I have good news and bad news on the consignment front at the moment and I think it shows some of the pluses and minuses. The craft fair where we left our work, tagged and itemized … and where they said we might not have sold anything, has another problem.

When I came home and looked at all the items and compared them to the list, 5 items were missing … amounting to over $35. I called them back and they are looking into it … but they weren’t very friendly about it. Last year I just trusted what they said sold. Over the year, several times, I went to the merchandise and cards that were supposedly returned, but they weren’t there … so that means I lost some last year too … which I can do nothing about. That is partly why I knew enough to count things myself this year.

Obviously, if they don’t rectify this situation, we will not let them sell our work at their fair and we won’t be making the donations (5 in the last several months) of our prints for their raffles. They, apparently, were counting on selling our work because it was a big draw last year. But between 2 donations for their raffle, all the time it took, apparently no sales, and over $35 worth of lost merchandise … it just ain’t worth it!!

The good news is … when I went into the store where our things are on consignment with the display cards I made for our prints and cards, I was determined to be professional and agree on a percentage or set fee that would go to the owner. I didn’t want unclarity later and any disagreement. I wanted to write it down for clarity.

She had already decided. She is refusing to take any percentage at all!! She feels that we are giving her such a gift of allowing her to beautify her store with our merchandise and to have such beauty to offer her customers … she just doesn’t feel right taking any %. Pretty amazing and wonderful for us!!! Such an affirmation!

If you are interested in these or other mugs, journals, tiles and totes, check out my CafePress Shop please!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: consignment, craft fair