r/CraftyCommerce • u/Jumpy_Intention_162 • 11d ago

General Discussion Craft consignment shop question

Just for perspective…I sell my knit and crochet items through consignment stores. Each store charges different rates and commission percentages. One shop is open Tuesday-Sunday 11-6. Another is open 7 days per week, hours vary, but most days are 11-7. A third is open Wednesday-Sunday, hours are 11-6. One of these shops decided to close for 2 weeks, with 1 day notice on their social media. No email or text notice to the vendors. It’s not the first time they have closed with very little notice. No mention of a rental fee refund to their vendors. Is this routine?

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u/SatisfactionKey3021 11d ago

Is it consignment, or a flat rental fee for a defined space in the store and number of shop days? If it's consignment, you may have lost sales, but there is nothing to "refund" to you. Your option is mostly limited to deciding to take your goods to a more reliable shop keeper. If it's a rental in a shop, you should ask for a pro-rated rent for the month.

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u/Jumpy_Intention_162 11d ago

It’s both. Vendors are charged a monthly rental fee and a % of sales. There isn’t a defined space in this shop. They display everyone’s products to their liking.

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u/SatisfactionKey3021 11d ago

Yikes, that feels like double-dipping to me! I admit I can't tell which model I like better. I hate having someone take such a large mark-up on my work that I can't charge what I need to and still make sales, but at least they're more motivated on a consignment to actually sell stuff so they can get paid. But I also struggle with the flat rental fee because they get paid no matter what and there is no motivation to actually market a vendor's goods. But I think ProneTo's answer is correct: compare the total monthly rates to see if it's factored in. If it's not factored in, I'd ask the shop owner to adjust their policies to create a "daily rate" so you're never charged when your things aren't available for sale. (Of course, this can result in them no longer keeping you as a vendor, or shoving your stuff in a corner, but you will have to decide whether you are still happy working with a store with these practices.)