Tell me about "Tot Swap"

[Anonymous]

I have a bunch of stuff I want to consign; I do big stuff through facebook but for clothes I'm thinking of doing Tot Swap. Any previous experiences/thoughts/advice?

[Anonymous]

I thought you might be offering to swap toddlers and was going to offer mine up. :p

[Anonymous]

For consigning its hit or miss. Be prepared for a chunk of stuff, especially specific brands to go "missing." Otherwise its good to unload kids stuff as you can charge a little more than Facebook pages (I'm amazed at what people pay for used crap) and you don't have to waste time with no shows. Its a lot of work to get it prepared but if it doesn't sell at that one, you just hang on to it and do it again at the next one. Strollers, bikes, car seats are better off through Facebook or Craigs List.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought you might be offering to swap toddlers and was going to offer mine up. :p

Ditto!

[Anonymous]

I did it once and would do it again, but only if I had a lot of stuff to sell and a lot of time (I happened to have a good sleeper and my mom visiting to help when I did it).

You pay a seller's fee up-front (I think it was $12), and I'm pretty sure you get like 65% of proceeds. You also get 2 free passes to the pre-sale, which is held a day or two before the sale opens to the general public. I have consigned stuff at consignment stores, and it was definitely more work to do TotSwap, because you have to tag everything through their online system (the system is easy to use, but each item requires you to enter a lot of information -- item description, category, size, price, etc.), print the tags on cardstock, attach the tags to your items, put all your clothes on your own hangers, drop off your items at designated days/times (typically there are open hours on 2 different days before the sale), physically cart in and place your items in the right categories around the huge convention space (they are very specific where everything goes, e.g., feeding supplies, blankets, bedding, dinosaurs, trains, girls' clothes 0-3 mos, etc.) and then pick up any items that didn't sell and that you want back. You can also choose to donate everything if it doesn't sell.

So, yes, do it if you:

1. Have a lot of time/patience
2. Have a lot to sell
3. Can drop off/pick up all of your stuff at the designated times and don't mind spending the time wandering around the space to find where all your stuff needs to go

I would also recommend doing one of the all-season sales instead of a season-specific sale. I also wouldn't consign anything really nice. I brought an expensive diaper bag, and it somehow got "lost" at the sale, which of course wasn't considered their fault

[Anonymous]

I have never sold anything but as a buyer I don't like the one in Gaithersburg. They had a lot of walmart and Target brand stuff. And some of the items were clearly stained....dont sell stained stuff, no one wants it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never sold anything but as a buyer I don't like the one in Gaithersburg. They had a lot of walmart and Target brand stuff. And some of the items were clearly stained....dont sell stained stuff, no one wants it.

The problem is your idea of worn out and someone else are different. Things I consider worn out, sold quickly, other new stuff, priced very decently for the brand didn't sell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For consigning its hit or miss. Be prepared for a chunk of stuff, especially specific brands to go "missing." Otherwise its good to unload kids stuff as you can charge a little more than Facebook pages (I'm amazed at what people pay for used crap) and you don't have to waste time with no shows. Its a lot of work to get it prepared but if it doesn't sell at that one, you just hang on to it and do it again at the next one. Strollers, bikes, car seats are better off through Facebook or Craigs List.

I had things go missing too. I still shop there, but I consign at stores instead. I've had good luck with Kid to Kid in Rockville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought you might be offering to swap toddlers and was going to offer mine up. :p

Ditto!

+1. Just clicked to see if this was some new reality show or a new tangled suburban mom trend. Sorely disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Newfangled not tangled.

[Anonymous]

I had several items of clothing go missing as a seller (Gaithersburg) -- I think there is quite a bit of theft by people hiding things in their strollers.

I found equipment (baby carriers, breastfeeding pillows, diaper bags) and large toys sold much better than clothes. Clothes take a ton of time to prep, I wouldn't bother. Selling clothing in lots on Facebook yard sale groups is much more efficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had several items of clothing go missing as a seller (Gaithersburg) -- I think there is quite a bit of theft by people hiding things in their strollers.

I found equipment (baby carriers, breastfeeding pillows, diaper bags) and large toys sold much better than clothes. Clothes take a ton of time to prep, I wouldn't bother. Selling clothing in lots on Facebook yard sale groups is much more efficient.

Facebook is more efficient but you get significantly less money. A tot swap shirt that would sell for $2.00 would get .25-.50 at best. Facebook folks in less they are asking for something often want it for free or close to free saying its a yard sale. I've had a few people constantly ask me for like new stuff for free that was very expensive to purchase.

[Anonymous]

Facebook is more efficient but you get significantly less money. A tot swap shirt that would sell for $2.00 would get .25-.50 at best. Facebook folks in less they are asking for something often want it for free or close to free saying its a yard sale. I've had a few people constantly ask me for like new stuff for free that was very expensive to purchase.

That's not my experience.

TotSwap -- Item sells for $2, Tot Swap takes their 35%, so I end up with $1.30. I also have to subtract the value of my time spent tagging and hanging as well as my time and gas to deliver to TotSwap.
Facebook -- Item sells for $1. (I price my lots at a $1 per item and I state up front that I don't negotiate). I don't have to tag anything, just take a picture. I don't have to hang anything, just toss it in a bag. I don't have to drive anywhere, just wait for buyer to come to me. I come out way ahead with FB. I WOTH full time; if you are a SAHM with more time on your hands then TotSwap might be worth it to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Facebook is more efficient but you get significantly less money. A tot swap shirt that would sell for $2.00 would get .25-.50 at best. Facebook folks in less they are asking for something often want it for free or close to free saying its a yard sale. I've had a few people constantly ask me for like new stuff for free that was very expensive to purchase.

That's not my experience.

TotSwap -- Item sells for $2, Tot Swap takes their 35%, so I end up with $1.30. I also have to subtract the value of my time spent tagging and hanging as well as my time and gas to deliver to TotSwap.
Facebook -- Item sells for $1. (I price my lots at a $1 per item and I state up front that I don't negotiate). I don't have to tag anything, just take a picture. I don't have to hang anything, just toss it in a bag. I don't have to drive anywhere, just wait for buyer to come to me. I come out way ahead with FB. I WOTH full time; if you are a SAHM with more time on your hands then TotSwap might be worth it to you.

NP. I've Totswap a couple of times and made out pretty good. However, it is very time consuming. I don't use Facebook often, can someone explain how you sell clothes on facebook? (Like step by step)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Facebook is more efficient but you get significantly less money. A tot swap shirt that would sell for $2.00 would get .25-.50 at best. Facebook folks in less they are asking for something often want it for free or close to free saying its a yard sale. I've had a few people constantly ask me for like new stuff for free that was very expensive to purchase.

That's not my experience.

TotSwap -- Item sells for $2, Tot Swap takes their 35%, so I end up with $1.30. I also have to subtract the value of my time spent tagging and hanging as well as my time and gas to deliver to TotSwap.
Facebook -- Item sells for $1. (I price my lots at a $1 per item and I state up front that I don't negotiate). I don't have to tag anything, just take a picture. I don't have to hang anything, just toss it in a bag. I don't have to drive anywhere, just wait for buyer to come to me. I come out way ahead with FB. I WOTH full time; if you are a SAHM with more time on your hands then TotSwap might be worth it to you.

I gave up with the Facebook after several no shows or those who get there and offer you next to nothing and its hard to get them to leave. I've done pretty well even with their % and have learned not to sell any expensive things like barely used shoes or good jackets. Once you get hang of it, its not that big of a deal but the first few times its very time consuming.