So Over It’s Top Tips

We are asked everyday about consignment, tricks on how to clean a specific garment or piece of jewellery, how to spot a fake bag, and so much more. So we thought we should answer a couple of the top questions in one place for you to revisit whenever you need to. 

Cleaning Clothing and Shoes

One of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to consignment is, “Do I need to dry clean this first?” This answer is YES. After we receive your piece, it gets rated by condition, photographed and priced. Pricing always depends on the quality and condition of your item, so the more pristine it is, the higher it will be priced. 

Don’t have time to dry clean? We can do it for you, but the fee is taken off of your commission and there will be a delay in getting your item on the floor, so we always suggest to make sure you are bringing in your items ready to go.

This suggestion applies for shoes too. We often receive shoes that have been taken care of, but no matter what, 90% of shoes still need a wipe down. We have discovered some amazing products through trial and error and suggest the following for an efficient shoe tidy:

Tana Cleaning Lotion works perfectly for leather, but we also recommend putting a light layer of this lotion on any new leather shoes to prevent drying and cracking. 

Lincoln EZ Cleaner is amazing for leather, suede and nubuck. It works to remove dirt, smudges and water spots. 

Woly Suede Velour Gum is another very efficient option for suede and nubuck. It works quickly to remove stubborn water marks and stains. 

Reshoevn8r is a great sneaker cleaning system. One kit is all you need for up to 50 shoe cleans.

Jewellery 

Whether you are wanting to spruce up that Tiffany bracelet that has been sitting in your jewelry box for ten years, or you need to clean up a silver ring before bringing in for consignment, we have the perfect recommendations for you!

Fabulustre Jewelry Polishing Cloths are easy to use and get rid of tarnish like no other. These wipes work for silver, gold and many other metals. We suggest keeping a box of these nearby and giving your jewelry a wipe every couple weeks to keep it looking like new.

Weiman Silver Wipes are our go to. We see a ton of silver jewelry come through the So Over It Studio and we always use these wipes to clean our silver while on display.

Don’t have these products and need to clean your jewelry fast? Try one of these at home DIY techniques: 

1. Soak with baking soda.
2. Put in a dish with your normal dish soap and hot water and then give it a wipe with a soft cloth. 
3. Use an antibacterial cleaner. 

Spotting a Fake

Maybe you were gifted a vintage bag from an aunt or you bought a bag off of Facebook Marketplace and aren’t 100% confident it is authentic. You wouldn’t be the first to question this! We have clients coming in all the time looking to authenticate their pieces and we have some DIY tricks for you to try before taking the leap to professional authentication.

1. Is the material real leather or plastic made to look like leather? Does the leather actually smell like leather? You would be surprised how often we are caught sniffing purses, but this is a really good trick. If your purse doesn’t have that distinctive new leather smell and smells more like plastic, you can guarantee it is a knock off.  
2. If the hardware should be plated in gold, is it?
3. If the item is supposed to be hand-stitched, is it machine stitched instead? Look for uniform-sized stitches to tell the difference. Hand-stitches will not be the same size and will not be in a perfectly straight line, but they will last for ages.
4. Is the zipper smooth when you pull it across the bag or does it snag and stop? Real luxury bags will have high-quality zippers that have smooth zips.
5. Some brands will have special labels with the bag’s serial number or some identifying factor to show that that bag is authentic. This varies from brand to brand and is often highly confidential information. Look for an indication as to where it was made (most luxury purses are either made in France or Italy) or notice the fabric of tags, if it came with a plastic hang-tag, it’s likely fake.

It can be intimidating bringing a piece in for consignment that you are wary about, but we have seen it all before and are very understanding especially when it comes to vintage pieces, so don’t worry we can work with you to authenticate your piece if you’re unsure.

Dust Bags, Authentication Cards & Packaging 

We cannot stress this tip enough! When purchasing bags, accessories or shoes keep your dust bags and original packaging. We know it may not be realistic to keep all shoe boxes, but the more original packaging, the higher your re-sell value will be. High-end designers such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada will always have an authentication card, if we can provide these card to new customers the value of your consignment will also  increase. 

Dust bags have become very much expected with re-sell items, so keep them safe, clean and accessible for when you are ready to consign. 

Overall Consignment Tips

Be mindful of the current season. Most consignment stores will not accept a winter coat in summer and if they do, it most likely won’t sell quickly, so try to purge your closet each season.

Check pockets and make sure nothing is remaining in your purse or jacket. We have found some pretty crazy and interesting things going through pockets; love notes and all!

Keep up on trends. We know that different eras come back strong, so that Gucci bag that you haven’t thought about in 20 years could be a major must right now. If you are ever unsure on the value of a vintage or older piece just ask us. 

Trust the seller’s decision on what will and won’t sell. When accepting consignment items, we never want to say no, but we know our customers very well and have a great understanding of what sells and what doesn’t in our store. Trust us, we don’t want your item to sit in the studio forever any more than you do and we’ll always have recommendations of other consignment stores that may work better for your piece.

Consider your payment options — cash or in-store credit. We offer So Over It Dollars so you can use those credits to purchase something after your items sells. Every time you buy or consign you also collect So Over It Dollars and they are added to your customer profile, so it’s worth it to rack ‘em up!

Remember your consignment end date. We do our best to sell your item, but sometimes, it’s just not what the people want. So be sure to calendar the end date of your consignment period in case your item doesn’t sell. We’re a small space with not a lot of storage, so if you pick up your item right away, we’ll love you even more than we already do. 

Remember, your consignment process should be easy and enjoyable and using some of these steps will help to get you the best bang for your buck!