Send us any questions you have. . .
and we will respond , as well as post them here for others who have the same questions!
Q: What do I need to sell clothing to The Patch?
- 1. Current styles of great clothing!
- 2. A willingness to part with your goods so somebody else can enjoy them!
- 3. Knowledge of what we are taking at the present time – look at the “Tips on Selling”
- 4. Your Photo ID – apart from your name, we will not record any personal information you do not wish to provide! (click here for reasons)
Q: Why are some of my clothes being chosen and not others?
1. Don’t take it personally. We are acting on behalf of our customers to buy the goods they want. It doesn’t mean your clothing has no value; it just means that the customers who come through our doors have not displayed enough interest to make it viable for all parties involved.
2. It’s a great time to correspond with our staff to find out exactly what our customers are after so that the next time you visit us, you can have a more fruitful experience
3. Don’t fret. There are many avenues to sell your clothing, including consignment shops, Kijiji, Craigslist and Ebay to name a few. Several of these avenues reach a broader market than we do where you will be able to achieve maximum value for your goods.
4. Remember, the more discriminating we are, the better the grade of clothing we will have in the store. On the flip side, if we took everything that people offered us, we would have a pretty low grade of clothing (ie. think thrift store), except we would have to pay for all our clothing unlike thrift stores. Don’t think we would be around too long with that formula…
5. Maybe our inventory levels are too high at the present moment for a particular product. Maybe it’s not the right season. Maybe it is for a reason that doesn’t meet the eye. Just remember that as tempting as it is to take it personally when we reject some of your articles because we do understand that you identify closely with your clothing, it isn’t you!
2. It’s a great time to correspond with our staff to find out exactly what our customers are after so that the next time you visit us, you can have a more fruitful experience
3. Don’t fret. There are many avenues to sell your clothing, including consignment shops, Kijiji, Craigslist and Ebay to name a few. Several of these avenues reach a broader market than we do where you will be able to achieve maximum value for your goods.
4. Remember, the more discriminating we are, the better the grade of clothing we will have in the store. On the flip side, if we took everything that people offered us, we would have a pretty low grade of clothing (ie. think thrift store), except we would have to pay for all our clothing unlike thrift stores. Don’t think we would be around too long with that formula…
5. Maybe our inventory levels are too high at the present moment for a particular product. Maybe it’s not the right season. Maybe it is for a reason that doesn’t meet the eye. Just remember that as tempting as it is to take it personally when we reject some of your articles because we do understand that you identify closely with your clothing, it isn’t you!
Q: Why would I sell my clothing to The Patch?
It is completely up to you, but if you weigh us up with other options, here is how we measure up.
● You can take your clothing to a consignment shop. Yes, it might sell, no guarantees, but you’ll find out after 45-90 days if you made any money.
● You can sell it on Kijiji or Craigslist. Of course, you might have to sell a piece of clothing to a complete stranger in a parking lot 5 km’s from your house on a rainy evening and maybe make the sale if it fits them properly. And that is only for 1 piece of clothing. Did we mention that you have to take photos and respond to many emails, even weeks after you sold your article. Are you going to do this for every piece of clothing you have?
● You can sell it on Ebay. Once again, you will have to wait weeks to find out what people are willing to pay for it. Do you need the added nail-biting anxiety in your life to find out you waited a whole month to find out you sold a piece of clothing for the price of a can of coke.
● You can donate it. This is fantastic, but there might be enough life in where you can recover some of the money you invested in your clothing. And when there isn’t enough life left in the clothing, we are sure that the last person who has your clothing will still donate it. Your clothing just added enjoyment to several more people’s lives before it arrived at the donation store.
● OR you can sell it to The Patch. One stop shop, cash on the spot. Now doesn’t that sound easier!
● You can take your clothing to a consignment shop. Yes, it might sell, no guarantees, but you’ll find out after 45-90 days if you made any money.
● You can sell it on Kijiji or Craigslist. Of course, you might have to sell a piece of clothing to a complete stranger in a parking lot 5 km’s from your house on a rainy evening and maybe make the sale if it fits them properly. And that is only for 1 piece of clothing. Did we mention that you have to take photos and respond to many emails, even weeks after you sold your article. Are you going to do this for every piece of clothing you have?
● You can sell it on Ebay. Once again, you will have to wait weeks to find out what people are willing to pay for it. Do you need the added nail-biting anxiety in your life to find out you waited a whole month to find out you sold a piece of clothing for the price of a can of coke.
● You can donate it. This is fantastic, but there might be enough life in where you can recover some of the money you invested in your clothing. And when there isn’t enough life left in the clothing, we are sure that the last person who has your clothing will still donate it. Your clothing just added enjoyment to several more people’s lives before it arrived at the donation store.
● OR you can sell it to The Patch. One stop shop, cash on the spot. Now doesn’t that sound easier!
Q: What do you pay for my clothes?
A: We pay 33% cash or 50% store credit of the price tags that we apply to your items!
Why do you pay the first $50 in in-store credit first?
Our First Fifty Policy will help to ensure that you are in and out of the store when you are trying to sell us clothing and ensure there are minimal line-ups! Remember, this store is for our customers who both buy and sell their clothing with us. We are sure when you drop off your clothing that you do not want to be in line behind 100 Joe Schmoes who are trying their luck to make a a couple of bucks before they donate their goods to the local charity. That is not what we are at the Patch. We want the best clothing from other customers just like you. That is why the first $50 worth of clothing we buy off of you (your cost, not our selling price) will be store credit only, not cash. Our customers won’t mind store credit, our non-customers will. Presto, no line-ups. From the moment you sell us $50 worth of goods, and for the rest of your lives, you will always have the choice whether you would like cold hard cash or store credit for your goods.
Q: Do I have to wait until my clothes are sold at the store before I receive my compensation?
A: Not at all! You receive your cash or store credit on the spot.
Q: Why do you require photo ID when dropping clothes off?
A: Two reasons:
- 1. To verify you are who you say you are (i.e. you’d not want a stranger collecting cash from your account).
- 2. To prevent the trade of stolen goods!
Q: Do I have to make an appointment before arriving at the store?
A: No appointment necessary! It will be first come first serve, but you can always give us a call to check for availability or potential line-ups. Make sure to pick them up within 24 hours, or let us donate them to charity for you!
Q: What should I do while my clothes are in the back with the buyer? Do I have to wait until they are done?
A: You are always welcome to shop while you sell. If you happen to see some amazing finds while you are shopping, you can use the 50% store credit for some new items to add to your wardrobe, or you can take 33% in cash! (Percentages based on the price we intend to sell the clothing in our store). You are free to leave your clothes with us for a 24 hour turnaround as well. If clothing is left for longer than 24 hours, then the clothing we did not select for resale will be donated to charity.
Q: What happens to the clothing that you do not choose for resale?
A: You are welcome to take the clothing home with you or we will take it off your hands and donate it to charity.
Q: When can I bring in clothes?
A: You can bring in clothes 7 days a week, up until 1 hour before close (to ensure you can get your clothes/cash/credit back before close). Or pick them up the next day.
Q: How much clothing can I bring in at one time?
A: We would like all of your re-sellable merchandise, however, we encourage no more than 4 large bags to ensure quick turnaround.
Q: What kinds of clothing should I bring in to sell?
A: Collect your current, gently used designer/brand name clothing and accessories. Keep these four pointers in mind when picking items to sell: current, trendy, clean, and in tip-top shape! If you need more guidance check out clothing we take or our most wanted sections!
Q: After I gather my clothing what is my next step?
A: Bring them down to the patch in Cambridge and sign in at the counter for service from our friendly buyer on staff. Feel free to check our latest styles we have in store while our buyer reviews your items. Also, give us a call ahead of time to check for potential wait times.
Q: How are my clothes being evaluated once brought in?
A: Our buyer will thoroughly evaluate your items based upon whether they are saleable in our store and our pricing offer will be based on: season, condition, style, designer/brand, and stock we have currently in the store.
Q: If I need to ask anyone a question at the Patch, who should I ask?
A: Feel free to ask our buyers any questions! They are highly trained in the patchback program and have the background knowledge needed allowing patchback run smoothly! They are always ready to answer any and all of your questions about our patchback program.
Keep On Sending Us More Questions!
