Important Information for tagging and pricing.....

At TOT TRADE you have choices! Do what is easiest and best for you!
You have the choice to....

1.  Hand write your tags

2.  Use our tagging template. It's easy and fun too! (keep in mind all tagging requirements below apply when using our tagging template so please review the instructions provided below.)

3.  Use our online bar-coded tagging system (please review the merchandise preparation instructions below)
                                                  
If you choose to handwrite your own tags, follow the directions below.

Your tag should look exactly like the illustration. It's just that easy. Follow illustration to avoid any confusion. Any guidelines not followed will have to be re-done by you before inspection can be completed. By following all of these instructions you will limit the time spent by you and the other consignors in line.

Safety Pin: Only a one inch or larger safety pin is accepted. Tiny pins do not stay closed. Attach pin vertically, up and down, in the center of the card. We will have you put the correct sized pin on your items and will also have you re-pin them if they are not pinned correctly.

Consignor Number: example :  #103

Brand Name: example : GAP

Description: example : Red/Blue Striped long sleeve shirt. Proper description of your items will aid us in finding the item on the rack should a tag come off. If you just put (Gap Shirt, that could describe lots of shirts)

Size: Size 4T (estimate the size, do not use S, M, L. Lettered sizes are only accepted with maternity clothes )

Masking Tape: Label a small piece of masking tape to the inside label of your clothing items with your consignor number. Label all other items on a flat surface. This will help us identify who the item belongs to should the tag be lost. Label EVERY item. example: If you have several books you are selling, label each book in case they become separated.

Donating: Donating is optional. "D" in left hand corner means you will donate it if it doesn't sell

Price: example : $5.00 Discounting is optional: Put "ND" under the price if you do not want the item discounted. It will stay on the floor to be sold but will be sold at full price. If you want it discounted, don't put anything under the price.

Card: No handmade or "regular" paper cards will be accepted. They are easily lost or torn. All handwritten cards must be on 3x5 index cards, nothing smaller, nothing larger. Any color will be accepted.

Clothes: Only Fall/Winter clothing items will be accepted for this sale. Please inspect your items carefully. Clothes that are outdated, soiled, stained, faded or with holes will not be accepted. Please no clothes that are older than 5 years, they simply will not sell. Our mommies are fashion gurus and want only the best! TOT TRADE reserves the right to deny any unacceptable items. We accept Girls sizes preemie thru girls 18. Boys sizes preemie thru size 20. There is a limit on preemie sizes through 2T. Limit 15 items per size, per gender. These sizes are very abundant.

Sizes:  Preemie, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6 months, 6-9 month, 9 months, 12 month, 12-18 months, 18 months, 18-24months, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 6T, 7, 8, 9, 10.12, 14, 16, 18. Boys is the same but up to size 20 

Mommy's Mart: WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING MOMMY'S MART THIS SEASON. ALL FURNITURE, DECORATIVE ITEMS MUST BE KID/CHILD SPECIFIC

PRESENTATION: Button all buttons, zip all zippers, snap all snaps, sew loose hems or seams. Items that are cleaned, ironed, and starched with all pieces attached, sell much better! Present them at their best! Be picky! Would you buy it? 

PRICING: YOU SET THE PRICE! Price to sell keeping in mind the quality, name brand and condition of your items. TOT TRADE suggests starting at 1/3 of the original price. Price your items in $1.00 increments. No .50, .99 please. We suggest 1/2 price for your larger outside playground equipment. Please no mark through on your card. If you make a mistake, use a new card, or whiteout. If you use the online tagging system, remember the information is held in the barcode. Do not mark through those cards. This is for your protection. All cards must be legible. TOT TRADE reserves the right to price any item that doesn't have a price.

The most helpful advice we can suggest to you for pricing is...

• "Shoppers aren't going to pay for your memories." Don't overprice your items because of sentimental attachment. 

• If you are unsure of how to price your larger items i.e.. furniture, outdoor play equipment, prepare your card, leave the price blank until drop off and one of our trained staff will help you determine a "winning" price for your item. We observe that many times, consignors will "short change" themselves on outdoor play equipment. Let us help!

• We highly recommend you let your items discount. If priced "fairly" it's going to sell at full price anyway. The purpose of the sale is to move items out of the house, and for you to make money. Don't "out price" yourself and lose sales. Do you really want to load it back up and take it home?

• Some of you aren't going to believe this, but we see this ALOT. If you are going to donate your unsold items, PLEASE let it discount. We see this scenario alot! Give it every chance to sell before it is donated.   

$3.00 Rule: If your single hanging clothing item can't bring $3.00 on it's own, please pair it with something that will bring it to this amount. You may do groupings of "like items" (ex. shirts).  

Tags from other sales: If you participate in any other sales, your cards must be redone. All sales do not follow the same procedures and can cause some confusion in the processing of cards. Your tags must represent the Tot Trade tagging guidelines.

Tagging Supplies: Get your tagging supplies and hangers from Dollar General Stores, Dollar Tree, Wal-Mart, Target. Start shopping early, stores run out of stock fast! Also, many dry cleaners will give you hangers if you ask. Tot Trade prefers wire hangers but plastic accepted.

Information on Preparing Individual Items for the sale

SHOES must be tied in pairs by shoelaces, not boxed. Laces and shoes must be in excellent condition. Attach tag with a LARGE safety pin through shoelace eyes. The appearance of our shoe area is important to us. Shoes will simply not sell unless they are in impeccable condition. We are specifically looking for Fall/Winter dress and casual shoes for this seasons sale. Limit of 4 pair. NO TENNIS SHOES or bedroom slippers (EXCEPT BRAND NEW,) they SIMPLY DO NOT SELL. Group these items together for drop off. No sleep shoes will be accepted. Bring only your best.

LOOSE ITEMS must be in clear Ziploc type bags with the tag attached to the OUTSIDE of the bag with a safety pin. Be sure to identify each item on your index card in case the ziploc bag gets opened so we can identify the items that belong together. Please group these items together for drop off.

TOYS, NURSERY/KID FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT must be in working order (batteries included) and clean.  Small parts should be bagged and taped to the main part very securely.  Use HEAVY tape.  A packers tape is the best, most others will not hold. Batteries must be included with all battery operated items. (Pick these up at the Dollar Tree) Please group all "like" items together. No stuffed animals will be accepted unless they walk and talk. No exceptions. They will be pulled from the sales floor and donated. Build-A-Bear and Webkinz are accepted. 

CLOTHES must be hung on plastic or wire hangers with the hook pointing to the left and the tag on the right shoulder if you are facing it. (Make a question mark with the hanger.) Feel free to use the wire hangers, any size, on the smaller clothing sizes as well. Wire hangers take up less room on the racks. We actually prefer them. Please group all clothing items by size and gender for easier inspection and placement at drop off.

PAJAMAS - We have determined that pajamas, all sizes, do sell better on hangers. Do not bag any pajama's, any size, this season. Not to worry, pajamas will not be figured into your count for those clothing sizes that we have a limit on.

CLOTHING SETS Pin sets securely with pants hung on the backside of the shirt and pinned at the waist on the hanger. (both pieces can be viewed without unpinning the garment)

PANTS ONLY Pants should be hung at the waist at the top of the hanger. This prevents them from sliding on the hanger.

MATERNITY CLOTHES Only up-to- date, seasonal maternity will be accepted. Limit 10 outfits per consignor. Again, sets sell better. Bring us only your best. Only up-to-date, fashionable maternity will sell. If the quality isn't there, don't bring it.

MOMMY'S MART It's time to say good-bye. Because of space issues, we will not be accepting any Mommy Mart items. Any furniture of decorative items must be kid specific

Spending a little "extra" time getting your items ready will mean more $$$'s for you. Button all buttons, zip all zippers, snap all snaps, sew loose hems or seams. Items that are cleaned, ironed, and  starched, with all pieces attached, sell much better! Present them at their best! 

 

Information on Specific REQUIREMENTS

REQUIRED: You must sign-up online with our registration system to participate. If you do not have computer access you may call us and we will do your registration over the phone for you. Contact Laurie, 732-0189. All consignors must register with the system to receive a new consignor number or confirm your consignor number prior to drop-off. We will have strict limits on how many consignors we can take for each sale so don't run the chance of being turned away for not confirming that you are signed in with us. We need to know that you are coming and also to verify your address and consignor information for you.

REQUIRED: As an extra way to secure the return of your unsold items should a tag be lost, Tot Trade is requiring that you write your consignor number only on a strip of masking tape and tape it on everything you bring to the sale. On your clothing items place the tape on the inside of your clothing garment (at the collar where the size tag is). If you have a matching set, please put the tape on both pieces. You can tape the bottom of shoes and on any flat surface of your other items. This is a requirement. Please make sure you do this with all your items. With our increase in consignors it is inevitable that sometimes tags will come off, Tot Trade just wants to always return items to consignors when tags are lost. This just gives us another way to identify your items. This system works great and greatly reduces the number of items with missing tags and keeps the LOST TAG section to a minimum.  

REQUIRED: Please, please. Inspect your cards to ensure:  (1) If you hand-write your tags, please be sure you follow the guidelines and the example EXACTLY. (2) Please be sure that you place the safety pin in the right direction. The proper way is "up-and-down" on the card, not across the card. As painful as it is for us, and will be for you, we will have you re-do your tags on-site if they aren't done correctly. We have you follow these guidelines for a reason and it is so we can ensure that you are given proper credit for your items. Place "ND" and "D" is crucial, we need to understand clearly if you want it discounted, not discounted or donated, etc. This is the responsibility of the consignor, not Tot Trade.

REQUIRED: There is a limit to the number of items you can bring in the preemie through 2T sizes. We get an over abundance of these sizes. 15 hanging clothing items per gender, per size. You may put several items on one hanger, this will count as one item. Inspect your items carefully before bringing them in for soiled spots, missing buttons, broken zippers etc.

REQUIRED: It you bring items such as baby blankets, please do not bring blankets that were given to you from the hospital. This also applies to diaper bags that are given to you from formula vendors. We will not accept them. 

REQUIRED: All clothing items on hangers must be sorted and rubber-banded by size and gender. All "like" items (i.e. toys, shoes, nursery etc.) must be grouped together for proper inspection by our Team Leaders.  

Let's say it one more time: For handwritten tags, please double check all tags for accuracy. Ensure your consignor number is on each card. Make sure you didn't transpose your numbers (we see this alot). Please make sure "D" for donate is in the right place. Please make sure "ND" for no discount is in the right place. Make sure you have a consignor number on EVERY CARD. These are your items and ultimately your money; please follow tagging guidelines to the tee!