintage, designer or quality pre-loved clothing you'd like to consign, we'd love to take a look. Learn more about our consignment process or visit us in-store to get started.

See you soon!

Love,
Nifty