Shopping

Do you have a consignment store year round?
No, we do not have a consignment store location. We rent the location of each sale.

Is there an admission fee for the event?
No, the Public Sale is free to all shoppers!

What methods of payment will you accept?
Currently we accept cash and local checks only at the sale. A valid MA driver’s license will be required for all checks. The check writer’s name and address must be pre-printed on the check. We charge $25 for any returned checks and those checks are also subject to any applicable bank fees.

Are strollers permitted?
Currently, strollers are permitted but we strongly encourage you not to bring them. Our aisles can be narrow and packed with thousands of great bargains. Also, there are stairs to climb to get into the hall.

Am I permitted to bring a basket, bag or something else to fill while I shop?
You are welcome to bring a basket (laundry or other), bin or large tote to carry your item in during the sale but please no shopping bags. Bags and strollers will be checked at the door when exiting the sale.

What if I want to purchase a large item?
Items may be placed in our hold bay for up to one hour while you shop. If you wish to hold an item, take it to the hold bay where an attendant will mark the item with your name and the time. If an item is too large to move then find a volunteer to place a HOLD tag with your name and time on the item you wish to hold. Items not claimed within one hour will be return to the floor.

Is everything Half Price during the Half Price Sale?
No, our consignors choose whether or not they want an item to be sold at half price so some items may not be discounted. An items tag will indicate whether an items is inculed in the half price sale or not.

Can I hold items for the half price sale?
No, we close for the 15 minutes prior to the Half Price Sale to prepare our sales floor and empty our hold bay. It would not be fair to our consignors otherwise.

Consigning

How can I register to become a consignor?
You can register to become a consignor through the “Consignor Login/Registration” icon link on our HOME or CONSIGN page. You will also need to download and read the following documents located on our CONSIGN page.

• Consignor Letter
• Tagging Instructions
• Consignor Agreement
• What Can I Sell?

How much will I earn on my items?
You will earn 60% on all of your sold items (less a $5.00 registration fee). You may earn more by volunteering.
Consignors who volunteer for:
1 three hour shift receive 65% of sales & a volunteer presale pass
2 three hour shifts receive 70% of sales & a volunteer presale pass
3 three hour shifts receive 75% of sales & a volunteer presale pass

I was a consignor at one of your previous sales, do I need to re-register?
If you participate in a sale prior to February 2010 then you will need to register with our new system. Consignors who have participated in sales from February 2010 forward will not need to re-register.

I have consigned previously, do I have to re-tag items?
No you do not need to re-tag. The only time you need to re-tag is if you decide to edit information on the face of the tag - price, donate, discount, description or size.

Please note that as of February 2010 all must be entered and tags printed from this system. Tags from sales prior to February 2010 cannot be accepted.

If I consign items, do I have to stay during the sale?
No, you do not need to be present during the sale. Cashiers will handle all transactions and your check will be mailed to you 30 days from the date of the sale. You MUST come back on Saturday night to claim any unsold items, otherwise they will be donated.

What is the minimum or maximum number of items I can bring?
Currently, consignors can sell as many items as they wish. We do strongly encourage consignors to sell a minimum of 25 items.

What can I consign?
We limit our sales to seasonal items (Spring/Summer Items for the Spring Sales and Winter/Fall Items for the Fall Sales). Download and read “What can I sell?” for detailed information about what items we do and do not accept. Feel free to contact us if you have a question about a specific item.

Are there items that you will NOT accept from consignors?
Yes, we do not accept car seats or items that are not in excellent condition. Clothing must be free from stains, tears, pulls, fading and excessive wear. Any item that does meet our strict criteria will be sent home at check-in or pulled from the sale floor. The Children’s Clothesline reserves the right to dispose of any item marked for donation that is in poor condition. Please see “What can I sell?” for detailed information regarding items we do not accept.

May I consign maternity clothing?
Yes, but it must be in excellent condition. Keep in mind that maternity clothes are not always a big seller, because of this we ask that you limit your maternity items to 20-25 of your best items. Shoppers are very choosy when it comes to maternity. Our best sellers are high end brands (Mimi Maternity, Pea in a Pod, Gap, etc.) and specialty items (work wear, coats, jeans, dresses, skirts, etc.) and of course brand new items with tags.

Some of my clothes are brands other than those listed. Can I sell them too?
Yes! As long as the clothing is in great shape and is high quality, we’ll accept any brand.

Can I sell clothes that are not for the current season?
No. We accept Spring/Summer items for our Spring Sales and Winter/Fall items for our Fall Sales. Non seasonal items will either be rejected at check in or pulled from the sales floor.

Where can I find safety pins and hangers?
Safety pins and clothes hangers can be purchased at national discount chains as well as dollar stores. Safety pins should be at least 1 inch long. You can find baby hangers for approximately 88 cents per 12 hangers and sometimes cheaper. We have had a number of consignors that have also been successful with asking clothing stores and dry cleaners for hangers. We may also have extra hangers available at the end of each sale during consignor pick-up hours. Tags for baby equipment, nursery furniture and toys should be attached in a secure manner with cording, string, or nylon cable ties (cable ties can be purchased at any hardware store, Home Depot sells a package of 100 – 8” cable ties for around $2.95)

I’m not sure how to price my items?
Download and read “Tagging Instructions”, which can be found on our CONSIGN page for pricing guidelines.

Will I need an appointment to drop off things?
Yes, appointments are scheduled every 20 minuets (12:00pm; 12:20pm; 12:40pm; 1:00pm) during our designated drop off hours. You may sign up for an appointment(s) once you are logged into your consignor account.

PLEASE NOTE: We require consignors to schedule one appointment per 100 items. This is to insure that we are able to provide our consignors with a smooth drop off experience and to maintain our high standards for quality items. Not scheduling the appropriate amount of time for your items also inconveniences other consignors.

Do I have to pick up my items after the sale?
No, you can elect to donate your unsold items. Any items you do not want donated must be picked up during the designated Consignor Pick Up Hours. Any items not been picked up during the designated time will be donated. Sorry, there are NO EXCEPTIONS to this as we must be out of the facility and cannot store your items.

Where do donated items go?
Currently, all our donated items go to Cradles to Crayons in Quincy. However, The Children’s Clothesline reserves the right to allocate donated items to other charities. Any item marked for donation will go to a charity, the Children’s Clothesline will never keep or profit from any items marked for donation.

What if I find that an item is missing from my pick up pile?
The Children's Clothesline is not responsible for any items that may become lost or damaged during the course of the sale. We recieve and average of 12,000 items per sale. We do our best, however due to the nature and size of the sale it is not always possible for us to account for every item that comes through our doors. Items lose thier tags or mates, toys not secured properly lose pieces, or an item maybe inadvertently sorted under another consignors number. It is the consignors responsibility to check through their items at pick up to insure they have all their items as well as check our "Items missing tags" "Rejected Items" "List of Items Sold without Tags" before leaving Consignor Pick Up.

Can I get tax receipt for my donated items?
Yes, we can email you a report of your donated items after each sale.

Who is allowed to shop at the Consignor Pre-Sale?
Only registered consignors may attend the Consignor Pre-Sale however, consignors can donate $5 or five (5) food items and receive a Guest Pass to the Consignor Pre-Sale for a friend or family member! All donations go to support the Hanover Food Pantry.

Can I bring my husband/wife/relative/friend with me to the Consignor Pre-Sale?
You may earn a Guest Pass to the Consignor Pre-Sale by donating either $5.00 or five (5) cans/boxes of food. All donations go to support the Hanover Food Pantry.

Can I bring children to the Pre-Sales/Public Sales?
We LOVE kids, why else would we be having this sale! However, we would like to strongly encourage NOT brining children to any of the sales if possible. Our sales are VERY busy and crowded and not much fun for kids. However, if you have no alternatives for child care then of course your children are welcome. Please keep in mind that our aisles will be crowded and narrow making it hard to maneuver strollers. For their own safety, parents are asked to keep a very close eye on their children at all times and not let them wander off on their own. Please do not allow them to play with the toys that are for sale. If your child damages an item you will be required to pay for it, it wouldn’t be fair to our consignors otherwise.

Volunteering

Do I have to be a consignor in order to volunteer?
No. You do not have to be a consignor to volunteer at the sale.

What will I receive in exchange for volunteering my time?
All Volunteers who work at least one 3 hour shift will be admitted to shop the Volunteer Pre-Sale, this is the first chance to shop!
In addition consignors will earn an additional percentage of their sales and non consignor will earn a gift certificate to our sale. Please see our VOLUNTEER page for more details.

May I bring my children with me during my volunteer shift?
No, for their own safety, children are not allowed during volunteer shifts. It is a very busy time and can be a dangerous place for little ones. It is too difficult to watch out for little ones while we are preparing for the sale.

What if I need to cancel my volunteer shift?
If you must cancel you shift we ask that you call or email us to let us know at least 24 hours before your shift. In the event a volunteer does not notify us of a cancelled shift the volunteer will not be allowed to participate as a volunteer again or participate in any future preview sales. Please understand that these guidelines have been put in to place to maintain a high quality sale.

Still have questions? Please feel free to contact us!