I took hundreds of clothing items to be consigned - enough to fill the back of an F150 - to this shop in July. I also took 5 car seats and a baby bouncy seat. The girl at the counter said they would run all items at full price for 30 days, then half price for 30 days, and then outside on the dollar rack for 30 days. She continued to explain that if, at the end of the 90 days, there were items remaining, someone would call me and give me the option of coming to get the items or having them donated. I told her I certainly would want to come get them.
I asked her if we should go through and catalog all the items so I knew what I had brought, and she replied nonchalantly, ""Nah, we just assign you a number, and every one of your items' tags will carry your number, so when that item sells, we know whose account to credit."" I had a Rubbermaid container of women's clothing, mostly pant suits and light sweaters; a Rubbermaid container of women's shoes; a double-sized Rubbermaid container full of children's and infant shoes; a Rubbermaid container of girls' baby clothes; and 4 Huggies jumbo diaper boxes and a huge (over 4 feet long - 2 people had to carry it) diapers(dot)com box full of clothing from my 2 kids.
I called at the 30 day mark, and I was told my balance was $6 and change but that there were several receipts which hadn't been entered yet. I called back a few days later, and it was up to $24. I called at the end of 60 days, and I was told the balance was around $50. After 90 days came and went, I called and asked when I should come get me leftover items. The lady (Melanie) told me she never kept anything past 60 days. I told her what the clerk had told me, and she replied, ""Well, I don't know who told you that, but I am the owner, and I have over 650 consignors. I don't have time to call every one. You can come in and see if there is anything left.""
I went into the shop and found a few items, many of which did not have my assigned number on the tag. I collected all my items (all of which fit into a trash bag easily except a baby bouncy seat). None of my women's clothing was left except 1 shirt. None of my shoes were left. Three pairs of my daughter's shoes were left, and one pair of my son's shoes were left. All the car seats were gone.
I went to the counter and asked if any more of my items were in the back. Melanie replied that I had brought them in over the summer, and in short, ""no"". She said she had donated everything else. (I wondered why there were still items on the floor at all if she had ""donated everything"".) I asked that instead she provide me with the tax receipts for the donated items. She said she didn't have any. I asked for a copy of the contract. She said she didn't have a copy machine. I pointed out that many of the items I found did not have my number on the tag; how was she to know to whom to credit the money? She said those items without numbers were returns. My sister pointed out there was one rack which was almost entirely without numbers on the tags. She said those were ""her"" items. She wrote me a check for $74 for all my children's clothing, and she had no defense or excuse for that. She had no problem with it at all. I had been offered $300 for the truckload by another consignor the same day I had brought everything to her, and I had turned it down. Most of the clothing was Carters, OshKosk, Gymboree, and Gap.
In short, I would NEVER EVER give Melanie ANYTHING else to consign. I would not trust this woman with any item I own. She is unethical and a thief. Please don't make the same mistake I did.
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