As promised in my first Rhea Lana’s post, I’m back to share some of my past shopping experiences, offer a few helpful shopping tips plus a fun giveaway!
Oh my, where to begin! Each Spring and Fall as the sale dates are announced, I start planning for my shopping trip. With Abby in odd sizes I know I need to start by trying a few things on her. This helps give me a good idea of what she’s currently in, what is getting small and what she will probably be in throughout the season. I try on shirts, pants, shoes, pretty much anything to get an idea of her sizes. I also take note of her closet, what all she already has and how long it will last plus anything I might have bought in advance if I found a great deal at a previous sale.
For each sale in the past I have always tried to go during the Pre-Sale Event. Shopping the Pre-Sale is my favorite because I get to go in before the event opens to the public, I have a better chance of finding big items (those big items are most popular and go fast!) and I have first selection of the clothing/toys/etc. Rhea Lana’s gives you so many different ways to earn an opportunity to shop the Pre-Sale:
- Volunteer! Rhea Lana’s wonderful volunteer’s truly help make make the sale a pleasant shopping and consigning experience. Volunteering helps earn you a Worker’s Pass and those with Worker Passes are the very first to get to shop on Pre-Sale Day! Visit Rhea Lana’s Website for more information about volunteering and how you can earn a Worker’s or Early Worker’s Pass.
- Consign! Enter your own items into the sale, make money while you shop and get the opportunity to shop early! There really isn’t anything better! Consignor’s are in line behind the Worker’s to shop early during the Pre-Sale event.
- Moms-to-Be! That’s right, Rhea Lana’s loves all the wonderful moms-to-be that visit the sale and offer them a chance to beat the rush of the public crowd by shopping early. Simply visit the website, select your sale event, go under the “shop” tab and print your moms-to-be pass.
- Guest Pass! This is for those that receive a guest pass from a friend that is consigning (you must have the pass to shop) as well as for the Military Moms (must show ID)! Plus I’ll give you a quick hint here…. become a friend of Rhea Lana’s on Facebook and keep your eye on their wall. Not only do they post helpful shopping tips, updates, sneak peeks of the sales but they also post a special Facebook Friend Pass that you can print and use to shop during the guest pass time frame during the Pre-Sale!
- Find a space with good lighting and go through the clothes you have picked up. There are normally tables but sometimes not enough.
- Inspect the clothes for possible stains, holes, rips, etc. Yes it is against the rules to put items like that in the sale and the volunteers are wonderful at keeping an eye out for possible stained/torn clothing when it comes in but they are not perfect. And yes, people will put items in the sale that are severely stained. I’ve seen it every single year. People often look at me like I’m crazy cause I’m standing there so very carefully looking over the clothes but I’m not going to waste money on something with stains or that has holes or that is severely worn out. Many times I’ve had to put back a super cute outfit I really wanted to get because it was covered in stains. Check the clothes over!
- Check sizes!! This is very important when it comes to outfits. I know it seems like a 2T top would be with a 2T bottom but it’s not always true. I have often picked up tops in the right size only to discover that the bottoms are either way too small or too big. Always double check the sizes.
- Make outfits! This is wonderful and really saves big money. Finding items that will mix and match help you get more for your money. Remember that the consignor’s have possibly already made some outfits (not all outfits may be matching brands but that’s okay as long as matching sizes) so making additional outfits really helps.
- Double check the tags. If it says it’s a 2T Gymboree Seahorse Tee make sure it really is 🙂 no one is perfect and sometimes a simple mistake can happen.
- Make sure your item does have a tag! No tag means no sale 🙁
- After going through your pile, take eliminated items to a return rack and then go browse the racks one more time. You might have overlooked something or someone else might have put something back.
- Have a budget, go through your pile adding up prices to see what your total will be…if more than what you really wanted take the time to really consider everything. Do you really need all those tees? all those jeans? Work on the pile until it fits in your budget and you have your favorite items.
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Thank you. Great advice.
Josie Ging-Glass