Children's Market
A Children's, Teen, & Maternity Consignment Event



Sponsored by the Children's Ministry of JFUMC
Jacksonville First United Methodist Church
Located at 109 Gayle Ave, SW,
Jacksonville, Alabama
(Behind McDonald's)

The mission of Children's Market is to help families by providing a source to purchase much needed clothing and other items for their children at bargain prices and an outlet for parents to sell items and clothing no longer needed.   It is our desire that Children's Market be, first and foremost, a ministry to the community of Jacksonville and the surrounding area.   Our secondary purpose is to serve as a fundraising project for our children's ministry, with additional funds supporting mission and community projects anywhere from down the street to around the world.  The sale is run entirely by volunteers who receive no compensation for their time. 

In addition to the Children's Ministry, proceeds from the sale support our Youth Mission Teams, SIFAT, the Methodist Children's Home, JCOC, and Boy Scouts of America.  We used $1000 of the money raised from our spring sale to purchase supplies for the new SIFAT daycare in Ecuador and $500 for JCOC's school supply fund.


If your family is not attending a local church or you are looking for a new church home, we would like to invite you to visit one of our Sunday services at 8:30 am or 10:50 am.  Please feel free to seek information regarding Jacksonville First United Methodist Church from any of our church volunteers who are helping at the sale. 

Children's Market Quick Links

 
If you are participating in our Sale:

New Consignor Registration
Consignor Account Homepage (Use this link to create and/or print your tags, track sales, etc.  Look for work with consigned items to enter your items in the system.)
Join our Mailing List.
New and Expecting Parents Pre-Sale Registration
View Available Work Shifts

To find our more details about the next Children's Market:
Fall 2008 Information Packet

Check out pictures from our Spring Sale!

Read Our Favorite Stain Removal Tips.


Helpful Hints for Shopping at Children's Market

•               Coming from out of town?  Why not make a day of it?  Walk around the square and explore our unique shops, like My Two Girls and Crow Drugs. Try Jefferson's, Cecil's, the Vault, Java Jolt, or one of our other great nearby restaurants for lunch or dinner.  Take the kids to Germania Springs to play.  (Just drive north toward Piedmont and you'll see it on your left.)   

•               Shop early by selling your children's outgrown items or working a volunteer shift - our sellers and volunteer workers shop before we open to the public.

•               Arrive early for the best selections. 

•               Smile!  Remember to be courteous to those around you.

•               Make a list to help you remember what you want to buy and the sizes you may need. 

•               Children are welcome at the sale.  Let your preschoolers and older children visit our Children's Corner while you shop.   There are activities for all ages.

•               Bring a clothesbasket (with a belt or rope tied to it to pull it with) or a large shopping bag to place things in while you shop.  It is so much easier to look through the racks when you are not holding an armful of clothing. 

•               Check clothing racks that are the size below as well as the size above your child's normal size.  Some clothing runs small while others may run very large. 

•               If purchasing a large item, please see a volunteer and they will be happy to place your name on the item and they will give you the pick-up card for purchasing the item.    (Please make sure you wish to purchase the item before the tag is pulled.  In the past we have had shoppers pull a tag and then after holding the tag for an hour or so decide not to purchase the item, this is not fair to others who might be interested in purchasing the item).

•               Please inspect each item you are purchasing carefully.  We do our very best to screen items but we are only human.  Remember All Sales Are Final.

•               Be sure to bring cash or your debit/credit card.  We are no longer accepting checks.

       Plan to make more than one trip to the sale.  You don't want to miss the half-price and $1 Sales on Saturday!!


Check out these great benefits for consignors!
  • We offer an easy-to-use online tagging system.
  • Find quality items at affordable prices.
  • Consignors keep 75% - 90% of the proceeds for everything you sell.
  • Our final inventory report helps you track what you sold, picked up, and/or donated to charity (great for next year's taxes!).
  • Cardstock for tags is provided for you.  A printing service is also available. 
  • Monitor your sales on the web during the sale.
  • Checks are ready in less than a week.
  • Shop early as a Consignor.
  • Shop first as a Volunteer.

The majority of proceeds from our sale will benefit the Children's Ministry of Jacksonville First United Methodist Church.  Additional proceeds will benefit mission projects and the Youth Ministry of our church.

Consignor Information

To learn all of the details about our sale, please read our information packet.  Our consignors earn 75% of their sales, with the remaining amount serving as a donation  to our church's children's and youth ministries.  Volunteers can bring home an additional 5% - 15%  of their sales by working at the sale and bartering.

Before you start tagging, please check for recalled items.  An official list of all recalled items can be found at www.recalls.gov.   A great place to check for toy recalls is Toys R Us. 

Jacksonville FUMC has collaborated with My Sale Manager to improve our data entry, accounting, and check out system.  We're the first sale in our area to use barcodes.  This system is new to most shoppers and consignors, but we love it and we think you will, too!  Consignors can easily enter your information for your tags online at home, which will save you a lot of time. (No software is required other than internet access.)  The system will automatically create an inventory sheet for all of your items.  Your tags will be created from the information you enter.  In addition, your consignor account will automatically be updated each evening, allowing you to track your sales and see how you're doing as the sale happens.  We are so excited about barcoding and know that you will love this new process, too. The online barcoding system offers ease of use, plus a way for you to track your sales. 

 These changes will result in faster check-outs at the sale, a more precise inventory control, accounting accuracy, and less work for everyone.  Call 435-8357 if you have questions or need help with your MySaleManager account.  

For those who do not have internet access, we have volunteers who will be happy to create your tags for you.  Simply fill out our blank inventory sheet (available here) and drop it by the church office.  You'll be able to pick up your tags in just a couple of days.

How we've improved advertising for Children's Market

Our biggest request from consignors last year was to have more publicity.  In response to those requests, we're increasing our advertising efforts.  You will see bigger ads in the local papers and hear more Public Service Announcements and ads on TV and Radio.  We've delivered thousands of flyers in Calhoun, Etowah, Cherokee, and Cleburne Counties.  We're working harder than ever to make sure everyone knows about this great event.

Children's Market Fall 2008 Sale Dates

 

New Consignor Workshop

Wednesday, August 13 at 6:00 pm

Pre-Sale - Wednesday, Sept. 10

12 Noon - Level 4 Volunteers (18 hours)

1 pm - Level 3 Volunteers (12 hours)

2 pm - Level 2 Volunteers (6 hours)

3 pm - Level 1 Volunteers/Bartering Only (3 hours)

4 pm - 7 pm - Children's Market Consignors

5 pm - 7 pm, 1st Time New Parents & Teachers

Open to the Public - Thursday, Sept. 11, and Friday, Sept. 12 
8 am until 6 pm  

Discount Day - Saturday, Sept. 13
8 am - Noon - (Many items will be reduced 50%) and
3 pm - 4 pm - ($1 per item or $5 a sack for anything you can fit into it.)


No Consignor Fees:  In response to the current economic conditions, we are suspending consignor fees and increasing our consignor percentages.  It is our hope that these changes will ease the financial burden many families are experiencing. 

New Consignor Percentages:  Consignors receive 75% of their sales, with the other percentage going to the children's ministry of the church and community organizations.  Volunteers can earn up to 90% through working at the sale and bartering.

Consignor Checks:  Checks will be mailed on Wednesday, September 17.  Beginning in the spring of 2009, checks will be ready when you pick up your items or if you have a Paypal account, you can have your money deposited through Paypal. 

New Consignor Workshops: In case you didn't know it, we have several wonderful children's consignment sales in Calhoun County.  Have you ever shopped at a sale and wondered how people got started consigning?   Have you wanted to participate in a sale, but weren't sure where to start?  Consigning for the first time can be intimidating.  We want to make that process easier.

If you have participated as a consignor before, are you looking for ways to bring home a bigger check after the sale?  There are a lot of hints and tips out there that can make a big difference.  We'd like to invite you to our Consignor Workshop at Jacksonville First United Methodist Church.  We'll have great general information on getting started consigning, organizing and preparing clothing to sell, and more.  You'll even get tips on shopping at sales.  During the last part of the meeting, we'll share specific information regarding data entry and tagging for Children's Market consignors.

Attending a workshop does not obligate anyone to consign with Children's Market.  There won't be a sales pitch to get on board with us.  It's simply an opportunity to learn more about being a successful consignor, at any level, at any sale.  We believe that consignment sales serve as family ministries.  These sessions are a part of our ministry.  Children are welcome at the workshops. 

Before you register for our sale, please read our Consignor Agreement.  By registering online, you are stating that you've read our Consignor Agreement and agree to follow the guidelines listed within it, including our policy on lost items, consignor fees, replacement checks, and donated items.
 
All items MUST be input into MySaleManager.NET by 11:30 PM on Monday, Sept. 8.  You will not be able to make any changes after this time.

Item Drop-Off Date at the Church - September 8 by appointment only.  Because of increased gas prices, there will be three additional drop-off times for consignors to drop off their clothing, shoes, and other smaller items locally.  (Large items, like furniture and larger baby equipment, will have to be brought to the church on Monday.)  These dates and locations are: 

Wed, Sept. 3 -   Ohatchee - Jack's Restaurant at 10 am

                         Etowah County - Hobby Lobby Parking Lot at Noon

Thurs, Sept. 4 -  Centre - PARD Baseball Field at 10 am

                         Piedmont - Piedmont FUMC Parking Lot at Noon

Friday, Sept. 5 - Anniston/Oxford - Books-a-Million at 10 am

Please email us (jfumc_consign@bellsouth.net) if you plan to take advantage of one of our drop-off locations. 

Is your child saving up for the latest video game or another expensive toy? 
Are you overwhelmed with the amount of toys your children have outgrown but they won't let you sell?  
We're giving kids an incentive to clean out their toy boxes!  

Let your child consign those items with us.  You can set up a consignor account for your child with no obligation or commitment.  He or she can pick out what items to sell, prepare the items, and decide on the prices.  We will be happy to write a check to your child for their sold items.  Consignor fees are waived for children's accounts.  (Parents must be a current consignor for children under age 12 to have a consignor account.)   All children will receive the base commission of 70% on their items.

Preparing Your Items

Sorting for Drop-Off:  All clothing items must be grouped by size and gender. Try using ribbon, cable ties, or rubber bands to group your items for transporting.  All "like" items (i.e. toys, shoes, nursery etc.) must be together. A Children's Market committee member or volunteer will inspect clothing, shoes, and your other items when you arrive at your scheduled drop-off time.  If you would like, you can leave us a tub or basket with your name & consignor number on it.  We'll place your unsold items in it for pick up on Saturday.

Do you need hangers?  When you're shopping, ask the salesperson if you can keep your hangers. We have a limited supply of hangers left from previous sales.  These are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  You can also check with your dry cleaner, Wal-Mart, or some of the stores at the Oxford Exchange (Old Navy, Target, and TJ Maxx) or the mall. They often give away leftover hangers.  Please check with our church and these other sources before purchasing hangers.   If you have to purchase hangers, Wal-Mart and Dollar General are great resources for hangers & larger safety pins.  Dollar Tree also has hangers, but those hangers work best for lightweight items only.

Time Saving Tip for Girls' Items - Ask sales clerks for skirt hangers!  You'll save time and effort when you hang skirts and skorts on these hangers.

A little TLC goes a long way at Children's Market - When you take the time to make your items look sharp, shoppers are more likely to buy your things. 
•  Use our Stain Removal Tips. 
•  Clothes should be clean and neatly hung or folded.  If something is wrinkled, take the time to iron it.
•  Make sure items can stay secure on the hangers. 
•  All non-clothing items should be cleaned up to the best of your ability. 
•  Check shoe for dirt and wear.  Use shoe polish to cover scuff marks and consider replacing worn-out laces with new ones.  Shoe shoppers really like clean looking shoes!   


In addition to hangers, you will need the following supplies:


• White cardstock.  Cardstock is available at the church office Monday - Friday from 8 am until 4:30 pm. 

• Safety pins that are at least one inch long.  Smaller safety pins will not work with the cardstock - you'll get frustrated and end up with sore, bleeding fingers.   If you need safety pins, please check with our church before you buy.  We have safety pins available while supplies last.

• Ziploc or "slide lock" bags.  These are great for socks, bibs, small shoes, and accessories.  They're also an easy way to keep extra toy pieces together.  Securely tape the bag to the larger toy to keep everything together.

• Packing tape or masking tape (to secure tags, parts or bags of accessories to larger items).  When using tape, please don't tape over the barcodes! 

• Twine, cable ties, and/or strong ribbon (to attach tags to toys and/or equipment, separate items into groups for transporting & drop-off, secure larger pairs of shoes together, etc.)

Important Information on Tagging

In this system, you can start and stop entering your items as many times as you like. To get back to your inventory, you will simply log onto the inventory through the consignor links on the website site with your consignor number and password.   You also have the ability to print all of your tags or only a few at a time. 

PLEASE NOTE:  All items must be entered into the system and tags printed by 8 pm on April 1st. After this time, you can make no changes to pricing or items.

We also recommend using white cardstock paper for your tags.  The church has white cardstock available at not cost for anyone who would like to use it.  You can pick it up at the church office or it can be mailed to you.  This cuts down on lost tags, and ultimately means more money for you!  Thanks to a great consignor for sharing this Tagging Tip:  After you print your tags, punch a hole in the top center portion of the tag. It is much easier to tag this way because your safety pin never has to go through the paper; you'll just use the hole you created with the hole punch. (You can find them at Wal-mart or an office supply store.)

Make sure you let the ink dry on your tags before you pin them to your items.  This will help preserve the barcode. 

ALL tags must be printed** by 8 pm on April 1st.

**We will offer a tagging service for those who do not have access to a printer or those using a public computer for Internet access.  The deadline for this service is midnight, March 28, 2008 Contact Elizabeth (Phone: 435-8357) for more information.

Creating your tags - You'll need to know these facts to create your tags.

Category- We have a wide selection of categories to choose from for your items.  Please select the category that best suits each item.  This will help us get your items in the area where they'll sell best.  For teen sizes, select junior - boys or junior - girls.  

Size - Children's sizes - You have choices ranging from Preemie to XXL and just about every numerical size between the two. 

Junior sizes are 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 13 or XS, S, M, L, or XL.  We are not accepting women's clothing.  Please leave these items at home.  We will continue to accept purses, like-new shoes, and fashion accessories.  

Young men's sizes may show a numerical size or S, M, L, XL.  If the size you need is not listed as an option, you can list the size in the description.     

Maternity items may show a numerical size or S, M, L, XL  Again, if the size you need is not listed as an option, write the size in your description.   

 

Description - List the details that will help sell your item.  If it's a well known brand, write the brand name in this space. If the item is new, list that information, too. If an item is a size 8, but shrank in the washer and fits like a 6, this is where you can make that note.  For larger/more costly items, point out the item's original or retail price (Originally $75, used once). This may convince the buyer of the great deal they will be getting.  

Price - The minimum price is $2.  Prices must be in whole dollar or .50¢ increments.  If you have something you think won't sell for $2, pair it with something else to meet the minimum price. 

Pricing Tip #1:  Take a moment to really think about your consignment goal before you price your items.  Do you want to clean out closets and make a little money in the process?  Price low.  Are you hoping to recoup some of the money you've spent on clothes for your child?   Price your things for 25 - 30% of the retail price.  Think about your goal before you start pricing your items.  That will help you come closer to meeting it.   Keep in mind that even like-new boutique items (originally $50 - $70+) don't sell well when they're priced over $20 - $25. 

Most shoppers will walk in the door hoping to find great clothes for their kids at prices they can afford.  They're expecting prices that are higher than what they'd find at a neighborhood yard sale, but they still want a bargain when they walk out the door.    Price items in amounts that you would consider to be reasonable, usually 25-30% of the retail price.  If you are unsure how to price an item, check on EBay to see how similar items are selling there.  We also have a list of average prices from previous sales in our forms section.  Look on the left side of this page to follow the link.  The best question to ask yourself is "Would I buy this at this price if I were shopping?"  If the answer is no, drop the price.

Price your items competitively.  It is common to have duplicate items on the sales floor, especially in the toddler boys' section.  In past sales, the people who make the most money had nicely prepared, quality items priced in the ranges of $3.00 - $15.00 and reduced at least a portion of their items to ½ price on Saturday.  We do not require consignors to reduce their items to half-price on Saturday, but have found that consignors who reduce at least some of their items for Saturday's sale sell many more items that day than consignors who do not reduce any items.  Don't price items higher to accommodate this part of the event, or your items will almost certainly sell for 1/2 price.
 

Do you want to discount this item?- This will tell us what to sell for ½ price on Saturday. Check the box if you want your item to be reduced during the half price sale. If the box is not checked, your item will sell at full-price.  

Pricing Tip #2:  To earn the highest payout possible, we recommend that our consignors offer as many items as possible for half-price on the final days.  Many people shop on the half-price days and will often pass over full price items.  If you're donating an item, reduce it.  If you're not taking it home, you have nothing to lose by marking it 50% off. 

Do you want to donate this item? - Did you clean out the closet knowing that you don't want to put unsold items back in there?  You can donate items through our sale and help others in the process.  Check the box if you want to donate an item. If the box is not checked, the system will default to show "Donate: No" on the tag.  After the sale, non-donation items will be sorted for you to pick up.   All items must be picked up before 3 pm on Saturday or they will be donated regardless of what is indicated on the tag.   Even if you want to donate all unsold items, please mark "Yes" on each individual entry.

 

Tag Printing Tips

  • Use the cardstock supplied by the church.  (If you already have cardstock, you're welcome to use it.)
  • Print tags in Normal or Draft mode. (The best quality option will make the barcodes too dark and blurry.  Please don't use it.)
  • Make sure you select the Black Ink option if you are using a color printer.
  • Before you start printing your tags, print a test page with two or three tags to check your printer settings and make sure the barcodes are crisp and clear.   If barcodes are wavy or hard to see, do a print test and realign your printer.  Try to print test tags again.  You should see an improvement.  To realign your printer, follow the manufacturer's directions.

 Please do not make handwritten changes or corrections to your tags. Return to our website and edit your inventory list if you make a mistake or change your mind about a price.  After you've made your changes, select that item for printing and print a new tag. You will not be able to make any changes to items once they are checked in to the sale. Changes made by hand will NOT be honored at check-out.

Would you like the opportunity to shop before the sale opens to the public?

The Children's Council of Jacksonville FUMC is looking for volunteers to help our sale run smoothly. In exchange for your time, you will receive a volunteer pre-sale pass. The volunteer pre-sale events start prior to the consignor pre-sale on Thursday, and the more you help, the earlier you shop. This ensures that volunteers will have the best selection of merchandise from which to choose!

Volunteer shifts are fun and easy. The tasks you may be assigned include: assisting with check-out, organizing items on the sales floor, or straightening merchandise. You can volunteer for more than one three-hour shift if you would like -- you will receive additional benefits for working a minimum of 6 hours. If you sign up to volunteer and do not show up, your absence is an acknowledgement that your consignor fees and original sale percentages will be reinstated.   Snacks and lunch are provided for volunteers who work Wednesday through Saturday, along with dinner on Thursday.

You can sign up for volunteer shifts here.   Volunteers who work during Thursday's preview sales are invited to come one hour before your shift starts to shop for your family.

Volunteer Levels

We have four options for volunteers.  Three of the volunteer levels include a higher commission.  To earn an early shopping pass, a person must work a minimum of (1) three-hour shift or choose one of the bartering options.  Early shopping passes are available for pick up during drop-off appointments or can be mailed to your home.  The Children's Council provides lunch for volunteers who are working mid-day Thursday through Saturday and dinner for on Thursday night.  Snacks and drinks are available during all shifts.   Volunteers have the option of reserving a limited number of items before the sale.  Any reserved items must be paid for before the half-price sale starts.  We will not hold items for the half-price sale or Pack-a-Sack Sale.  Children's Market t-shirts are available for volunteers at a cost of $5.00, which can be deducted from your proceeds check.

Our Volunteer Levels are:

Level 1 Volunteers - 3 hours (1 working shift or bartering).  Children's Market only functions with great volunteers, so your help is vital.  As a reward for your contribution to the sale, you can shop at 3 pm on Wednesday. 

Level 2 Volunteers - 6 hours (2 working shifts or 1 shift & bartering).  Children's Market only functions with great volunteers, so your help is vital.  As a reward for your contribution to the sale, you will receive 80% commission on your items and can shop at 2 pm on Wednesday.    

Level 3 Volunteers - 12 hours (4 working shifts or 3 shifts & bartering) - must commit to working at least 12 hours during the sale (4 shifts), from drop-off through sorting.  At least five hours must be during sorting on Saturday, anytime between 8 am and 5 pm. For your commitment, you will be able to reserve up to 5 outfits/items before the sale and shop early, arriving as early as 1 pm on Wednesday.   Your commission is 85%.  

Level 4 Volunteers - 18 hours (6 working shifts or 5 shifts & bartering) - must commit to working at least 18 hours during the sale (6 shifts), from drop-off through sorting.  At least five hours must be on Saturday, between 8 am and 5 pm. For your commitment, you will be able to reserve up to 10 outfits/items before the sale and shop beginning at noon on Wednesday.  You'll earn an 90% commission on your sales.  These spaces are limited to the first eight people who register for shifts.  :Level 4 Volunteer Shifts are now full.  Please consider volunteering at Le